“Umm, is now a busy time?” A unicorn mare with a light blue body and pitch black mane. Getting a closer look at the mare he noticed dark crinkly bags under her green eyes they scarred her otherwise perfect face. “Can you please help, my foal’s sick and he isn’t getting any better.” She sobbed, tears flowing down her face while her voice cracked more than once. Stumbling forward she grabbed onto his neck pulling him closer. “You have to help…”
Crying out she collapsed into his outstretched arms. “Ma’am, ma’am are you alright there. You look like you haven’t slept in weeks. Stay still for just a moment.” He went to his normal bedside manner, that was the only way the patients stared calm. When you panicked out in the battlefield panic spread faster than a fire. That was the most depressing part, ponies panic first and think later.
Mint green magic filled the air as he began to cast a spell on her that leaked into every pore of her body and enriched her being. Her coat began go glow with health as the bags faded to small wrinkles, barely noticeable on her body. “There I’ve given you a pick me up, it won’t last the longest so speak up quickly. I don’t want to leave you hurting any longer than needed. Is it you or somepony else that requires my help.”
The mare stared into his gentle eyes and let her shoulders loosened to go to her side. “I-my foal, he wouldn’t come to help us. The doctor’s wouldn’t help after the midnight checkup. He’s just been getting worse since then.” Her head flopped back and she stared with soulless eyes at the sky. “I don’t know what to do.”
Cutting Shores opened his mouth by an inch and resisted the urge to stare wide-eyed. What in Celestia’s mane was going on if they were acting like that? Those…. Little. His calming smile and gently look was kept even as untamed rage inside “Ma’am, I have no idea in the least what you are talking about. Midnight checkup, what is that? Is it a festival you have every night?” To the outsider he know it sounded weird, but from his experience in Zebrafica that was the main reason for exclusion. “Where is your foal, I’ll take care of him.”
Her sky blue eyes looked out into the shade between the houses and then to Cutting Shores. Slowly he laid a hoof on hers and nodded. “Southern Wind, you can come out the nice stallion is willing to help. Come here honey.” The crinkle of leaves and grass grabbed their attention as the shape of a small foal started to take shape in the darkness.
Out of the shadows came a filly no older than four with luscious black mane like the mare and brown coat. Every step she took towards the pair was pained and weak. Stopping next to the mare she put her snout against hers and shared a love filled muzzle before speaking softly. “Momma… I wanna go home and sweep.”
The mare kissed her on the tip of her horn with closed and tearfully eyes. “Everything is going to be alright South Wind, I promise.” South Wind opened her mouth wide and yawned then smacked her lips together before looking up at the stallion. “Can you… take a look at her now, doctor? I just want my little foal to be okay.”
“It will be alright Ma’am, just let me get my equipment and I’ll be right out.” He gave her a comforting hoof on the shoulder before going to his trailer. “Just keep her still while I give her a checkup, I don’t want to evaluate wrong for your little girls sake.” Opening the door to his trailer he looked around at the squeaky clean room without a single trace of dirt any where.
By his folded bed sheet and pillow lay a camo saddlebag whose straps were worn at the edges and fraying at the edges. Chuckling to himself he tapped the straps and took a string out of the side cabinet. A sharp needle followed by green surgery string weaved in and out of the bag at mach speed fixing it up in mere moments. He strapped it to his back and gave an elated breath of air as the memories of battles long since passed flowed back through him.
Going straight for the foal he felt his blood start to boil at the thought of a good challenge. He went down on his front two hooves and lifted a magnifying glass in front of his face. “I’m going to begin now, just promise to stay still and you will be all better soon South Wind.” While he investigated South Wind he gave the long practiced repertoire of questions to the mare. “From what I can presume you’re her mother, can you give me your name and when this started.”
The mare moved to give Cutting Shores full sight of her child while not ever letting her leave hoofs reach. “My name is Spring Breeze. This all started about a month ago, she kept complaining about it hurting when she pee and I thought it was nothing. After a while though… she started to get… like this.” Spring Breeze sobbed out in short breaths, running her hoof through her foals hair and never let it leave it completely. “I kept having her go out on the Midnight Checkup but she never got chosen. If they don’t get chosen, no one will help.”
Cutting Shores leaned in closer with his magnifying glass an inch away from her horn. “I’ll have to look more into that later, If it is alright with you ma’am I would like a full explanation of the event later.” South wind’s horn was a sickly yellowish-brown along with the rest of her body. Placing a hoof on her forehead he was met with a cold sweat and frail skin. She slowly began to sway in place giving him a tiny smile. His heart plummeted, at the pain this strong filly was going through. It was the telltale signs of nausea and she began to hiccup with pained little breaths. “I think I know what the problem is, but answer this. Has her urinal excrement been irregular or…” His talk stopped once her ears and eyes started to twitch uncontrollable.
“South Wind please stay still so the nice stallion can help you.” A brief flash of green forced her to turn as it burned into her retinas. Her mare collapsed in her arms and gave a dainty snore, something that she hadn’t done in weeks. Spring Breeze gave nuzzled her hair, parting it strand by strand and shedding tears as a couple broke away under her gentle touch. “Her urine’s been smelling weird and it’s had a different color than usual but there’s not anything else. It got like that after she started feeling pain around here.” She pointed to her daughters flank and poked into it. In her sleep South Wind moved her hoofs around and gave a pained moan.
“I know exactly what the problem is ma’am, and I promise I’ll have her patched up as soon as possible. We just need one of my friends to come back soon. This is hard to do I know, but I need at least one other pony to help me.” Cutting Shores bowed down to her letting his snout touch the ground. Every look at her filled him with daggers that cut away at his heart that dug deeper and deeper flinging the pieces of it into a pool of sadness. In the past Shores could do this by himself but now he wasn’t so sure.
“Fine just as long as your promise to perform on her, I-I don’t know how much longer I can bear to see her in pain. It pains me to see her like this; I’m a horrible mother for allowing this to even happen.” Every day since this started had been hell for Spring Breeze and she could feel herself cracking more and more with each day. She dug her face into her hooves and sobbed into them hiding her shame. If only she had been more cautious when South started to whine in her sleep. The shame was only stopped by the feeling of strong hooves wrapping themselves around her neck.
[8:17:44 PM] CaptainConfusion(Baobob): “Calm down ma’am I’ll go out to get my friends but you have to promise to stay here. If she starts sweat and moan again I want you to send me a mental message right away, are you able to do that.” A shocked expression crossed his face at the nod she gave him to say she did. That was an ex-military thing that he said out of habit. What had this mare been through before she settled down? “Good, I’ll come right away if you send me message. This will be over soon I promise.”
Nearby they heard the sound of trumpets blaring in the distance playing a melodious tune on the wind. A blazing meteor crashed down from the heaves before bouncing across the ground and exploded into a shower of confetti and candy scented streamers. Sebastian rose from the rubble dressed in a maid’s suite. “Greetings ladies and gentlemen I’ve come back from my journey to the hardware store and I return with a katana.” Looking down at the two he laughed uncontrollable and leaned a hoof on a nearby tree. Only a day here and this was all so funny, he couldn’t stop laughing at it all. “Oh this is rich, everypony is starting to get together. Why this must be the town of love and I am the cupid that will bring everypony together.” He struck a pose hailing the heavens as angels sung in a chorus. “I will accept this duty and devote my life to it.”
Cutting Shores gave Sebastian a cold glare before letting go of Spring Breeze who looked at the newcomer with terrified and frightened eyes. “What in Celestia are you?” A snarl crossed her lips before she wrapped her hooves around her daughter. A small dagger flew into the air wrapped in her dark aura pointed at Sebastian’s throught. “If you dare lay a single hoof on my daughter, I’ll kill you.”
“All right madam I promise not to lay a single hoof on your daughter.” Sebastian stood on his back legs and bowed before giving a mocking grin. “However I said nothing about dressing her up in silly pink bows did I?” It was fun to think like this, but a new problem arose, how should he begin. He went through the different types and twieling on one leg before leaping through the air. There was a comical clang as he slammed headfirst into a large sword and fell to the ground. “Medic I require assistance. Wait… actually what are you up too? I’m bored and left the other two alone.”
“Fine if you happen to be that bored than you can assist me, we’re performing a surgery on little South Wind here.” Cutting Shores brushed South Wind’s mane before gesturing to his trailer. “I want to perform surgery on her as soon as possible. Would you, be willing to assist me in my endeavor.” Sebastian’s head literally exploded into a cascade of bouncy balls before it regrew with goggles equipped and hair burning red.
“Oh I knew this day would someday come that the great battle medic would request the help of this humble fairy.” Skipping in place he stomped a hoof against the ground and a nurses outfit fit itself around him clinging tight to his form. “Sebastian the nurse is at your service. Ready to serve and ready to please. Doctor, I’ll be with you in a moment, I just need to take a shower first. ” Sebastian purred in a husky voice before he moved behind the doctor’s trailer and the sound of running water rose up.
“I-I what just happened Shores, and why are you allowing him to help? He’s going to do horrible things to her. I’M NOT ALLOWING HIM TO HELP YOU!!!!!” Spring Breeze screamed at him causing spittle to fly and then pulled hard with the strength of a mother bear. If anything she was not allowing that batshit insane weirdo near her daughter no matter what. Without warning her entire body froze and she lost all feeling in her limbs. Cutting Shore’s eyes emanated the coldness of a soldier on battle that had sent many screaming for the hills in fear.
“Ma’am I can understand entirely why you would find him suspicious, however like I said earlier I need at least one helper. Besides he isn’t as stupid as he makes himself out to seem.” Cutting Shores stated steadfast and true before levitating South Wind into the air and onto his back. His voice came out strict and powerful forcing Spring Breeze to flinch. “You have to trust me on this, with him he would interfere whether or not I wanted him. I’ve seen him mess around with his organs for magic tricks.” He rolled his eyes with the most indignant frown on his face. That fairy opened up his own stomach and juggled them before putting them all back in nice and neat. It was disheartening to say the least.
“Fine but I am going to wait outside then. I can’t stay still while HE!!! Messes around with her. Jus promise not to give him control.” She murmered before moving to the side of his trailer and sat there waiting for him to go in. Her eyes gave him one last tearful look before she felt sleepiness over take her. Just five minutes ago she hadn’t felt like this so it could only mean that. Snarling, she curled her lips and hissed at Cutting Shores. “You godamn son of a …” She collapsed and hit the ground snoring.
SUPEREDIT
Sorry for not making it clear, but this story takes place well after both Star-Crossed School Days and Raison D'être. So, to understand why Spark Storm was banished from Ponyville, you'll need to read through SCSD at least. My apologies for the confusion.
"PARTY!" Pinkie Pie threw confetti from who knew where everywhere. The party was in full swing. Music played in the back, food was served. Plenty of ponies danced the hokie pokie and everything was okie dokie.
The party went on for several hours. There was dancing, singing (on Pinkie's Part) and pin the tail on the donkey. There was even a pin the donkey on the tail, but that's for a whole other story.
Pinkie Pie loved parties. She loved hosting them. She loved going to them. She loved dancing at them. But most of all, she loved to see the smiles of the faces of the ponies she knew and loved.
But sometimes, it was too much, even for her. You wouldn't know it from looking at her, but sometimes, there had been just a little too much partying.
But how could you ever tell? You never heard Pinkie Pie say "Whoo boy! I'm all tired out, I think I'll take a break from partying for a while." Pinkie was the premier party pony, the one that was at every party, and was actually hosting most of them.
Some days, she just needed a break from partying. Of course, if anyone knew, it might change how ponies looked at her, and that wasn't something she wanted to change. Tonight was one such night.
She had waited almost a whole week before a storm was scheduled. This was something that she rarely had; a real, private moment to herself. She snuck out after 11pm, shortly before the storm would begin, and walked, not hopped, the two miles or so out to the edge of the Everfree.
Finally reaching the spot she was looking for, Pinkie Pie settled down into the grass and watched as the coming storm was built slowly upon by a team of Pegasi. It looked like Rainbow Dash had the night off, because Pinkie couldn't spot her friend.
Now that she had time to reflect on herself, Pinkie Pie lowered her muzzle into the grass, and softly began to cry.
These moments that she had to herself were few and far between, and keeping pace with her job and her friends and her favorite hobby was so stressful. She just had to let it out sometimes, or she would explode, and more than twice.
As Pinkie Pie released her emotions, it began to rain. The raindrops were heavy but came slowly, making loud plops on the leaves of the trees over her. Once the rain had settled down to a nearly imperceptible drizzle, the cicadas began to sing.
Pinkie opened her eyes and blinked away her tears as fireflies began to dance around her. She smiled to herself. This was what she was waiting for.
Pinkie got to her hooves and closed her eyes. She began to sing. There was no rhyming, there were no words. She simply reached into her heart, and threw out whatever sounds it felt like making.
She twisted and turned, graceful and light. This went on for another ten to fifteen minutes until she finally stopped, her breath and heart quickly returning to their normal pacing.
Feeling a bit lazy, she settled back down into the grass and laid on her side, facing Ponyville.
She rolled her eyes. Did he really think he was hiding from her? "You can come out now, Spark Storm." The only sound that permeated the silence was drops of rain-laden tree water.
After a moment, however, there were sounds of movement as the tall, lean Pegasus emerged, perfectly camouflaged in the shadows. "Pinkie Pie...You know I wasn't spying, right?"
"Oh really?" Spark winced a bit at how miffed the party pony sounded. "Of all the places that I come to do this, by myself, which is like...almost never, and you're always here. Of course you're spying on me, and-" Pinkie Pie was cut off as she felt a hoof on her mouth.
She looked up at Spark, surprised to see a tender, if not hurt look on his face.
"Pinkie Pie, I...all right. Fine. I know when you come out here, and I usually drop by to watch or listen to you." Pinkie Pie frowned and got up, preparing to leave. "I thought I knew you better than that, Sparky. This is my private time, it's the only time I ever get to myself!"
Spark Storm sighed and lowered his head with guilt. He'd dealt a blow to his friendship with Pinkie Pie. If only he could make her understand why. "Pinkie, I'm sorry. It's just...you remind me of my mom when you're out here."
Pinkie froze in her tracks. At the mention of his mother, Pinkie's memories of that terrible day came flooding back to her. She looked back at Spark, who stood there with guilt and pain threatening to spill over in his eyes.
Finally understanding his actions, Pinkie Pie strode up to him and nuzzled her head under his chin. He let out a soft sigh, trying to settle the emotions that were slowly ebbing away.
There were so many times when he wished he weren't so emotional. He coped most of the time, but when it came to his mother, he almost always broke down.
The two of them stayed huddled like that in the rain for a few moments. Then, Pinkie backed away from him and looked up into his big, gold eyes.
"Pinkie, I'm sorry I've kept invading your special time alone. I won't do it anymore, I Pinkie Pie Sw-" It was his turn to take a hoof over the mouth for quiet time. He obeyed, watching her with surprised eyes.
"You know, I guess it's ok if you're here when i'm out here. You don't really like parties anyway, and I come here to get away from parties, you know?"
Spark nodded with a light smile. "Yeah, I know." "Just...no more hiding. And if you have to talk about it, I don't mind, either. And I know you're not really 'allowed'" she twitched her hoofs up and down in the air, "to be in Ponyville, but if you really need to talk and I'm not there, just sneak in and talk to one of the girls!"
Spark Storm chuckled. Sneaking into Ponyville was actually one of his favorite hobbies. He was indeed not allowed to be back there, on account of what had happened all those years ago.
He supposed he had more Rainbow Dash in him than he realized, as it gave him a thrill to actually have the police ponies try to chase him out. Some of them even enjoyed the chase as well. It was kind of like a game of tag, and everypony else was it.
"I understand. And...thanks." He gave the pink mare a huge hug, which she reciprocated. The two of them had been friends for years, so their closeness came naturally. She gave him a final nuzzle, then headed back for home with a hop in her - well, hopped. She never did much walking.
Three weeks later, Spark Storm was running through the woods. He looked back with a laugh, watching Orea try to keep up with him. "Storm! Slow down!" She called. She never ran out of breath, no matter how long she ran.
Her little frame wasn't meant for speed, though. "Your speed is most unfair!" Spark laughed and ran faster, soon losing the Nymph. He came to a stop when he heard sniffling coming from the edge of the woods.
Going to investigate, he found a little bundle of pink, splayed out on the grass. He sighed; he hated seeing Pinkie Pie so sad. Remembering their last encounter, he made to leave. "Wait!" She called.
She had gotten to her hooves and trotted into the Everfree. He turned to her, and his heart ached at seeing her mane mostly flat, with just a few stray curls here and there.
"Don't go, I...I came looking for you. I could really use somepony to talk to about stuff that I can't tell anypony else and since you already know about it..." She looked up at him with sad, hopeful eyes.
She gasped softly as she saw Orea come up to sit beside Spark Storm. "Oh, you already, I -" Spark held up a hoof, then looked down at little Orea.
She looked back into his eyes, and without a word she seemed to get the message. She turned away and walked back into the forest, disappearing from view. Spark turned back to Pinkie and held out a hoof.
Needing no encouragement, Pinkie Pie settled against his side, and poured her heart out to him, revealing how she felt when she just couldn't be happy anymore.
It didn't happen often, of course. But playing the happy card all the time meant building up stress. She wasn't eternally happy like her friends believed she was.
She needed release from pretending. She needed to bring her walls down for a couple hours and just let the sad come out.
That night, she did. And when she was done pouring her heart out to Spark, she felt better than she had in years. That night, she went home and for a long, long time, didn't need to vent.
She still went to see Spark Storm when she could. When she did, it wasn't to be sad.
Hope you all enjoyed :)
The first scene in the rain was inspired by Sir Gimp Of Baath's story Causality, and written with permission . I'm not sure if it's on this site, but you'll find it if you go to fanfiction.net. It's an amazing Twinkie Pie story, absolutely worth a read.
