Red Heart Checkout: Autobiography Of A Disturbed Patientby ShadowSteedChaptersPrologueMeeting The HeartFrom Dream To DreadPancakesDoubting LoveThe Reason, The TruthSibling Rivalry / The fight for Redheart beginsPieces to the puzzle.PrologueI'll never forget that day. That one day that started what felt like a lifetime of atrocities. That one day that held that one moment that turned everything upside down. That one moment where everything meant nothing. I'll never forget it. It started out as a bright, sunny morning here in Ponyville. I awoke to the sweet melody of the birds perched outside my open window. They sang a song of great pasture. I always took that as a sign that it was going to be a magnificent day. I rose from bed with a smile on my face and benevolence in my heart ready and eager to start my day. I slowly walked downstairs with a satisfied smile on my face and my eyes closed for I was envisioning the perfect way to begin today with a full breakfast. I wondered what would suit this wonderful day. Scrambled eggs smothered with rich honey? A healthy bowl of hay flakes with a side of juicy, succulent strawberries? A plate of waffles drenched in syrup with a tall glass of enriching orange juice? Oh the possibilities running through my head were endless. The vision of my delights for a healthy start to my day were short lived. I heard a sudden ringing in my ears. My body jolted as my eyes suddenly popped open. The sweet tastes in my mouth suddenly turned bitter and the waterfall forming within my taste buds dried up as I located the source of the ringing. It was my clock indicating that the next hour come. It was now 9am. I was late for work! Thoughts of a pleasant morning were now filled with dread as I wondered of the atrocities my strict boss was going to inflict on me. I quickly ran to the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed the first thing I saw that I thought would fill me up quickly. A healthy, red, apple. I quickly ran out the door and halfway out my front yard I took my first bite of the apple. I abruptly stopped where I stood. I suddenly felt a pleasant sensation fill my body. The apple was so much juicier than I expected. the flavors seemed to gush in my mouth and fill it with delicious happiness. My heart raced at a steady pace as the horrendous beat it played as I ran from my home now played a melody of delight and euphoric reassurance. As I just stand there chewing on the succulent fruit, I hear the sweet sounds of nature around me. The wind blew in such a way it seemed to dance as it swept through my mane. The feel of the grass beneath my hooves as it swayed in sync with the breeze around me. I slowly began walking as the dread that I had felt just moments ago had completely disappeared. Everything was in perfect harmony. I walked slowly towards my workplace with the apple within the aura of my horn. All of my worries dissolved as I took each bite of it. I savored each moment, relished each bite, I was thankful to Celestia that this sudden turn of events turned out better than I could have ever hoped for. The birds were now singing all around me, they seemed to sing with such a melody that Fluttershy herself would very much be proud of. They flew close to me as I walked, flying across my head. Each sound that hit my eardrum seemed to say, "Have no worries, have no troubles, today will be a good day" Or something along those lines. I had never had such a wonderful day in my entire life. Something this good was sure to last right? Apparantly not. The birds suddenly screeched and I jolted with sudden fear. The birds flew away as to signal distress. I wondered what could have been the matter. I looked around to see what could have been the cause of their fear. Yet all I saw was a house to my left. A simple, small, suburban home. The only thing irregular about it was the roof. It was incomplete. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a look around. I suddenly heard a loud banging sound coming from behind the house. Closer inspection revealed a large, bulky construction worker hammering nails into the roof. There was not much to see there so I knew it was best not to disturbed him. I turned around to go back the way I came, but was stopped frozen in fear when the sound of banging was replaced with a scream of agony. I turned around to see the construction worker in great pain for he had accidentally hit the tip of hims hoof with the hammer. Blood started gushing out of it's tip and covered the top of his hoof. His screams of agony filled my heart with sorrow, I tried to run and help him, but his pain suddenly turned to anger as he picked up the hammer which was the source of his anguish and threw it with full force away from him. It wouldn't have bothered me very much except for one problem, It was headed straight for me! I tried to move, but the hammer was closer than I originally thought. It him me with great force in my head creating a large wound. I screamed with great anguish as the hammer had lodged itself into my cranium and blood started gushing from my forehead. The construction worker heard my cries and noticed what he had done. He was so shocked to see the hammer in my head he lost his balance and tumbled off the roof. I didn't notice at the time for I was rapidly losing blood and the back of the hammer was poking my brain. I felt extreme dizziness and was barely conscious. When s little of my strength returned and allowed me to focus, the first thing I saw was the construction worker falling off the roof and straight towards me. I was unfortunate enough to be caught in his path. His big body landed on the center of my face, pushing the hammer deeper into my head. We both fell to the ground. The pain I originally felt in the beginning was now tripled due to the crushing feeling of the construction worker on top of me and the hammer pushed to the point of almost entering my brain. The construction worker walked close to me and was squirted in the face with the blood still gushing from my head. I quickly began to lose consciousness and my ability to hear started to fade even faster. The last thing I could see was the construction worker running into the house shouting "CALL THE HOSPITAL!" I just laid on my back, looked up at the sky, and said what I thought would be my final words, I said "Celestia, please don't let me die." I than lost all consciousness as questions started to run across my head. Why did this happen? Am I being punished for my curiosity? Would all this have happened if I had woken earlier? I would never know for my thoughts had stopped as well and all that could be seen was pitch darkness. No colors, no sounds, no apple to make this all better. I was certain I was dead. Meeting The HeartI was unconscious for what felt like a lifetime. I could hear no sounds, I could see no forms of life, I had no reassurance that I had survived my terrible ordeal. Yet I still had my thoughts. I still had my ability to perceive what could possibly be happening at this very moment. I thought for sure I was dead. I was certain I was doomed to a lifetime of eternal darkness in the abyss of no return. I was sure that Celestia had forsaken me and ignored my plea for a second chance. I had no doubt in my mind it was all over. Then suddenly, a blur of white appeared before me. A small glimpse of a serene pasture. I attempted to move away from it for it was so sudden it nearly blinded me.Then it disappeared. My one glimpse of faith swept away before my eyes. Could my still functioning brain be playing tricks on me too? Was my curiosity really that unnecessary that I am to be punished this way for eternity? Apparently not. The white glimpse appeared to me again. This time with a voice. A soft voice. An unfamiliar voice that seemed to provide more than just a glimpse of serenity. It seemed to provide reassurance. I could barely make out the words being said to me. It sounded like, "Wake up honey." Wake up? Could this mean that the white blur was not a Celestia forsaken apparatus? Could this mean that I could actually be alive? I had to know! I worked in sync with my thoughts and attempted to move towards the blur of white light. It finally began to come into focus. As the blur became clearer and clearer, I started to see more reassuring sights. I saw colors! I saw a light blue shine that seemed to gleam with the white surrounding it. I was now determined to see this image. After a whole minute of struggling with myself, the image was now crystal clear. What stood before me was a mare. A white nurse pony. She had beautiful light blue eyes and a big smile on her face. She had a pink mane that seemed to just naturally flow with a slight breeze. I gave a low groan to make sure this wasn't all just an illusion as well. The white mare seemed to lighten up with joy at my sound. I wasn't so satisfied with it for even though I was now certain I was alive, My head seemed to feel like that hammer was hitting the same spot over and over again. I put my hoof on my head, I could feel the bandages wrapped around me. The nurse seemed to slightly tear up at the sight of me being able to move. Than she suddenly said, In a sweet, soft, teary voice, "You're alive." I was slightly confused with her expression. My confusion grew as she suddenly embraced me. Her skin was warm to the touch and very reassuring to my theory that I had survived. I had no idea why she was so worried about me for I had never see her before. I returned the embrace. I wasn't sure why I did, but it was nice to know that somepony was watching over me. I suddenly heard her intensify to slight sobbing. She than repeated her previous statement "You're alive. You're alive. Oh thank Celestia you're alive." I was unsure how to react to this. What do I say? What do I do? I decided to just reassure her and say, "Yes. Yes. I'm alive. I'm okay." She released me from the embrace and just stared at me for a while. Her smile seemed to have no end. That was the least of my problems though, it was time to get some answers. "W-where am I?" I inquired. "You're in Ponyville Hospital." She responded. "You had severe head trauma from a hammer to your skull. Don't worry though, we patched you up." "How long have I been here?" "A couple weeks. It would have been longer should that family had not called us when they did." "Why did you hug me?" She gave a slight giggle before answering me. "Oh honey, you were always such a jokester." Honey? What did that mean? I've never seen this mare. Did she call everypony that? I was so confused. "How..." Before I could ask my next question, she proceeded to slowly climb on the bed and position herself over my body. My heart began racing and my face started turning red as I stared into her now seductive-looking eyes. She put her mouth close to my ear and whispered "You act like you don't remember me. Maybe this will refresh your memory." She than began nibbling softly on my ear. The intensity of the blush on my face increased as I gave a soft moan. I was very confused on why she was doing this, or what I did to deserve this. There was little I could do about it since the blow to my head kind of immobilized me. She than to put her lips up against mine. Her tongue had wiggled it's way into my open mouth and danced with mine. My stallionhood began growing and my horn began glowing as the passion of the kiss increased. I was now more confused than ever, but was having too much fun to care. I could feel her lower body slowly descend as the kiss slowly ended. I was ready. I was not sure I was willing, but when was I going to get another chance like this? Before I could have the satisfaction of taking this further, the hospital intercom buzzed. It startled me. Suddenly a male voice was heard around the facility. "Nurse Redheart, you're needed in the front. Nurse Redheart to the front please." The white mare looked down in dissapointment. "Oh poo." She said. "Just when things were getting fun too." She dismounted me and started walking towards the door. I knew immediately that my next question had now been answered. Her name is... Nurse...Redheart. Nurse Redheart. Such a beautiful name to my ears. She looked over her shoulder and said "I'll be back later with dinner okay sweetie? Buh byeeeeee!" She put her lips to her hoof and kissed it. She than blew in my direction and slowly left the room. I had a huge smile on my face but was unsure why. Was it because I enjoyed the events that just occured, or was I simply just happy to be alive? Maybe both? The results didn't matter much. I was in good condition, had a VERY caring nurse, and was certain that if things kept going as smoothly as they are now, I would be out in no time. I laid back in complete confidence and reassurance. I suddenly felt slight pain in my lower body. What could be wrong this time? Oh yeah. My stallionhood is still..... happy. What was I to do about this? I looked around for ways to get rid of it. Nothing was close by. So I just laid there and pondered on the events in my near future. It was obvious I would see Nurse Redheart again with her happy, expressive demeanor. I would be out no later than a week or two from now, and I could get back to my usual life. Maybe go have another one of those apples. One thing is for certain though, I'm very happy Nurse Redheart was here to reassure my existence. I laid on my side continuing to smile, for I knew the next few days would be filled with wonders only the unfortunate event from earlier could have caused to happen. From Dream To DreadOver the course of the next few days, my time in the hospital was grand and easy going. One day in particular stands out among them though. On that morning, I had a dream. A pleasant dream. A dream that still fills me with illusions of grandeur to this day. A dream..... of her. I had thought long and hard about how she knew me, yet I could swear i had only just met her. Was she an old friend from elementary school? Was she someone I associated with in the past? Could she possibly even be a client from my job? I had no clue. While I slept that night, the possibilities running through my head were endless. I had a slight migraine from all the confusion. Yet it only phases me so little as the images of her within my dreams were very distracting. She was very beautiful, so alluring. She would speak words so pleasant that my heart would seem to leap from my chest and into my mouth in the form of words to speak to her. She would gaze upon me with those enchanting light blue eyes, and I would drift into a sea of wonders. Her mane just standing out in the darkly lit room. Than she would leave. She would slowly turn herself opposite me and walk away from me. The thoughts of her leaving my presence would cause my heart to sink. I still question though, why would that happen? Why would she have such an effect on me, if I had never seen her before? Could this be the feelings of love at first sight, or do I still lust for her after our unfinished encounter? I still, to this day, have no clue. As she was away and out of sight, I suddenly heard her voice again. She said "Honeeeey!" I was startled! I looked all around me, but she was nowhere to be found. I called back "Nurse Redheart?" She repeated her response. I desperately searched for her, but there was no sight of her. Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation on my hoof. It was suddenly..... warmer than before. I looked at it, but there was nothing there. What could possibly be making it feel this way. I suddenly had my answer. I heard the soft voice calling out to me once more. This time, it said, "Wake up!" Wake up? I had no way of knowing I was dreaming at the time. It all felt so real. The world around me slowly started to fade as my mind was strolling back to reality. When I began to see nothing but darkness, I slowly opened my eyes again. There she was. The mare who has been there for me since day one of my stay here. Her alluring blue eyes fixed upon mine as she is holding my hoof in hers. It was so warm, so reassuring, It just made me feel so safe, so secure in my environment. Everything was full of bliss. A whole two minutes had passed before another word was said. She just came to check up on me. "Honey?" She said to me. "Yes?" "How are you feeling?" "I'm better now that you're here." My sincerity in that statement was mutual at best since she is a nurse, but my truth spread farther than I knew. "How are you?" "I'm just..." Before another word could be said, the door clicked and opened. In came another nurse. "Hello there! It's time for your daily check-up." Before I could speak, Nurse Redheart, jumped in front of me. "Don't worry! I'll do it!" "No thank you Nurse Redheart. You're needed elsewhere. I suggest you get to it!" Her tone was very serious and unnecessary. I didn't like it at all. Nurse Redheart didn't seem to like it either. She had a very intense expression on her face and it started to turn as red as the cross on her flank. She stared at her for a good while before slowly walking out the room. The other nurse's expression was blank. It seemed to say "I'm just doing my job." She slowly walked to me and began her examinations. Nothing seemed out of place. My pulse seemed fine, my wound was healing nicely, my brain was functionally, the only thing wrong were the current migraines I kept having. After she finished her examinations, she simply left the room without a word. I was very angry with her demeanor towards Nurse Redheart, but there was only so little I could do. I simply turned my body away from the door and drifted back to sleep. Hours passed and nighttime had now shrouded over Ponyville. It was very hot in my room and I required liquid refreshment. With no nurse nearby, I would have to depend on myself to get it, so for the first time in days, I got out of my bed and stood up. As soon as my hooves hit the floor, I was hit with monumental dizziness. I was near the point of puking, but I held it down as best I could and made my way to the bathroom down the hallway. I quickly made my way to the toilet, and let loose the excretions of the lunch I had earlier. It obviously didn't feel too good, but it was nothing a quick drink of water couldn't fix. I made my way to the sink and let the water flow. As I brought my head forward to take a drink, I heard a loud thud behind me. I pondered on what it could have been, but was too thirsty to look behind me at the moment. I quickly took a few gulps of the refreshing liquid. The taste was plain, but the relief it gave me was so satisfying. I looked up in the mirror to check for liquid residue, but suddenly got a quick jolt at what I saw next. My heart seemed to skip a few beats as I look in the mirror and saw what lay behind me. It was a corpse. It was the corpse of the pony who gave my examinations earlier. She had been mutilated, stabbed, hung, and filled with syringes. Her lifeless body hung by a rope from it's neck. It's tongue hanging straight out of it's mouth. I was in utter shock. I dared not look behind me and hoped this was all an illusion. I quickly headed for the door without looking at it and sprinted for my room. I dove into my bed and hid under my sheets. I was so horrified by the image that appeared in that mirror. I hoped to NEVER see anything like it again. Little did I know, that was only the beginning. PancakesThe sun had finally risen in the sky. I did not see it though. I did not dare come out from under my blankets. The image of that night still haunted my every thought. I trembled at the very though of the various scenarios playing through my head. What if it wasn't an illusion? What if I saw that nurse again today alive and well? How would I explain THAT? Even worse... What if that nurse wasn't dead when I saw her? What if she was just unable to call out to me in her time of need? Oh.... My heart trembles with unfathomable guilt at the very thought of it. I should have looked back, I should have at least tried to help. I will never forgive myself for that. How could I have been such a coward? I'm very ashamed. Before more thoughts could fill my head, the door clicked and opened. I jolted a bot and pulled my blankets closer to my body. I dared not come out from under them for fear that that nurse was still alive, for fear that it was all a dream. Or even worse, that the nurse had come back to haunt me. I wasn't prepared for any of it, not even for the worst. I closed my eyes and hoped to Celestia it went away. Suddenly, I heard something slowly walking in my direction. I started to sweat, my heart was rapidly beating as the steps moved closer and closer. I trembled with unwanted anticipation as my entire body curled up together. The warmth of my own skin was comforting in such a way it kept me sane if not calm. The hoof steps stopped when it had reached the very edge of my bed. My body curled up tighter and tighter together. I was sure it was the nurse. She had come back to lay waste to me, to get revenge for not helping her when she most needed me. I closed my eyes and waited for her next more. Celestia knows I deserve whatever she throws at me. A few torturous moments passed, but there was no damage done. No harm had come to me, no threats were made, no words were spoken. It was complete and deathly silence. I still trembled, thinking she was just toying with me. Making me suffer until I became calm enough to let my guard down. I wasn't about to let that happen; I stayed in my fetal position prepared for whatever came my way. What came my way, I was not prepared for at all. A word was finally spoken, but the voice was not the voice of the nurse. It was much softer, my more welcoming, it said "Honey?" My heart leaped into my throat as I realized there was only one mare with a voice that benevolent. I peeked outside the edge of my blanket to see a white body standing before my bed. I looked up to see the rest of the image and I could not be happier with the sight before my very eyes. It was none other than Nurse Redheart next to a cart that held a plate with a pile of soft served pancakes drenched in rich brown maple syrup and a tall glass of orange juice. I looked at Nurse Redheart with a great big smile on my face. It was greatly reassuring to see such a beautiful sight before me. Any thoughts of the other nurse had been completely pushed from my head. Nurse Redheart looked at me with great concern "Honey? Are you feeling alright? You look like you havent slept at all." She was right. I was a mess. My mane was sticking out in every direction, my eyes had shadows as dark as Princess Luna's mane under them, and my eyes were bloodshot. "Well, I might have had a little nightmare last night." "Ohhhh you poor poor thing. Here, let me try and make it better." Nurse Redheart grabbed a fork next to the plate and tore off a big chunk of the pancakes from the pile. "Open wide" She told me. I closed my mouth and open my mouth. I suddenly felt the pancakes touch the edge of my lips. My mouth watered at the very smell of the meal as it entered my nostrils. The pancakes slipped in my mouth with ease. I closed my mouth when it was all inside and took my first bite. My eyes opened wide as flavor erupted in my mouth! My entire mouth lit up with such a euphoria. I havent eaten something this wonderful since the apple from before my incident. I could tell nearly all the ingredients involved. I tasted apples, cinnamon, a variety of small berries, and it even had a gold honey filling. It was truly a wonder to behold. Yet there was another flavor I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was sweet, yet had a bitter aftertaste. The other flavors quickly put out the bitter taste though and I continued to enjoy the rich taste of this wonderful breakfast. Nurse Redheart could clearly see I enjoyed the pancakes, but she asked anyway, "How are they? I made them myself." I couldn't speak. The pancakes' flavor took out any words that came to my head. Nurse Redheart put on a big smile as she fed me the rest of the pancakes. Each one better than the next. It was magnificent. When I was done, Nurse Redheart came up to me and asked me again how they were. This time I answered: "They were..... They were....." There were no words to describe them. I had never tasted anything like them before. Nurse Redheart moved her face closer to mine. I suddenly got nervous, my smile started to fade as she got too close for comfort. She suddenly said, "Than this will be even better." She put her hoof abound my head and planted her lips upon mine. My heart skipped a few beats and my eyes opened wide as I felt her warm mouth touch mine. They were soft, as soft as the pancakes, maybe softer. My eyes closed and I put my hooves on her face. The kiss grew passionate within moments. Our tongues dances with each other as Nurse Redheart let out silent moans. She was right. This beat flavorful pancakes any day. The kiss was soon released and I stared into her elegant light blue eyes and smiled. That was truly an event I could get used to. Nurse Redheart gave me a warm smile and began to exit the room. "Now get some rest dear." Nurse Redheart said, "You'll need it." She gave me a seductive wink and walked towards the door, nonchalantly swaying her flank side to side and taking one last look at my blushing face before closing the door. My heart fluttered as I fell back onto my pillow. This was, perhaps, the single greatest moment of my life. I was the luckiest stallion alive for sure. I easily drifted off to sleep after a few moments and enjoyed every second of it. Little did I know "Get some rest" did not have a light meaning to it. I felt very strange. Doubting LoveMy entire stomach was in knots.. I was slouched over in excruciating pain, yet I thought nothing of it at the time. I was sure I just ate the pancakes a bit too fast & it decided to start backfiring on me. I hated to waste a good meal but I had no choice. I slouched over to the trash bin on the side of my bed & proceeded to think of the nastiest thought that could come to my head. The most obvious one was the body of the nurse with it's eyeball hanging by a slimy pink thread from it's socket, flesh tore & mutilated, blood coming our of every available corner, and worst of all, the exposed organs from the slit-open torso that gave off a horrendous odor. It was unbearable. All these thoughts in my head and I felt no urge to regurgitate. Something was terribly wrong! I reached over for the button labeled "Nurse" to call for help, but the pain in my stomach was sickening. It restricted me, but I fought through it with all I had and pressed the button. Immediately it started flashing red and whithin moments, I heard fast hoofsteps coming down the hallway. Nurse Redheart nearly broke the door off it's hinges with the was she slammed her way into the room. Her face was pale with concern for me as she raced towards my side to check on me. She immediately checked my face, my pulse, my mouth, ect. until another doctor came in to check on me. "What's the status Redheart?" Said the doctor. Nurse Redheart turned around to look at the nurse. "He appears to have ingested a moderate amount of ponycillin doctor" I suddenly started turning pale and fell back onto my pillow. I felt so sick. "Ponycillin?!?" Said the doctor, "How in Equestria.." "NO TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT!" Nurse Redheart interrupted, "We need to get him poison treatment, STAT!" The other doctor nodded his head and ran out the door to get medicine. Nurse Redheart looked back at me with a sly smirk on her face as she walked towards me. She put her head next to mine and rubbed my stomach as she said, "Ohhhhh poor baby. It's so sad. Today was supposed to be your release day, but you seem to still have need of me." She chuckled. Within moments, the doctor returned with medicine and a bucket. My vision was starting to fade the doctor ran to my side and shoved the bottle of medicine in my mouth. Within a second, my stomach felt worse than it did before! I felt as if I was going to cough up my very heart. Suddenly I felt something going up my throat, Nurse Redheart gave me the bucket and I regurgitated the contents of my stomach in it. I felt a huge relief, but at the same time I felt like I could just die right where i lay. When I finally finished puking, the doctor used magic to take the bucket from my grasp. "Do you feel better?" The doctor asked me. I couldn't respond. I was well, but I was whoozy. I feel back onto my pillow and nearly lost consciousness. Nurse Redheart looked at me concerningly, than looked at the doctor. "He is in no condition to leave today doctor." Nurse Redheart said, "We'll need to keep him here at least another week or two." "Hmm... You may be right. I'll go re-schedule his release date." With that, the doctor walked out the room. Nurse Redheart walked up to me one last time and said, "I told you you would like the pancakes. My "special ingredient" seemed to work wonders." I could barely hear the words she said, but I could make out "pancakes" and "my secret ingredient" I assumed she was talking about the blueberries. I admit they were delicious. I thought maybe I was allergic to blueberries and never knew about it. Nurse Redheart gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and said "Get well soon okay honey?" I just nodded my head as she walked out the door. I laid back in deep thought. How did ponycillin enter my body? Could it have been in the air? Was it in the bandages? Could it have possibly even been in the pancakes? Would Nurse Redheart ever intentionally poison me? What purpose could she possibly have? She didn't seem very concerned about me though. She barged into the room to check on me than she was just very casual. Maybe she thought it was no big deal. Either way, I was very grateful she was my first response and that she care about me. I can honestly say that I would have done the same for her. I drifted off to sleep in peace to rest my stomach. I woke up several hours later. The ponycillin incident never left my thoughts. I wanted to know the full extent of the issue and how long I was to stay. In an effort to not disturb anypony, and to keep it confidential, I got out of bed and walked my way to the doctor's office. When I got there, there was nopony at the desk. At first, I started to turn around and try again later, but than I thought it could be written down somewhere on his desk. So I walked over to the side of his desk to see if I was correct. I suddenly felt a lump under my hoof, staggered, and fell on my face. I immediately turned around to see what had interrupted my path. What I saw was a body laying in a small pool of blood. Bloodied, battered, and bruised all around with a puncture wound in the back of it's skull. I was horrified, but remembering my mistake from last time, I turned toe body around to see it's face. It was the doctor from earlier. His eyes were rolled in the back of his head, his tongue was ripped out of the mouth, an he had another puncture wound in his left cheek. My mouth flew agape with fearful astonishment. I immediately ran from the room and back to my bed. This time, I hid under my bed, now convinced somepony in the hospital was a serial killer. This was the second victim taken and slaughtered. I was afraid I was next. Suddenly, I heard a loud shriek from outside the room, followed by Nurse Redheart's voice. She said, "SOMEPONY HELP, WE HAVE A DOCTOR DOWN! HE'S DEAD!" Nurse Redheart was so caring, so reassuring. It was hard to believe she could harm anypony, but I was now skeptical of everypony in this hospital including her, but not as much as everypony else. I pray to Celestia Nurse Redheart was safe. The Reason, The TruthAfter last night's scare I stayed in my bed most of the morning to think about all this. I was beginning to doubt I was in a hospital at all. Was the background around me really just smoke and mirrors to cloak something more devious? Was I, perhaps, sent to the wrong hospital and forced to suffer these unfortunate consequences? Am I, by any chance, just a pawn in this game we call "life" and my very presence in this place is costing these innocent ponies their lives? Since i've been here, two ponies have been brutally murdered, cut down in cold blood, eviscerated. Was it my fault? Am I to blame for any of this? Worst of all, what of Nurse Redheart? What of the one pony here who actually treats me like she wants me to get well? She has been there for me since day one. I owe her my life. She has done more than just bandage a wound on my head. She has done more than just say that she cares for me. I could never see her bringing harm to anypony. She just seems so..... perfect in such a way. Suddenly a noise was heard at the side of the room. The door hinges making their usual screech to signal the door opening. I turned my head to see who came in, hoping it was something reassuring. What came through that door, could not have been more reassuring if I had wished for it. In came the beautiful Nurse Redheart with her usual happy, bright smile, her eyes fixed upon mine and her usual demeanor that just seemed to say "Everythings okay honey, i'm here." Her voice was like a melody of the winds that brought my ears much pleasure. I couldn't wish for a better moment to get to know her. She is still such a mystery; no pony is usually this kind, I had to know if there was a reason behind this. "Nurse Redheart?" I spoke to her? "Yes dear?" She replied "Nurse Redheart, you have been so kind to me since the day I arrived. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it, and.... how much I appreciate you for being the first to come to my aid when I need you most. Like right now, so much has gone wrong in this place, but seeing your bright, gleaming smile gives me the reassurance that all is well, and that no harm will come to me. It means more than you know." Nurse Redheart slowly burst into tears at my speech. It's as if she had been waiting to hear those words all along. I was sincere, and meant every word, but... her eyes were giving a strange signal. It's as if there was more I should have said but didn't. "Nurse Redheart," I continued, "I want to know more about you. Is there anything you would like to share?" She just giggled and said "Oh honey, you were always such a kidder!" I was obviously confused at the remark. A few seconds later she responded, "Come with me." She than helped me out of bed and escorted me across the hospital to her office. It was a cozy little space, the walls and floor were decorated fabulously. Nurse Redheart gestured me to take a seat next to her, so I did. "So," Nurse Redheart started, "You want to know about me? Well..." Before she could continue, a sudden buzz was heard. "Nurse Redheart, you're needed in the front. Repeat, Nurse Redheart, emergency in the front." Nurse Redheart gave a loud groan, and stomped to a desk on her phone. She literally started punching buttons, and than yelled, "CAN'T IT WAIT? I'M BUSY RIGHT NOW!!!!!" A few seconds passed as a muffled response was heard, she than slammed the phone on her desk & stormed out of the office with fury, mumbling swears as she slammed the door. As the door was slammed, there was a quake in the room. I suddenly heard a loud thud come from behind her desk that sent a chill to my very bones. I shook at the very thought of what it could be due to recent events, but I didn't want to be left curious, so I slowly trotted towards it to see what it could be. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I saw it was just a book. It had fallen from it's shelf and opened to a random page. I felt it could do no harm to read it, so I took a quick peek at the open page. It read: March 20th 2009 Here I am again, another cold, rainy night without him here. Why did he have to go out to sea? I told him it was dangerous, but he insisted that everything would be okay, he assured me that he would be back. It's been almost 3 years, I have recieved no letter, I have heard no news, I only have my memories, and the photo. I cry myself to sleep every night wondering what fate he has suffered. I fear the worst, but I hope that one day he will return, maybe he will jump up behind me and embrace me in the way that I long for every waking moment of my life. I want nothing more than for my love to return safe and sound. It was such a sad tale, I turned the book around to see the title, it couldn't have been more unpleasant. It said "Diary of Nurse Redheart." I gave a gasp in horror and tossed the book away from me. Out of it's contents came a small white square that landed in front of me. I took a peek at it and there stood Nurse Redheart in a wedding gown with a familiar looking stallion. I took a long gaze at Nurse Redheart for she looked absolutely beautiful in her gown, but than I took a look at the stallion. I was stunned when I came to the realization of where I had seen him before. He bore..... an exact likeness..... of ME! Author's Note I'm back after a 6 month long hiatus. Reasons. Anyway, lets continue the story! Sibling Rivalry / The fight for Redheart beginsUpon hearing those last words, my heart seemed to skip a beat, and my eyes opened until they could open no farther. Looking at this strange stallion more closely, he did indeed resemble my every feature; from the color of my coat, to the length of my horn, to the very color of my eyes he looked exactly like me! It was like looking in a mirror..... a mirror of horrors, for I had never been more terrified in my life. The only thing he had that I didn't, appearance-wise, were war scars. Mother never mentioned anything to me about a twin. It was quite horrifying. I just gazed at him for a very long time before I spoke my next words. "If you're my twin brother... than why has Mother never mentioned anything about you?" "I am unsure. I never knew Father as I grew up with Father. He was quite secretive about your existance as well." We began to discuss life in our younger years and what we had missed doing as foals. He refused to tell me his name for some reason, and I still don't know it to this day. He told me of Father and his strange ways. When he inquired him about Mother, he would always seem to mutter strange things to himself without giving an answer, strange, unnatural riddles of some sort. Thinking back on it now, Mother was always the superstitious kind of pony. She would always go see seers for details on the future. Could it be possible that she was given a prediction that scared her causing her to separate my brother and I? I can think of no other reasonable explanation. I would worry about that later for as I continuously stared at him, images of Nurse Redheart began to show inside my head. I had no idea how long that medicine had put me to sleep. I began to wonder if she was okay for I feared for her safety around the other doctors around her that feared her. As thoughts of her raced in my head, the silence was broken when my brother spoke out. "Hey!" My brother said, "What's that you got there?" "Hm?" I reached around to see what could be near me, and pulled out the book I had grabbed from Nurse Redheart's shelf earlier. I finally had the chance to read the title. It read, "Honey & Sweetheart." On the cover was the same wedding photo that fell out of Nurse Redheart's diary. My heart began to sink. I presented it to my brother and his face lit up with a smile. "Ah! You've found my wife and I's photo album! Have you seen any of the pictures yet?" "Well no." I responded, "I fell asleep before I could even look at it." He offered to show me a few of the photos. He sat at my bedside and we looked through the album, with each photo seen he told me a story of that moment in his seemingly perfect marriage; each story was more beautiful than the last and they both seemed very happy. I was slowly fighting back tears for I was both sad and happy. Happy because their marriage seemed like the perfect pony tale of the perfect marriage, sad because he seemed to bring Nurse Redheart a happiness I knew I could never even hope to equal. "Wow." I said after a brief pause, "Your marriage is like a dream come true. Nurse Redheart is one lucky mare to have a stallion like you. It amazes me to see that you treat her so well." My brother's smile faded after my short speech and he turned away from me. The tears in my eyes almost immediately dried up. Something was not right, and I had to know. I inquired about his sudden change in mood. He just said, "I'm not the stallion I once was." This phrase shocked, confused, and angered me all at the same time. What did he mean by that? What could have possibly made him say such a thing? I had to know! "What do you mean?" I asked? He looked at me again with a more serious expression. "Eight years ago, one year after I was called for duty, I was setting up camp; It was a cold, windy night. When I had finished my part of the job, I noticed one of my squadmates, wearing a mask, and talking to somepony out of the corner of my eye. When I saw an enemy insignia on him, I immediately ran for them both. My squadmate bolted from the camp and I gave chase. Eventually I was able to tackle the traitor, and after a brief struggle I tore off the mask. What I saw was the last thing I expected to see, I saw a mare." When he got to this part of the story, I could feel my blood pressure rise near it's boiling point. I missed most of the other parts because my thoughts were now focused on wringing his neck. I couldn't understand how he could think such a thing of anypony else when he has Nurse Redheart. I wanted to mangle him so bad. When my thoughts grew quiet, I was able to catch the last part of his story. "So from that day forward we secretly met as often as we could and shared stories; also doing.... other... unmentionable things. Eventually, she told me that she was a spy who infiltrated our ranks, and always wore a mask claiming to have various appearance issues and diseases so others would stay away from her. I cared little for what she was, and cared more for who she was. I had felt a feeling I hadn't felt since I first saw Sweetheart. Soon after that..... she got pregnant. She is supposed to have her foal in a month or so and we had just been called to return to Equestria. I told her I had to return here so I could complete one task, than I would return to her." My anger, at this point, was unimaginable. My head began to pound again, but I was mad enough to ignore it. Any ounce of awe and respect I had for him was now gone. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to make him pay dearly for his fidelity towards Nurse Redheart. I attempted to keep my cool as I simply asked him what his task was. "To give Sweetheart a foal. I promised her that we would try endlessly that day, but I was called to duty so we couldn't. Once I fulfill my promise, i'm leaving to go back to her. She will never see me again and she will have the foal she always wanted." That was where I drew the line. "NO!!!" I shouted at him, "YOU WILL NOT LAY ONE, UNGRATEFUL, UNFAITHFUL, UNAPPRECIATIVE HOOF ON HER! SHE IS THE MOST KIND, SWEET PONY IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA & I LOVE HER! SHE DESERVES MUCH BETTER THAN YOU YOU UNGRATEFUL SCUMBAG! AS LONG AS I'M DRAWING BREATH, I PROMISE YOU SHE'S GOING TO KNOW ABOUT THIS & I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" I saw no reaction whatsoever from him. He kept a straight face through my whole rant. While I was catching my breath, he said, "Are you going to stop me? Do you think I don't know about your head injury? You're not going to stand in the way of this. Now I think it's time you took another looooong nap." He than grabbed the medicine Nurse Redheart left near my bed, grabbed my head and force fed me the contents of the bottle. The taste was horrible and nearly had me choking as my body tried to retch it up. When the entire bottle was emptied, he removed it from mt mouth and I started coughing. My brother laid me back on my bed, shushing me as he pushed the "Nurse" button on the side of my bed. There was so much medicine in my body, the effects were almost immediate. I quickly began to doze off once more. Before I could slumber, Nurse Redheart burst into the room to check on me as usual, but this time, my brother was standing in front of me blocking her view. I fought the medicine long enough to catch their conversation. She walked up to him and asked if he was okay. "Yes Sweet- Umm.... Nurse Redheart. I'm fine." He responded covering up his was scars on his eye and rubbing them pretending to have a headache." "Well... Okay honey, but why are you out of bed? Why are you fully clothed? Where are your head bandages? What- Before she could get anymore suspicious, he grabbed her head, held her very close and kissed her deeply. Nurse Reheart blushed and closed her eyes as she held the kiss. My brother soon released the kiss. "I'm feeling much better. I was on my way to see you. I just remembered my promise I made you before I left for the war, and I think it's time I kept it." Nurse Redheart smiled,squealed, and immediately took his hoof & dragged him out of the room. When the door closed, I could fight the medicine no longer. My body would now be at war with it on it's own. I could feel my heartbeat slowing down and my breathing quell to a puff as thoughts of Nurse Redheart being hurt by my brother passed through my head. I felt helpless, he had won. I would never tell Nurse Redheart that there were two of us, and how I really felt about her. Even worse, she might have her foal, realize he left and end up killing me thinking I was him. I would be screwed either way. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice in my head. It said, "Save me!" The voice kept repeating itself, and it got louder and louder with each phrase. The voice sounded like Nurse Redheart, but there was nothing around to make the noise. I suddenly awoke in my bed sweaty, and hyperventilating. I looked at the time, it hadn't been ten minutes since Nurse Redheart and my brother left the room. My body had did it's job & stopped the medicine's effect from putting me into a coma. To this day, I believe it was my immense desire to save Nurse Redheart from my brother that ultimately resulted in my rescue. After a minute to catch my breath, I jumped out of bed and started towards the door with one thought, one goal, one desire in my head: "He is going to die!" Author's Note Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion! :D Pieces to the puzzle.This stallion..... He bore almost EVERY resemblance to me. How could this be? I had so many questions flying around my head that it nearly brought back the pain in my head wound. I wasn't sure what to think. Was this more smoke and mirrors to confuse me? Was I simply dreaming and only seeing a rendition of a subconscious fantasy? I had to know for the sight of that picture opened a thick hole within my heart. At this point, I began to think the diary could hold some more answers. Maybe reading more of it could bring back forgotten memories if this really was me. I walked to the location where I had tossed the diary and opened it, once again, to a random page. My heart was beating like a drum; I wasn't sure if I was anxious or terrified to figure out the truth. I decided to read farther back from the page that opened earlier. This page read: January 1st, 2006, Another orbit around Celestia's bright, beautiful sun has passed, and another fantastic year with my adoring husband. Next month will be our 2 year anniversary and I have something very special planned for him. Oh ever since the day we met I have been head over hooves in love with him. He treats me so well; he's so loving, so caring, so indescribably wonderful. I can't imagine living a day without his warm embrace, the soft, tender feel of his hooves as he brushes it across my mane, but the very best thing about him that I adore the most is the very special ways he tells me he loves me. He would always make such a speech telling me how much I mean to him and how much he cares for me and everything move I make. It brings me to tears every time to know that he puts so much effort into this marriage. I honestly don't know where I would be without him. Reading this one entry brought me to tears. This stallion, or me, was clearly a commendable pony if he was able to make Nurse Redheart feel such a way. It brought no memories though. I couldn't remember doing anything like this, but I surely would never forget a pony as wonderful as Nurse Redheart. What caused him to leave? The first entry said something about going out to sea so I looked around the diary some more. In my search, I found a page with ink all around it making the words almost unreadable, clearly the work of tears while the the entry was being written, but most of it was legible and I was able to piece it together. [Date illegible by ink smudge] Today I recieved the most horrible news. I woke up this morning ready to see my husband's bright, smiling face, but his face was not there, nor his body, nor his warm loving embrace to greet me to a brand new day. In his place instead was a letter and a note. As I read it, my tears could not hold themselves in, and my sobs could not keep quiet. The letter was a letter from the Equestrian Navy with a list of reserves' names needed to go out to seas. When I looked through the names, there was his. [Name illegible by ink smudge]. My heart sank to the very pits of my despair as I read the note that my husband left. He told me that he had been called to duty and rushed out of the house as I slept. His generals wouldn't even give him the time to say goodbye to me, but they let him write me a note. It said that he didn't know how long he would be gone, but he will keep me in his thoughts every moment and he guarantees his safe return one day. I am overtaken with many conflicted emotions. I don't know what dangers he's being brought into, or what time to expect his return, but I will keep his bedside warm every night and hold his memory dear to my heart. I can only hope he returns soon unharmed and with open arms to embrace me once more. I closed the diary for I could bear to read no more. This wonderful stallion was clearly one for very many words of honor. I have no recollection of being called to duty within the Equestrian Navy, though I did sign up for it. This answered so few questions though. I still had to know more. I decided to read one more entry and than I would put down this accursed book whether I got my answers or not. As I turned pages in the diary once more, I found the date I checked into the hospital whilst still in my coma. This was sure to give me the answers I needed. September 1- Before I could read the next page, I heard a voice behind me that broke the silence of the room say "Hello Honey." I fumbled with the book in surprise and quickly turned around hiding it behind my back. Before me stood Nurse Redheart, bloody, breathing heavily, and a look in her eves that still give me nightmares to this day. Aside from being started by her appearance, I played it off as if nothing unusual was happening. "Oh! Nurse Redheart!" I said, "When did you get here?" "I just walked in." She replied, "I see you're reading a book from my shelf?" I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible "Oh yeah! You were gone so long that I decided to just grab one of the books. You know, to pass the time." "Oh? Which one dear?" "I......I'mmmmmmmmmmmmmm not sure yet! I just picked it up." At this moment, I tucked the diary into a convenient pocket in my hospital clothes, and grabbed another random book. "Hmm..... Okay dear. Well you said you wanted to know about me?" "Yeah! You know, about that, I DID want to get to know you, but my head wound is starting to act up again" I lied. "So i'm afraid we're gonna have to reschedule." Nurse Redheart just put on her warm loving smile. "Okay dear, well let me help you back to your room so I can give you some medicine for your head." "Nurse Redheart? Why are you all bloody? Did somepony try to hurt you?" "Oh no dear. I'm fine. It's just that the receptionist called at a rather bad time and that was very rude. So I just wanted to make sure she..... wouldn't do it again." Nurse Redheart gave a giggle unlike her usual kind. It was more insane and less cute. I thought little of it as hr beauty once again blinded me from seeing the truth. She than escorted me to my room. Along the way, I saw some of the doctors' faces and they seemed terrified at Nurse Redheart's very presence. I than laid down on my bed once more and took a small headache pill Nurse Redheart gave me and began to doze to sleep. As I slept, the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. The murder, the strange behavior, the unusual treatment. It all began to make sense. My heart started to fill with dread as the realizations started to come to me, but this still doesn't answer the main question: Is the stallion in the wedding photo really me? I would achieve my answer sooner than I expected. There was a sudden buzz that awoken me. The buzz was the usual one to signal the door was opening. A few seconds later the door clicked shut and I heard hoofsteps walking towards me. I turned around to see who it was and the sight could not have been more confusing. In walked a strange, gruff-looking stallion with a scar & stitches on his face. He seemed to look at me with pleasure as if he knew me, yet I had no idea who he was. "Ah!" The strange stallion said, "It's good to see you after all these years." I looked at him more confused than ever. ANOTHER pony claiming to know me yet i've never seen before in my life. I could swear this time I was dreaming. The strange stallion's smile faded from his face as he said, "What's wrong? You look as if you don't recognize me." "Well..." I replied, "That's because I don't." The stallion pondered on my response for a while. Than responded, "Oh forgive me. I almost forgot that mother never introduced us before splitting us up." I never looked more confused in my life. "Split up? What are you talking about?" The stallion just chuckled. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am..... Your twin brother.
PrologueI'll never forget that day. That one day that started what felt like a lifetime of atrocities. That one day that held that one moment that turned everything upside down. That one moment where everything meant nothing. I'll never forget it. It started out as a bright, sunny morning here in Ponyville. I awoke to the sweet melody of the birds perched outside my open window. They sang a song of great pasture. I always took that as a sign that it was going to be a magnificent day. I rose from bed with a smile on my face and benevolence in my heart ready and eager to start my day. I slowly walked downstairs with a satisfied smile on my face and my eyes closed for I was envisioning the perfect way to begin today with a full breakfast. I wondered what would suit this wonderful day. Scrambled eggs smothered with rich honey? A healthy bowl of hay flakes with a side of juicy, succulent strawberries? A plate of waffles drenched in syrup with a tall glass of enriching orange juice? Oh the possibilities running through my head were endless. The vision of my delights for a healthy start to my day were short lived. I heard a sudden ringing in my ears. My body jolted as my eyes suddenly popped open. The sweet tastes in my mouth suddenly turned bitter and the waterfall forming within my taste buds dried up as I located the source of the ringing. It was my clock indicating that the next hour come. It was now 9am. I was late for work! Thoughts of a pleasant morning were now filled with dread as I wondered of the atrocities my strict boss was going to inflict on me. I quickly ran to the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed the first thing I saw that I thought would fill me up quickly. A healthy, red, apple. I quickly ran out the door and halfway out my front yard I took my first bite of the apple. I abruptly stopped where I stood. I suddenly felt a pleasant sensation fill my body. The apple was so much juicier than I expected. the flavors seemed to gush in my mouth and fill it with delicious happiness. My heart raced at a steady pace as the horrendous beat it played as I ran from my home now played a melody of delight and euphoric reassurance. As I just stand there chewing on the succulent fruit, I hear the sweet sounds of nature around me. The wind blew in such a way it seemed to dance as it swept through my mane. The feel of the grass beneath my hooves as it swayed in sync with the breeze around me. I slowly began walking as the dread that I had felt just moments ago had completely disappeared. Everything was in perfect harmony. I walked slowly towards my workplace with the apple within the aura of my horn. All of my worries dissolved as I took each bite of it. I savored each moment, relished each bite, I was thankful to Celestia that this sudden turn of events turned out better than I could have ever hoped for. The birds were now singing all around me, they seemed to sing with such a melody that Fluttershy herself would very much be proud of. They flew close to me as I walked, flying across my head. Each sound that hit my eardrum seemed to say, "Have no worries, have no troubles, today will be a good day" Or something along those lines. I had never had such a wonderful day in my entire life. Something this good was sure to last right? Apparantly not. The birds suddenly screeched and I jolted with sudden fear. The birds flew away as to signal distress. I wondered what could have been the matter. I looked around to see what could have been the cause of their fear. Yet all I saw was a house to my left. A simple, small, suburban home. The only thing irregular about it was the roof. It was incomplete. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a look around. I suddenly heard a loud banging sound coming from behind the house. Closer inspection revealed a large, bulky construction worker hammering nails into the roof. There was not much to see there so I knew it was best not to disturbed him. I turned around to go back the way I came, but was stopped frozen in fear when the sound of banging was replaced with a scream of agony. I turned around to see the construction worker in great pain for he had accidentally hit the tip of hims hoof with the hammer. Blood started gushing out of it's tip and covered the top of his hoof. His screams of agony filled my heart with sorrow, I tried to run and help him, but his pain suddenly turned to anger as he picked up the hammer which was the source of his anguish and threw it with full force away from him. It wouldn't have bothered me very much except for one problem, It was headed straight for me! I tried to move, but the hammer was closer than I originally thought. It him me with great force in my head creating a large wound. I screamed with great anguish as the hammer had lodged itself into my cranium and blood started gushing from my forehead. The construction worker heard my cries and noticed what he had done. He was so shocked to see the hammer in my head he lost his balance and tumbled off the roof. I didn't notice at the time for I was rapidly losing blood and the back of the hammer was poking my brain. I felt extreme dizziness and was barely conscious. When s little of my strength returned and allowed me to focus, the first thing I saw was the construction worker falling off the roof and straight towards me. I was unfortunate enough to be caught in his path. His big body landed on the center of my face, pushing the hammer deeper into my head. We both fell to the ground. The pain I originally felt in the beginning was now tripled due to the crushing feeling of the construction worker on top of me and the hammer pushed to the point of almost entering my brain. The construction worker walked close to me and was squirted in the face with the blood still gushing from my head. I quickly began to lose consciousness and my ability to hear started to fade even faster. The last thing I could see was the construction worker running into the house shouting "CALL THE HOSPITAL!" I just laid on my back, looked up at the sky, and said what I thought would be my final words, I said "Celestia, please don't let me die." I than lost all consciousness as questions started to run across my head. Why did this happen? Am I being punished for my curiosity? Would all this have happened if I had woken earlier? I would never know for my thoughts had stopped as well and all that could be seen was pitch darkness. No colors, no sounds, no apple to make this all better. I was certain I was dead.
Meeting The HeartI was unconscious for what felt like a lifetime. I could hear no sounds, I could see no forms of life, I had no reassurance that I had survived my terrible ordeal. Yet I still had my thoughts. I still had my ability to perceive what could possibly be happening at this very moment. I thought for sure I was dead. I was certain I was doomed to a lifetime of eternal darkness in the abyss of no return. I was sure that Celestia had forsaken me and ignored my plea for a second chance. I had no doubt in my mind it was all over. Then suddenly, a blur of white appeared before me. A small glimpse of a serene pasture. I attempted to move away from it for it was so sudden it nearly blinded me.Then it disappeared. My one glimpse of faith swept away before my eyes. Could my still functioning brain be playing tricks on me too? Was my curiosity really that unnecessary that I am to be punished this way for eternity? Apparently not. The white glimpse appeared to me again. This time with a voice. A soft voice. An unfamiliar voice that seemed to provide more than just a glimpse of serenity. It seemed to provide reassurance. I could barely make out the words being said to me. It sounded like, "Wake up honey." Wake up? Could this mean that the white blur was not a Celestia forsaken apparatus? Could this mean that I could actually be alive? I had to know! I worked in sync with my thoughts and attempted to move towards the blur of white light. It finally began to come into focus. As the blur became clearer and clearer, I started to see more reassuring sights. I saw colors! I saw a light blue shine that seemed to gleam with the white surrounding it. I was now determined to see this image. After a whole minute of struggling with myself, the image was now crystal clear. What stood before me was a mare. A white nurse pony. She had beautiful light blue eyes and a big smile on her face. She had a pink mane that seemed to just naturally flow with a slight breeze. I gave a low groan to make sure this wasn't all just an illusion as well. The white mare seemed to lighten up with joy at my sound. I wasn't so satisfied with it for even though I was now certain I was alive, My head seemed to feel like that hammer was hitting the same spot over and over again. I put my hoof on my head, I could feel the bandages wrapped around me. The nurse seemed to slightly tear up at the sight of me being able to move. Than she suddenly said, In a sweet, soft, teary voice, "You're alive." I was slightly confused with her expression. My confusion grew as she suddenly embraced me. Her skin was warm to the touch and very reassuring to my theory that I had survived. I had no idea why she was so worried about me for I had never see her before. I returned the embrace. I wasn't sure why I did, but it was nice to know that somepony was watching over me. I suddenly heard her intensify to slight sobbing. She than repeated her previous statement "You're alive. You're alive. Oh thank Celestia you're alive." I was unsure how to react to this. What do I say? What do I do? I decided to just reassure her and say, "Yes. Yes. I'm alive. I'm okay." She released me from the embrace and just stared at me for a while. Her smile seemed to have no end. That was the least of my problems though, it was time to get some answers. "W-where am I?" I inquired. "You're in Ponyville Hospital." She responded. "You had severe head trauma from a hammer to your skull. Don't worry though, we patched you up." "How long have I been here?" "A couple weeks. It would have been longer should that family had not called us when they did." "Why did you hug me?" She gave a slight giggle before answering me. "Oh honey, you were always such a jokester." Honey? What did that mean? I've never seen this mare. Did she call everypony that? I was so confused. "How..." Before I could ask my next question, she proceeded to slowly climb on the bed and position herself over my body. My heart began racing and my face started turning red as I stared into her now seductive-looking eyes. She put her mouth close to my ear and whispered "You act like you don't remember me. Maybe this will refresh your memory." She than began nibbling softly on my ear. The intensity of the blush on my face increased as I gave a soft moan. I was very confused on why she was doing this, or what I did to deserve this. There was little I could do about it since the blow to my head kind of immobilized me. She than to put her lips up against mine. Her tongue had wiggled it's way into my open mouth and danced with mine. My stallionhood began growing and my horn began glowing as the passion of the kiss increased. I was now more confused than ever, but was having too much fun to care. I could feel her lower body slowly descend as the kiss slowly ended. I was ready. I was not sure I was willing, but when was I going to get another chance like this? Before I could have the satisfaction of taking this further, the hospital intercom buzzed. It startled me. Suddenly a male voice was heard around the facility. "Nurse Redheart, you're needed in the front. Nurse Redheart to the front please." The white mare looked down in dissapointment. "Oh poo." She said. "Just when things were getting fun too." She dismounted me and started walking towards the door. I knew immediately that my next question had now been answered. Her name is... Nurse...Redheart. Nurse Redheart. Such a beautiful name to my ears. She looked over her shoulder and said "I'll be back later with dinner okay sweetie? Buh byeeeeee!" She put her lips to her hoof and kissed it. She than blew in my direction and slowly left the room. I had a huge smile on my face but was unsure why. Was it because I enjoyed the events that just occured, or was I simply just happy to be alive? Maybe both? The results didn't matter much. I was in good condition, had a VERY caring nurse, and was certain that if things kept going as smoothly as they are now, I would be out in no time. I laid back in complete confidence and reassurance. I suddenly felt slight pain in my lower body. What could be wrong this time? Oh yeah. My stallionhood is still..... happy. What was I to do about this? I looked around for ways to get rid of it. Nothing was close by. So I just laid there and pondered on the events in my near future. It was obvious I would see Nurse Redheart again with her happy, expressive demeanor. I would be out no later than a week or two from now, and I could get back to my usual life. Maybe go have another one of those apples. One thing is for certain though, I'm very happy Nurse Redheart was here to reassure my existence. I laid on my side continuing to smile, for I knew the next few days would be filled with wonders only the unfortunate event from earlier could have caused to happen.
From Dream To DreadOver the course of the next few days, my time in the hospital was grand and easy going. One day in particular stands out among them though. On that morning, I had a dream. A pleasant dream. A dream that still fills me with illusions of grandeur to this day. A dream..... of her. I had thought long and hard about how she knew me, yet I could swear i had only just met her. Was she an old friend from elementary school? Was she someone I associated with in the past? Could she possibly even be a client from my job? I had no clue. While I slept that night, the possibilities running through my head were endless. I had a slight migraine from all the confusion. Yet it only phases me so little as the images of her within my dreams were very distracting. She was very beautiful, so alluring. She would speak words so pleasant that my heart would seem to leap from my chest and into my mouth in the form of words to speak to her. She would gaze upon me with those enchanting light blue eyes, and I would drift into a sea of wonders. Her mane just standing out in the darkly lit room. Than she would leave. She would slowly turn herself opposite me and walk away from me. The thoughts of her leaving my presence would cause my heart to sink. I still question though, why would that happen? Why would she have such an effect on me, if I had never seen her before? Could this be the feelings of love at first sight, or do I still lust for her after our unfinished encounter? I still, to this day, have no clue. As she was away and out of sight, I suddenly heard her voice again. She said "Honeeeey!" I was startled! I looked all around me, but she was nowhere to be found. I called back "Nurse Redheart?" She repeated her response. I desperately searched for her, but there was no sight of her. Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation on my hoof. It was suddenly..... warmer than before. I looked at it, but there was nothing there. What could possibly be making it feel this way. I suddenly had my answer. I heard the soft voice calling out to me once more. This time, it said, "Wake up!" Wake up? I had no way of knowing I was dreaming at the time. It all felt so real. The world around me slowly started to fade as my mind was strolling back to reality. When I began to see nothing but darkness, I slowly opened my eyes again. There she was. The mare who has been there for me since day one of my stay here. Her alluring blue eyes fixed upon mine as she is holding my hoof in hers. It was so warm, so reassuring, It just made me feel so safe, so secure in my environment. Everything was full of bliss. A whole two minutes had passed before another word was said. She just came to check up on me. "Honey?" She said to me. "Yes?" "How are you feeling?" "I'm better now that you're here." My sincerity in that statement was mutual at best since she is a nurse, but my truth spread farther than I knew. "How are you?" "I'm just..." Before another word could be said, the door clicked and opened. In came another nurse. "Hello there! It's time for your daily check-up." Before I could speak, Nurse Redheart, jumped in front of me. "Don't worry! I'll do it!" "No thank you Nurse Redheart. You're needed elsewhere. I suggest you get to it!" Her tone was very serious and unnecessary. I didn't like it at all. Nurse Redheart didn't seem to like it either. She had a very intense expression on her face and it started to turn as red as the cross on her flank. She stared at her for a good while before slowly walking out the room. The other nurse's expression was blank. It seemed to say "I'm just doing my job." She slowly walked to me and began her examinations. Nothing seemed out of place. My pulse seemed fine, my wound was healing nicely, my brain was functionally, the only thing wrong were the current migraines I kept having. After she finished her examinations, she simply left the room without a word. I was very angry with her demeanor towards Nurse Redheart, but there was only so little I could do. I simply turned my body away from the door and drifted back to sleep. Hours passed and nighttime had now shrouded over Ponyville. It was very hot in my room and I required liquid refreshment. With no nurse nearby, I would have to depend on myself to get it, so for the first time in days, I got out of my bed and stood up. As soon as my hooves hit the floor, I was hit with monumental dizziness. I was near the point of puking, but I held it down as best I could and made my way to the bathroom down the hallway. I quickly made my way to the toilet, and let loose the excretions of the lunch I had earlier. It obviously didn't feel too good, but it was nothing a quick drink of water couldn't fix. I made my way to the sink and let the water flow. As I brought my head forward to take a drink, I heard a loud thud behind me. I pondered on what it could have been, but was too thirsty to look behind me at the moment. I quickly took a few gulps of the refreshing liquid. The taste was plain, but the relief it gave me was so satisfying. I looked up in the mirror to check for liquid residue, but suddenly got a quick jolt at what I saw next. My heart seemed to skip a few beats as I look in the mirror and saw what lay behind me. It was a corpse. It was the corpse of the pony who gave my examinations earlier. She had been mutilated, stabbed, hung, and filled with syringes. Her lifeless body hung by a rope from it's neck. It's tongue hanging straight out of it's mouth. I was in utter shock. I dared not look behind me and hoped this was all an illusion. I quickly headed for the door without looking at it and sprinted for my room. I dove into my bed and hid under my sheets. I was so horrified by the image that appeared in that mirror. I hoped to NEVER see anything like it again. Little did I know, that was only the beginning.
PancakesThe sun had finally risen in the sky. I did not see it though. I did not dare come out from under my blankets. The image of that night still haunted my every thought. I trembled at the very though of the various scenarios playing through my head. What if it wasn't an illusion? What if I saw that nurse again today alive and well? How would I explain THAT? Even worse... What if that nurse wasn't dead when I saw her? What if she was just unable to call out to me in her time of need? Oh.... My heart trembles with unfathomable guilt at the very thought of it. I should have looked back, I should have at least tried to help. I will never forgive myself for that. How could I have been such a coward? I'm very ashamed. Before more thoughts could fill my head, the door clicked and opened. I jolted a bot and pulled my blankets closer to my body. I dared not come out from under them for fear that that nurse was still alive, for fear that it was all a dream. Or even worse, that the nurse had come back to haunt me. I wasn't prepared for any of it, not even for the worst. I closed my eyes and hoped to Celestia it went away. Suddenly, I heard something slowly walking in my direction. I started to sweat, my heart was rapidly beating as the steps moved closer and closer. I trembled with unwanted anticipation as my entire body curled up together. The warmth of my own skin was comforting in such a way it kept me sane if not calm. The hoof steps stopped when it had reached the very edge of my bed. My body curled up tighter and tighter together. I was sure it was the nurse. She had come back to lay waste to me, to get revenge for not helping her when she most needed me. I closed my eyes and waited for her next more. Celestia knows I deserve whatever she throws at me. A few torturous moments passed, but there was no damage done. No harm had come to me, no threats were made, no words were spoken. It was complete and deathly silence. I still trembled, thinking she was just toying with me. Making me suffer until I became calm enough to let my guard down. I wasn't about to let that happen; I stayed in my fetal position prepared for whatever came my way. What came my way, I was not prepared for at all. A word was finally spoken, but the voice was not the voice of the nurse. It was much softer, my more welcoming, it said "Honey?" My heart leaped into my throat as I realized there was only one mare with a voice that benevolent. I peeked outside the edge of my blanket to see a white body standing before my bed. I looked up to see the rest of the image and I could not be happier with the sight before my very eyes. It was none other than Nurse Redheart next to a cart that held a plate with a pile of soft served pancakes drenched in rich brown maple syrup and a tall glass of orange juice. I looked at Nurse Redheart with a great big smile on my face. It was greatly reassuring to see such a beautiful sight before me. Any thoughts of the other nurse had been completely pushed from my head. Nurse Redheart looked at me with great concern "Honey? Are you feeling alright? You look like you havent slept at all." She was right. I was a mess. My mane was sticking out in every direction, my eyes had shadows as dark as Princess Luna's mane under them, and my eyes were bloodshot. "Well, I might have had a little nightmare last night." "Ohhhh you poor poor thing. Here, let me try and make it better." Nurse Redheart grabbed a fork next to the plate and tore off a big chunk of the pancakes from the pile. "Open wide" She told me. I closed my mouth and open my mouth. I suddenly felt the pancakes touch the edge of my lips. My mouth watered at the very smell of the meal as it entered my nostrils. The pancakes slipped in my mouth with ease. I closed my mouth when it was all inside and took my first bite. My eyes opened wide as flavor erupted in my mouth! My entire mouth lit up with such a euphoria. I havent eaten something this wonderful since the apple from before my incident. I could tell nearly all the ingredients involved. I tasted apples, cinnamon, a variety of small berries, and it even had a gold honey filling. It was truly a wonder to behold. Yet there was another flavor I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was sweet, yet had a bitter aftertaste. The other flavors quickly put out the bitter taste though and I continued to enjoy the rich taste of this wonderful breakfast. Nurse Redheart could clearly see I enjoyed the pancakes, but she asked anyway, "How are they? I made them myself." I couldn't speak. The pancakes' flavor took out any words that came to my head. Nurse Redheart put on a big smile as she fed me the rest of the pancakes. Each one better than the next. It was magnificent. When I was done, Nurse Redheart came up to me and asked me again how they were. This time I answered: "They were..... They were....." There were no words to describe them. I had never tasted anything like them before. Nurse Redheart moved her face closer to mine. I suddenly got nervous, my smile started to fade as she got too close for comfort. She suddenly said, "Than this will be even better." She put her hoof abound my head and planted her lips upon mine. My heart skipped a few beats and my eyes opened wide as I felt her warm mouth touch mine. They were soft, as soft as the pancakes, maybe softer. My eyes closed and I put my hooves on her face. The kiss grew passionate within moments. Our tongues dances with each other as Nurse Redheart let out silent moans. She was right. This beat flavorful pancakes any day. The kiss was soon released and I stared into her elegant light blue eyes and smiled. That was truly an event I could get used to. Nurse Redheart gave me a warm smile and began to exit the room. "Now get some rest dear." Nurse Redheart said, "You'll need it." She gave me a seductive wink and walked towards the door, nonchalantly swaying her flank side to side and taking one last look at my blushing face before closing the door. My heart fluttered as I fell back onto my pillow. This was, perhaps, the single greatest moment of my life. I was the luckiest stallion alive for sure. I easily drifted off to sleep after a few moments and enjoyed every second of it. Little did I know "Get some rest" did not have a light meaning to it. I felt very strange.
Doubting LoveMy entire stomach was in knots.. I was slouched over in excruciating pain, yet I thought nothing of it at the time. I was sure I just ate the pancakes a bit too fast & it decided to start backfiring on me. I hated to waste a good meal but I had no choice. I slouched over to the trash bin on the side of my bed & proceeded to think of the nastiest thought that could come to my head. The most obvious one was the body of the nurse with it's eyeball hanging by a slimy pink thread from it's socket, flesh tore & mutilated, blood coming our of every available corner, and worst of all, the exposed organs from the slit-open torso that gave off a horrendous odor. It was unbearable. All these thoughts in my head and I felt no urge to regurgitate. Something was terribly wrong! I reached over for the button labeled "Nurse" to call for help, but the pain in my stomach was sickening. It restricted me, but I fought through it with all I had and pressed the button. Immediately it started flashing red and whithin moments, I heard fast hoofsteps coming down the hallway. Nurse Redheart nearly broke the door off it's hinges with the was she slammed her way into the room. Her face was pale with concern for me as she raced towards my side to check on me. She immediately checked my face, my pulse, my mouth, ect. until another doctor came in to check on me. "What's the status Redheart?" Said the doctor. Nurse Redheart turned around to look at the nurse. "He appears to have ingested a moderate amount of ponycillin doctor" I suddenly started turning pale and fell back onto my pillow. I felt so sick. "Ponycillin?!?" Said the doctor, "How in Equestria.." "NO TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT!" Nurse Redheart interrupted, "We need to get him poison treatment, STAT!" The other doctor nodded his head and ran out the door to get medicine. Nurse Redheart looked back at me with a sly smirk on her face as she walked towards me. She put her head next to mine and rubbed my stomach as she said, "Ohhhhh poor baby. It's so sad. Today was supposed to be your release day, but you seem to still have need of me." She chuckled. Within moments, the doctor returned with medicine and a bucket. My vision was starting to fade the doctor ran to my side and shoved the bottle of medicine in my mouth. Within a second, my stomach felt worse than it did before! I felt as if I was going to cough up my very heart. Suddenly I felt something going up my throat, Nurse Redheart gave me the bucket and I regurgitated the contents of my stomach in it. I felt a huge relief, but at the same time I felt like I could just die right where i lay. When I finally finished puking, the doctor used magic to take the bucket from my grasp. "Do you feel better?" The doctor asked me. I couldn't respond. I was well, but I was whoozy. I feel back onto my pillow and nearly lost consciousness. Nurse Redheart looked at me concerningly, than looked at the doctor. "He is in no condition to leave today doctor." Nurse Redheart said, "We'll need to keep him here at least another week or two." "Hmm... You may be right. I'll go re-schedule his release date." With that, the doctor walked out the room. Nurse Redheart walked up to me one last time and said, "I told you you would like the pancakes. My "special ingredient" seemed to work wonders." I could barely hear the words she said, but I could make out "pancakes" and "my secret ingredient" I assumed she was talking about the blueberries. I admit they were delicious. I thought maybe I was allergic to blueberries and never knew about it. Nurse Redheart gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and said "Get well soon okay honey?" I just nodded my head as she walked out the door. I laid back in deep thought. How did ponycillin enter my body? Could it have been in the air? Was it in the bandages? Could it have possibly even been in the pancakes? Would Nurse Redheart ever intentionally poison me? What purpose could she possibly have? She didn't seem very concerned about me though. She barged into the room to check on me than she was just very casual. Maybe she thought it was no big deal. Either way, I was very grateful she was my first response and that she care about me. I can honestly say that I would have done the same for her. I drifted off to sleep in peace to rest my stomach. I woke up several hours later. The ponycillin incident never left my thoughts. I wanted to know the full extent of the issue and how long I was to stay. In an effort to not disturb anypony, and to keep it confidential, I got out of bed and walked my way to the doctor's office. When I got there, there was nopony at the desk. At first, I started to turn around and try again later, but than I thought it could be written down somewhere on his desk. So I walked over to the side of his desk to see if I was correct. I suddenly felt a lump under my hoof, staggered, and fell on my face. I immediately turned around to see what had interrupted my path. What I saw was a body laying in a small pool of blood. Bloodied, battered, and bruised all around with a puncture wound in the back of it's skull. I was horrified, but remembering my mistake from last time, I turned toe body around to see it's face. It was the doctor from earlier. His eyes were rolled in the back of his head, his tongue was ripped out of the mouth, an he had another puncture wound in his left cheek. My mouth flew agape with fearful astonishment. I immediately ran from the room and back to my bed. This time, I hid under my bed, now convinced somepony in the hospital was a serial killer. This was the second victim taken and slaughtered. I was afraid I was next. Suddenly, I heard a loud shriek from outside the room, followed by Nurse Redheart's voice. She said, "SOMEPONY HELP, WE HAVE A DOCTOR DOWN! HE'S DEAD!" Nurse Redheart was so caring, so reassuring. It was hard to believe she could harm anypony, but I was now skeptical of everypony in this hospital including her, but not as much as everypony else. I pray to Celestia Nurse Redheart was safe.
The Reason, The TruthAfter last night's scare I stayed in my bed most of the morning to think about all this. I was beginning to doubt I was in a hospital at all. Was the background around me really just smoke and mirrors to cloak something more devious? Was I, perhaps, sent to the wrong hospital and forced to suffer these unfortunate consequences? Am I, by any chance, just a pawn in this game we call "life" and my very presence in this place is costing these innocent ponies their lives? Since i've been here, two ponies have been brutally murdered, cut down in cold blood, eviscerated. Was it my fault? Am I to blame for any of this? Worst of all, what of Nurse Redheart? What of the one pony here who actually treats me like she wants me to get well? She has been there for me since day one. I owe her my life. She has done more than just bandage a wound on my head. She has done more than just say that she cares for me. I could never see her bringing harm to anypony. She just seems so..... perfect in such a way. Suddenly a noise was heard at the side of the room. The door hinges making their usual screech to signal the door opening. I turned my head to see who came in, hoping it was something reassuring. What came through that door, could not have been more reassuring if I had wished for it. In came the beautiful Nurse Redheart with her usual happy, bright smile, her eyes fixed upon mine and her usual demeanor that just seemed to say "Everythings okay honey, i'm here." Her voice was like a melody of the winds that brought my ears much pleasure. I couldn't wish for a better moment to get to know her. She is still such a mystery; no pony is usually this kind, I had to know if there was a reason behind this. "Nurse Redheart?" I spoke to her? "Yes dear?" She replied "Nurse Redheart, you have been so kind to me since the day I arrived. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it, and.... how much I appreciate you for being the first to come to my aid when I need you most. Like right now, so much has gone wrong in this place, but seeing your bright, gleaming smile gives me the reassurance that all is well, and that no harm will come to me. It means more than you know." Nurse Redheart slowly burst into tears at my speech. It's as if she had been waiting to hear those words all along. I was sincere, and meant every word, but... her eyes were giving a strange signal. It's as if there was more I should have said but didn't. "Nurse Redheart," I continued, "I want to know more about you. Is there anything you would like to share?" She just giggled and said "Oh honey, you were always such a kidder!" I was obviously confused at the remark. A few seconds later she responded, "Come with me." She than helped me out of bed and escorted me across the hospital to her office. It was a cozy little space, the walls and floor were decorated fabulously. Nurse Redheart gestured me to take a seat next to her, so I did. "So," Nurse Redheart started, "You want to know about me? Well..." Before she could continue, a sudden buzz was heard. "Nurse Redheart, you're needed in the front. Repeat, Nurse Redheart, emergency in the front." Nurse Redheart gave a loud groan, and stomped to a desk on her phone. She literally started punching buttons, and than yelled, "CAN'T IT WAIT? I'M BUSY RIGHT NOW!!!!!" A few seconds passed as a muffled response was heard, she than slammed the phone on her desk & stormed out of the office with fury, mumbling swears as she slammed the door. As the door was slammed, there was a quake in the room. I suddenly heard a loud thud come from behind her desk that sent a chill to my very bones. I shook at the very thought of what it could be due to recent events, but I didn't want to be left curious, so I slowly trotted towards it to see what it could be. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I saw it was just a book. It had fallen from it's shelf and opened to a random page. I felt it could do no harm to read it, so I took a quick peek at the open page. It read: March 20th 2009 Here I am again, another cold, rainy night without him here. Why did he have to go out to sea? I told him it was dangerous, but he insisted that everything would be okay, he assured me that he would be back. It's been almost 3 years, I have recieved no letter, I have heard no news, I only have my memories, and the photo. I cry myself to sleep every night wondering what fate he has suffered. I fear the worst, but I hope that one day he will return, maybe he will jump up behind me and embrace me in the way that I long for every waking moment of my life. I want nothing more than for my love to return safe and sound. It was such a sad tale, I turned the book around to see the title, it couldn't have been more unpleasant. It said "Diary of Nurse Redheart." I gave a gasp in horror and tossed the book away from me. Out of it's contents came a small white square that landed in front of me. I took a peek at it and there stood Nurse Redheart in a wedding gown with a familiar looking stallion. I took a long gaze at Nurse Redheart for she looked absolutely beautiful in her gown, but than I took a look at the stallion. I was stunned when I came to the realization of where I had seen him before. He bore..... an exact likeness..... of ME! Author's Note I'm back after a 6 month long hiatus. Reasons. Anyway, lets continue the story!
Sibling Rivalry / The fight for Redheart beginsUpon hearing those last words, my heart seemed to skip a beat, and my eyes opened until they could open no farther. Looking at this strange stallion more closely, he did indeed resemble my every feature; from the color of my coat, to the length of my horn, to the very color of my eyes he looked exactly like me! It was like looking in a mirror..... a mirror of horrors, for I had never been more terrified in my life. The only thing he had that I didn't, appearance-wise, were war scars. Mother never mentioned anything to me about a twin. It was quite horrifying. I just gazed at him for a very long time before I spoke my next words. "If you're my twin brother... than why has Mother never mentioned anything about you?" "I am unsure. I never knew Father as I grew up with Father. He was quite secretive about your existance as well." We began to discuss life in our younger years and what we had missed doing as foals. He refused to tell me his name for some reason, and I still don't know it to this day. He told me of Father and his strange ways. When he inquired him about Mother, he would always seem to mutter strange things to himself without giving an answer, strange, unnatural riddles of some sort. Thinking back on it now, Mother was always the superstitious kind of pony. She would always go see seers for details on the future. Could it be possible that she was given a prediction that scared her causing her to separate my brother and I? I can think of no other reasonable explanation. I would worry about that later for as I continuously stared at him, images of Nurse Redheart began to show inside my head. I had no idea how long that medicine had put me to sleep. I began to wonder if she was okay for I feared for her safety around the other doctors around her that feared her. As thoughts of her raced in my head, the silence was broken when my brother spoke out. "Hey!" My brother said, "What's that you got there?" "Hm?" I reached around to see what could be near me, and pulled out the book I had grabbed from Nurse Redheart's shelf earlier. I finally had the chance to read the title. It read, "Honey & Sweetheart." On the cover was the same wedding photo that fell out of Nurse Redheart's diary. My heart began to sink. I presented it to my brother and his face lit up with a smile. "Ah! You've found my wife and I's photo album! Have you seen any of the pictures yet?" "Well no." I responded, "I fell asleep before I could even look at it." He offered to show me a few of the photos. He sat at my bedside and we looked through the album, with each photo seen he told me a story of that moment in his seemingly perfect marriage; each story was more beautiful than the last and they both seemed very happy. I was slowly fighting back tears for I was both sad and happy. Happy because their marriage seemed like the perfect pony tale of the perfect marriage, sad because he seemed to bring Nurse Redheart a happiness I knew I could never even hope to equal. "Wow." I said after a brief pause, "Your marriage is like a dream come true. Nurse Redheart is one lucky mare to have a stallion like you. It amazes me to see that you treat her so well." My brother's smile faded after my short speech and he turned away from me. The tears in my eyes almost immediately dried up. Something was not right, and I had to know. I inquired about his sudden change in mood. He just said, "I'm not the stallion I once was." This phrase shocked, confused, and angered me all at the same time. What did he mean by that? What could have possibly made him say such a thing? I had to know! "What do you mean?" I asked? He looked at me again with a more serious expression. "Eight years ago, one year after I was called for duty, I was setting up camp; It was a cold, windy night. When I had finished my part of the job, I noticed one of my squadmates, wearing a mask, and talking to somepony out of the corner of my eye. When I saw an enemy insignia on him, I immediately ran for them both. My squadmate bolted from the camp and I gave chase. Eventually I was able to tackle the traitor, and after a brief struggle I tore off the mask. What I saw was the last thing I expected to see, I saw a mare." When he got to this part of the story, I could feel my blood pressure rise near it's boiling point. I missed most of the other parts because my thoughts were now focused on wringing his neck. I couldn't understand how he could think such a thing of anypony else when he has Nurse Redheart. I wanted to mangle him so bad. When my thoughts grew quiet, I was able to catch the last part of his story. "So from that day forward we secretly met as often as we could and shared stories; also doing.... other... unmentionable things. Eventually, she told me that she was a spy who infiltrated our ranks, and always wore a mask claiming to have various appearance issues and diseases so others would stay away from her. I cared little for what she was, and cared more for who she was. I had felt a feeling I hadn't felt since I first saw Sweetheart. Soon after that..... she got pregnant. She is supposed to have her foal in a month or so and we had just been called to return to Equestria. I told her I had to return here so I could complete one task, than I would return to her." My anger, at this point, was unimaginable. My head began to pound again, but I was mad enough to ignore it. Any ounce of awe and respect I had for him was now gone. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to make him pay dearly for his fidelity towards Nurse Redheart. I attempted to keep my cool as I simply asked him what his task was. "To give Sweetheart a foal. I promised her that we would try endlessly that day, but I was called to duty so we couldn't. Once I fulfill my promise, i'm leaving to go back to her. She will never see me again and she will have the foal she always wanted." That was where I drew the line. "NO!!!" I shouted at him, "YOU WILL NOT LAY ONE, UNGRATEFUL, UNFAITHFUL, UNAPPRECIATIVE HOOF ON HER! SHE IS THE MOST KIND, SWEET PONY IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA & I LOVE HER! SHE DESERVES MUCH BETTER THAN YOU YOU UNGRATEFUL SCUMBAG! AS LONG AS I'M DRAWING BREATH, I PROMISE YOU SHE'S GOING TO KNOW ABOUT THIS & I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" I saw no reaction whatsoever from him. He kept a straight face through my whole rant. While I was catching my breath, he said, "Are you going to stop me? Do you think I don't know about your head injury? You're not going to stand in the way of this. Now I think it's time you took another looooong nap." He than grabbed the medicine Nurse Redheart left near my bed, grabbed my head and force fed me the contents of the bottle. The taste was horrible and nearly had me choking as my body tried to retch it up. When the entire bottle was emptied, he removed it from mt mouth and I started coughing. My brother laid me back on my bed, shushing me as he pushed the "Nurse" button on the side of my bed. There was so much medicine in my body, the effects were almost immediate. I quickly began to doze off once more. Before I could slumber, Nurse Redheart burst into the room to check on me as usual, but this time, my brother was standing in front of me blocking her view. I fought the medicine long enough to catch their conversation. She walked up to him and asked if he was okay. "Yes Sweet- Umm.... Nurse Redheart. I'm fine." He responded covering up his was scars on his eye and rubbing them pretending to have a headache." "Well... Okay honey, but why are you out of bed? Why are you fully clothed? Where are your head bandages? What- Before she could get anymore suspicious, he grabbed her head, held her very close and kissed her deeply. Nurse Reheart blushed and closed her eyes as she held the kiss. My brother soon released the kiss. "I'm feeling much better. I was on my way to see you. I just remembered my promise I made you before I left for the war, and I think it's time I kept it." Nurse Redheart smiled,squealed, and immediately took his hoof & dragged him out of the room. When the door closed, I could fight the medicine no longer. My body would now be at war with it on it's own. I could feel my heartbeat slowing down and my breathing quell to a puff as thoughts of Nurse Redheart being hurt by my brother passed through my head. I felt helpless, he had won. I would never tell Nurse Redheart that there were two of us, and how I really felt about her. Even worse, she might have her foal, realize he left and end up killing me thinking I was him. I would be screwed either way. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice in my head. It said, "Save me!" The voice kept repeating itself, and it got louder and louder with each phrase. The voice sounded like Nurse Redheart, but there was nothing around to make the noise. I suddenly awoke in my bed sweaty, and hyperventilating. I looked at the time, it hadn't been ten minutes since Nurse Redheart and my brother left the room. My body had did it's job & stopped the medicine's effect from putting me into a coma. To this day, I believe it was my immense desire to save Nurse Redheart from my brother that ultimately resulted in my rescue. After a minute to catch my breath, I jumped out of bed and started towards the door with one thought, one goal, one desire in my head: "He is going to die!" Author's Note Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion! :D
Pieces to the puzzle.This stallion..... He bore almost EVERY resemblance to me. How could this be? I had so many questions flying around my head that it nearly brought back the pain in my head wound. I wasn't sure what to think. Was this more smoke and mirrors to confuse me? Was I simply dreaming and only seeing a rendition of a subconscious fantasy? I had to know for the sight of that picture opened a thick hole within my heart. At this point, I began to think the diary could hold some more answers. Maybe reading more of it could bring back forgotten memories if this really was me. I walked to the location where I had tossed the diary and opened it, once again, to a random page. My heart was beating like a drum; I wasn't sure if I was anxious or terrified to figure out the truth. I decided to read farther back from the page that opened earlier. This page read: January 1st, 2006, Another orbit around Celestia's bright, beautiful sun has passed, and another fantastic year with my adoring husband. Next month will be our 2 year anniversary and I have something very special planned for him. Oh ever since the day we met I have been head over hooves in love with him. He treats me so well; he's so loving, so caring, so indescribably wonderful. I can't imagine living a day without his warm embrace, the soft, tender feel of his hooves as he brushes it across my mane, but the very best thing about him that I adore the most is the very special ways he tells me he loves me. He would always make such a speech telling me how much I mean to him and how much he cares for me and everything move I make. It brings me to tears every time to know that he puts so much effort into this marriage. I honestly don't know where I would be without him. Reading this one entry brought me to tears. This stallion, or me, was clearly a commendable pony if he was able to make Nurse Redheart feel such a way. It brought no memories though. I couldn't remember doing anything like this, but I surely would never forget a pony as wonderful as Nurse Redheart. What caused him to leave? The first entry said something about going out to sea so I looked around the diary some more. In my search, I found a page with ink all around it making the words almost unreadable, clearly the work of tears while the the entry was being written, but most of it was legible and I was able to piece it together. [Date illegible by ink smudge] Today I recieved the most horrible news. I woke up this morning ready to see my husband's bright, smiling face, but his face was not there, nor his body, nor his warm loving embrace to greet me to a brand new day. In his place instead was a letter and a note. As I read it, my tears could not hold themselves in, and my sobs could not keep quiet. The letter was a letter from the Equestrian Navy with a list of reserves' names needed to go out to seas. When I looked through the names, there was his. [Name illegible by ink smudge]. My heart sank to the very pits of my despair as I read the note that my husband left. He told me that he had been called to duty and rushed out of the house as I slept. His generals wouldn't even give him the time to say goodbye to me, but they let him write me a note. It said that he didn't know how long he would be gone, but he will keep me in his thoughts every moment and he guarantees his safe return one day. I am overtaken with many conflicted emotions. I don't know what dangers he's being brought into, or what time to expect his return, but I will keep his bedside warm every night and hold his memory dear to my heart. I can only hope he returns soon unharmed and with open arms to embrace me once more. I closed the diary for I could bear to read no more. This wonderful stallion was clearly one for very many words of honor. I have no recollection of being called to duty within the Equestrian Navy, though I did sign up for it. This answered so few questions though. I still had to know more. I decided to read one more entry and than I would put down this accursed book whether I got my answers or not. As I turned pages in the diary once more, I found the date I checked into the hospital whilst still in my coma. This was sure to give me the answers I needed. September 1- Before I could read the next page, I heard a voice behind me that broke the silence of the room say "Hello Honey." I fumbled with the book in surprise and quickly turned around hiding it behind my back. Before me stood Nurse Redheart, bloody, breathing heavily, and a look in her eves that still give me nightmares to this day. Aside from being started by her appearance, I played it off as if nothing unusual was happening. "Oh! Nurse Redheart!" I said, "When did you get here?" "I just walked in." She replied, "I see you're reading a book from my shelf?" I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible "Oh yeah! You were gone so long that I decided to just grab one of the books. You know, to pass the time." "Oh? Which one dear?" "I......I'mmmmmmmmmmmmmm not sure yet! I just picked it up." At this moment, I tucked the diary into a convenient pocket in my hospital clothes, and grabbed another random book. "Hmm..... Okay dear. Well you said you wanted to know about me?" "Yeah! You know, about that, I DID want to get to know you, but my head wound is starting to act up again" I lied. "So i'm afraid we're gonna have to reschedule." Nurse Redheart just put on her warm loving smile. "Okay dear, well let me help you back to your room so I can give you some medicine for your head." "Nurse Redheart? Why are you all bloody? Did somepony try to hurt you?" "Oh no dear. I'm fine. It's just that the receptionist called at a rather bad time and that was very rude. So I just wanted to make sure she..... wouldn't do it again." Nurse Redheart gave a giggle unlike her usual kind. It was more insane and less cute. I thought little of it as hr beauty once again blinded me from seeing the truth. She than escorted me to my room. Along the way, I saw some of the doctors' faces and they seemed terrified at Nurse Redheart's very presence. I than laid down on my bed once more and took a small headache pill Nurse Redheart gave me and began to doze to sleep. As I slept, the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. The murder, the strange behavior, the unusual treatment. It all began to make sense. My heart started to fill with dread as the realizations started to come to me, but this still doesn't answer the main question: Is the stallion in the wedding photo really me? I would achieve my answer sooner than I expected. There was a sudden buzz that awoken me. The buzz was the usual one to signal the door was opening. A few seconds later the door clicked shut and I heard hoofsteps walking towards me. I turned around to see who it was and the sight could not have been more confusing. In walked a strange, gruff-looking stallion with a scar & stitches on his face. He seemed to look at me with pleasure as if he knew me, yet I had no idea who he was. "Ah!" The strange stallion said, "It's good to see you after all these years." I looked at him more confused than ever. ANOTHER pony claiming to know me yet i've never seen before in my life. I could swear this time I was dreaming. The strange stallion's smile faded from his face as he said, "What's wrong? You look as if you don't recognize me." "Well..." I replied, "That's because I don't." The stallion pondered on my response for a while. Than responded, "Oh forgive me. I almost forgot that mother never introduced us before splitting us up." I never looked more confused in my life. "Split up? What are you talking about?" The stallion just chuckled. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am..... Your twin brother.
