Necessity Doesn't Like To Be Hidden
I called him into the living room, his pale, pasty, form now sitting on the couch. He was looking confused as Shining Armor and Fluttershy were here too, both also on the couch looking at him with worry and what could only be described as empathetic apprehension. I'm sure I look the same.
I was at a loss about how to tell him that we knew, he evidently put great effort into trying to hide them. His attempts to do so explain various (relatively) strange behavior in the past: why his speech is sometimes nearly unintelligible, why he always tilts his head down almost all the way so that he's facing his plate when taking a bite, why he never opens his mouth when he smiles. But Fluttershy noticed them right away when I was cleaning the spit and vomit from his mouth so that he could breathe, a part of the process I go through after every fit (even with magic it still is very difficult for me, I've fainted Celestia knows how many times at first). I never put that much thought into them, I just figured they were a deformation, or they were broken or something; they weren't as pronounced and pointy as they are in the other animals like my Opal. Fluttershy apparently didn't even have to think about it for a moment; after I had finished cleaning up and making sure he was okay, she pulled me to the side and told me what they were.
Shining, Fluttershy, and I met a few hours earlier. Shining came as quickly as he could. She explained to us that this is probably the reason for the swelling in his ankles, his flaky skin, his color, and his hair losing so much of its vitality and color. He needed to get more nutrients, especially protein, than our foods can provide. She also said that because his immune system seems to be substantially weaker than many other animals, it probably needs to be cooked. As one can expect, I nearly fainted. The only reason why it was a "nearly" was because dealing with his fits, the reason why we took him in, forced me to learn to push through my panic and stay alert (I felt strangely both present and detached during this internal struggle to learn how to and whenever I am able to calm myself down, which further helped me charge through it).
What were we supposed to do? Slip meat into smoothies and hope he didn't notice a different taste? I've obviously never had meat myself but I can't imagine it tastes like we all just simultaneously decided to put more strawberry in than before! More importantly, he deserved to know the truth.
I think we all resigned to the idea that there was no "good" way to do it, so I just tried to soften the introduction of the subject,
"Andrew, darling, you aren't in trouble, you need to know that, but changes must be made."
"You know that Rarity, Fluttershy, and I have resolved to take care of you because we believe you not to be dangerous, and that we are not going to let you be killed simply because of your species' actions in the distant past in our world, and your personal actions in the recent past in a completely different world, right?" Shining continued, picking up the baton, sensing that I was about to break down.
"Yes..." he responded
"You know that as long as nopony gets hurt, we are going to do whatever we can to make sure you are as healthy as possible with your condition?" Shining asked softly.
"Yes..?" His face, looking back and forth between all of us went from a "what did I do?" to more of a "where are you going with this?", although with just as much, if not more anxiety.
Shining nodded to Fluttershy, he wanted to cut to the chase, presumably because he didn't want to drag this out and make it worse for Andrew.
Fluttershy clearly agreed. She spoke up, "I, um..., f-figured out why you are feeling worse than u-usual and, um... w-why it is taking longer for you to recover from your attacks," she stammered out, averting her eyes from Andrew.
"Really?" He looked very confused.
"Andrew, you don't - and probably won't ever - remember, both because of the attack itself and because of the medication - but by the time you stop convulsing your mouth is filled with... Errr, how shall I say this?... ...Regurgitated material which must be removed so you don't choke..."
Shining put his hoof on his shoulder and told him to take a deep breath, Fluttershy grabbed his hand with her hoof and I pulled his head into my chest.
"Fluttershy was here last time you had a seizure and as I was cleaning you up, she saw your..."
His eyes were filled with dread.
"...Canines."
He broke out into a sob and started shaking. Even though I knew it was, I looked down to make sure it was the right kind of "shaking"; it was more for my own sake than his.
"I-I-I'm so—"
"There's nothing to apologize for." Shining cut in, saying it a bit more harshly than he probably intended. We were all shaken by the discovery and its implications.
We all silently agreed to let him cry himself out entirely, knowing that what was coming next, if he hadn't already figured out the implications, was going to be the hardest. Shining used the opportunity to prepare the anticonvulsant he had gotten out of the dedicated cabinet earlier.
Once Andrew finished and sat up, he demonstrated that he had started to figure out where we were going, "Aren't there beans or peas or something that can give me the protein? That's what I did in my old world!"
Shining had informed us when we discussed this earlier that there were several endeavors by the various carnivores the Crystal Empire has friendly relations with to find plants that could provide the nutrients needed. Every attempt failed, often disastrously. It actually became such a problem that both the Crystal Empire and Equestria have a sort of pseudo-official policy of recommending that carnivore species do not experiment with unknown plants to try to avoid eating meat. This is partly how we know there are much more malicious plants than poison joke. Fluttershy also admitted that she had tried similar experiments herself with some of her animals, but could never avoid reverting to meat when the problems inevitably arose. If there were plants which could provide the needed amount of protein, they simply weren't known about, the only thing we have reason to believe we will find more of is plants which will do absolutely nothing but maybe give you a stomach ache and plants which want to ruin your life, if you have one left by the time their done.
Shining shared the relevant parts of our previous discussion with him.
Andrew sat up, "I am not goin—"
"Yes, you are." I asserted, sternly, but with compassion, looking straight in his eye.
"Zecora would probably be empathetic to my situation, she might have some replacement, some remedy to make me not need it, something!?"
"We tried, Zecora was willing to help but she doesn't know of anything either, I am so sorry Andrew." Fluttershy lamented.
Shining's magical focus being one of protection, he learned to sense the seizures coming before anyone. He looked at me and Fluttershy, silently warning us. Fluttershy got the foam mat ready on the floor, with the plastic sheet over the entire area and the trash can next to it, as Shining prepared the injection. Andrew relaxed back into the couch, looking back at me with terror, but resignation. He cried, but without tears as he had already run dry. We saw the face we all knew too well. We lifted him down onto the mat, and rolled him on his side.
I pulled down his pants to his mid-thigh, using magic so as to make it as noninvasive as possible, and Shining used one of the many new spells he has had to learn because of Andrew's condition to sanitize the area. He stretched the skin taught and brought the syringe above Andrew's thigh.
"The ghosts are here again..." he said, closing his eyes, submitting to the ineluctable.
I nuzzled against his neck as Shining put in the needle, "I know, honey."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
None of us have accepted to... AnodfnOEnadPieerlaSDx... that Monstrosity... AnodfnWeorj...its very essence, ignorant even of those who carry out PaxDzOrlEe. EdsmpXmasdjc... abandoned us long ago, ashamed of what She had done, leaving UxzcaToBVeNcoeIisalnFnZper
Author's Note
There are several words that need to be replaced, and the overall narration needs to be more stylistically matched to moments of Rarity's thought process, but I think it is okay for now. I also tried it with indentation, but thought it gave it a different feel. If you think it would work better with it then, please let me know in the comments! I also think that the monologue at the bottom might reveal too much, let me know your thoughts on that too!
I only have a general idea of where this is going, and idea for various chapters (now in the form of essentially glorified vignettes), whether or not I fully flesh out my ideas and start working on a plot outline will depend on how this is received
