Tales of the "Good Doctor"

Tales of the good doctor
patient: None

Hooked on life support Dr.Cold lied there comatose. His physical form was damaged heavily and the spot of cursed tar on his shoulder has spread to most of his leg and a bit of the chest. To make the situation worse the only medic on base who could undo a curse this potent was Princess Celestia and even she was having problems cracking it. At the moment the Wonderbolts, Cold's unit, Princess Celestia, and Twilight Sparkle were meeting to discuss this and other matters

Spitfire began her briefing. "Major Cold Hooves is currently undergoing dialysis to cleanse his now mostly toxic blood" Twilight said addressing the onlookers. "Private Rainbow Dash on the other hoof is in no better shape. Although we stitched the nub of whats left of her wing we are taking into consideration possible psychological damage. The question is how do we proceed?"

"I already have Luna work on undoing Cold Hooves's affliction, she is pretty skilled with shadow magic so even a curse made by Darkshire shouldn't be a problem. The real question is what to do now?"

Just then General Frost's came on the radio. "We have a serious problem" he said panting. "Darkshire has appeared on the battlefield. I'm getting of reports all over of entire units being wiped out in the blink of an eye"

Celestia growled "How many of us have we lost?"

"One third of our combatants. I suggest a full retreat and nuke the city" Frost replied

Twilight stood up "We can't just obliterate the city!"

"I don't plan on it, with nightfall approaching we better pack-up for the night. Order a full retreat back to base for all units" Celestia ordered "In the mean time I'm going check on Luna. Meeting adjourned"

Back on the ground the base staff had there hooves full sorting out the incoming units, war machines, and refuges seeking shelter. Even the Dominant Eagle in a state of sever damage still showed up.

Walking into the medical tent Celestia received first-hoof look at the dead and dying that lined the large tent. Upon her entrance she was greeted by one of the medics there wearing the "Surgical goggles and lab coat" uniform.

"Princess Luna just finished up with Major Cold Hooves. Although he is mobile I would advise against combat for the time being"

As the two were wrapping up Luna exited the ICU section "Sister, Dr.Cold is ready for you" she said followed by a pair of her personal guards glaring and surveying the area.

Walking into the room where Cold was being kept Celestia was shocked by the fact Cold Hooves was still alive. Despite having the muscle on the infected leg exposed to the point of the bone being visible, fortunately that injury was already wrapped in gauss. He sat there awake in his bed with his hat and goggles on the nightstand while his bodysuit was folded at the foot of his bed.

"Good to see you Princess" Cold said sarcastically

Celestia dropped the sympathy smile and walked towards the broken stallion. "I see the pain meds are working, can't feel a thing right? Listen, I'm not here for small talk"

"It never is with you. Always something on your mind, take a damn vacation" Cold said. Clearly whacked out of his mind on morphine. Celestia was no mood for Cold's insanity.

"Because you were injured in battle to the point of temporary disability, you now have to make choice. You can etheir return home or stay here yet stay out of combat, your call major"

Cold Hooves began to lose himself in thought of this decision. "I'll take the medic job until I'm combat ready" he said getting out of bed while disconnecting the IV tubes and wires monitoring his vitals. Leaping onto the ground he winced when he hooves touched the floor. "This might be an issue" he said walking out of the room, with an obvious limp in his step. I'll get myself settled as one of the doctors here. you go have fun" Dr.Cold said mockingly.

Putting on his uniform and hat Cold was greeted by Spitfire. "How are holding up Cold?"

Cold sighed. "Stable. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Listen I need your help" she said getting closer to the doctor.

"I'f this is anything like 12 years ago than forget it" Cold said walking away "I have patients to treat, and I don't have time for favors"

It echoed in Spitfire's mind over the "Job" from all those years ago. After the Griffin War ended a new position on the Wonderbolts opened which was to be filled by there first female member, Spitfire. There was only one problem, an accident while on shore leave shattered the bones in both of wings completely. Seeking help she and her lover Soarin sought help from a very well recommended surgeon, a specialist in Advanced and unorthodox Surgery.

"I'm afraid your out of option miss An amputation is your only option at this point, your at the limit of pain meds your body can handle, and it's only a matter of time until a dislodged bone fragment pierces a nerves causing the true definition of agony and crippling you in the process beyond your current flightless state. They wont let you serve with your condition" Newblood said bluntly.

"Cant you use a regeneration spell or something? There has to be more!" Spitfire asked.

Dr.Newblood sighed knowing he would regret what he was about to say "If your this determined I know someone who could help" Newblood left the room reappearing minutes later with Dr.Cold.

"I have reviewed your condition and have formulated a solution" Cold said smiling.

"What is it?" Spitfire replied with excitement.

"A teenager walked out of here a day ago with transplantable set of wings. She's dying of a cardio defect so its a free game. I'll just send an old friend of mine on a 'collection' run" Cold said looking at a X-ray

Although shocked she accepted the deal and regretted it ever since.

Cold Hooves on the other hoof had better things to deal with, the large amount of refuges weren't going to treat themselves. Meanwhile the Wonderbolts and Fluttershy stood around the sleeping Rainbow Dash, quietly discussing amongst each other about what do now?

Slowly she began to awaken. "Ow my head... What happened?" she asked. With ever other pony awkwardly looking at each other trying to decode who would break the news to her.

Fluttershy sighed taking this role. "Listen Dashie... I'm sorry to say this but you lost a wing" said the yellow mare with a voice as grim as death. Panicking Rainbow Dash felt the nub of what's left of her wing.

"So.. I get a chance to live my dreams and it cost me flying for the rest of my life" she said quietly with tears in her eyes.

"Aren't you over reacting a bit?" said an earth pony medic.

"The loss of one's wings is a great tragedy amongst the pegasai" whispered Cold followed by Spitfire.

Walking over to Rainbow Dr.Cold prompted her to lean over so he could get a look at what's left of the wing. "This is that genius who patched you up boss?" asked on of the Wonderbolts.

Spitfire smiled "If there is at least one pony on this planet that fix our new recruit its him"

Cold attempted to levitate the patient's file but dropped it mid-air. "I'm sorry, nothing I can do" he said causing everpony's hope to shatter like glass. As Rainbow Dash resumed silently crying to herself Spitfire got very angry.

"What do you mean you cant fix her?! Use the same procedure that you preformed on me!" Spitfire said in outrage.

"I cant do anything. With you it was just a lot of broken bone. In this case it not just bone, its nerves, bone, flesh, blood, and the anti-regeneration properties of changeling saliva. I cant help her! Even if this was the same I'm in to much pain to cast the most basic spells" Cold retorted. Just then Twilight Sparkle walked in. "What do you want?"

Twilight growled "I'm just here to visit a friend. How you holding Rainbow Dash?"

"Fine... just fine" she replied.

"So now what Cold? We just send her home? To what? She lives in a cloud-home like most of us." Spitfire shouted with a powerful conviction. Cold just sighed and restated the facts only to be slapped in the face Fluttershy.

"Don't talk about her like she's not even here!" She shouted. Cold Hooves slowly rotated his head back into position and glared down the yellow mare.

"Are you insane? You just slapped a commanding officer. I could have you locked away for insubordination. What is your rationalization?" Cold asked clearly not in a good mood. Then he returned the slap with enough force to knock her into a tray of medical supplies. "I'll be in my quarters trying to get some sleep. If anypony needs me you know were I am" he said leaving.

On the way to his quarters he decided a shower was in order. Since it was a couple of minutes till midnight and very few ponies would be up at this hour the showers were mostly deserted save for a few of Luna's guards. After fixing a plastic wrapping over his mangled leg Cold let water begin to flow. Once he finished washing himself down he set the shower to the coldest possible setting and began to think.

Image after image, memory after memory, patient after patient, flooded through the broken doctor's mind. Echoes of former pegasus patients he had been forced to tell them they are now one of the flightless. Almost all of the, have either retreated to solitude in the mountains, killed a few innocent ponies then themselves, or just simply killed themes less than 24 hours after leaving. Then came the few Dr.Cold crippled himself. All of this prompted him to smash his face right in the linoleum tile.

Letting the pain settle Cold Hooves heard two soldiers walk into the room, one unicorn and one Griffin. Cold stopped the flow of water and listened in.

"248 dead, and that's just our own forces" said the pony.
"Tell me about it. By they way I saw that maniac Dr.Cold working again" responded the Griffin.

"Really. What ya' see him do?" the pony pressed.

"After he finished sorting through most of the dead? Checked in on one of the Wonderbolts"

"What happened?" the pony asked with an almost deranged curiosity

The Griffin sighed "Deliver some bad news then beat the crap out of one of our new recruits" griffin said finishing his shower, dying his wings by flapping them cleared the mist that concealed the doctor. The doctor quickly dashed out of the room before the two noticed him.

Finally after receiving some paperwork from Big Macintosh Dr.Cold returned to his Quarters on The Devine Interception. Setting the papers on the small desk Cold immediately set to work. The forms themselves were stand documents one needed to fill out after a patient is either permanently crippled or dead, which for the doctor came down to about 40 pages. If that wasn't enough a distraction occurred.

Twilight Sparkle slammed open the door barging into the small room. "Get up Major. Princess Celestia wants to give us and a few other ponies a special assignment" she said in a stricter then normal voice. Cold just sighed and followed her to the command bridge.

Once there they were greeted by Princess Luna. Amongst the two Pinkie, Foxtrot, Fluttershy, and Rainbow dash gathered around the table. "Good to see you all, Sister wanted me to give you your orders now. Play the recorded transmission from Prime Minister Vole of the Zebra Nation" she commanded.

Just then the video of the male Zebra in question appeared on a large monitor. "Princess Celestia, good to see ya still alive mon". He was wearing a formal suit with a few good-luck yellow trinkets around his neck. "Dere be somthin' out of the ordinary out in the Zebraha desert. One of your ancient temples is seeing a lot of activity, mostly strange lights. But it reeks of bad mojo. What ever is in there it isn't something natural, there are reports of strange dragon-like two legged creatures walking around the area. Just send one of your units to check it out mon" after that the screen went black.

Cold ponded the situation for a bit. "Where is Celestia anyway?".

"Preparing for our departure. It seems every city we save two more fall, all of the airships are meeting in Canterlot to plan a major offensive strike since our current plan isn't helping the war effort. Back to your orders, You will be taking a small transport airship the forgotten temple and see if it has anything to do with the invading cultist"

"So when will we be leaving this city to fend for itself?" asked foxtrot.

"10 hours. Assuming Sister can have the refuges sorted by then. You and the Wonderbolt's aircraft will be heading out now. Rainbow Dash its your call on what you want to do" replied Luna

Rainbow sighed "I'll stay with my friends" she replied lacking any emotion in her voice.

"Don't worry Dashie, I'm sure we will wrap this up then be home before you know it" Fluttershy said giving Rainbow a peck on the cheek in a vain attempt to lift her spirits.

"So you want to send a nerd, psycho physician, a cripple, a rookie medic, a emotionless spec-ops agent, and an insane party pony, to one of the most lawless towns on the continent?" Cold asked only to get a nod from Luna. "We're in"

Walking into the small transport ship via a door in the hull Twilight asked the yellow mare something thats been racking in her mind since the briefing. "What was with you and Rainbow back there"

Fluttershy simple shrugged "War opens you up to what you really want in life"

"You have always wanted to be Rainbow Dash's lesbian lover? Good for you" Twilight replied followed by a large smile from pinkie

"I'm glad that you found somepony to make you happy" the pink pony exclaimed still in spec-ops uniform minus the goggles and mask

"You can remain in this room or you can stay in the bunks behind that door" Cold said then the sound of an engine starting up was heard silencing the doctor. Once they were in the air the ponies had small conversations amongst themselves knowing this would be a long flight with Rainbow and Fluttershy walking to the sectioned off area mentioned before.

Meanwhile back in Ponyville Spike and Rarity were occupied by finishing one of Rarity's projects.

"Spike dear, have you ever heard of a fabric called 'Ember Silk' its listed in the order but I don't seem to have any" Rarity said rummaging through her cabinets.

"Sounds exotic" replied the dragon "Maybe that odd griffin that was hanging out with Dr.Cold might have an idea". The couple walked downstairs to find the freeloading griffin thats been taking up refuge on the couch for the past week.

"What do you want?" Replied the griffin, to sober to care about anything.

"Well for starters why are you sleeping on my couch?" Asked Rarity less than amused.

"Doc is out of cheep booze and he doesn't want me in the expensive stuff" Sand Runner replied.

"What about Bartok and Applebloom? Who's watching them?" asked Spike.

"Bartok can handle himself and Applejack a little more accepting of the undead than Big Mac so she's not my problem" he answered the rolled over.

"The real reason I wanted to waste your 'precious time' was to see if you have ever heard of 'Ember Silk'?" Pressed Rarity.

The griffin stood at attention upon hearing this. "I know the stuff, its cheap but the only place to buy is at the bazar in a town called Caravan. Its a one day trip by 'hoof' as you would say".

"Should we go?" Asked Spike.

"The egg?" asked his mate

"Dr.Softheart said not for another month. Beside we can take Bartok and Sweetie Bell with us, I kind of have the feeling we could all use some adventure" retorted the dragon.

"What makes you think that?" asked Rarity.

"She's been pestering us for the past three days for some excitement" Replied Spike remembering how many times he spilled coffee on himself due to the filly startling him.

"So its settled. We head out in 3 hours, I'll pack up Cold's spare carriage, he wont mind.

Little did they know just outside Changeling Spies were watching on then three of them jumped though the windows startling the group. "We're here for the unborn" they said in unison.

"Changelings!" Rarity shouted before fainting. Just then something click in Spike's head. As the first spy leapt at the group the dragon grabbed the coffee table and smashed it against the first changeling.

"Spike... Defend" he said breathing heavily the used his fire breath to deep-fry the remaining two. As Runner stared at the corpses he cracked his neck prepared to fight.

"I take care of these chumps, find the foals and the egg, load us all into Cold's carriage then get the hell out of here" said the griffin.

"Deal" the dragon replied as five more came through. Quickly grabbing a mannequin as a melee weapon Spike unsealed his fury and fought off the invaders while being assisted by Sand Runner.

Once the had everything together the went outside and saw the town overrun with changelings. Buildings were being chewed apart, changelings and Dread Knights were rounding everypony up

"Just like swarming parasprites" said Spike still overflowing with rage and carrying his beloved over his shoulder.

Bartok was already in the cart with the other Crusaders. "We all set, and Scoots coming with us"

Runner growled "Fine. Shotgun!" he shouted and was tossed an interesting version of the Griffin Rifle.

"What about Applejack?" asked Bartok

Applebloom sighed "She's heading to the transition for evacuation like most ponies along with Granny Smith"

"Egg's secure. Who's pulling the cart?" shouted Sweetie Bell.

"Spike will" Shouted the dragon hooking himself up and putting his fiancee down, then hauled ass south towards the desert.

Looking back on the now wreck of a town the foals began to wonder if the will ever return to there homes again.

Once the group was in the clear Bartok spoke up "Whats the plan once we hit Caravan?"

"I know an old cloth dealer we can stay with. It should be fine"

"Where dose he live?" asked Applebloom.

"A small shop in the bazar its major trade spot for the whole region. Stick with me and we'll be fine" responded the griffin.

Back in the sky Cold's team was trying to enjoy the flight.

"How long have those two been back there?" asked Twilight.

Cold giggled to himself "2 hours"

Foxtrot sighed "I hope they wont be a problem"

Cold tosses his hat in the air then caught it "Probably not. They will kill us if they find out were military so we have to act like civilians. What better way to do that then look like a group of friends on vacation? By the way your staying witht eh ship" he said resting.

Thats when the pilot yelled over the intercom "Prepare to drop, parachutes out the back".

Upon hearing this the group gathered their things then went to the back of the airship barging in the on the pair. "We can be shocked and confused at this scene later. Grab a 'chute then jump" shouted cold who then took the first plunge.

Once the group was all settled on the sandy ground and Twilight Sparkle recovered from the shock of it all the campsite was set up.

"We still have a few hours till sunrise" said Foxtrot "I suggest we all get set up for tomorrow before sunrise"

"Good idea. Tomorrow we don our cloaks then head south of here towards our objective" said the doctor.

"Cloaks?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Yes, the'll keep us cool in the heat and conceal our faces. See you in the morning" Cold replied for dropping down and sleeping on top of the sand below him.