For a brief moment, the crushing pain she felt flickered away, and everything around her was suddenly different. No longer were things of colors, shapes, and sounds. Instead, there were strings, plucked, pulled, tugged, tied, tethered Strings. And Words, making, breaking, shaping, forming, dissolving, twisting. Living. Everything was Words and Strings and Numbers and Things...
Everything had changed--No, nothing had. Everything the same but different.

It was more as if she was seeing everything in a different light or way. A hidden layer not seen by mortal eyes. The Unseen Seen but should not be... In the distance, she saw a skeletal Alicorn watching her closely and then....

And then....

Everything was normal again. Her eyes caught sight of the fleeing form of Trixie as pain once more washed over her body. As the pain began to overtake her consciousness, she felt herself readily accepting the sleep to come.

Shiera awoke with a groan. Her body still felt sore, but not as sore as she remembered. As she stretched, she took a quick glance at her surroundings. She was at the Ponyville Hospital again. She pondered how she got here for a brief moment before the memories of what had occurred flooded back into her mind. Her battle with Trixie, the crushing pain, the....strange....What was it that she had seen? And why did her head hurt just trying to think about it?

Shiera shook her head, dismissing it for now. She mentally put it on her list of "Weird Pony World Things", and decided she'd have time to worry about that later. Instead, she decided to focus more inward on herself, analyzing her injuries, and seeing if she could judge how much time had passed. She remembered feeling her ribs snap and her lower hip cracking in half, as well as her innards very much threatening to become her outtards.

Shit, i was injured pretty bad... She thought to herself as she continued to analyze herself. However, although she was sore, she noticed her ribs seemed to be back in place, and her hip, while it still ached like hell, seemed sturdy enough to still support her weight. To test this, she slowly, with the utmost caution, slipped out of bed and stood on her hooves. Despite an initial tinge of pain and discomfort, she could indeed stand.

I must have been out for several weeks, at least, or hell, even several months... she thought. Shiera, as a soldier, had experienced her fair share of injuries and had developed a good sense of telling how much time had passed by noting how much her body had recovered from her last injury. She had once broken her arm during battle, and that took about a month before she could use it again, surely these ones would at the very least take about the same amount of time. And considering she wasn't wearing any casts, she surely must have been unconscious for several months at least.

Shiera groaned, "Maybe i shouldn't have challenged that Trixie after all..." It was not worth losing what was surely months of her life inside a hospital.

Just then, the door to the room opened, and Shiera turned to see six familiar mares and a small purple dragon looking at her with an expression of utter shock on their faces.

"You're awake!" Twilight exclaimed in disbelief.

"Why, Darling, you sure are resilient!" exclaimed Rarity.

"See? I told you she would be fine!" The Pink One exclaimed with a bounce.

"That fight with Trixie was Awesome! and Scary! But totally awesome!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, grinning with a nod of approval.

"I-It was scary, really scary....i-I hope nothing like that ever happens again..." Fluttershy managed to say with a concerned look on her face.

Before Shiera could react, she was suddenly crushed by a spontaneous group hug. "Gack!! Girls....need...air....it....hurts...."
Finally, they let go and gave her sheepish apologetic smiles as she gasped the air back into her lungs.

"I know i've been out for a month or so, but i'm still sore..." she informed them as she rubbed her stomach and chest to ease the pain.

"A month? You've only been out for two days, Shiera!" Twilight replied with friendly smile.

Shiera froze. "No, that can't be right...I know i broke a few ribs, and i felt my hip crack in two. It's impossible to heal from such wounds in only two days," Shiera gave a confused and dismissive frown, "No it had to have been at least a few months or so..."

"I'm sorry, Shiera, but she's tellin' tha truth..." AppleJack reaffirmed, "And with me being the Element of Honesty and all, ya know it's true."

Shiera still wasn't quite on board with this whole "Elements" thing, but AppleJack did indeed, seem to be sincere. "But...how?" Shiera asked, confused.

"Well, you were in pretty bad shape, but luckily I memorized a few healing spells, and we managed to repair most of your broken bones, but it's still surprising you've recovered this quickly..." Twilight explained.

"Magic? I guess that explains it..." Shiera relented with a sigh, "Thanks. I don't know how to repay you...."

The Pink One then threw a hoof around her shoulder, "Well that's what friends are for, right? Besides, you don't need to repay us, i'm sure you'd do the same thing for any of us, right?"

"I guess...."

"Great! And now that you are awake, we can Paarrtaay!!" Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing into the air with a burst of confetti.

"Well, as long as it's nothing too wild, i'm still sore, after all," Shiera winced, though admittably in a much better mood.

"Don't worry! If there's anypony that knows how to throw a party, it's me!" Pinky exclaimed cheerfully.

Shiera had to admit, the Pink One knew how to make her sweets. These "cupcakes" were certainly gratifying in flavor, especially the strawberry ones. (Though they still were not as grand as the "donuts" in her opinion). It was surprisingly faster getting her out of the hospital this time. The doctor had protested, but after a quick medical check up, they said she was good to go. Though she should stray from any strenuous activities for the next week or two.

Currently, Shiera watched as Rainbow Dash challenged both AppleJack and Twilight to a pie eating contest. Pinkie Pie quickly offered to be the 'referee', whatever that was. Shiera thought about joining, but considering how sore she still felt, she decided against it. Spike was eating a gem encrusted cake, and seemed lost in the flavor. As she watched the adorable sight, she couldn't help but let a sad smile touch her lips.

She was only shaken from her thoughts when she felt a hoof touch her shoulder. She turned to see Rarity taking a seat next to her. "Are you okay dear? Do you have a stomach ache? You've been holding your stomach for a while now...I am sure Fluttershy has some medicine for--" Rarity inquired.

"Huh? Oh, no, no....i was....just lost in thought is all..." Shiera replied with a smile, "But I'm fine....still quite a bit sore...but fine."

Rarity gave her an inquisitive look over, but relented, "Well, as long as you are sure. But that was quite the....barbaric...battle you had there, if you need anything, whether it be for the pain or otherwise, you only need ask."

"Thanks."

"Oh, no need to feel so drab, my dear! Here, i even have a little gift for you..." Rarity said with a smile, reaching out behind her with her magic and floating two ornately made objects to show to Shiera.

"My Swords! You've made sheaths for them!" Shiera exclaimed, an expression of awe and wonder appearing on her face. The sheathes were ornately designed in regal blue and gold patterns, resembling butterflies that were landing on silvery, gem encrusted flowers. Each sheath fit the blades perfectly, and complemented the golden hilt designs of her swords perfectly. Shiera's eyes lit up in gratitude, "T-Thank you! But...but how can i repay--I-I don't have any money! I-I..."

"Oh don't worry about such nonsense! It's a gift! After all, isn't that what friends are for, Darling?" Rarity replied, with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "After all, it's the least i could do to repay you for helping solve that Trixie problem. Besides, that look in your eyes is all the payment i need. Nothing beats seeing the happiness of a friend when you give them a gift!"

Shiera had no words, and though a part of her was sure she looked childish, she hugged her newly sheathed swords with delight. Finally, something that reminded her of home. Something familiar.

A question suddenly came to her mind, and Shiera felt compelled to ask. "Um, by the way, whatever did happen to Trixie? I remember kicking the amulet off, but not much else after..."

Rarity smiled, "Well dear, that's a story i'll tell in just a moment, I think Fluttershy needs help carrying Twilight back to the Library, poor thing must of eaten more than she could chew...."

Author's Note

Well, things are starting to get interesting, A lot of questions brought up in this chapter, but answers will come in due time. ^^

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and i'll see you in the next one!