Eclipse

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

I push myself up from the table and give Luna a nervous glance. “Wait here…please.” I add the nicety as an afterthought, but if the princess took any offense at being ordered to do something, she didn’t show it, simply giving an understanding nod in return as I make my way out of the kitchen.

Rather than heading directly for the door, I stop to take a peek out the window. In stark contrast to yesterday’s storm, the sun shines brightly in a clear blue sky, lighting up the thick blanket of fresh snow in such a way that it sparkles like an endless field of gleaming crystals.

Immediately, my eyes fall on the large white pickup sitting in my driveway hooked up to a long horse trailer. On its side was a sign that read “Phillips’ Veterinary Clinic, we care for all animals, big and small!” Lorrie…I hadn’t been expecting her to show up this early!

Heart still pounding in my chest, I move over and slowly open the door. A smiling face greets me, framed by long golden locks that fall neatly down to her shoulders. She had definitely come prepared, as she was dressed in a set of scrubs and held a large plastic case in her left hand. At closer inspection, the baby blue scrubs were adorned with a myriad of tiny pink and purple ponies.

Yeah….this had probably been a terrible idea, and I had a feeling things were going to go downhill fast. It was one thing when Luna had been out, and it felt like it was a matter of life or death, but now that she was awake….

“Hi Dave, about time you open the door!” She greets with mock annoyance, much too cheerily for someone up this early in the morning.

She seems to study me for a moment before stepping past me as I stand there holding the door open. “Christ, you look terrible.”

“Yeah…it’s been a crazy night. Look….” I begin, before being cut off as she turns to me.

“Don’t tell me you actually brought a horse into your house! I mean…it’s obvious you have no idea what you’re doing, but at least tell me the poor things not suffering.” She says, craning her head as if trying to spot it in the living room.

“Look.” I repeat. “Lorrie, you wouldn’t have believed me if I’d told you….hell, I’m still not sure if I believe it myself.” I say with a bit of uncertainty as I guide her toward the kitchen.

“Dave?” She questions nervously as she walks beside me. “What do you mean….” She stops, any words she was about to say shifting to a sharp gasp as her eyes fall on Luna, still sitting patiently at the far side of the table.

I swear I witness Lorrie’s face shift between every imaginable emotion.

“I…is this some kind of joke!? I mean…..It’s cool to see you taking an interest in the fandom, I mean….I never really thought it was your thing, and that thing must have cost a fortune, but getting me all worried and having me come all the way out here, and…and….” Her stream of words cuts off as Luna turns to look at her with a curious tilt of her head.

“Ummm…yeah, Lorrie…this is Princess Luna, Princess Luna, Lorrie.”

“I am…pleased to make the acquaintance of another human.” Luna replies slowly, holding up a hoof welcomingly. There’s a warmth to her voice, but I manage to catch a disapproving frown flashed in my direction.

There’s a loud thud as the medical case slips from Lorrie’s hand and falls to the floor. She seems almost in a trance as she walks forward slowly. Her eyes dart between Luna’s face and the outstretched hoof before she shakily raises a hand. She hesitates uncertainly before curling it into a fist and giving it a gentle tap. Luna offers a warm smile in return as she withdraws her foreleg while Lorrie remains standing, staring down at her hand in awe, as if it’s suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Well, given the situation…perhaps it was.

“Th….this is real!….You…you’re real!?” Lorrie gasps, eyes going wide before she abruptly drops to one knee and lowers her head in a deep bow.

The action surprises Luna, and the table rattles as she nearly loses her balance. “Please rise…..there is no need for such formality around me.” She says, her voice steady and unwavering, somehow managing to project all the grace and confidence of a ruler, despite having just narrowly avoided getting a face-full of tile.

Lorrie’s face flushes as she pulls herself up. “S…sorry, it seemed appropriate…I mean….you’re practically a goddess, right?”

Her comment earns a derisive sniff from Luna. “Hmph, hardly. Though many of our subjects may think of us in such a way, we are far from being all powerful…..as you can see.” There’s a tinge of annoyance in her voice at that last part as she motions toward her bandaged head with a wing.

Lorrie starts, seemingly noticing Luna’s injuries for the first time. “Oh….oh my gosh I’m so sorry! Do, uhhh, that is, would you mind if I take a look?” She asks, starting to regain her confidence as her eyes flash with concern, tracing my hasty bandage job and the jagged crack studiously.

“It’s okay, she’s a doctor.” I interject. Technically true, not that a human doctor would be any more help in this case. If anything a veterinarian was probably the best bet, though it was probably best not to let Luna know that she was being treated by an animal doctor.

“Yes, I believe that would be prudent. While I am confident my injuries will heal in time, one cannot be too careful.”

Luna’s acceptance immediately brings a smile to Lorrie’s face, and I watch as the alicorn bows her head to give Lorrie access.

Lorrie was truly a girl in her element as she deftly unwraps the bandage and sets it aside. There’s a bit of dried blood caked into the fur around her horn, but fortunately the deep gash on her forehead had scabbed over, and didn’t show any signs of growing worse. Lorrie had adopted a look of stoic professionalism as she got to work, and the sight doesn’t seem to alarm her. If anything she looked relieved.

I move off to the side and retrieve my coffee. It had gotten cold some time ago, and I resign myself to making a new pot as Lorrie retrieves her case and sets about cleaning Luna’s injuries. As she works, I can hear the sound of muffled conversation as they talk quietly to each other. It’s too low for me to make out over the noise of the coffee maker as it begins brewing again, but by Luna’s expressions I imagine she’s once again recounting the circumstances of her arrival.

I turn back to the coffee maker as it finishes, grabbing some fresh cups for the two of them. I’d made sure to make it extra strong this time. With how much cream and sugar Lorrie preferred in her coffee, I doubted she’d even notice. By the time I turn back, I notice them both getting up and heading for my bedroom.

“Hey! So, the head wound wasn’t too bad, but I want to get a better look at her side and take some vitals, and well….I hope you don’t mind. I figured your bed would be the best spot to have her lie down.” Lorrie pipes up.

“Yeah, no worries…just let me finish up the coffee and I’ll be right in. You still take three sugars, right?”

She nods and flashes me a smile as they walk away.

It takes a few more minutes to get everything together, and when I step into the bedroom, Lorrie’s sitting next to the bed jotting down notes on a clipboard as Luna lays sprawled on her side, carefully flexing and rotating her injured leg.

By Lorrie’s side, I notice a stethoscope and a variety of other medical instruments neatly arranged on a small mat. Wow, she works fast!

I get another smile as she sets down the clipboard and takes her mug. “It’s remarkable! So far, all her vitals so far have been right in line with a miniature pony here on earth.” She says excitedly around a sip of her coffee.

“And the leg?” I ask, watching as Luna relaxes the limb in question and looks up in interest.

“As far as I can tell, there’s no signs of a sprain or break, but there is quite an extensive amount of bruising. I really wish I could bring her back to the clinic for some x-rays to be sure, and I don’t want to risk any medication without a blood test, but all said, other than her horn I haven’t found anything serious.”

Her statement sends a wave of relief through me. Sure, I still felt bad about being the cause of said injuries, but it was more than a little reassuring to know I hadn’t left her crippled.

“As joyous as I am to hear that, are thou quite finished?” Luna asks, giving a stretch before rolling over into an upright position. “It is growing rather tiresome being treated as some kind of specimen whilst you talk about me as if I am not here.”

“Oh! Sorry about that, Luna….I’m not used to dealing with patients that talk back.” Lorry replies with a chuckle as she sorts through her collection of medical supplies, earning a confused and impatient glare from the princess.

“But to answer your question, I’d like to take your temperature so I can be sure you don’t have a fever, or any complications from being in the cold for so long…what is a normal temp for you anyway?” Lorrie asks as she holds up a long glass thermometer.

“About a hundred degrees or so…if our system of measurement is the same…” Luna replies, before opening her mouth expectantly.

“Hmm, well if it’s the same as Fahrenheit, that would be about normal for a horse here on Earth….oh, and it’s ummm, not that kind of thermometer.” Lorrie answers as she tears open a small packet and begins coating the glass rod with a clear, viscous fluid.

Luna merely stares uncomprehendingly for a moment before her pupils shrink to pinpricks and her tail tucks itself firmly in place over her rear.

“Th….thou shalt not be going anywhere near mine backside with that…that thing! Just what kind of mare do you take me for!?” Luna yells, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“I..I didn’t mean…it’s…just a rectal thermometer…” Lorrie sniffles, clearly hurt by Luna’s outburst as those caring brown eyes of hers start to water. She drops the instrument back in its case before unceremoniously scooping up the rest of her things and dashing out of the room with a squeak, and a few poorly repressed sobs.

It seemed like a bit of an overreaction, but then again I’d never seen anyone yell at Lorrie. Ever. And why would they? With how cheery and caring she always seemed to be, it would be like kicking a puppy. Even worse, she practically idolized that “My Little Pony” cartoon, and more than likely Princess Luna by default. It hadn’t even been an hour since Lorrie had found out Luna was real, and she had just been yelled at, and practically accused of being some kind of pervert for trying to do her job.

A glance back at Luna, and she appears as stoic as ever.

“Luna….” I start softly.

“I…am sorry, Dave.” She frowns, a bit of regret beginning to creep out from behind that stoic mask. “This has all been so much, and I am rather….sensitive about such things….”

Okay…and now I was starting to feel bad for her too. But still, that had been completely uncalled for, and I feel my resolve building.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” I growl back with a nod toward the hallway. “I’m not great with all this touchy-feely stuff, but she’s really sensitive too…and…”

I pause, not sure how exactly I’m going to explain, or if I even should, but I steel myself and continue. “I’m not sure how to say this, but….somehow, she knew about you before….from a TV show….a…a work of fiction that somehow portrays your world….and meeting you probably meant the world to her.”

“…Oh.” Luna frowns, her muzzle scrunching in thought. “That would explain her choice of garments…I had been most curious….”

She lays there silently, lost in thought for some time before speaking again. “Please, apologize to her for me, but for now I wish to be left alone…..it is clear this experience has affected us all, and what is needed now is some time apart, to…cool our tempers.”

I simply nod in response as I turn and head for the door. After the hectic morning we’d had, the tense silence was crushing. With a weary sigh I take one last glance at Luna lying on the bed, head bowed and eyes closed, before shutting the door softly and turning away.