The day was bright and sunny outside with a hint of Summer on the slight breeze blowing which blew a few wispy clouds high up in the sky. Surely the weatherponies had been hard at work creating such fabulous wisps and streamer clouds, yet only a few. The only other cloud was huge, bearing the great pegasi city of Cloudsdale hovering close to Canterlot, as if acting as protection for the Equestrian capital city.

Lately, the nights in Equestria had been quite beautiful, the moon shining brightly, trying to keep the dreams of ponies safe and lovely.

It was as if both princesses were doing their best to reassure ponies that all was safe again, after the nightmare of that evening barely three weeks prior. The scars of that time still lingered, but only just, and mostly in the minds of those affected. Canterlot had been saved, righted and once again the jewel of Equestria, the structures that had been damaged repaired by the Harmony beam which destroyed the monster that Dusk had brought.

Celestia paced about the hospital waiting room restlessly, still deciding what to say to that pony, Dusk Shine. He had been transported here to this facility, his body broken and barely alive. Just barely alive, she corrected. And since that night, he had been in a coma. And yet, she had received word from the doctors that her presence was requested concerning the alicorn prince. No word what about, simply that she should come and be consulted.

Celestia had brought Twilight with her, as she knew that Twilight would have wanted to accompany the princess. Since that night, Twilight had not returned back to her castle in Ponyville, concerned about Dusk’s health. Celestia frowned, worried at Twilight’s behavior regarding the fallen stallion. Twilight had not been resting well, and there was concern that the entire incident had affected Twilight deeply. Luna had looked into Twilight’s infrequent dreams, but could not sense any anxiety about the creature. Only Dusk was paramount in the younger princess’s dreams, giving Celestia another bout of her own anxiety.

Princess Cadance had come to offer assistance to Celestia, but has since returned back to the Crystal Empire. The only thing that Cadance has spoken of regarding her sister-in-law was that Twilight was displaying a touch of love, yet Cadance knew nothing else beyond that, not being privy regarding Dusk yet, something else that the pink princess of Love should have been told about, which Twilight had failed to do, for some odd reason.

Celestia continued to pace back and forth in the waiting room here in Canterlot Unity Hospital, nervous, yet calm at the same time. She only paused once to study the sign at the door next to the reception desk which led to the interior of the hospital. The sign read:

To all visitors to this facility:

Unicorns: Please refrain from using any magic, unless expressly permitted by staff. Ambient magic might cause unexpected incidents with other patients. Only staff are permitted to use magic in this facility.

Pegasi: Flying in halls are prohibited, as this may cause unduly alarm to staff, leading to disastrous results. Pegasi must walk only, wings kept tight at their sides at all times.

Thank You for your patience and adherence to these rules.

The staff of Canterlot Unity Hospital

Celestia snorted, not sure why such a declaration was needed. Everypony should know these simple rules of behavior. Still, there will be some who may try to do things without regard for other ponies. Things happen…

Twilight, having been curled up on a couch and reading, looked up at the Sun Princess with concern. “Something wrong, Celestia?” she asked.

Celestia, glanced to her student briefly, then smiled. “Nothing at all, Twilight,” she replied gently. “Just thinking is all.”

Twilight nodded and returned back to her book. Celestia resumed pacing the small waiting room.

Moments later, the door to the hospital opened, and a gray stallion wearing a lab coat entered, appearing to be flustered. “Ah, Princess!” he spoke to Celestia. “Many pardons, Highness. A problem came up that required my immediate attention. I hope that you will pardon this?”

Celestia nodded to the doctor graciously. “Indeed, Doctor,” she spoke. “Why have I been summoned, if you could explain.”

“Uh, sure,” he replied with an apologetic bob of his head. “The alicorn patient stallion, if you please. He has awakened. I am sure you would like to speak to him, yes? That was implied when he had been brought in.”

Celestia nodded, noting to her side that Twilight was looking up at both her and the doctor. “I would very much like to see Prince Dusk,” she stated.

She looked to Twilight. “I want to see him first, if you don’t mind, Twilight,” Celestia said. “I have a few things I wish to say to him before you are permitted to visit him, dear. I promise to keep my temper down, if that is your concern, my dear faithful student.”

Twilight flattened her ears, clearly understanding what Celestia said. “Don’t hurt him too much, Princess,” she said. “I’d like a crack at him also.”

Celestia smiled at Twilight. “I’m sure you would.” She then looked to the doctor. “If you please, Doctor,” she said.

He bobbed his head again, then turned and held the door open for the Princess. “If you would follow me, your Highness.”

Celestia trotted into the hallway, then waited until the doctor had joined her a moment after. He then started walking down the hall and began to explain.

“We were not sure if he would make it, Princess. He was barely alive, his body in a sad state with multiple broken bones. We did what we could to stabilize him, of course. Mostly, however, we could only do so much for him, figuring that as an alicorn, he would naturally heal himself.” He glanced to Celestia and sighed. “That has not happened yet, and is cause for concern.”

Celestia paused and peered at the doctor. “Why is that?” she asked.

He grinned sheepishly. “We do not understand ourselves, to be honest,” he replied quickly. “As an alicorn, he should be healing rapidly, yet shows no signs of doing that yet.”

“Odd,” she said, and they resumed walking onward. They then turned down another hall, passing a few nurses pushing various carts along and avoiding a few other doctors, including one group of student doctors being led by a senior physician.

“To say the least, Princess,” he agreed. “He has been under constant observation since being brought in, yet shows no signs of recovery, despite all of our attempts.”

“That truly is concerning, Doctor,” she said with a frown. “He has magic, certainly, or at least magic should be available to him, yes?”

The doctor sighed, and rubbed the back of his head with a hoof. “He has the best available care offered, Princess,” he said uncomfortably. “Yet he has not responded to anything, and that really is remarkable, given what we know regarding alicorn physiology and thaumic abilities. This is one reason why you were summoned, Princess, as we were hoping that perhaps you might understand what is wrong with the patient.”

“Hm,” she said, thinking what kind of reason that was keeping Dusk from healing himself.. Alicorns always can heal themselves with no outside help, as long as they have magic available to them. “How is his horn, Doctor?” she asked, thinking that perhaps his horn may have been damaged.

He grinned. “Allow me to demonstrate, Princess,” he said. “We are here.”

The doctor opened the door, then stepped aside to allow the princess to enter first, then followed her within the private room.

Celestia paused and looked about. The room was spacious enough with only a single bed within, a common hospital-type bed, upon which lay Dusk. He was covered in a single thin blanket, of course, but what truly stood out was all of the various wires and tubes attached to him, from the IV drip to his leg down to the pair of thick tubes which disappeared under the blanket and attached to a pair of machines set on the floor, both containing reservoirs. Another wire was pasted to his chest that went to a machine that displayed a regular heartbeat, the tones evenly spaced with a numerical readout that showed the numbers 72 in red. At the head of the bed stood an O2 tank, a mask hanging from the valve and ready to be used if needed.

Dusk lay out on the bed on his side, his hoofs peeking out from the blanket, his head on a small pillow. He looked to be quite normal, other than the various tubes and wires about him. But it was the odd set of wires that were attached to a ring about his horn that was disturbing to Celestia. The wires led to another rectangular machine which also periodically beeped and showed another display that gave her chills, as the reading was something she had never seen before. The display read simply “0.1”, only to briefly switch to “0.15” before returning once more to the previous reading.

She peered down at the stallion doctor. “But, that’s impossible!” she cried softly. “No unicorn could possible live with that level!”

He shrugged. “He has shown that level of thaumic drawing since arrival, Princess,” he told her. “We did an immediate scan of his horn, yet it appears to be perfectly functional. Here, allow me to demonstrate.”

The doctor brought out a large green gem set in a gold ornate device, which he brought to Dusk’s horn. Holding the gem over the horn, the doctor showed Celestia how the gem was glowing a bright green color. “If the horn was damaged or broken, the gem would show that by the light flickering,” he said. “But, as you see, the glow is steady, thus indicating that his horn is fine. It is my opinion that something is blocking his thaumic drawing. Would you have any clue why this is so, your Highness?”

She shook her head. “Not a single clue, Doctor,” she replied, puzzled by this strange outcome. “Is there anything else wrong, Doctor?”

“Well,” he began and sighed. “Internally, all of his organs seem to be working properly. However, most of his skeleton still remains broken, and he appears to have no control over his muscles or motor activity. We have him on a liquid diet, since he cannot hold down any solid food, even of it was basic grass and not hay or oats. That alone is a cause for alarm, and yet he seems just fine without any solid sustenance. He even shows a good bowel movement and proper urinary discharge. I am at a complete loss why he is this way, Highness.”

She frowned at what the doctor told her. It was just too odd, and in all of her years, she has never seen anything like this. The thaumic levels Dusk has should have left him dead, in fact. No unicorn could possibly stay alive at such low levels of magic, since unicorns are creatures of magic, not just living ponies. And, being an alicorn…

“Hiya, Doc!”

“You are awake, I see,” the doctor spoke, and Dusk nodded.

“How goes it in the clean world?” Dusk asked brightly. “Good?”

The doctor nodded, shifting on his stance and again checking Dusk’s vitals. “You could ask your visitor yourself that, Dusk Shine.”

Dusk’s eyes shifted to peer up at Celestia. “Ah, Princess Snow Goose,” he said with a chuckle. “Have you come to gloat over my condition?”

Celestia tightened her mouth at his words, while the doctor rolled his eyes, not believing what he heard from the patient. “I do not gloat over a fallen hero or enemy, Dusk Shine,” she replied with a snort. “I was summoned once you awoke, and there are a few things I wish to talk about, if you are capable.”

Dusk closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again and sighed. “Well, you do have your wish anyway, Snow Goose,” he said in a weary voice. “I may not be behind any bars, but I am in a prison just the same, only surrounded by tubes and wires and completely immobile, as if shackled.”

“And, who’s to blame for that, Dusk?” she asked crisply.

He glanced to the doctor for a moment, and the doctor suddenly backed away. “I’ll be outside if you need, Princess,” the doctor said, then left the room.

“At least the void beast did not eat any ponies,” Dusk replied in a monotone.

“Praise Faust for that, Dusk,” Celestia remarked. “How did you ever manage to corral that thing in the first place?”

“Luck, I suppose,” he sighed. “Plus, it was small then. While I kept it, the beast must have been feeding on my magic without my knowing. So, how is everything now? Did that Guardian’s shit work okay?”

“The magic of Harmony did return everything back to normal,” she replied tersely. “Including Canterlot.”

“Yeah,” he said with another long sigh. “Sorry about that.”

“If Discord hadn’t been there to aid me, I would never had the strength to hold up the entire city in my magic,” she stated. “As it was, I could hear the screams of my little ponies’ fear while the city was hanging on the side of Cantermount.”

Dusk said nothing, but looked away down at the tiled floor. “Sorry,” he said weakly.

“I don’t know what more to say about that thing, Dusk Shine,” she said with a flick of her tail. “It is gone now. I hope you have nothing more like that in your mind.”

“No, Princess,” he replied forlornly.

“Anyways, my sister did tell me what she saw in your memories, and I do want to hear some explanation regarding those. But, what I feel from those is probably why you are as you are now. No pony should have ever gone through such evil as you did.”

He said nothing for a few moments, then said, “My only regret was to relive such times, Princess. Some things are just too painful to remember.”

She glanced to the thaumic machine. “Do you have any idea why you are not getting any magic, Dusk?”

“Not a single clue, Princess,” he replied, then snorted. “I simply cannot feel any magic. Doc even told me that there is a major Leyline close to this hospital, yet I am not able to sense it.”

Celestia frowned. “That is strange,” she remarked. “Even so, as an alicorn, you should be drawing magic from the air, not just from a Leyline. This world is run on free magic, not only that from the Harmony Tree. Yet, you claim not to feel any, correct?”

Dusk nodded slowly, wishing to be somewhere lese now. “Tell me, Princess,” he said. “Tell me where this place you mentioned about sending me eventually, this Zebrica.”

She lifted her head and chuckled. “Don’t worry, Dusk,” she said. “It was merely a thought to keep you in line, dear. But, if you really want to know, it is to the southeast from here and across the southern Celestial Sea. It is where zebras come from.”

Dusk nodded. “Zebras are okay with me,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind going there. I can even talk in their language, as I was taught to speak in Zebrikaans by a former teacher mage, who had been a zebra back in my world.”

“Interesting,” Celestia noted with a nod. “I take it that you are knowledgeable regarding zebra culture then?”

“Yes,” Dusk replied, nodding. “I do find the mares quite attractive, you know. All but the maharisi.”

“What is that?” Celestia asked curiously, as she had never heard such a term.

Dusk peered at Celestia for a moment, then replied, “The maharisi are a sect of zebra witches and seeresses who speak in riddles and rhymes. Some are even potion makers.”

Celestia paused, thinking. She figured that it might be wise to let Twilight know about his dislike, since Twilight knew of one such zebra mare. “Anyway, I feel that I should leave and let you rest, Dusk,” she said. She then looked at Dusk. “Are you up to seeing Twilight, or would you rather rest?”

“Princess is here?” he asked, raising his head slightly from the small hospital pillow. “Where?”

“In the waiting room.”

He peered up at Celestia. “Bring her, please,” he said. “I need to speak to her now.”

Celestia gave him a curt nod. “She will be along in moments,” she said, backing away to the door, then spun about. “Twilight and I will seek some sort of cause keeping you from magic, Dusk Shine.”

He stared at the door after she left, a slow grin appearing on his face. At least Snow Goose had given him a show. That was one thing he didn’t mind about this sun goddess; she was completely oblivious regarding the display of her marehood, unlike Solaria being such a tight tail. It was just as nice as any younger mare, despite the knowledge of Celestia’s age. One of the benefits of being an alicorn, since alicorns never aged beyond their prime.

A few minutes later, the door to his room opened again, and Twilight entered with a quiet step. Dusk opened his eyes to look at her, his ears flat against his head.

“I’m sure you are ready to hit me again, Princess,” he said in a monotone voice.

“Perhaps,” she said contritely. “Perhaps not. I am only glad that you are still alive, Dusk. How are you feeling?”

He gave her a brief grin. “Want a good answer, or the truth?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

She tilted her head in askance. “Both.”

“Well,” he began, only to pause and cough for a few times. “The good answer is I am alive, much to my surprise, Princess. I was expecting the shit you used to pretty much kill me. But the real truth is, I am simply fucked up, and feel it so painfully. Yeah, yeah, I’m on some kind of saline drip, I know that. I really, really need a cigarette and a few shots of good whiskey, or at least a snort of what little vine I have left. Did you retrieve my bags, Twilight?”

She nodded slowly. “I have them, Dusk,” she said. “Everything is still there, although to be honest, I’m tempted to dispose of that stuff you put up your nose. That is nasty stuff.”

“Yeah,” he said forlornly. “Tell me about it, Princess. Still, it helps me at times to face the world again when I need to. You would not understand, of course. Everything has been given to you, and you have received plenty of love from family and Snow Goose, plus your friends. Me? I had to fight for what I got, and there were days when I had nothing to eat. If it wasn’t for my friend Blitz, I’d have starved. Blitz would swoop down and steal food, which he gave to me, or even bring me some of what he ate with his parents.”

“He sounds like a good friend, Dusk,” Twilight remarked.

Dusk nodded. “He was, until I killed him,” Dusk said in a flat voice.

“Luna told me that she saw you holding somepony in your memory,” she said. “Was that whom you were holding in your forelegs?”

Dusk nodded slowly with a faraway look. “Blitz should not have been there,” he said. “I was preparing to fire at an enemy, thinking that Blitz was far enough away. But when I fired the blast, Blitz got in the way, not knowing that I was already firing my shot.”

He sighed. “My magic killed him instantly, and when I came to terms with that, I vowed never to have another friend again. Acquaintances and accomplices, sure. No friends.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Dusk,” Twilight said with sincerity in her voice. “But you should not have stopped making friends just because of a silly mistake.”

“You are basing that statement on your world, Princess,” Dusk wearily said. “Mine was so much different.”

“Couldn’t be that different,” she noted.

Dusk sighed, dropping the subject. “How is Starlight?” he asked.

Twilight looked at him. “Fine,” she replied evenly. “Starlight has been asking how you’ve been. She seems anxious to talk to you again.”

He chuckled, only to again cough. “Did she tell you what I said to her, how she was in my world my wife?”

Twilight looked surprised at that. “No, she didn’t,” she replied, shocked at that admission. “It now makes sense why she has been asking about you more lately.”

“Yeah, no doubt,” Dusk said. “I do like your Starlight, but she is somewhat different than my Twinkle. I mean, sure, the sex was good, but the things that Starlight does is very different than my Twinkle. Also, Twinkle is pregnant with our foal, or at least she was when I was imprisoned. A shame that I will never see my foal.”

“I have been trying to find a way for you to return, Dusk,” Twilight said.

“Don’t bother, Twilight,” he said. “I’d only be imprisoned again, if not outright killed.”

“All my friends still want to meet you, Dusk,” Twilight said.

“Please thank them for me, okay?” he said. “And I should be very grateful for your help too, Princess. I was rather afraid that you would not appear, yet you did anyway, despite how I treated you.”

“I still have a few things about that, Dusk. But I do accept your thanks anyway. I still wish us to become friends, despite your stupidity and abuse of me. I am open to give you a second chance, if you want it.”

“Yeah, well,” he began, only to sigh. “Not like I’m going anywhere, right?”

She glanced meaningfully at the machine. “And that is still bothering me after Celestia told me about that,” she said. “I am trying to figure out why you cannot regain magic. It should be impossible, unless you are dead.”

He peered at Twilight and sighed again. “Perhaps I am and I just don’t know it yet.”

She scrunched her face and said, “Dead do not talk, Dusk. You are alive, simple as that. We just have to understand why you are not getting any magic through your horn.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Doesn’t matter anyhow. I’m not going to get up and dance, nor try to seduce you. Princess. Even though I wish it were so.”

She gave him a look, then grinned. “Get better, and I may let you try, Dusk Shine.”

He chuckled. “Oh, when Tartarus freezes, I’m sure,” he remarked in a distant tone.

“You never know,” she teased him. “Still, I want to do some research regarding your loss of magic, so I’ll be around again, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I don’t mind at all, Twilight,” he said, trying to move his withers in a shrug and failing. “At least I’ll have something cute to look for. Better than these damn nurses, including that one Nurse Ratchet who keeps attempting to make me move. I swear, mares are supposed to look cute and pretty, but that nurse is one ugly bitch!”

Twilight shook her head. “Still being Dusk, I see,” she remarked with a small chuckle. I think that you need to calm down and try to become a better stallion, Dusk. And clean up your language, please. You may find that ponies may begin to like you.”

“Faust forbid!” he said fatalistically. “That would be a fate worse than death.”

“Aw, come on, Dusk,” she chided. “Can’t be that bad. Try it, and maybe you will find it enjoyable.”

“Doubt it, Princess,” he snorted. “I’ve done quite well on my own, thank you very much.”

She frowned, then sighed. “Anyway, I’m glad that you are alive,” she said. “I was afraid that you did die, after taking that Harmony blast like you did.”

“As I intended, Twilight,” he said. “I hoped that it would indeed kill me. But the damn thing decided that leaving me like this is death enough, I suppose.”

“That is not the way of Harmony, Dusk,” she insisted. “The Tree does not do things like that.”

“Could have fooled me,” he remarked with a sniff. “Anyway, I am glad that you are okay now, Princess. “I suppose that I’d better go back to sleep again before Nurse Ratchet comes back and torture me again. Tell Spike that I miss seeing his snout. He is quite the little dude, and also tell him that I am sorry to have made him upset then regarding you.”

“He is another that has been asking about you, Dusk,” she said. “You see? You do have friends here, even if you act like a moron at times.”

“Will wonders never cease,” he said bitterly.

Twilight huffed, exasperated at his attempts at being difficult. “I am leaving, Dusk,” she said. “Try to relax. I’m going to see what I can do about your condition.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, then sighed. “Don’t stay up too long, Princess. I do not deserve it. Best to just simply remove all of this crap hooked up to me and let me fade away while you go on living your life. And if you are a friend like you claim, you would do that for me.”

She gave him an annoyed glance. “I would never think of doing that, Dusk Shine!” she huffed. “Friends would never kill another.”

“I did.” He looked away. “Good bye, Princess.”

Twilight took a big breath, slowly exhaling to calm herself. She did not truly understand him, yet she is trying to. With a final glance at the thaumic machine, she turned and left the room, fully intent on seeing what can be done for Dusk. She felt something about him, a curiosity that still intrigues her. She also has another feeling for him, yet she really doesn’t want to consider that yet. She cursed him under her breath as she walked away.

And yet, she did harbor a feeling for him. She just doesn’t know if she should.

Author's Note

We now start on Act Two.

Where will this lead? Well, let us say that things will become interesting...

(I am so glad that i am not writing this as an opera. I'd hate to think about composing so many arias, let alone the logistics of such! )