[Canterlot Castle: Throne Room]

"Thank you, Princess! I'll use that light tonight and see if it works!"

Celestia watched as the most recent guest of her day court trotted out the throne room with a smile, happy that she was able to guide the young colt through his surprisingly simple problem compared to what the Princess was usually brought to her.

To think that there are still colts to this day that are afraid of the dark! The princess's smile slips slightly as flashes of her past embrace the forefront of her mind. Though perhaps not an unfounded fear considering what usually holds power in the night.

"NEXT!!!" One of the guards stationed near the large doors of the room called out, motioning for the door to open while mimicking the fellow guard across from him's stone-faced exterior to a T...

...That is, until the next day court guest walked through.

As soon as the figure stepped into the room, every guard went rigid and held their spears close to them. Some of the guards even glared at the figure once it passed them, though they never looked it in the eye when doing so.

Stopping in front of the throne, the creature in front of Celestia stood tall and proud as it stared the ruler down. Standing on hind legs, Celestia was sure that this creature was close if not the same height as her, though the garb it bore were what truly had shifted the mood of the room all the while putting everypony on edge.

Wearing what looked like a cloak of sorts that hung down to the buckled boots on its...claws? feet? Hooves did not make that shape or fit in such a article of clothing. Perhaps it was a griffon of sort? Maybe one of those harpies from beyond the shores?

Celestia noted multitude of pockets and a tome tied to this creatures side that blended seamlessly with the underneath of the cloak, which was an equally dark shade of pants and clothing that did little to nullify the eerie presence of the creature. In what the princess deemed its right claw bore a sort of walking stick that extended up to the creatures midsection, though an odd lamp seemed affixed to its top, bearing a purple flame that flickered almost ominously. Both claw-like appendages were covered by gloves and at the top of the creatures body was a face covered by both a hood and a mask of a Raven.

Staring each other down for an eternity, Princess Celestia was just about to ask it's name when it spoke up.

"Are you the ruler of this land?"

A gravely voice spoke up, as soothing as claws on a chalkboard. It motioned its free claw to itself and did what seemed to be a curtsy.

"My name is Isaac Hollow, and I seek an audience with you, ruler."

With her wits collected, Celestia gave a curt nod, attempting to read the creature's intentions but with absolutely no facial expressions to be had nor prior experience with its kin Celestia was currently drawing a blank.

"You have my attention, Sir Hollow. What is it you seek?"

Isaac Hollow, as stated by the creature, tapped his pole against the ground twice as the flame flickered for a moment before returning to its eerie light.

"As you can guess from my attire, I am not one of this country. I hail from a land far from here, one that is riddled with plague and sickness." The creature began to pace back and forth, every eye in the room now on him as he spoke. "I spent weeks traveling around your land attempting to find a way home to aid my people once more, but during my travels I stumbled upon something quite apalling."

Returning to his original position in front of Celestia, Isaac motioned behind him to the doors.

"If you would let the next pony in line inside, as they are with me, I would be forever grateful as they are needed for this part of my speech."

The guards at the door blinked in surprise, not expecting to be called out to during the creatures audience with the princess, but a nod from their ruler gave them all they needed to know as they opened the doors once more and let the next pony inside.

To Celestia's growing surprise and intrigue, the pony that walked in bore an identical outfit to Mr. Hollow. The same black hood and drapes that covered almost every part of the pony in front of her, only without the crow mask to block her face.

Coming to a stop next to Isaac, the earth pony mare sat on her haunches and look up at the princess, with eyes that seemed vaguly familiar to Celestia.

Placing a claw on her withers, Isaac nodded once, seeming to comfort the mare as she relaxed into his touch.

"This mare and her family live out near the badlands, toiling away on a mineral farm. It would happen to be that during my travels I came across them when one of their kin were sick...deathly so. However, due to the humble lifestyle these ponies lived, they did not have the currency to pay for the doctor to travel out there and do a check up, let alone the currency for medicine to cure her ailments."

Staring around in a circle, Hollow eyed up several of the noble ponies present in the audience. "How many of you here can vouch for the welfare of those who live beneath you? How many of you can look me in my eyes and tell me that smaller towns and communities are covered medically?"

"Several towns outside of the big cities have Hopsitals, such as Ponyville and Cloudsdale!" A stout noblepony spoke out, fixing his tie as he glared at the creature. "Healthcare is available to those who need it."

Pointing his lantern staff at the pony, Hollow shook his head.

"From my time there, Ponyville is a town built next to a highly dangerous wood, one I traveled myself in search of herbs and tonic ingredients. It would look bad for the town to not have some sort of medical insurance to keep ponies from not living there." Tapping his staff against the ground again, Hollow undetached the Tome from his hip and opened it, flipping through page after page as he continued. "And Cloudsdale is a floating city, and regardless of how such a feat is possible any medical care there is only truly avaliable to those who can fly to reach it, not any sick or wounded below its streets." Shaking his head, he glanced at the noblepony once more. "What can you say of the towns on your borders away from cities and royal eyes?"

Not getting a response and stopping on a page, Hollow turned the book around and showed it towards the princess, it's pages showing an illustration of the creature in front of her and a title that said "Plague Doctor".

"I am what was known in my time as a Plague Doctor. During the plague of my homeland, we were charged with seeking the less fortunate and poor among townsfolk and treating them, regardless of pay and class." Closing the book and returning it to his hip with the clasps clicking on his leg, Hollow returned his gaze back to the mare beside him.

"This mare right here was vital in helping me save her sister from the venom of a snake that had bit the patient during their time on the field. However, if I hadn't came along and prepared the antidote there's a reasonable chance her sister would have perished."

Stepping forward, the pony removed her hood, revealing a grey toned mare underneath with a equally dim mane that acted as a curtain for one of her eyes. She bowed deeply before looking up once more at the princess in front of her.

"Please, your highness...listen to Hollow's request." She spoke quietly, far too quiet for anypony that wasn't Celestia to hear, though the emotion beneath her words held true.

"My request is simple, Princess. Help me organize a nest of my crows, and we will serve as traveling aids and healers, helping those that cannot afford the healthcare your hospitals and magic users demand from them."

Eyeing the creature carefully, Celestia stood from her throne and began to approach Hollow. Each step she took down the staircase to her golden seat weighing heavy as she thought about what he had said.

Have medical prices and healers rose in the past years? Is it in part to all the attacks and accidents that happen across Equestria? Why hasn't anypony mentioned this to her? It was true there were some towns Celestia hadn't visited in years, but she had self appointed mayors for those towns and they were required to send reports of health and welfare among their citizens monthly.

However, Celestia had an inkling that some of the nobles in the room at the moment had a part to play in this problem. Many of them were known for being greedy, and some were downright hostile to the 'lower class' as it were. It would not surprise her if news of this inflation had been surpressed to keep pockets lined with gold or if monthly reports had been exaggerated for the sake of keeping the princess off of their backs.

Stopping right in front of the creature, Celestia stared into its mask and shook her head.

"Let me see your face, Sir Hollow. Let me judge thy intentions from your own eyes."

Though he hesitated for a moment, Isaac lifted his free hand up and removed the mask, dropping the hood as well as he pulled it over his face, letting several gasps ring through the hall as even Celestia flinched at the site.

The creatures skin was pale, and what almost the entirety of his face was burned, with only the segment around his left eye being left unscathed. The burn spots had several scars on them, and if there had been a mane on its head it had long since vanished. Though what really stood out to the princess was his eyes. Celestia hand't seen green eyes this dark in centuries, and there was a certain fire in them that reminded her of the Element of Honesty.

The fire of a job needing to be done, and knowing your the only one who can do it.

"Why?" The princess asks, keeping eye contact with the creature as his face remains stone cold. "You are from somewhere beyond our plain, with no loyalties to my citizens or myself, so why do you care so much for their health?"

Looking into the burning eyes of the sun monarch, Hollow knew what he said next would determine if he got the crown's aid or not. he had been stuck in this world for months, and while he had orignally wanted to go back, there were living creatures here that needed his aid as well, and he couldn't go back until his job was done.

"Back home, I had a wife and a son. We were poor, and when the plague hit they both perished to it. No doctor or physician or healer would give us the time of day due to our class and empty pockets...I vowed to do everything in my power to not let that happen to anyone else." Hollow spoke, the fire in his eyes dimming somewhat as pain replaced it for a moment.

A sad smile graced Celestias lips, as a mental probing spell showed no hidden motives from the creature in front of her.

"You have suffered quite the ordeal, Sir Hollow." Celestia stated as she returned to her throne tapped her gold laced hoof against the ground, earning the attention of her secretary, who prepared to write whatever the princess stated into action.

"Your intentions and heart are true, Doctor. And in light of what you have shown me today I have a proposition: You speak of those who cannot afford our healthcare. So, you will travel to Ponyville and temporarily set up shop there, and in the three months time you are there you can show proof of what you have told us today then you will have the crowns full support for a country-wide effort. For now though, seek the sick in that town and aid them, proving both your capabilities and mental fortitude to do what you have said you would."

The mare beside Isaac bowed, whispering a thank you while the creature returned his mask and hood to his face, though not before Celestia could spot a grateful smile adorn his lips.

"Your most kind, Princess. Royalty back home would have never agreed to such a proposal."

Frowning at the idea of such a thought, Celestia shook her head.

"Any ruler has their duty to serve their citizens, as I do my little ponies." Turning to her secretary, Celestia leaned in close to her ear. "Raven, prepare a modest sum from the royal vaults and two of our reserve guards to go along with these two. While I am confident in his words, I want eyes on the ground monitoring his actions at all times until I am sure he can be trusted with the safety of my citizens."

The secretary nodded and quietly began writing up everything that would need to be passed along as the princess returned her gaze to the doctor and his companion.

"Until the resources have been acquired and are ready to be moved, feel free to reside here at the castle until you depart. There is much I would like to ask of your homeland and your skillsets, and I am sure you and your friend are tired from your travels."

Doing one last curtsy, The doctor turned on a heel and walked out of the room, his friend trailing behind as she hid her face once more from the prying eyes that watched them leave.

I wish to trust his words, but until I know more he must be kept close by. Celestia thought as the next pony was called into the room. In the end, the safet of my citizens comes first, but let us hope that creature is true to his word.

[Canterlot Castle, 10 minutes later]

"Your room for the time being, Sir." The guard who had been guiding them stopped in front of a rather big door and opened it, allowing the three of them to walk in and be met with a huge guest bedroom.

Turning to the guard, Hollow gave the pony a curt nod while his friend laid out across the bed.

"Thank you, good sir. Though I wasn't expecting such a room for a commoner such as I."

A smirk danced across the guards face for a moment before returning to the emotionless stare as he turned to the door.

"The princess is a benevolent ruler, and while she has her reserves she truly hopes you are true to your word, Doctor. If you need anything though, our guard patrols these halls frequently and will gladly assist you during your stay."

Leaving the room and closing the door, Isaac found himself alone with his friend at last. Placing his staff and mask on a table nearby, the man sat on the bed and smiled at his companion.

"Marble...thank you for your support today. While I could've possibly made my point alone, having you there made the whole situation more bearable."

Blushing at his praise, the mare hid her face in her mane and let out a soft "mmm-hmm", earning her a soft laugh from the doctor.

"No need to be bashful, it was you who decided to come with me after I helped your sister get better, after all." Hollow stated, remembering the rather grouchy patient he had helped during his time on Marbles homestead. The mare had been poisoned, and if Marble hadn't known where to find the creature Isaac might've never been able to contract an antidote in time.

"Though...I can't help but feel like I tore you from your home. If you ever feel like you want to head home, I'll make sure you get back, ok?"

Marble looked up at the doctor once more, this time with a surprisingly firm stare as she shook her head.

"I...I want to help ponies, like you." She softly muttered as she laid her head against Isaac's leg. "I wasn't much help on the farm, and Mama can use the money from my allowance to hire real help for the farm."

Sighing at her words, Isaac ran a gloved hand through her mane as a small smile tugged at his face.

"Either way, I'm thankful for your help. And once we get the crowns support you can use your share to help your family get out of that rut they're in." Hollow said, thinking back to what the Princess had said to him in the throne room.

Three months in Ponyville? Considering the forest and some of their citizens, it shouldn't be too hard to find some ponied that can't afford healthcare...or even someone who injured if recent news has anything to say about it. Hollow thought, looking at a newspaper on the nightstand speak of black vines that had terrorized the town after he had left.

Watch over me, My love. This world needs my aid before I can return home.

Author's Note

This appeared in my mind one day during time in the woods...now it's a thing.

Quick note: Technically, the Bubonic plague and Plague Doctors did not exist at the same time, as the plague came long before...however, I am deciding to abuse the Alt-universe tag for both Pony and Human worlds by making them happen at the same time, sue me.

Hope this tickles some of yalls fancy, as I have high plans for this. if yall see any errors or wish to comment, please do! I want this story to be as good as possible for all