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                 Injured But At What Cost?                 
                     -by thelunarmoon-                     
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                  A Red Letter Awakening                   
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A Red Letter Awakening
Part 1: A Red Letter Awakening
Burning. Soreness. Aching. Your body feels these swirling feelings. The heaviness weighing on your chest as you lay in darkness. Your heartbeat fills your eardrums with a pounding resolve. Where are you exactly? What happened? You try to move but sharp piercing pain shoots into your side as you slump back onto the ground. Cold stone meeting exposed skin as you contact it. The sound of soft metal plunking as your body shifted on the cold stone floor. Your ears are ringing as you hear something. A muffled voice calling for someone. Was it you? Or someone else? The smothered cries soon bleed into your head.
"....A...!.....A-Ano..n..! Please.." Your eyes twitched as you heard the familiar call of your name. You, Anonymous, the residential human of Equestria, the only human in Equestria, is now lying somewhere on a cold hard surface.. Your head tries to rationalize where you are, but all you can see is darkness. Then a new sensation hits your body. A magical tingling feeling and a...hoof? A pair of hooves actually, as they lay on you gently, but panic can be felt through their soft trembles. You strain and grit your teeth as you hiss a gasp through your mouth. The hooves suddenly stopped their trembling for just a moment.
A soft gasp is heard and something pressing up against your face. Soft fur, fur that would make a cloud envious as you now hear the voice clearly. It's a female, pure relief and solace can be heard in her tone.
"Anon! oh thank the maker! You're alive...you're alive!"
The female's voice trembled slightly through soft hiccups. Has she been crying? Over you? Who could...wait. The voice now brings forth a memory. A pastel cascade of rainbow hair. White fur like snow, Magenta iris's, The sun's rays as it passes behind the mountains far in the distance. A motherly tone like a soft breeze of summer, that is now replaced with soft sobs of joy and relief. Only one mare comes to mind, your friend the benevolent princess of the sun. Princess Celestia has found you.
She wasn't supposed to see you like this.
You reach inward to pull some strength from your body. Your eyes slowly peering open as a soft golden light fills them.
The princess was wrapping herself protectively over you. Her face against yours as her eyes are closed tightly. Her fur around her cheeks stained with tears and her mascara. Her wings covered most of your vision as she lay on you in a cocoon of feathers and fur. Her chest was pressed onto yours but not firmly so. You could feel her heartbeat rattling her rib cage as she took in breaths.
"Y-you're gonna be ok Nonny. I got you...I won't let you go.."
She says in short labored breaths as she tries to regain her composure. Your eyes drift over her body, as you see her once pristine white coat stained crimson along her chest. A fear rose within you she must have been injured too. Your eyes only spot minor cuts and bruises on her frame. The blood you saw was not hers, it was yours.
Your head now flashes with white as you remember. You saved Princess Luna. Grogar, the bastard of a goat, reared his ugly head in Equestria again. He screamed something about the nightmare being his only chance. You only reacted, seeing the sickly green glow of his horns shooting a magical beam towards the lunar princess. With no shield to place in front of you and her, you use your body as the only defense. The blast burned through your side, even through the magical armor that was gifted to you after your guard graduation. Your body was slammed into the lunar princess, the blast didn't touch her, but your flying form certainly did. As you come back to the present. Celestia's horn glows brighter as you feel a warm and tight feeling in your side. Like knuckles being rubbed against your rib cage, you hiss through your teeth again.
"o-ow!...C-cel wha.." You say through a groaning dry throat. The solar princess gently places a hoof over your mouth.
"S-shh...don't move nonny, you have an open wound. I'm trying to seal it before the medic corps comes to take you away."
You groan slightly as you look at her, her eyes looking dead into your own. You can see a mix of elation and worry on her features. She's overwhelmed, you know that look. She would pace a groove in the castle's floor if she were anywhere else but here. You give her a nod before muttering to her.
"L-lu...luna where...is"
Celestia gently nuzzled against your face.
"She's fine Anon, you saved her from that spell Grogar cast. " The princess said with a gentle press of her cheek to your face. "The spell has burned your side pretty heavily...but the wound is...from Luna's horn. She didn't see you fly towards her so quickly in time to adjust her head." The solar alicorn said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
So that’s what's causing the feeling, like your ribs have an extra gap in them. Celestia says
"Her horn missed vital organs from what I could see...but we can get a better assessment from the medical corps."
She nodded in affirmation. The sounds of hooves and metal coming to your senses. The guards ponies round the corner in a fast gallop, the guards surrounding you and the princess in mere moments. Captain Valorant, a mare of Celestia's solar guard, looks at you.
"Anonymous the human, damn fine battle scar you got there kiddo. Good to see you alive."
You smirk softly at the Captain as she looks over your form. Celestia stands back up on her hooves and backing up for the guards to assess you.
"Corporal Bones, give me a magical assessment." Valorant said to a white unicorn with a blonde mane in royal guard armor. Her shoulder plate with a blue cross adorning its metal surface. A soft tingling once again goes over your body as the medic scanned your body with her horn. The mare clicked her tongue.
"He has internal lacerations, second-degree burns, internal bleeding from pierced muscles. His chest has been in shock and his heart rate is quite high. His heart hasn't gone into arrest, but let's not chance it. We gotta get him to the Infirmary stat."
The unicorn mare is looking at you with her pale blue eyes.
You tried to shift yourself slightly, but the medical mare kept her hoof on you gently but sternly.
"Don't please Sir Anonymous. We don't want to risk further damage to your torso."
Bones said to you as her magic sucked the excess blood into a floating ball. The blood soon flashes away as she quickly places surface gauze to soak up the excess blood. Two other medical corps guards lean in and place a stretcher down near your body. You flick your eyes to Celestia, her eyes staring right at you, concern and worry painting her muzzle as it scrunches slightly, her magic still holding your body together. Captain Valorant turns to the princess.
"You can release your magic, your highness, we have him now."
Celestia's eyes blink as she realized she was being addressed. "Y-yes of course." She says as her magical glow fades, and the glow of Bone's magic taking its place on your chest.
The medical guards expertly slide the stretcher under your body, The stretcher rising in the air with you in tow. Celestia comes close and gently nuzzles your face, the soft fur of the princess being the last thing you feel before darkness takes over.
*The Next Day*
Your eyes softly open to a soft light coming to your left. Your vision is blurry as you feel your body in soft sheets. Soft white tiles on the ceiling and a blue hue of light coming from farther in the room. The light being blocked by curtains near the bed you lay in. An infirmary bed as you felt your body sore and heavy in its grasp. As you try to look around the room, you notice stars, a starry mane near your right side. Your eyes drift over and see her. The Lunar princess with her head laying on your midsection, her hooves gently lay near her head on you.
How long has it been? You say in your head. Trying to ponder if it was later in the night...as your body stirred a soft coo of tiredness comes from the mass of stary mane draped over you..
"Hngh...wha."
Luna stirred awake as she turned her head slightly, her teal eyes now softly opening and seeing you looking back at her. Her body suddenly flinched as she gasped softly. As you see her face, her cheeks are damp and marked by tears that have been shed. In a voice barely above a whisper. "A-anon..? Nonny!? you're...you're!" She said suddenly shifting upwards and nuzzling you immediately. Her midnight blue wings surround your body in an embrace, not too firm but you can feel her feathers shaking against you. Her hug is fearful to hurt you in any way.
"i-i! I'm so sorry Anon..."
She says as she begins to stifle a cry in her throat. The alicorn is trying her best to silence her whimpers. Her chest suddenly flexes as she hiccups trying to breathe. "T-this is all my-" You quickly reach a hand to grasp at one of her ears, firmly petting it to get her to stop her tirade. You know Luna must be blaming herself for your accidental goring on her horn. You try to shush her gently as your other arm wraps around her.
"Shh lulu it's ok. I'm alive. But most of all you are."
You say through a soft grin. "B-but i should've!" You pet her more and hug her closer.
"Luna please...it's ok. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."
You hold Luna close to you for quite a few minutes. Breathing in her soft lavender scent. The blueberry shampoo also peaked in as you had your face in her mane. You felt Luna give a few soft shudders. Her muzzle gently vibrates against your body. Stifling soft cries in her chest, hiccupping softly as she did so.
You gently petted and held Luna close as her breaths calmed down. Her breathing soon went back to calm shallow breaths. Luna had fallen asleep in your arms on the infirmary bed. The poor princess must have been staying awake since the incident. Her wings look unkempt. The warmth of the princess and her embrace makes your eyes heavier, not including your fatigue from being injured. You close your eyes once again, your chest feeling Luna’s heart gently thumping on you. Drifting back into darkness, but a comfortable warm abyss.
Hours later.
You groan slightly as you feel your body begin to wake. The light in the room gives a pale yellow hue. Your eyes blink open and begin to focus. You feel a new sensation on your bed, Luna was still asleep on you, but now Celestia is laying over your right side. The solar alicorn's wing laying over you and Luna in a protective cocoon. The princesses of the sun and moon asleep against you. Never in a million years did you think this would be possible. The two most beautiful ponies, kind and just. The most beautiful thing though, was they were your friends. Princesses of a nation that you wanted to protect. Even if you knew that they could handle a lot of dangers themselves. Didn't stop you wanting to join the royal guard. You wanted to return the gift they gave you. A chance.
As you drifted away in your thoughts. You heard Celestia give a soft coo in her sleep. Her ears gently flicked a little. Luna seemed to make a soft purr like sound that caused her chest fur to fluff outwards a little. You gently reach a hand towards each of the royal sisters. One hand gently scratching one of Celestia's ears and the other caressing Luna's neck. The two sisters gave loving sighs of breath as Celestia's eyes fluttered open slowly. Her eyes only opened for a second before she let out a dainty yawn. Her lips gently smacked before she realized she saw you looking at her. A soft rose of color appeared on her cheeks and was that tears at the corners of her eyes? She gave a soft shuddering breath as she pushed her muzzle against the crook of your neck.
"Y-you're awake...thank the maker."
You felt her warm breath as she spoke. The sun princess gently pressing her face against yours. Celestia's cheek gently rubbing your face. You could feel her stifling a small choke in her throat. You gently pet her mane
"T-tia, it's ok. I'm here, just took an extended nap is all."
You say chuckling. You hear her give a soft chortle.
"My brave royal guard deserves all the rest he can get."
The solar diarch said as you gently brought your thumb up to catch one of her tears. Wiping away the stream to see her magenta eyes looking into yours.
"I still hate to see my princesses cry over me. Gotta get back to work soon so i c-''
Celestia would press a feather to you and her hoof gently on your chest. "You will do no such thing Anon, you will stay in this bed until you are fully healed." You tried to protest but her feather kept pressed to your lips. "That is an order, an order from your friend." She says pleading, her eyes looking at yours begging for you to listen to her. You make a soft sigh through your nose and nod. The feather pulls away as you open your mouth.
"Fine Tia. I'll do as you say. But I don't have to be happy about it."
Celestia gives a soft smug smile. "My little human is so cute when he's angry.~" You chuckle and boop her nose with your own. "Well a certain royal princess is adorable when she gets mad too." You retort. Celestia's muzzle scrunches as she looks away. Her face now a more brighter crimson. A soft chuckle is heard beside her and to your left.
"She most certainly is, my elder sister always pouts so adorably. She always did receive mothers favor."
Celestia snorts as she gives a soft feathery bap to her younger sister.
"Hush Luna. Anon does not need to hear how we were younger. It's...embarrassing."
Luna only chuckles with mirth as she comes close to your vision next to Celestia. "Afraid Anon might fall in love with you more if he does? Or are you afraid of what he will think of you?~" Luna clearly went on the offense with her teasing. The solar princess could only blush more and try to hide her face in her mane.
"...Traitor."
She says with a hushed whisper. Luna only comes close to her sister and gives a loving nuzzle.
"Love thee bunches sister of mine~"
The two sisters now collect themselves as they look at you. Smiling and blushing abound. You take a deep breath but feel a twinge of pain as you did, Stopping your breath short with a hiss.
"O-ow...ow. Damn...can barely take a full deep breath."
The sisters eyes open a little with worry but nod. "You did have a chest wound Nonny, those do tend to cause a number on thy lungs. Especially the bruising."
Luna's eyes would wander to herself a little to a small patch of her blue fur that was thinner than the rest. A small scar on her own chest from who knows what battle or time it originated. You never really noticed that Celestia and Luna had small scars on their bodies. Celestia's chest armor, her peytral, was off her neck, a burn and a gash under where her armor normally lay. These girls have been through a lot it seems. Decades of war. Strife of villains. Dangers to Equestria and its ponies. These two sisters have endured hardships that most wouldn't dream up in their wildest imaginations. But here they are, watching over you. A mortal from a different realm.
The calm silence between you all was soon interrupted by a sudden growl. Your stomach protesting in loud gurgles. You open your eyes wide as hunger pains rippled over your midsection. Celestia and Luna both look down below them to your rumbling stomach with a small blush across their muzzles.. Celestia gave a soft giggle.
"Sounds like someone's stomach is finally awake. Let me summon a nurse and get you fed."
Celestia's horn emanated a soft golden glow with the sound of wind chimes emanating in the room. Celestia smiled as she heard hooves immediately entering the infirmary. A short lilac colored mare in a royal nurse outfit stood at the edge of the bed. The mare panting as she bowed to her princesses.
"Your Highness, I'm here to serve. I apologize I didn't come sooner, it was high time I checked on Sir Anonymous."
Celestia gave a small smile. "No need for formalities, miss Gauze. Anon is just hungry is all, can you fetch him the days special for him?" The mare nods and trots off
"At once your Majesty!"
Celestia turned her attention back to you, your fingers gently touching the gash on her chest. The scar is long healed and fits with the color of her coat.
"Discord did that to me."
You hear her say as you look up to her, Her eyes looking at your fingers touch her scar.
"During the fight between him, Luna and you?"
You say with a tinge of sadness in your words. Celestia's ears fold a little as she rests her hoof on your hand. "It's in the past now, and he's been reformed. Thanks to the element of kindness. But I guess scars do tend to hold onto the past regardless." The solar princess says with a sigh. Luna would glance at her own scars as well with a small fold of her ears.
"I think it makes you look badass Celestia."
Celestia's ears perk up as you said that. Her eyes opened and a small blush formed on her cheeks..
"T-they what?"
You would smile at Celestia. "They make you look cool and more beautiful in their own way. A well lived body housing a wise kind soul. Protecting the only way she knows how. " You glance at Luna and her own scars. A cut on her cheek from some blade eons ago. "For how much you've sacrificed for your ponies, I don't mind doing the same." Luna gives a soft smile but grimaces with a serious look.
"We do what we do anon because we don't want any pony else to endure what claws at Equestria's Borders. To bring down this nation of harmony. We do, because we must."
Celestia leans in to nuzzle you and her sister. "I used to think my scars made me more repulsive, or scary for younger ponies to see. To see their princess tarnished in such a way. We hide them when we are out and about in the public eye." Celestia says gently flexing her wings. A tiny bit of apprehension in her voice. "I wish I could let them see some days, but I know it would scare some." You gently hold her cheek in one of your hands. She gasps softly as you do.
"Tia, it's ok. I saw it, and I still think you and Luna are the prettiest ponies in all the land."
The sisters would both blush profusely at your words. Luna's wings gave your face a gentle bap.
"You flatterer, sounds like you're trying to court us."
You could only chuckle at her words. Luna has seen the dreams you've had of herself and Celestia being the object of your affection. You know if these mares said yes to any proposal to you, you might just crumble over and pass this mortal coil. Maybe one day you'll pop the question. To lay your heart bare to these two princesses who care for you so deeply.
Nurse Gauze would soon trot into the infirmary. Her magic holding onto a tray. She gently clears her throat, making the princesses pull themselves off you and to the sides of the bed. The unicorn approaches and places the bed table across your midsection, her magic gently lifting your back of the bed up.
"Here you go Sir Anonymous, Fresh Tomato Soup. A side of bread, mixed fruit and pudding for dessert!"
She says with a chipper tone to you. She bows to Luna and Celestia as she takes her leave. "Enjoy your meal!" You give a small smile at Miss Gauze. You reach for one of the utensils before you see a golden light on the spoon. It lifts up and dips into the tomato soup. Luna gives a scoff.
"Tia! you aren't seriously going to feed him are you?"
Celestia stops herself as she looks at you and Luna. Giving a sheepish smile and blushing at you. "W-well if Anon doesn't mind. I'd be happy to?" She says offering the question directly to you. Her eyes almost pleading to your heart. Luna looks abashed at her elder sister's antics. Sorry Luna, your heart can't win this battle. Not with a loving Alicorn who's willing to help you. Not like you can stop her either in your state.
"Sure Tia. Go ahead."
You say with a small chuckle. Celestia's wings give a soft flutter and make her release a happy little squeal. The spoon with the warm soup gently floating to your lips. You sip the soup from the spoon and taste the wonderfully warm liquid. The flavor was rich and hearty as you swallowed it down. Luna watched you eat as she looked on with a blush. Seeing her elder sister feeding you like she did to her all those years ago. Luna suffered from an unknown sickness, barely able to move or breathe. Celestia hovering over her and nourishing her. Soup, crackers and alfalfa. Celestia never leaving her side, only to find more food and water. Celestia always took after their mother. Caring and kind. If only she was here now.
*Hours Later*
Miss Gauze dresses your wounds on your chest. The old bandage was replaced with soft clean white ones. Her magic supported your back and torso as you watched her work. Your wound has finally scabbed over. The flesh is dark and purple with splotches of bruises. Your skin still tender through the soft touch of the gauze, but the unicorn nurse was masterful in her work. The two alicorn princesses weren't present in the infirmary due to them getting ready to lower the sun and raise the moon for the usual passage of time. A long day had passed with no sign of Grogar. The Guard are still passing by the infirmary on their new heightened patrols. You began to wonder if he would try something else to reach the sisters. Or a combination of anything that would place Equestria in jeopardy. Then a voice pulled you back from your thoughts.
"Thank you Anon. For saving her. Luna was so distraught over you."
You look toward Gauze. Your eyes meeting hers.
"Huh? oh well of course. I didn't want any harm to come to Luna. Grogar. He just. showed up out of nowhere. I just felt my body act as I dove in front of the spell. It was the right thing to do."
You say to her. The mare gives a soft smile. "The princesses chose a perfect guardian for their station. An alien who never fit in, but now an accepted part of the equestrian royal guard. Strange how life just seems to work out that way huh?" The mare said, giving a soft chuckle. The bandages now firmly stretched and laid on your wounds. The unicorn nurse gave a nod of affirmation and a giggle. "All done.~ thank you for being patient." The mare said with a small flip of her mane. Gauze trotted to her small roll table filled with other medical supplies.
"Well thank you for helping me miss gauze. Gonna have to repay your kindness one day."
She gave a smirk. "If I was a more promiscuous mare, I would have a few things in mind" That response makes you blush. "But, helping our fair princesses is payment enough." The mare says as she rolls her cart away in her magic. She looks at you one more time as she passes the threshold of the infirmary. "You are also helping them, you know." You raise an inquisitive eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that?"
The mare gives a knowing smile. "You have changed their lives, quite immensely Anon. For the better I believe is what from how I see them. Almost bringing new light to the castle in a very long time. They smile more often and walk with a purpose "Keep up the good work." She says with a wink. The mare passed the infirmary doors and she was gone. Her hooves echoing on the stone floor.
You gently laid back onto the infirmary bed. Your Back feeling the soft sheets as you sighed. The princesses...Luna and Celestia. The first friends you made here. And they seem to be elated at the idea too. Gotta take less risks, but you're trained to protect them at any cost. Your heart twinges in pain at the thought of your potential sacrifice being your last. The last thing you'd ever want is to leave them. To cause them to be stricken with grief and pain. A mortal they don't want to lose. You close your eyes gently. Sleep soon takes you once again in your tired state.
The night comes and goes as the moon lights the room you rested in. The soft blue shade of moonlight hitting your eyelids. Your sore chest reminds you that you’re still alive and in the waking world once again. Your eyes meet the familiar white tiles above you as you gently crane your neck forwards. You see that you are once again not alone in the infirmary. Captain Valorant was standing near a bed opposite from yourself. She was sitting nearby another pony on one of the beds. She was watching him sleep. You also noticed the captain was without her plumed helmet. The striking red crimson mane on her head now bare from the spell of the royal armor. You push yourself up on your elbow, the bed making a soft creak. The captain then turned her head towards you. Her eyes widen a little and a soft smirk crosses her muzzle. She begins to stand on her hooves and make her way over to you. Her hooves gently tapped on the cold marble floor.
“Finally awake Corporal Anonymous? Never thought you’d wake up with how loud you were snoring.”
The captain teased you. The mare taking a seat near your bed.
“Ha, jokes on you captain. I know I don’t snore. Thanks to twilight helping me with a sleep study she conducted.”
Captain Valorant gave you a sneer but a smile as well as she looked at you. “So what? Pretty sure either that was your throat or your stomach. I’d go for the latter If I was a betting mare.” She says as she raises a hoof to you. You raise your fist and gently bump the soft callused hoof that has seen its fair share of treading.
“I love to eat, helps keep my energy when you’re running me ragged.”
You said, chuckling. The mare before you stared at you in bed with that commanding smirk on her lips.
"Running you ragged is the best decision I've made, I think Anon." She said barely above a whisper. You look at her, her eyes far off as she looks towards the window. "I never thought that a monster of that magnitude would come close to Princess Luna." She said with a deep sigh. The mare's ears slightly folded against her head as she looked back at you. "Next time. I won't be so careless." You give a small frown.
"Val. You did great in your decisions for the guard that night."
She gave a small click of her tongue. "Oh Yeah Corporal? Why is that? Me putting the princess of the night in a danger we should have prepared for?" You felt her eyes bore into you as she asked that question. With a smirk of your own and a gentle rub of your bandaged chest.
"Because Captain, if you didn't, I wouldn't have been there to jump in front of the blast."
The mare's ears twitched a little as they stood upright and pointed at you. A small smile curling on her muzzle. You reply, "Because a guard is only as good, if he has protected his princesses, till the bitter end. Am I right?" The mare gave a snort and a smile of approval.
"Who knew a human would be my best guard I've trained to uphold the royal creed?~"
She said as she approached your side. The mare's hoof gently bumps against your fist still on the bedside. "But for now, bed rest until you're fully healed Sergeant." She said with a smile. The sudden new rank made your eyes widen and a small gasp escape your mouth
"C-captain? you can't be serious?"
The mare gave you a small glare "Orders are orders Sergeant. Rest and recovery. Or do I have to take that rank from you?" That stubborn mare of a captain, but she was right. Can't do anything in your current state anyways. Also, looks like that vacation you've wanted decided to come early. Might as well make the most of it.
"Yes Ma'am. Thank you Ma'am."
You say giving your salute from bed, your arm crossed over your chest and your fist pressed against where your heart is. The mare smiling and levitating her helmet back onto her head. The flaming red hair of the captain vanishes into the spell matrix of the helmet. The blue plume returned as she gave a salute back. The captain spinning on her hooves and leaving the infirmary.
Alone once again in the soft warm room of the infirmary. You lay your head down and close your eyes. Sleep soon takes your senses away from you. Pleasant dreams ahead as you drift away.