Will of Fire

Chapter 3 - Mares dig scars

By: TheXIIILightning

"Let's have a look at that wing, shall we?"

After another heavy dose of some delicious broccoli soup, not the most common breakfast I admit, but still pretty good, Dr. Cardio was giving me a full physical.

The morning has been quiet so far, I had breakfast, met the Doctor, and what else... Oh, I've been fighting the most irritating tingly sensation on my wing, it's hard not being able to scratch it or move it.

It's getting on my nerves!

"Please hold still, I'll get these bandages off in a minute." The Doctor warned me.

He was a bit taller than me, well almost everypony is taller than me, Pegasus are not exactly well known for their height. He was a Earth pony, a caramel colored coat, a well kept brown mane, with the slightest hint of mane-gel. He also had a pair of glasses on top of his muzzle, they gave him a look of knowledge... Classy.

"Please hurry up, I have a terrible itch on my wing! I need to scratch it a bit."

"No you won't. You've dislocated your left wing, if it didn't heal properly I'll have to bandage it again. So NO scratching until I say otherwise OK?" His voice was gentle, but it was filled with authority.

"Yes sir..." I muttered under my breath.

"Well let's see..." The Doctor was squinting, extending my wing, looking for any sort of damage that might be dangerous. Feathers can be replaced, but if I have any muscular damage I might fall while airborne.

"Everything seems to be in order. You'll have to regrow some feathers, and do some physical exercises to regain your muscle strength. But if you follow my instructions, you will be flight capable in 4 days. Congratulations."

"YES! Thanks a lot Doc. you're a real life saver!" I was circling around in place, greeting my long lost sibling.

I know I only spent one whole day without flying, but that's too much for a Pegasus. Oh and the itch... all gone!

It sucks not being able to fly for another four days, but well, at least I know that I'll be able to.

"Your wing should be the least of your concerns, have you forgotten about your chest?" He put is hoof on my shoulder, pulling me in front of a mirror.

We were in the Hospital's Gym, there was a small pool, a couple of dumbbells, and some large beach balls, I forgot the name of those. I only remember that you have to either throw them, or roll them around on the floor. It helps you regain your leg strength. Ooops, I'm getting off topic.

So basically, everything in there was for therapy, the ceiling was high enough for a Pegasus to fly, but the most pleasant thing about that room, were the skylights. It's good to feel the warm Sun of Celestia again.

"There is a chance that your wounds might not be fully healed." He talked slowly so I could understand the gravity of the situation.

"You had two very large wounds, so I had to use a complex procedure to make sure they would seal."

I didn't say anything, I still remembered how big they were.

"When you arrived to the hospital I immediately stitched and magically burned your flesh. It's a very extreme measure due to the severe scarring it causes." The Doctor paused and took a deep breath, I did the same.

"We successfully stopped the bleeding and left the stitches to help the scarring. Three days later, we decided to remove the stitches. Fortunately your body didn't reject them, so we easily removed them and applied a special ointment."

"OK Doc, I've heard enough, just show me already." I was getting impatient, fancy procedures and what-not. I just want to see them.

Nurse Redheart had entered the room while the Doctor explained the procedures. She said Mayor Mare was in the waiting room, and that she told her to wait for us. I sat on my haunches and closed my eyes, I could feel my bandages unwrapping around my chest. They took forever, but when they were finally out, my fears came true.

"Doctor! They are..." Nurse Redheart exclaimed.

"I know, I didn't expect this... Amazing." Dr. Cardio sounded amazed, but his words weren't soothing.

"Is it that bad?" I said without opening my eyes, fearing that I had become something... Well, something that would make small foals scream at the sight of me. Ha! Poor kids... Poor me...

"On the contrary, take a look." I decided to trust Nurse Redheart, I opened my eyes, and there they were.

I had two twin marks on my chest. They weren't the scarring monstrosities I was expecting from what Doc told me. They were two clean scars, long but quite thin. I got up and started moving my neck, one of the scars started from my shoulder and went slightly up towards my other shoulder. The other scar followed the exact same path, but started slightly lower than the other one.

"I must say, they don't look so bad." I said with a grin, actually, they looked cool.

"I agree, I expected them to be a lot more noticeable. I have to do some research on this..." He was starting to move towards the door.

"Hey Doc! You forgot this."

He turned around quite surprised as I walked towards him.

"Thanks for everything you've done." I said while extending my hoof in gratitude. He looked at it, a smile on his face and shook it.

"You're welcome. And I hope I don't ever see you again."

We both laughed at the worst hospital joke in the whole Equestrian land.

"Your scars have healed nicely, and your wing will follow the same path if you exercise. You're free to leave as soon as you're ready." We exchanged farewells once again and turn away from each other. Doc had some research to do, and I need to have a word with the Mayor. Maybe she can find me a nice house while I wait for Sunshine.

"Oh, so you're a travelling pony!"

"Yes Ma'am, is something wrong?"

I was back in my room, Nurse Redheart introduced me to the Mayor.

She was quite the peculiar one to say the least. She's kind, but when I told her I didn't remember anything from that night, she started giving me the funny eye. Like I was a criminal or something.

And now that I mentioned Sunshine and our last stop, Windermane, well, I think that was our last stop. Or was it destination? Argh, I can't remember.

Either way, Windermane is a small Earth Pony town by the edge of the Everfree Forest, so I think that something happened to me between here and there...

Either way, the Mayor suddenly got very interested in my travels.

"Please tell me, where do you usually travel? Do you meet many ponies? Have you ever heard of 'Ponyville' before?"

"Please slow down! I'll tell you anything you NEED to know Mrs. Mayor." I added a little more tone to the 'need' part, I wasn't about to tell my personal life to just any mare. It's personal for a reason.

"Yes, well excuse me, I just want to know the extent of your travels. It's regulation of course." She didn't look me in the eye. Yes, I travel a lot, so I know when a pony is after something, and she's trying to dig something up.

"Well Mrs.Mayor, I have traveled all over Equestria, Sunshine and I usually go where we feel like it. We escort a caravan into a town, stay for a couple of nights, longer if work is available, and then we go join another caravan, another town... And that's it." That wasn't entirely true, I have my reasons to keep the rest of the story for myself.

The Mayor nodded and turned away from me, it looked like she was in deep thought. I don't like this one bit...

After one minute she turned around and gave me a big grin, I don't even think she was seeing me as a pony.

"Congratulations!" She said while shaking my hoof.

"Huuuu, for what?"

"For qualifying to enter the "A Home for a Hoof" program, and I must say, that is quite the feat!" She was still shaking my hoof and smiling like a maniac.

"Thank you? Is that good?" My foreleg was throbbing, I think she cut off my circulation!

"Of course it is! It's a program we have here in Ponyville, any traveler that passes by may join the program, it's free of charge might I add. Here's how it works."

I sat on my bed while the Mayor was gathering her thoughts. It looked like she didn't do this often.

If a traveler, or any kind of pony, is in need of a home. He or She may request to join the program.

Then, I will personally contact a citizen of Ponyville, that has offered his or her home to the program.

Then said traveler will be arranged a meeting with said citizen, and if both agree with sharing a home, the procedure is complete.

Normally, the traveler will pay off the citizen by helping with house chores, or anything thing else that BOTH agree on.

If at any time any of the citizens wish to quit the program, the traveler will be reassigned to another home.

The traveler may also carry on with his travels, if that is his wish.

"That's a really good program." I have to say, in all the towns I visited, not a single one had such a thing...

There has to be a catch, I just know it.

The Mayor widely smiled at me, then she added.

"There is just one last thing..." Here comes the catch.

"Ponyville would certainly be grateful if said... 'Traveler', happened to mention our little town to his friends, local bartenders, and of course, any pony that he might find in his travels."

HA! I knew it! She wants me to make publicity for this town! That's... Understandable.

I mean, Nurse Redheart and Dr. Cardio saved my life, and they never asked me anything in return...

And Pinkie was here for me the whole time. I guess mentioning this little town in my travels is the least I can do...

Who knows if anypony did anything else for me, and I don't even know about it...

"I'll do it..."

"Excuse me, I didn't quite catch that?"

"Sign me up on the program! When I get back on the road, I'll mention what Ponyville did for me."

"Oh, that's fantastic!" She almost squealed of joy. "I'll try and find a home for you. I'll send the 'citizen' here, is that alright?"

"Yes Mayor Mare, I'm not leaving anytime soon." I may have been discharged, but without any bits and a place to sleep, I'm stuck here.

I got up from my bed and gave the Mayor a hoofshake.

Doc said I needed to exercise my wing, so I could use a few exercises before Pinkie came to visit. I guess I'll hit the Gym.

By the way, what time is it? Nurse Redheart said visiting time started a bit late today, but she didn't say how late. Oh well, she'll show up when she shows up.

Mayor Mare was opening the door of my room when suddenly...

"SURPRISE!!"

The Mayor just stood there in shock, I immediately jumped on my bed and looked at the door.

There were quite a few ponies with confused expressions on their face, except for Pinkie, who was innocently waving at me.

End of Chapter 3

Yes, Mayor Mare needs to have... Moneyyyy!

...

Yeah, that was a bad impression, what are you going to do? Shoot me?

Ha! I should warn you, I have a tiny bullet-proof shield the exact size of a bullet somewhere on my body, and if you hit it, i will be unharmed, and your plan will be foiled. You will be the laughing stock of me...

Now for the Hype. *Ahem*

Where will Lightning spend his second night in Ponyville?

And will he accept what the ponies of this town are doing to him?

Find out in the next chapter of...

Will of Fire!