Changes

Chapter 2

Against the grain

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Darkness and pain. This was all you saw and felt... Still better than the apartment though. If you had stayed there you wouldn’t be feeling anything. You slowly felt consciousness wash over you throughout the span of who knows how long. “You awake son?” You stir a bit, hearing the voice as if from the other end of a corridor. You make an attempt to open your eyes only to be blinded by the intense lighting in the room. “Uhhhh...” Good first try Pierce. Speaking was always the hard thing in the movies. “Oh, sorry there sonny. Let me lower the lights a bit.” You hear this man walk over to a corner of the room and felt the lights die down a bit. “There yah go.” You decide to make another attempt at opening your eyes. The room slowly came into focus. You were lying in a hospital bed, covered in bandages with a sling around your left arm. Probably for the bullet you took to the shoulder.

Of course it could also be the three story drop you took like a champ. Pierce : 1, Goons : uh, how many times were you shot? you think and decide on seven. Pierce : 1, Goons : 7. Considering the circumstances, that was a good number. Anything above negative five was a good number actually. You try speaking again, this time with some success.

“Thank you.” You finally get out. “Where am I?”

The man was clearly a doctor judging by his clipboard and lab coat. He looks up from his clipboard and replies, “You are in ponyville hospital. You drove into town two days ago covered in blood and passed out in the middle of town. You were lucky to have made it here when you did, too much longer and you would have bled out behind the wheel.”

You examine yourself one more time and then ask about your injuries.

“You had three broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and six bullet wounds.”

Damn, you were off by one. It seems that 'talent in guesstimating' wasn't exactly something you could put on your resume.

“We aren't used to accommodating changelings, though.” continues the doctor, “ We ordered some E- canisters from Canterlot and they should be arriving shortly. We apologize, but we used the ones in the duffel bag we found in your car to stabilize you on your way to the hospital.”

“Don’t apologize, it’s fine. You did save my life after all.” you reply. The doctor begins to make his way out of the room, telling you that you need rest and blah blah blah doctor speak.

“One more thing,” he says before exiting the room, “When we requested the E-cans, a member of the royal guard said that he was very interested in your story.” You tense up, knowing what he was going to say before he said it. “He asked for your name, and when we emptied your pockets we found your license, so we gave it to him. He will be accompanying the delivery so he can ask you some questions.” Before you could say anything the doctor stepped out, probably to attend to some other patient. How could you sleep after that news? You knew who it was coming to interrogate you. You just never thought that luohmygodI’msotirednightnight.

You awake to the sight of your hospital room. You try to move and your pain receptors are quick to let you know how stupid of an idea that was. Stupid pain always held you back. You must have made more noise than you thought because soon the doctor entered the room to check on you. You tell him that you’re fine, just testing your motion abilities. He is also quick to reprimand you and informs you that you would need to wait one more night before attempting to sit up.

You hear a voice from outside the door say, “Is he awake?” The doctor replies truthfully and within seconds another changeling is in your face hugging you and asking all about yourself. Just as you remember him, Luke had been your best friend since you were kids. You grew up together in the changeling kingdom and had each others back since you were five. When he came of age he had moved to Canterlot and enrolled in the royal guard. Although 'legal' wasn’t usually in your job description the two of you had remained close.

He knew about everything and had gotten you arrested several times. He had made you swear to never get into trouble with the law again and got you a job working undercover in the many gangs of the area. This didn't mean you never took the law into your own hands or gave yourself a pay raise when the opportunity arose. He asked the doctor to be alone with me and the doctor was compliant, telling him not to put me under to much stress. Once the doctor closed the door behind him Luke grew a smile as big as his face would allow.

“How are you Pierce? I haven’t seen you since you lifted the fourty grand from Apex!” He said, reaching out a hand. You grasp his hand and use him to lift yourself into a sitting position. F the doctor, you couldn't let Luke think you were down for the count.

"I've been hiding out, apparently crime bosses don’t enjoy being on the other end of crime.” You say with a grin. You were in a lot of pain but didn't want to show it.

"You don’t say? I’m sure he didn’t mind.” Luke says with a chuckle as he pulls up a chair in front of your bed.

“You would think.” You reply. "So, how are things with you?”

Luke thinks for a bit. “Fine, although we've been looking for you for the past three months. We all thought you were dead until we found six dead goons and a destroyed corvette in some poor fellas back yard down in manehattan.”

That was not a fun experience you think to yourself, remembering the event. “That corvette was the best car i ever owned. Even though it only lasted two weeks, I loved that car.” You say jokingly, masking the pain of sitting up.

Luke begins to say something when the doctor bursts in and locks the door behind him.

“We need to evacuate the hospital NOW!” He was sweating and a look of fear was embedded on his face. Before you could ask why the answer rang out through the building.

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Shots were being fired down the hall and loud screaming and yelling was heard. Some from fear, some from anger. Luke reached into his shirt and removed a small pistol from a shoulder holster. He readied his weapon and started helping you up. You swung your good arm around his shoulders and the doctor held your left side steady. He saw you were in pain and gave you an anesthetic blast from his horn to keep you from passing out on the spot. You listened for the assailants and heard them heading towards the room. You turned to the doctor and asked him to hold you up by himself.

He did, using magic, and asked, “what next?”

You told him and Luke to hide behind the curtains surrounding the bed and wait for your signal. Luke tried to refuse but knew that you were better at quick thinking then he was. They hid and you stood there, in front of the door. Waiting for death. Well, not really standing, more like leaning with style. You listened as one of the men came towards the door and opened it. He was carrying a large rifle and proceeded to aim it towards your head while calling you as many profanities as he could get out in five seconds. As fast as you could you reached for the pistol on his hip and smacked the rifle away from your face. Bullets flew past your face as you ripped the gun from his belt and used it to empty three shells into the chest of this assailant. He started to fall back but you grabbed his shirt before he slumped to the floor. You grab the ammo belt from the new body as Luke and the doctor come out of hiding. Luke, being a royal guard member, was already equipped with a pistol, but decides to holster it in favor of the rifle.

Luke turns to you, “I radioed for backup and they will be here in minutes. We’ll just have to stall until then.”

You reply sarcastically, “I was hoping to enjoy my vacation... Alright i guess we can....”

Darkness and pain. This was all you saw and felt...