The Winning Pony and the Templar

Catheris limped down the hall of Canterlot general, giving a small nod and smile to patients and hospital staff as he went. Coming up to his patients room, he gave a tap with his cane to the door, and without waiting, walked in.

“Good morning Atticus. And how are we today?”

Slowly, the soldier rose, his upper body exposed.  While the right was still the toned visage of a seasoned soldier, the lefts upper half was covered in its new prosthetic housing. Rubbing his now metal shoulder, Atticus hissed in pain.

“My left side feels like it’s about to explode…”

Nodding, Catheris said cheerfully, “Really? Good, good.”

Walking up to the bed, he laid his cane across, and leaning down, gently examined his work.

“The pain means the nerves are successfully reanimated.” Taking out a pen, Catheris prodded one of three holes set into the metal, and Atticus jumped, then glared at the doctor.

“Felt that huh?”

“Did you know I really hate doctors?”

Chuckling, the physician took a small screwdriver, and began testing the screws to see if they were properly set.

“Oh, don’t be such a grouch. Especially since I come with good news.”

“And that is…?”

“You’re stable enough to have the arm set, and we can begin rehabilitation and maintenance.”

“Today?”

“Right now, if you like.”

………………………………………………………………………………………..

A few minutes later, Catheris lined up the three prongs to their holes, and said “On three.”

Atticus nodded, and with his consent, the doctor said, “Three.”

A echoed ching went forth as the arm was firmly pushed in, and as it connected to its base, its owners eyes bulged, and he screamed.

“Oh fuck… damn it…”

Gently flexing the fingers, Catheris said pleasantly, “New pains?”

“Yeah…” Atticus gasped, then began to clench and open his eyes. “Now my side aches, and the back of my head feels ready to burst.”

“Ah, excellent. That means the graft was successful.”

“Now, Atticus, please lift your arm for me if you would.”

Wincing, the metal contstruct slowly raised, and then flexed.

“its kinda stiff….”

Nodding, Catheris began going over the rest of the arm, removing the top covering of the upper arm, and began adjusting wires and screws.

“Try it now.”

Atticus flexed again, and clenched and extended his new fingers.

“Much better. Thanks.”

Nodding, the doctor put the covering back on.

“It will take a little while for it to loosen up. And you need to oil every couple of weeks. We’ll cover the rest of the maintenance later. But first…” pulling a egg out his pocket, he laid into the patients metal palm.

“Now, Atticus, I’d like you to squeeze, but barely stop before crushing it…” both humans jumped slightly at the soft crack, and both watched as yellow ooze leaked to drip onto the floor.(1)

“Maybe a little more adjustment required….”

Seeing the look on his patients face, Catheris sighed.

“Be of cheer, brother. You are not the first to give limb in the service of our land.”

Atticus gave a humorless chuckle.

“Thought so. Soldiers life why you limp now?”

“Nah. I bashed my knee to shit a few years back, but not badly enough to need anything besides my faithful friend. As for my service, they paid for school, I served.”

“That why you do this? Design auto mail, fix people up?”

Catheris shook his head.

“Nope, my son went in with noble ideals, came back with a purple heart and minus both legs.”

“That’s why you do this?”

“Nope. Kid thought I was wasting my time, used to tell me he put years on never wasting energy tying his shoes.”

Atticus nodded, then hissing in pain, glared at the physician.

“Hey, easy.”

Snorting, Catheris quipped, “Be glad you’re an adult. Since your proportions aren’t shifting, you really only have to get the platform checked every year or so.”

Undoing the top half of the lower part of the prosthetic, Catheris continued, “As for why I do this… well, the unicorns offered. They’d provide the funds and magic, I provide the specs and knowledge. Human medicine only can take us so far, though at least in the Territories I got proper accomadations, without some whiny twerp noble breathing down my neck.”

Unable to decide if he was disgusted or still able to hold some respect for his engineer, Atticus wisely decided to cut his losses and keep his mouth shut.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Thanks to a mix of unicorn magic and his desire to get as far away from the hospital as he could, within a few days, Atticus had gotten a good grip on his new limb, and sitting at a table in Canterlot bar, was confronting a new pain. Namely, a very disgruntled Tornadokicker.

“Listen to this… ungrateful foal… Telling me how awful I was for keeping Nimbus’s past from her, and then says while she gets Alula, she doesn’t know why I lied to her.”

“Ah yes… your mate… I take Cloudkicker is pretty pissed at you then?”

Grimacing, the stallion looked over the letter.

“Worse. She’s… disappointed.”

At the word, both males winced. Grasping his glass with his new arm, and taking a small bit of pride is not shattering it, Atticus took a sip, then said, “If I may say so sir, you can hardly blame her for being upset.”

“I know… it just… hurts, you know? And after…” Tornadokicker took a breath, “After Nimbus died, I just couldn’t. I could barely get myself out of bed, Cloudkicker was just twisting herself inside with guilt, and Alula… she just shut down. “

“Is that why you sent with her godmother and her husband? Why you left the clan yourself?”

The stallion scoffed.

“Yeah, and I got all the threats and bullshit that comes with being a traitor.”

“You don’t think they’d… umm…”

“Make a move on my foals? Please. Never mind dealing with me, and several friends of mine on both sides of the law, little Alula is guarded by two of the toughest beings it’s ever been my pleasure to know.”

“And Cloudkicker?”

“Like they’d stand a chance. Tough as nails, just like her old sire.”

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Despite his former status as a Templar, in his personal life, Garret had only a few rules. After sleeping together again, both human and pony came to mutual understanding of the three day rule, which, though neither of them knew it, both always regretted breaking at one point in their respective lives. But now, it was the weekend. Bar wasn’t going to be opened till later, and Cloudkicker had the day off. With Blossomforth away visiting family and Dash busy with various errands, the mare found herself in Garrets company. No sex or anything intimate of that nature, just laying together on a blanket on Clouds roof, enjoying the warmth of the spring day.

Resting her head on the humans chest, a wing splayed across his stomach, Cloudkicker murred softly as she hovered between consciousness and sleep, the gently stroking fingers over her wing coaxing her towards the latter. Usually, outside of banging, the mare disliked having her wings being fiddled with, but at the moment, the motions were similar to preening, and quite relaxing. Though she lead a crazy life, and mostly loved every bit of it. But, just for today, all Cloudkicker wanted to do was lay next to a friend, occasionally flicking a fly from her side with her tail, and just for a little while, relax.

……………………………………………………………………………….........

A dark gray Pegasus paced the floor of his office, his tail swishing angrily behind him. Lips curling over his teeth, he glared at the parchment on his desk, the denial of his clan, his own family, written across. Fools! All the elders were fools! To think that his own clan, who he loved more then even his wife and children, could be so blind. Wrong, they said? Pah! Looking to his right, the stallion spat, the saliva whipping out to splat onto the blue carpet underhoof, where it quickly sank in. Fools and weaklings! Shadowkicker herself would be ashamed to see her own brought so low as to even consider alliances with the two legs. Appeasers and apologists like Tornado,,,

At the thought of the stallion, the pegasi paused. Looking down, the stallions ear flicked as his tail stilled. Minutes passed, and suddenly, the pony looked up. Feeling his fur beginning to stand on end, he looked to a large cabinet. Behind it door, an odd buzzing seemed to emanate. Walking to the cabinet, the pegasi nudged it open, then pressed a panel in it. Silently, the back part of the furniture slid open, revealing a milky white piece of quartz.

Number three

Though no one was there, the stallion gave a nod.

Two… We have a problem. The clan refuses any further assistance, though they say they will in no way impede our work as long as our operations…

Don’t interfere with their continued existence as a clan, I know three. You know what this means?

I’m well aware of the implications two. A shame, there are still superb soldiers there. What a waste.

It won’t happen for some time, but the clan will be punished for this dereliction.

I know…

In regards to Nimbus’s foals….

Impossible at this point. Until the monkeys are pushed out, we won’t be able to get near them, and by then it would be unnecessary to involve them at all.

Three… Number one is aware of your… affection for Tornado and his offspring. One is… unsure as to where your loyalties lie.

One shouldn’t get his tail in a knot. I’d rather not see them hurt of course, but… this is bigger then them.

Noted.