Teaser
I saw everything... Everything that happened outside the labyrinth. The shrieks of agony, flashes of blood, and that mad laughter... And when the mirror shattered...I felt myself return with it. And then... And only then did I realize... What had I done?!
James... I was corrupted and when he found me... No, I swear that was not me! It was not me, James! Just as I am sure it was not you who struck Discord down! I know it was not you because at the end...just before static filled the screen, I saw your hand resting in a circle of our cutie marks...drawn in your own blood... One look to my side revealed that my companion, if you could call it that, still remained by my side... How could I ever choose a boulder over the love of that man?
"You... Get away from me!" I screamed with tears in my eyes as I grabbed 'Tom' in my magical grasp and hurled him over the horizon. A distant thud was heard moments later as he likely landed at the far edge of the labyrinth... Wait. Magic? How was I using magic when...
"Hold on... How could I do that when... Wait!" I quickly reached up and touched my forehead. It was there. My horn had returned! Discord's demise must have undid everything he ever manipulated! "Yes! Oh, thank goodness! I feared I would never... What am I doing, celebrating my horn's return? I need to get out of here!"
I could not stay. I had to find my way out! I needed to find the rest of us! If everything I saw on that screen was not some morbid illusion, then... He was dying. James was out there at that moment bleeding to death... No! Where was the exit! Be strong, my prince! Please, you must live! I will never forgive myself if you... No, I will not think that! You must live!
I sprinted down the paths, passing hedge after hedge. But just after rounding another corner, I came to a skidding halt as I very nearly ran right into somepony. "Eek! So sorry! I just... Twilight?!"
My scholarly friend stood before me, her horn having also returned to her head. "Rarity?! Wait... Did you see it too?! All that happened?!"
I felt my heart swell with guilt. I saw and heard everything he said. That madness was brought on by our... I staggered back, the tears finally flowing free. "I tried, Twilight! I truly did! I turned away from Discord's temptations, but he touched me on the head and... It consumed me!"
She was clearly shocked by my words. I knew Discord could twist us through temptations and manipulations, but through mere touch as well? "He corrupted you by touching you?! He could do that all along?!"
"What have I done, Twilight...?! I promised myself I would not fall for Discord's tricks a second time and... He could be out there dying right now! And it's all my..." I paused when Twilight reached out to me and grasped my shoulders. I gazed right into those intelligent purple eyes of hers. I could see tears building at the edges, struggling to get out.
"It wasn't your fault, Rarity... If Discord could do that with just a touch, then there's no way we could've kept this promise... Even if it was a...Pinkie Promise..." Twilight said rather forlornly while she bowed her head. I could see it too. She had witnessed everything... And knowing that we failed... Discord was indeed no more, but... Surely we would not be robbed of our dear friend as well!
"Hey! Who's out there?! Hang on a second, I'm comin' through!" I heard a very familiar boorish... I mean rustic accented voice call out before we turned to see our good friend Applejack burst through one of the hedges. But when she turned to face us... "Phew! Lucky I found ya so... Uh... Girls? What's wrong? Do I have somethin' on my face?"
"More like your eye! What happened to it?!" I pointed at her right eye. It was swollen shut and was the same shade of purple as a plum. And that was the same eye that James struck when...
Applejack instantly sighed and pulled her hat down to partially conceal it. "I reckon you girls already know how it got that way... James walloped me pretty good. Can't say I didn't have it comin' though..."
Twilight looked on in shock as she took a step towards our friend. "He actually... What did you do to him?!"
A lone tear slid down Applejack's face before she looked right at us. "One of the last things I ever said ta 'im was that I always hated 'im, Twilight! And he believed me!"
So even she, one of our most reliable friends, could not withstand Discord's corruption. And what of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy? Still, despite our differences, I could not stay silent in the face of Applejack's guilt. "You are not alone, Applejack. I too harmed him..."
Before she could even offer a retort, we were all greeted by a loud and very familiar voice. "Girls! There you are! I was wondering how many more panels I'd have to jump through to find you! Are you all OK?"
We all got a good fright out of that. Pinkie Pie just popped up out of nowhere! "Gracious, Pinkie! Warn us next time you... Oh, forget it. Asking you how you do that is the same as asking why all the gemstones I dig up are already cut and polished."
Applejack was the first to actually approach Pinkie Pie while making certain her hat was covering her swollen eye. "Good ta see ya, Pinkie. But... I'm... I'm sorry. We couldn't keep the Pinkie Promise in the end..."
Considering how furious Pinkie was when it seemed that Applejack had broken a Pinkie Promise during her prolonged departure after that rodeo competition a while back, I was expecting her to have an absolute meltdown upon hearing those words. But instead... Pinkie Pie bowed her head while her mane seemed to...quiver like a balloon on the verge of deflating? "It's all right. I... I couldn't keep it either..."
"Pinkie... You too?" Twilight asked while drawing near. However, she jumped back when Pinkie suddenly threw her head back and screamed as tears gushed out from her eyes like they were being sprayed from a garden hose. Yes, that is bizarre, but I was not terribly bothered due to having witnessed it before.
Seconds later, Pinkie Pie began to frantically recount whatever it was that happened when that monster found her. "I tired! I tried to ignore everything he did to make me turn into that angry mean jerk I was last time! But when I did, he chased me down! He made my legs fall off so I couldn't escape! I begged him to take his finger off when he touched me, but... How could I, Twilight?! I'm the one who invented the Pinkie Promise, but I still couldn't keep it!"
Twilight, likely being the only one among us who was not overcome with guilt, grabbed our hysterical friend by the shoulders and gave her a good shake. "Pinkie! It's gonna be OK! As far as we know, everything that happened on that screen was just a trick! Let's wait until we get outta here before we start assuming James is in trouble!"
"Twi's got a point, Pinkie... I mean... It hurts knowin' what we did, but... We shouldn't count our chickens before they hatch, ya know?" Applejack added as Pinkie Pie ceased her crying.
However, it was then that I realized we still had two friends missing. "Wait a moment... What of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?! We still need to find them!"
Pinkie Pie, once her tears had been dried, turned to us. "Actually, I saw Rainbow Dash fly by just a little while ago. I guess she's out of the maze right now."
"Then that just leaves Fluttershy. Let's go. I'm not leaving without her. It might end up taking forever to find her out here..." Twilight replied before she started to follow the path before us. However, before she got more than ten paces, Pinkie Pie jumped in front of us with a rather...serious gaze. "Huh? Pinkie?"
"I've got this, Twilight. Just a minute!" Our exuberant friend replied before reaching just out to the edge of my vision and...pulling SOMETHING past us before doing the same thing over and over at a rapid rate. The scenery was constantly changing as if time was rapidly passing while our location changed as well!
"Good gracious, Pinkie! What are you doing?!" I screamed out while glancing around in shock. I saw us in a hospital, then in a very urban city while... Why were we dressed up in those shockingly flashy costumes?! And were those diamonds in my mane?!
"Whoops! Too far! Hold on!" Pinkie yelled before going to the other side of my vision and doing the same thing. Now it seemed time or...whatever was going in reverse.
"Pinkie Pie, knock it off! I feel like I'm gonna be sick!" Twilight said with a yell while keeping her head down with her eyes closed. I too was starting to feel more than just a little nauseous myself at the moment.
"Hang on! Wasn't that Fluttershy right there?!" Applejack suddenly called out while pointing in one direction.
"Just a sec! Go back a few panels and... There!" Pinkie Pie suddenly reached to the opposite side again and...it all stopped. And standing right in front of us was a terribly distraught and...clearly startled Fluttershy.
Our friend staggered back and nearly fell down, even though I could clearly see that her eyes were strained and swollen from countless tears. "Wha...?! Where did... When..."
"Don't ask, OK?! It's something Pinkie Pie did and I don't wanna know this time!" Twilight replied while trotting over to our friend. "But what about you? Are you all right, Fluttershy?"
At those words, Fluttershy staggered back. I could see it. Utter turmoil and grief in her eyes. And once more, the tears fell from her face. "I... I hurt him... Kicked... His head... I..."
Before she could collapse, I rushed to her side and held her in my arms. She sobbed and wailed in my grasp, holding onto me as tightly as she could while I did all I could to sooth her wounded heart even as my own tears began to well up in my eyes again. I can only imagine what sort of hell she must have forced her beloved through once Discord had his hooks in her. "Shhh... I know, darling... We all carry the blame..."
But just as she began to calm down, we heard it. A distant scream. Or perhaps a wail. And that voice... I knew it. "Was that...Rainbow Dash?"
"It sounded like it came from the direction of..." Twilight began to mutter, but she then gasped as her horn was coated by her billowing pink magic aura. "Everypony, get close to me! I'm getting us outta here!"
We all drew near and stood right next to our friend. And a few seconds later, we found ourselves standing just outside the labyrinth. But...the courtyard... "What in the heavens...?"
The landscape before us...What... The sky... Dark and filled with thunderclouds. Many muddy pits from where chunks of the landscape had been torn out littered the ravaged courtyard. I could still see some of them floating in the sky in twisted nightmarish forms. And bit by bit, they would slowly revert to their previous natural forms before plummeting to the ground with a mighty crash. But...why... What could cause them to become so twisted? Surely that was not Discord's doing. He had always been a mad buffoon, but I could not ever see him conjuring up something that twisted!
"This ain't right... This really ain't right... Almost feels like I'm dreamin' here..." Applejack muttered as we beheld the carnage of the struggle we had all witnessed. It was not an illusion at all... But...Canterlot Castle is so close by. Why had the princesses not seen or heard what had transpired? Surely they could intervene, so...why?
Twilight stepped forward, gazing around at our surroundings. But when she turned her gaze to the path before her, she suddenly called out. "That's... No... No! This isn't happening!"
She burst into a gallop and we all followed. I dreaded what she had noticed ahead. And seconds later, I saw them. And... No... Please... This was not happening... What had we done... What had I done?!
My throat clenched shut as I beheld what lay before me. We found her. Rainbow Dash. Her face was buried in her arms as she was hunched over...his corpse... Motionless...his body lying in a pool of his own blood. So much red...James, I... How could we do this to you... I loved you, you wonderful man... And beyond, a trail of blood that led to... No, I could not bear to gaze at it. I knew what was there. And I could not bear to see it. But before we could reach him, we all froze at the sight of where his hand had fallen. In the center of a circle of...our cutie marks drawn in his...own blood.
James... You... How could you do this... After what I did... After what we did... You still were thinking of us... You still held us close to you heart, even after we threw you away... The tears burst forth from my eyes as I sobbed, my friends joining me as they looked on in shock. Even in the end...we were still his friends to him...None of us were silent. Except for Fluttershy. She approached her beloved, her gaze frozen in silent horror. It was Pinkie Pie who spoke the first words as her mane and tail hung low. "Why... We all promised... I don't get it..."
My vision was too blurred to really see my friends. How they were reacting to this horror before us, I did not see. I saw Twilight's form approach our fallen friend. Her hoof reached out and touched his cheek before pulling away. "He's...cool..."
Applejack was the next to speak. With the form of her hat tilted downward, she spoke to the only one who was there for him when he...took his final breath. "Rainbow... Is he... Did he really..."
I wiped my tears away to see. Our brash pegasus friend very slowly lifted her head until she was gazing at us. Eyes swollen, tears flowing, spirit...broken... That gaze she showed us was unlike any I had ever seen before. I had seen confidence in those eyes, as well as joy, sadness, insecurity, fear, anger, but this... It was unlike any I had ever seen. She was...shattered. Broken. To witness someone she sought to protect perish before her... It must have been more than her soul could bear. She spoke softly to the point where it was almost a whisper. "I... I couldn't...do anything..."
I felt my heart break. Absolutely shatter. What had I done... I wanted noting to do with that wretched boulder. Why could I not see past that horrible greed? I had all I ever wanted around my ankle with that lovely bracelet. And his tender love... He was... If only I had held on a bit longer... If only he held me in his arms before the corruption could take me... Darling, why... Why did I cast you aside when you are all I needed?!
Finally, Fluttershy collapsed before her beloved. I could not even bear to imagine what had transpired when he finally found her in such a corrupted state. It must have broken him to ultimately be driven to such madness that even the Spirit of Chaos could not stop himself from cowering before. "I... I'm sorry... Please... Forgive me... If you can still hear me... I love you... It should've been me... I should've been the one who..."
There were no words for a moment. We were all crushed. Our friend gone. Murdered by our own hooves. However, I saw Twilight glance to her right. Lying nearby was...his helmet. The polished white form of the Element of Humanity rested upon the forehead. I feared that perhaps...he was still twisted with despair and madness when he perished. But instead...he died as the same loving and tender man we had always known. Seeing that helmet must have awakened something in my friend since she then gazed back down at our fallen friend and spoke quietly. "No... I won't let it end like this..."
"Twilight... What do you mean?" I asked weakly, being the first to hear her.
She looked at all of us. Her eyes still poured tears, but a look of defiance was now filling her gaze. "I know what it's like to almost lose a friend... This isn't the first time. I... I refuse to believe he's truly gone... We need to get him to the nearest hospital right away. It's our fault this happened...so it's our responsibility to make sure he survives."
I glanced back down at him. I was still about as devastated as you can imagine. But even then, I felt it. A glimmer of hope in my heart. Perhaps... Just perhaps he was still there. Holding on by a thread and sheer force of will. He made it very clear to all of us in the final strokes of his bloodied fingers just how dearly he held us to his heart in the end. He would not want it to end here. "Indeed... It was our failure that led to this..."
Twilight nodded as we all gazed at her. Our friends too were beginning to look slightly more helpful. "Yes... But that doesn't mean we have to fail in at least trying to set things right. I know where the hospital in Canterlot is. I can get us all there with the teleportation spell." She then reached out and gently rested her hoof upon his upturned armored palm. "I don't want to say goodbye... Not now..."
"Me neither... If he dies not knowing that we were still his friends in the end... I don't know if I'll ever be able to live with myself..." Pinkie Pie said glumly while trying to smile even just a little. To her, friends are her life. And if she were to lose one forever as a result of her own actions... I dread to see how shattered she would be.
Fluttershy... She did not speak. But along with that faint look of hope in her eyes, I could see another emotion. Desperation. She could not bear to lose her beloved. I know her well. She needs James. He loves her and she loves him. There may very well be nopony in her life more precious. While I gazed at her, I focused to use my magic to snatch up his helmet. If nothing else, I would bring it along to keep it safe.
Twilight turned her gaze towards Rainbow Dash while drying her tears. "Rainbow. We need you to report back to the princesses and let them know what's happened. I don't know why they haven't already come out here yet, but please tell them that we're at Canterlot Royal Hospital and that James is in dire peril."
Rainbow Dash, a tiny glimmer of her usual confidence restored in her eyes, wiped her tears away and nodded. "Ye... Yeah. I've got it. You girls get going. Just... Please make sure he stays alive, all right?!"
Applejack nodded with a faint smile before patting her on the shoulder. "Count on it, Rainbow. Now get movin'. They need ta know 'bout this one."
While Rainbow Dash took to the air and flew off for the palace, Twilight motioned for us to draw near. Her horn was coated by her billowing pink magic aura while a bright glow was emitted from the tip. Seconds later, I found myself and all my friends, James included, within the lobby of Canterlot's hospital. Pinkie Pie, wasting no time, rushed over to the receptionist's desk and shouted while waving her arms in a frantic manner. "Help! Friend is hurt! Bleeding everywhere! Save him!"
The receptionist, a young unicorn mare, seemed to very nearly fall out of her chair when Pinkie Pie jumped at her. "Ack! There's no need to shout! Now, calm down and tell me what... Oh my goodness!"
One glance past Pinkie Pie at the bleeding armored man beside us told the receptionist all she needed to know. She instantly reached out and pressed what I assume was a button on her desk to activate an intercom. "We have a patient in critical condition in the lobby. Extra large."
The mention of size puzzled me until I saw a pair of medics rush down the nearest hallway with a gurney designed for use with larger patients like minotaurs. With a quick use of levitation magic, they placed him upon it and rushed him back down the hall. Without a word, we all followed. And we soon found ourselves right outside a pair of swinging doors with a backlit sign just above it that read 'ER'. His fate was out of our hooves by then. All we could do was wait for news on his fate.
Several seats were provided just outside the doors for us, likely there for those whose loved ones had been admitted and were being diagnosed. And there we stayed. I was constantly by Fluttershy's side, making certain she had a shoulder to lean on. As devastated as I was, whatever anguish she was experiencing was likely tenfold greater than my own. She never looked at me. The tears never ceased. She kept muttering softly under her breath things like 'I'm going to lose him' and 'It's all my fault'. Discord, how could you do this to her...
Our friends kept pacing back and forth. They could not remain still while looking in a state of minor shock. I am not even entirely certain how much time passed, but we eventually turned to the far end of the hallway upon hearing the sound of running hooves. And sure enough, Rainbow Dash burst around the corner. "Girls! Is he OK?! Is he gonna make it?!"
Applejack was the first to speak up when we all faced her. "I dunno, Rainbow... But they're takin' a while ta come back out. I guess that means they're doin' all they can ta save him."
Our brazen and uncouth friend bowed her head while letting out a very loud sigh. "Thank god... I can't believe this is happening..."
"Me neither... But what about the princesses? Did they take the news OK?" Pinkie Pie asked while still trying to look hopeful, bless her optimistic little soul.
"That depends." A voice spoke from behind Rainbow. With our attention focused upon Rainbow Dash, we had failed to notice the three princesses walk up behind her. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Nightmare Moon stood before us. They all seemed to be maintaining their composure, but I could see that something had jarred them each. What had they heard and witnessed?
"Your highness! We..." Twilight stepped forward, but was clearly having difficulty speaking much like the rest of us. "We... James is... We failed! I'm so sorry, but..."
Celestia raised her hoof for her student to remain silent. "I know, Twilight... We have seen the carnage. The courtyard is... What did Discord do to prevent us from seeing or hearing the chaos out there? But tell me. Discord... Is he truly...?"
Fresh tears poured from my friend's eyes as she recalled that demon's final moments. "Yes... He's...dead. James...tore him apart..."
I could see a look of shock in our princess's eyes. Even I was having difficulty comprehending at the time the outcome of the crisis. Discord is no more. We will never see him trouble Equestria again. A being so powerful and omnipotent that even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna combined could not defeat him without the aid of the Elements of Harmony. And now he was dead...
"It is for the best. If he was still drawing breath after this, I would've destroyed the scum myself." Nightmare Moon spoke boldly before stepping towards us. She was angry, but at the same time fearful. A look of desperation was in her eyes that I had never seen before. "But still... I saw all of you promise. You vowed that you would keep him safe. Tell me. How did this happen?! What possessed all of you to betray him like this?!"
Princess Luna was quick to approach her sister's side and rest a hoof on her shoulder. "Please, calm yourself, sister. This is not any easier for me either..."
Before they could argue, I decided to speak the truth. The princesses of our night and dreams had the right to know. "Discord... I remember him tempt me with the same thing as the last time. But I knew better than to be led astray again. But then he touched my head and... I saw it... A shade of gray coming over me. I felt a familiar wretched greed fill me and... James fond me."
All eyes fell upon me momentarily before Nightmare Moon frowned forlornly. "I see... He corrupted you all directly... There is no way you could have resisted his influence if he sought to win this by any means..."
I was grateful that she understood. Nightmare Moon has always been a very passionate mare and her bond with James has been extremely powerful since the night she was rescued. The situation could have very easily become...heated. Using the levitation spell, I gave his helmet to them. "The Elements of Harmony are still out there in the courtyard, but we at least brought this along."
"Let me see that...!" Princess Luna spoke briskly while she took the helmet from me with her own levitation spell. She seemed to closely examine the Element of Humanity embedded into it. "The Element of Humanity is still whole... He still lives."
I felt my heart rise at this confirmation from the princess herself. We all felt it. I suppose that when the bearer of an Element perishes, the Element that is bound to that person fades as well. Fluttershy then turned her gaze up and asked, "Then... He's going to be all right?"
As if to answer that question, we all turned upon hearing the sound of swinging doors open. Standing before the twin doors to the ER was a surgeon clad in a facemask and a light blue garb. He drew near before lowering his mask. "Are all of you with the human man who was brought in?"
I instantly glanced at the Element of Humanity being held in Princess Luna's magical grasp. It was still there. Purest white without a single crack. It was Pinkie Pie who answered the doctor. "Uh huh! How is he, doc?! Is he OK?! How long until he's back on his feet?! What kind of get well card should we get him?!"
He gazed at all of us, his expression melancholy and even somewhat fearful before he spoke. "I'm not you will be able to get one to him in time. I'm afraid he does not have long to live."
I felt my world all but shatter at those words. We hurt him. Betrayed him. Drove him into the deepest pits of despair and madness. And now he was on the verge of death because of us with no way to save him?! Before any of us could even put together a proper response to those words, Rainbow Dash ran right up to him with tears and wrath in her eyes. "You've gotta be kidding me! What's wrong with him?! Why can't you save him?!"
The doctor took a step back at our friend's outburst, but managed to retain his composure. I too was eager to hear exactly what the condition of our friend was. "The main cause of impending death is mostly from heavy blood loss. But among that we have found several muscle tears, second degree burns on his right arm, a deep gash and tear in what we assume are his intestines, and a concussion to the frontal lobe. I rarely see this many types of injuries on a single patient."
The mention of that last type of injury baffled me. I witnessed the entire battle and James never once endured a blow to that area. Twilight too was quick to notice as well. "Wait... A concussion? That doesn't make any sense. We saw everything and he never took a blow to the head. And even if he did, his helmet would've protected him."
Fluttershy bowed her head near me and turned away. There was something about those words that struck something deep inside her. More tears flowed. There was something she did not want to say. Was it she who gave James a concussion? What happened between them once he found her in such a twisted state? Regardless, I gently embraced her and whispered into her ear to calm her. "Shh... It was not your doing, darling. Do not blame yourself."
The doctor continued to speak to us while we all looked on in silence. And with his words, I began to feel a rising anger. "Well, regardless of how he acquired them, I'm sorry to say that your friend's odds of survival are quite low. In fact, I fear that any attempt to sustain him would ultimately result in failure and a loss of resources..."
It was that last line that caused my blood to boil. Loss of resources... Is this truly how materialistic the ponies of Canterlot are, especially to those from more humble backgrounds?! However, before I could even begin to voice my rage at such a suggestion, I was shocked to see Nightmare Moon beat me to it. She rushed forward, eyes aglow, and shoved Rainbow Dash aside before glaring at the doctor and bellowing in a...echoing voice that sounded vaguely familiar to me while we all looked on in silence and awe.
"How dare thee! Thou wouldst dare to place thy resources before the well-being of thy patient?! That man must live!" She roared at the frightened surgeon as he cowered before her while she brought her wrathful face ever closer to his. "Thou will do everything in thy power to insure our friend survives this ordeal! Do we make ourselves clear?!"
The hall became eerily silent. Such a powerful presence! Even Fluttershy could not help making a quiet input on such an outburst. "Wow... And...I thought Princess Luna was scary when she talked like that..." What do they call that again? The Royal Canterlot Voice?
Regardless, the surgeon cowered before the Princess of Dreams before shakily nodding. "Y... Yes, your highness... But... Even if we try, I... I'm sorry, but I truly do not believe we can save him!"
"Oh, come on, doc! Y'all got some of the best medical know-how in all of Equestria up here! Don't ya have some sorta medical magic ta help patch 'im up?!" Applejack barked out defiantly while we all began to glare at him in anger. Why was he so hesitant in saving James?! Was it more than just resources?
The doctor gathered his fortitude before speaking to us. "The truth of the matter in why it is so difficult to operate on your friend is due to like of insight. We know next to nothing about the human body. We will do what we can, but we are still working in the dark!"
"Then allow us to shed some light on this issue." Princess Celestia said before turning to Princess Luna. "Luna, please retrieve the tome on human anatomy from the sealed documents vault and bring it here."
"The sealed... Ah! Yes, at once!" I knew not of what they were speaking of, but Princess Luna then turned and ran down the hall and out of sight.
Princess Celestia then turned to face the doctor again and spoke to him. "Return to the operating room and do all you can to sustain him until my sister returns. The information she will bring will seem archaic, but it will still prove invaluable to you." The doctor bowed before our princess before turning and heading back through the twin swinging doors.
Nightmare Moon slowly lifted her head while the glow that covered her eyes faded away. It was then that the weight of the situation finally registered with her as she staggered while turning around. "So... It is in their hooves now..."
"Uh... Nightmare Moon? Are you OK?" Pinkie Pie asked while she staggered past us towards her sister.
Almost as if in a haze, Nightmare Moon passed us without even turning to glance at us. Although I did hear her mutter something under her breath. "He can't die... Not now... He has to live..."
When she finally reached her sister, Princess Celestia reached out and caught Nightmare Moon in a tender embrace with her wing. "He will live, sister. He must."
Her words seemed to help Nightmare Moon regain some of her composure before she turned to face us with the Princess of the Dawn speaking to us. "I sincerely apologize for all that has occurred. Even I could not have foreseen Discord doing something this wretched. But rest assured, your friend will survive. I will make certain our hospital staff uses everything at their disposal to save him."
"Thank you..." Twilight spoke softly before bowing and then looking at her again. "Actually... Would it be all right if we stay in Canterlot until they stabilize him? I don't feel...comfortable going home without him..."
"Ditto... I don't wanna go home and find out a few days later that he died while we weren't there for him..." Rainbow Dash added while we all looked on in silence. I too could not bear to leave Canterlot knowing my dear friend's life could come to an end at any time.
The two royal sisters glanced at each other and nodded before Princess Celestia smiled solemnly at us. "Yes. You may all rest within the palace while your friend recovers. Although I feel it may be wise to send word home to make certain your loved ones know that you cannot return just yet. Also... Twilight." She then looked directly at Twilight before speaking further. "I want you and your friends to tell me everything that happened once we are arrive."
"All right... We won't leave out any details." I could see that she was hesitant to speak of what transpired out in the labyrinth. I was too...
While we were on our way down the hall to depart, I overheard Pinkie Pie ask Rainbow Dash about her pet tortoise, Tank. Apparently he is able to get around her home fairly easily and raid the refrigerator when she is gone for extended periods of time. But before we got very far, I turned back when I noticed Fluttershy was not beside me. She was standing before the doors to the ER once more with her back turned to me.
I could not leave her there alone. After making certain that my friends had not noticed, I rushed back to her. "Darling... He is in good hooves now. Canterlot, if nothing else, has some of the most advanced medical magic in the world. Please, have faith in them..."
For a moment, she did not respond. But when she did finally turn to face me, I saw it in her eyes. She was still in utter shock. The tears still poured while she stared blankly at me. "Rarity... If anything happens to him... I..." She then gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes shut as the tears surged forth, her voice being reduced to a truly pathetic squeak. "I'll never be able to forgive myself..."
I too felt my tears fall at those words. I too have harmed our beloved friend. I reached out and held Fluttershy in my arms as she weakly sobbed and shuddered in my grasp. "He will not leave us, Fluttershy... He loves us too much to let go..."
My head hurts... This day has been absolutely wretched. It started out just fine, even if somewhat surreal. And then, in just one afternoon, it has become arguably the worst day of my life... How could this happen... James... My love, if you ever read this, please believe me. We did everything in our power to resist Discord's manipulations, I swear we did! We are still us! We still treasure you as you have cherished us...
Please, darling... You must survive this. Do not leave us now. It has only been a year...
I cannot believe what has occurred... Discord... Dead. The Spirit of Chaos has fallen and at the hands of the dearest friend I have ever had. And it came centuries too late. Like my sister, I too wanted to believe that he could have been saved, but now... We made a mistake, Celestia. We should have destroyed him while he was vulnerable. For now... My dearest friend lies on the verge of death.
I stared out at the ruined courtyard just outside the labyrinth. The place where Discord met his demise. What madness took place out there? The bearers of the Elements of Harmony did indeed reveal to us all they knew that had transpired, including what they did after Discord had once again corrupted them, but what they described when my friend abandoned the search for the Elements and set his sights on Discord...
It is simply unfathomable what they described. My gentle and loving friend...reduced to a murderous psychotic madman? Is that... Is that truly what a human can become when what is most dear to him is stripped away? And with the power he had in his possession in the form of his armor and weapons... It is no small wonder he felt he could challenge Discord and triumph. The wretched state of the courtyard stood as a testament to it.
Nopony stood with me as I wandered the ruined courtyard, the sky dark and gloomy as the rain had finally subsided. So much mud and crumbled earth and stone. Uprooted trees and mass of soaked soil as if they had fallen from the sky. And blood... So much blood splattered here and there. Discord's corpse was nowhere to be seen, having likely already been collected by the royal guard for cremation. I had not seen it, praise the stars... But even so, I found the spot I had unknowingly been searching for. The moment that could have very easily become the spot where my friend would have perished.
Just ahead of a pool of dried blood was what seemed to be a crude painting of six shapes in the form of a circle. And between them rested a small dark red stain. The forms of the shapes... A star, a lightning bolt, a butterfly, an apple, a diamond, and a balloon. The forms of the Elements of Harmony. The forms of...those he holds most dear to him. Some were more crude than the others to the point of being difficult to ascertain, likely due to his hand becoming unsteady from weakness. But still... I knew what it was he was feeling as he lay here...dying...
My eyes became filled with tears as visions flashed through my mind. What had become of him since he had been admitted to Canterlot Royal Hospital? I felt panic set in. I had to see him! With a flap of my wings, I took to the air and soared over the palace before descending into Canterlot itself. I knew where the hospital was and set myself down right before its sliding doors. I burst into the lobby, just barely containing my fear as I approached the receptionist ahead of me. "Excuse me. Where may I find Dr. Flatline?"
The receptionist promptly replied after glancing through something out of sight, "The doctor is currently on a temporary break in the lounge... Uh... Your highness?! Where are you going?! That is for authorized personnel only!"
I continued on regardless of the objections I received. I needed answers. A surgeon best known for reviving patients whose vital signs had ceased, Dr. Flatline had been placed in charge of the operation to save my friend. And sure enough, I found him in the surgeon's lounge with a cup of coffee floating before him. "Hm?! What are... Oh, your highness! What can I do for you?"
"You know full well why I'm here, Flatline." I spoke boldly in both panic and frustration. "Your patient. James. Has he stabilized yet?"
He did not take long to respond at all. "Oh, him. The human. You should know that operations of this severity can take hours, if not days, of constant medical attention. I just had to step away for a short while to relax myself. I have been working on him for... How long ago was I called in? Ten hours?"
"Yes, I know... Just... Well, what has become of him? Is he well? Is he going to survive?" I pleaded while remaining as civil as possible. I was desperate. I needed to know what his ultimate fate would be.
"Do not fear, your highness. I have never lost a patient and I intend to keep it that way. And I must say that the old tome you provided for us, while extremely archaic in appearance, has proven to be very helpful. We have closed the tear in his intestines and have we should begin to address the torn muscles soon. Although treating the burn on his arm has proven tricky due to how expansive it is. We are also having difficulty dealing with his low blood supply, as blood transfusions are impossible. Pony blood is probably incompatible with the human body. To compensate, we are utilizing experimental magic to bolster his bone marrow to produce more at a higher rate." He went on and on about things I could not understand, but remained positive the entire time. His hopes were likely high that the surgery would be successful.
"Good... Good, that is all good to hear. Is there anything else?" I asked once he paused in his explanation.
He spoke once more after a quick gulp of his coffee. "Well... From what I have seen, it would appear that his will to live is very strong. That is certainly proving to be helpful. Do not fear, your highness. I am confident that he will survive this. However... I do have a spot of bad news."
His words both calmed and alarmed me at the same time. Even though I was relieved that my friend would survive this ordeal... What could be so foul that it would bring a frown to the doctor's face? "And... What is the bad news?"
A long sigh escaped his lips before he began to explain. "Your friend was frighteningly close to death when he was brought. His odds of surviving were much lower than the odds of him perishing. His concussion in particular has proven to be more...severe than at first glance. Exactly how much time passed between the moment he sustained that injury and when he was brought in?"
Of course... I had been informed by a tearful Fluttershy that during her encounter with her beloved after Discord had his way with her, she had forcefully kicked my friend squarely in the forehead after his helmet had fallen off. A blow like that could surely result in some from of cerebral trauma. "I know not... All I know is that for an extended time, he went through a very...grueling incident."
Flatline frowned while he bowed his head momentarily. "I would've recommended that he be brought in immediately after that injury was suffered. Whatever he went through afterward has complicated the damage further to the point where we had to place him in what is referred to a 'medically induced' coma to insure successful surgery. As of this moment though, I am very confident he will retain all mental facilities and make a full recovery. Although even once he fully stabilizes, I cannot guarantee when he will awaken. It could be days, weeks, or possibly even months. I'm sorry, but there is really nothing that can heal that part of him aside from time itself. As for the rest of him... Well, it is still too soon to say. He's already gone into cardiac arrest twice and is still in critical condition. As I said, I am confident that we can save him, but... He's just in such bad shape. A lot can still go wrong. You will be the first to know once the worst has passed."
A coma... I felt my heart sink at the sound of that dreaded word. Even if it was necessary to insure that he would return as the man we know, to know that he could very possibly never awaken filled my bowels with a heavy sinking feeling. Discord... How could you do this to him? What could drive you to harm a man like this?!
There really was nothing more I could truly say to that. The only comfort I took from that conversation was the knowledge was that my friend was still holding on. Still, I had best return to my sister and divulge the information I had gained to her. "I see... Well... I trust you will do all you can, Flatline. I must be going..."
The good doctor took another sip of his coffee before he nodded towards me. "Take care, your highness. You will be the first to know if anything changes."
I made my way back towards the hospital's lobby. My mind was so heavy... Even with the doctor's optimism, we were now faced with a new complication. What could I tell the six bearers? That their friend may never awaken? That even if he survives they may never hear his voice again? As an immortal, I know that a lone immortal's lifespan is still a rather long time. And judging by his age... He may have another fifty years ahead of him. Half a century of silence... It... It sounds unbearable...
Before I could even reach the lobby, the sound of an argument reached my ears. One of the voices I recognized right away. Loud, high pitched, and filled with energy. The bearer of the Element of Laughter. Pinkie Pie. "Come on, you gotta let me see him! He's one of my best friends ever and I need to say I'm sorry!"
When I rounded the corner, I found that lively mare looking like she was on the verge of bounding over the desk and onto the receptionist. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Your friend is still in intensive care and must not be disturbed."
I decided to step in and end the argument before the situation could become anymore heated. I stepped forward and rested my hoof upon Pinkie Pie's shoulder. "Calm yourself, friend. I just received word from one of the surgeons. Our friend is still in critical condition, but the doctor is optimistic that he will pull through in the end."
My words seemed to sink in a little too deep. Pinkie Pie slumped to her knees while letting out a loud sigh of relief. "Oooooh my gosh... Thank goodness... I couldn't even sleep last night thinking about him... What else did the doctor say? Anything permanent?"
The doctor's last words echoed through my mind. Our friend is now in a coma, possibly to never awaken again. But... I could not tell her. I knew the truth would be revealed in time, yet... I could not allow myself to be the one to reveal the truth to her. "No... Well... Maybe... I mean... That is all he told me. It is still too soon to say for certain. I'm sorry, I wish they could tell me more."
Fortunately, she believed me. An unsteady smile spread across her lips while she clamored to her feet. "OK... Well... That's good. I'll be sure to tell the girls... I know Fluttershy will feel a bit better... And I need to get some coffee with lots of sugar."
It was a lie. I know I was not being honest with her, but... I could not let her know the truth. From what I understand, Pinkie Pie is desperately dependant on her friends to function. And if she found that her actions had placed one of her dearest friends in a coma for potentially the rest of his life... I dread to know what she would do. I saw her off and began to make my way back to the palace. My sisters would not be pleased with my findings.
I had difficulty locating Nightmare Moon. And even if I did find her... She would not take the news well at all. She loves that man... James, if only you knew what you are worth to my sister. However, I had little trouble finding Celestia. Standing in the throne room with her gaze directed out the window facing the ruined courtyard below. She was alone. And troubled.
"Sister... Are you well?" I tried to approach her gently, not raising any grand questions or topics until I had confirmed that she was well enough to see me. When I drew near, she did indeed turn her head to gaze at me. Those eyes... They seemed haunted. Guilty. And I knew why.
"Why did I allow this to happen, Luna? How could I have been such a fool to think that he could've been saved?" She spoke to me, never blinking once. Such inner pain in those eyes...
I knew what was troubling her. I walked up alongside her and gazed out the window. Beyond the colorful tint, I saw it. The ravaged courtyard still stood in shambles. We had been told of the sheer extant James went to in order to destroy Discord. He disregarded our warnings, unleashing upon him the deadly magical energies of fire, ice, and lightning. He was even doom driven enough to attempt to unleash plasma magic upon him! His madness drove him to wield magic he had not yet perfected... And in the end, he did the impossible. He ended the Spirit of Chaos himself. "Do not blame just yourself, sister. I too shoulder some of the guilt..."
Celestia sighed deeply, doing all she could to hold back the tears. "I just... I could not let him go. I should've known that once that sorrow and madness opened that hole in his heart wide enough to the point that even you and I combined could not fill it... I should've accepted that he was past the point of no return. And now..."
"Sister... I too was hopeful that his heart could be mended in time. But...hope clouded our judgment. He opened his heart too wide, turning his immortality into a curse. At least now... At least he is probably where he always wanted to be at this moment..." That mad fool... Discord, I pray you are where you craved to be at this moment. And that after all that you did, your old friends would be willing to forgive you.
"Yes... I suppose he is... Perhaps... Maybe he saw a way out through James. Perhaps this outcome was what he desired all along. But it's not like we can ask him now..." Celestia said with a sigh before gazing at me with those eyes on the verge of tears. I can still remember those days as well. Since our days as fillies so long ago, he had always been an important part of our lives. A literal lifelong friend. And even now, I too am feeling the pain of loss. Discord... Why did you have to change, you mad fool?
"But aside from that... I heard you visited the hospital today. Is he...?" My sister asked quietly as she gazed at me with a fearful gleam in her eyes.
I was uncertain of where to begin. What should I tell her? Do I start with the good or the bad? "Well... I have both good and ill tidings. Which would you prefer to hear first?"
My sister was hardly surprised. Considering the severity of events that had occurred, a strictly positive outcome would be nothing short of miraculous. "I suppose... Let us begin with the bad news first."
And so it was. I began with the bad news before ending my revelation with the worst news. "Very well... I spoke to Dr. Flatline today. And... Our friend remains in grave physical condition. From what he told me, James has gone into cardiac arrest more than once. However... The worst news is that he is now...comatose."
That look of shock in her eyes as her ears drooped. It was a more severe reaction than I had foreseen. "Comatose... I know that he had suffered a concussion, yet... I... I understand... And the good news?"
"I am sorry to say there is not much to share. The only good news I have is that the tomes of human anatomy we provided the hospital staff has proven invaluable. That, and they are confident that they will be able to save him in the end with no permanent injuries sustained. Of course, that will matter little if he is to never awaken..." There was very little in terms of uplifting information I could share. I wish there was more...
"I see... Then we can only have faith that they will succeed in the end." My sister replied before turning her gaze back to the window. "But even if he does awaken, we may have to..."
I felt a powerful fear grasp my heart. "Sister... You're not truly considering that we..."
My sister gazed at me in both sorrow and grim determination. "You saw it, Luna. Behold the state of the courtyard before you. This is exactly the type of behavior we were seeking to avoid bringing to our world when we chose him over all others."
She was right... The worst humanity has to offer took place just yesterday from the one man we could not have possibly foreseen exhibiting it. We had to carefully select a human from that distant world who was either free of such urges or had the presence of mind to never exert them. But still, I know my friend well. This...was not in his nature. "I know... We must never allow our people to be exposed to it, lest it influence them. We must not allow this side of humanity to taint this world... But still... I know that was not truly James who did all this... And you know it too!"
Celestia gazed at me with a conflicted stare. "I know... And I do not wish to see him go either. This was not by his own will. It was yet another burst of raw chaos brought about by Discord's foolishness. I do not want to consider that our friend could ever choose to become this way through conscious thought. He is above this side of himself... I know it... I want to believe it..."
I suppose it is inevitable. When he... If he ever awakens, we will have to ascertain if he is even capable of becoming like this again. James is my friend. The first friend I ever gained since the day I took up the throne so long ago. He will always be my friend. But if he is doomed to repeat his actions from just yesterday... Will I have the strength to say goodbye if we choose to banish him from this world to preserve our world's purity and way of life?
After a moment more of silence, I gazed at my sister again. She never once blinked while looking out the window at the carnage. "Celestia... Is he dear to you as well?"
My sister glanced at me rather suddenly. I do not believe she was expecting such a question. "Me? Well..." She then turned her gaze back towards the view before us. "To be honest... I...believe so... Our times together have been brief and very few and far between. But in the few times we have been together, it was always...pleasant. And whenever we were alone... I felt something...familiar within him... I believe...I saw some of myself within him, if that makes any sense."
I understood exactly where she was coming from. And I had seen it too. My sister and my friend seem to mirror each other to some degree. A type of natural chemistry. "I've seen it too, Celestia. I see him in you as well. I can understand why he and our sister get along so well. He is closer to the being the sun than the moon."
A tiny smile spread across her lips. A forlorn smile, but still a smile. "I suppose so..."
Night came. My sister lowered the sun while I raised the moon as predictably and smoothly as clockwork. But I could not immediately bring my head to my pillow. I still feared for him. What had become of my friend since when I visited the hospital today? Was he at death's door?
I paced back and forth across my chambers. What could I do? If truly he is in a coma, then he will not be awake to...
It was then it occurred to me. Being in a coma is essentially the equivalent to being unable to awaken from a deep slumber. And where one's dreaming mind slumbers... I can visit.
I felt relief wash over me. Very soon, I would be seeing my friend in person. I prepared my spell to take effect and got myself comfortable in bed. I felt myself becoming heavier as the minutes went by. I was both eager, yet relaxed. And then, like many times before without me knowing when the transition occurred, I drifted from being awake into a dream state.
The dreamscape sprawled out before me like a field of clouds in the night sky. A nexus, if you will. Where I most often first arrive when I do not have a set destination when I prepare to dive into the dreams of others. I tried to feel for his presence among the countless other dreaming minds under the glow of the moon. And soon, I felt it. It felt different from the others... Familiar... Indeed, the dreaming mind of a human.
I felt it form before me. The gateway was set before me. A shifting portal of glimmering mist. And so, I charged through. But when I did... What... Just what happened? Something repelled me. As if I had been shoved backwards by an unseen force.
I saw nothing there as I climbed to my feet. To be repelled? Was it a nightmare? No, even a nightmare could not repel me so thoroughly. Something...or someone must have been trying to keep my out.
"You... I know not who or what you are, but stand aside! My friend needs me!" I roared at whatever it was that stood between me and my dreaming friend. I have occasionally ventured into the dreaming minds of comatose patients in other hospitals, so this was still not a normal experience. Still, it felt awkward and even embarrassing to appear to be yelling at nothing in particular.
Once more, I charged at the misty veil before me. I exerted greater power this time, but I still felt the unknown presence trying to force me out. And then I heard it. Bizarre distorted laughter. It was indecipherable, yet...vaguely familiar. Had I heard it before?
"No... Stand aside, you cretin! Dreams are my domain! James, I know you are in there! I will be there soon!" I called out, exerting as much magical power to struggle through this unseen obstacle. The infernal laughter did not cease. It did not merely sound sinister, but also...mad. Twisted. But I had little time to contemplate this event as mere moments later, I felt myself torn asunder.
I awoke in an instant, the memory hazy as my entire body ached. But I can still remember it at this moment, that brief instant when I felt my body come apart at the seams. What hellish entity could... I could not bypass it. Even my power could not let me enter my friend's dreaming mind. What phenomenon is this?
Still... The only comfort I can take from this is that if his dream was there, he still lives. Perhaps I will attempt it again tomorrow. But for now... I need to sleep off this fading memory. It was so brief, yet felt so real... Just... Please, my friend. Stay alive. I am not ready to lose you...