Darkest Before Dawn - 2

>You spent forever catching up with Jennifer.

>Lots of fun reminiscing, as well as going over your lives since then.

>Laughter and good cheer all around.

>Dash looked a little uncomfortable, what with the not being able to contribute a thing to the conversation.

 

>Pinkie just happened to be in Fillydelphia on business when she overheard talk about a human.

>She went to go follow up and immediately sent word back.

>Dash figured you'd want to know, and she was right.

 

>Turns out, she knows just as little about how she got here as you.

>One minute everything was fine, the next there was a blinding light, and then she woke up here with a splitting headache.

>It took her a while to recover her strength, and she still gets twinges of pain in her skull now and then, but she's settled in well.

 

>You tell yourself to remind yourself to tell Twilight to ask Celestia about humans and other strange creatures.

>You're pretty sure you're going to forget that.

>You're right, because you fall straight back into conversation with Jennifer.

 

>Eventually, you take note of Dash's discomfort and glance out a window to see how dark it's gotten.

>You hastily make plans to meet again soon.

>"I'm ready to leave whenever you are, Dash.  Sorry for taking your whole day."

 

>She waves away your concern.

>"Don't worry about it.  Just hop on."

 

>You gulp, step forward, and close your eyes.

 

-----

 

>You wake up the next morning.

>Your back aches.

>Your shoulders ache more.

>You roll lazily out of bed and stumble to your kitchen.

 

>Nothin' on the agenda today, so you can do whatever.

>Daydreams almost manage to form, but are squashed by the scent of bacon and eggs.

>You apparently started cooking when you weren't even looking!

 

>OH DEAR SWEET BABY JEEBUS HOW DID YOU SURVIVE SO LONG WITHOUT BACON?

>Every meal you eat alone is a REVELATION.

 

>You burst through your front door and stand, legs shoulder-width apart, face stretched into a wide smile, and you breathe in the crisp morning air.

>Today is going to be a good day.

>Hell, it already is.

>A pony walking by smiles and waves cheerfully.

>You lift your hand to wave back, but then double over in pain.

>Your whole torso is in seething pain, each cursed heartbeat sending throbs of agony shooting out from your core.

>The rapidly approaching hoofsteps of the friendly pony are the last thing you hear before you black out.

 

-----

 

>Beeping...

>White light.

>The smell of disinfectant.

>You know these sensations.

 

>You bolt upright, only to have your back answer you with suffering.

>You collapse backwards onto the pale, sterile bed.

>"Hello?" you call out.

 

>You swim through a moment of thick silence.

 

>"...Anon?"

>The voice is coming from the other side of the wall to your left.

>You look over at it.

>It's smooth and featureless.

>So is the rest of this room.

 

>"Jennifer?"

 

>"Yeah, it's me.  Are you okay?"

 

>"Are YOU?"

 

>You hear hoofsteps approaching.

 

>"I think so.  I was just going about my day when I passed out."

 

>You open your mouth to respond, but nothing comes out when Celestia steps into the room.

 

>"Hello Anonymous."

 

>You twist in place, looking for some way to bow.

>You find nothing.

 

>"Please, be at ease.  How are you feeling?"

 

>"Well enough," you offer through a transparently false smile.

 

>"Now now," she says, stepping closer to you, "that won't do.  I know that's not the truth."

 

>You frown and break eye contact.

>"Well ENOUGH.  But, uh... what-"

 

>"Am I doing here?"

 

>You nod dumbly.

 

>"It's... concerning that all the humans who've come here seem to be afflicted with symptoms that have no apparent cause."

 

>"All the humans?"

 

>"Oh?" She quirks an eyebrow.  "Has Twilight not told you?  At last count, there were eleven of you.  Six of them are in this facility right now for recent episodes of intense pain and unconsciousness.  Two more were released a few days ago."

 

>"E-eleven?"

 

>She smiles softly.

>"Why yes.  I think you were... the third to arrive?  Second or third.  The first was about a week before."

 

>You stare at her.

>"And THAT doesn't concern you?"

 

>"It most certainly does.  I've been keeping a close eye on all of you, but nothing much has been amiss.  A benign, if inexplicable, phenomenon.  That is, until now."

>She looks up at the ceiling.  Sortof.

>It's more like she's looking through it.

>Her eyes fall back to you.

>"I find it quite disturbing that such a sudden and mysterious illness has befallen the humans in my kingdom one after the other."

 

>You rub at your shoulder.

>"It isn't totally out of the blue."

 

>"Oh?"

 

>"When I first woke up here, my whole body ached.  As Fluttershy took care of me, everything started to get better, but a few spots kept bothering me.  The pain never totally faded."

 

>"And this pain was... in the same location that hurts now?"

 

>"Uh-huh."

 

>She brings a hoof to her chin.

>"I see.  Well, try to stay rested.  I have many duties to attend to.  Please don't allow yourself to think you aren't important - I will return as time allows."

 

>"How long am I gonna be here?"

 

>She frowns.

>"I couldn't say."

 

>"Oh.  Well, thank you, your majesty."

 

>She smiles and nods before looking out the doorway.

>"You can come in now."

 

>Five of your six best pony friends shove their way into the room and gather around you.

>Applejack gives you a polite nod and a tilt of her hat.

>Pinkie's mouth starts moving and an endless string of words comes falling out that you decide it's easier to ignore than to parse.

>Fluttershy eyes you with concern.

>Twilight is about to speak, but...

 

>Rarity interrupts.

>"Oh Anonymous, are you alright?  I was worried sick when you didn't show up for work yesterday..."

 

>"Yesterday?  Wait, what day is it?"

 

>"Oh nononononono, please don't concern yourself with it.  Take as long as you need to recover, darling."

 

>"No, I mean... the last thing I remember was my Saturday morning breakfast..." Your eyes get a little shifty.  "Cereal."

 

>"Yes, and you didn't show on Tuesday as you were scheduled to!  But again, please do not fret.  I understand."

 

>"So I've been out for DAYS?"

 

>Twilight nudges herself forward next to Rarity.

>"Well, yes.  You were unconscious for somewhere around a hundred hours.  Rainbow Dash carried you here almost immediately, since Fluttershy was out of town."

 

>Fluttershy shrinks back and mumbles quiet apologies.

 

>You look around the room.

>"Hey, where IS Dash?"

 

>Applejack butts in pretty sharply.

>"She'll be here in a minute.  Just had some important business to take care of first."

 

>"A-alright then.  Sorry to worry you all so much."

 

>"You have nothing to Apologize for, Anonymous, but I'm afraid I need to be elsewhere," Celestia says before walking out.

 

>You briefly wonder what those word-like sounds are coming from Pinkie's direction before remembering you've been ignoring her.

 

>"And so THAT'S why I brought you these cupcakes!"

>She smiles and hops, bouncing a tray on her back before grabbing a treat and offering it to you.

 

>"Your cupcakes are always welcome, Pinkie.  You don't need to explain yourself," you say with a smile.

>You take the cupcake in your hand and bite into it.  It tastes cheerful, even though that's not a flavor.

 

>Dash hovers into the room and flaps a few times before landing next to Fluttershy and eyeing you.

>"Sorry I'm late."

>She hesitates.

>"You okay?"

 

>"Mostly."

>Without thinking, you accompany that with a shrug.

>Your shoulders scream at you and you let out a yelp.

 

>Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash both lean in to lend a hoof, but they end up bonking their heads together.

>Dash grins sheepishly and backs off.

>Fluttershy lays a hoof on your shoulder and massages it gently.

>"Try not to move the parts that hurt."

 

>You breathe in...

>...and out.

>"Thanks.  All of you.  It's great to know I have friends who care about me."

 

>Twilight smiles.

>"Well why wouldn't we?  Caring is PART of friendship."

 

>Warm, fuzzy feelings creep up on you.

>They're... nice.

>You even manage to suppress the gag-reflex that all jaded twenty-something males seem to have about feelings and junk.

 

>After dozens of reassurances that you're alright, you convince your friends to get back to their lives.

>They file out of the room, one after another, until only Dash is left.

>She's been quiet.

 

>"What's up?"

 

>She has a weird look on her face.

>"Anon, I want you to know that... that I'm here for you, okay?  Maybe I can't take care of you like Fluttershy or make you clothes like Rarity or sweets like Pinkie.  But I'm still here.  Whatever I CAN do, I will."

 

>You smile awkwardly.

>"Thanks?"

 

>Her smiles quivers a bit, and she turns around, trotting hastily out the door.

 

>"Jennifer?"

 

>There's no response.

 

-----

 

>You're falling.

>You're sweating and flailing and FALLING at a trillion miles an hour through a vast, empty sky toward a solid, unforgiving ground.

>The wind shoots past your ears so fast you can hardly hear yourself think.

>The ground is getting closer...

 

>And then you feel a dull thud as you hit the floor.

>You crack an eye open to find you've fallen out of the bed in a tangle of sheets.

>None of that was real.

>...except the sweating.

 

>You don't feel much pain, so you decide to take a short walk.

>You rise to your feet without much difficulty and shrug off the bedding.

>You're in a hospital gown.  Which, now that you think about it, is a little weird for ponies to make use of what with the near constant nudity.

>Clothing seemed to be more of a status-symbol than a necessity for them, and yet when injured or sick, they cover up with the same flimsy garments people do, providing nothing but protection of one's modesty.

 

>It doesn't matter.

>It seems to be a warm enough night, so you just roll with it.

>You navigate around a few corridors and find an open archway leading out into a courtyard.

>Does the castle have its own medical wing?

 

>The moon is full.

>It's a beautiful night.

>A lone silhouette sits at the edge of a bed of flowers.

>Its head turns and the stars twinkle in Jenifer's eyes.

>You'd almost forgotten how pretty those eyes were.

 

>"You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

 

>"Yeah."

 

>She stares into the sky for a long while.

>"Do you think we'll be here forever?"

 

>"Huh?"

 

>"I mean, why ARE we here?  Do we know if whatever it is is going to last?"

 

>You shake your head.

>"I don't know.  I've just sorta figured that it was a freak accident.  Assumed I'd never go back.  Lightning doesn't usually strike twice."

 

>She pauses.

>"An accident?  You think this is all just a coincidence?"

 

>"What else could it be?"

 

>She gives you a familiar look that you can't quite put your finger on.

>"I think you know."

 

>You're POSITIVE you know what she's referencing, but the memories won't come.

>A conversation, from years and years ago?

>Why would you ever have been talking about ponies or mysterious teleportation?

 

>"And we think thou dost speculate."

 

>Both of you turn to see Luna frowning at you.

 

>"Shouldn't the both of you be at rest?"

 

>Simultaneously, you and Jennifer answer:

>"I was just taking a little walk."

>Then you both blush a little and avert your eyes in opposite directions.

 

>"We recommend that thou retire to bed."

 

>You and Jennifer both mumble a "yeah".

>Luna looks quizically at the two of you.

 

-----

 

>You wake up to renewed pulses of pain.

>They're not crippling, but gosh darn they're trying to be.

>A light, vegetarian breakfast sits in front of you.

>It's... not UNappealing.

>But it's lacking that certain something.

>Something hearty and savory and filling.

>...

>You mean meat.

>You miss stuffing all that meat down your throat.

 

>You take a bite, then reach back to rub at your sore spots.

>Your hand stops when it meets unexpected resistance just below your shoulder blade.

>Your face scrunches in confusion as your other hand travels to the opposite spot.

>There are two large, oddly shaped lumps, an inch or so high, standing out against the skin of your back.

>You tap one of them and wince.

>It's VERY tender.

 

>A shriek from Jennifer's room rattles the wall.