>You groan at the dull feeling of pain in your bones.
>Wait, pain?
>Your eyes shoot open, and you immidiately close them again, wincing as you do so.
>That bloody sun...
>You slowly open your eyes, gazing over the room's venue.
>Well, it's white, which explains the glaringly bright surroundings.
>You appear to be on a bed made of...metal?
>You would have preffered to be on a nice stone slab, but you aren't complaining.
>Especially not after facing that beast.
>If it can even be called that.
>It's more like a construct, or a treant.
>Regardless, it's time to get up.
>You attempt to roll to your side and push yourself up...
>But stop, because of the teeth-grindingly painful feeling of bending battered ribs.
>You slowly return yourself to laying down on your back.
>You settle for looking around the room, to see if there's anything else.
>Multiple diagrams are placed on the wall, detailing various parts of the body of the 'Ponies' you've seen before.
>On the wall, there seems to be a weird black and white drawing of a ribcage.
>Why would anyone draw what one looks like in that color scheme?
>One would have terrible difficulty distinguishing parts, you assume.
>You shift around in your bed, not much movement being allowed because of your ribs.
>Although, it appears you are in a room for healing.
>You guess that the ponies brought you here after the fight.
>Having another quick glance around the room, you don't see any potions for promoting healing.
>What kind of healer's room doesn't have any elixirs?
>And how is the metal on this bed so smooth, and not an edge?
>Your mind starts to hurt from all of these strange items.
>Better not be a wizard messing with your mind again.
>Relaxing into your bed, you find that you can still bring up your hands.
>Manuevering them into a position that promotes flow of spirit, you fall into a meditative trance, allowing your Ki to coax your tissues into regenerating.
>Your eyes slowly drift shut once again, as you envision the gardens of your youth, where you spent many hours by the Pool of Mirrors.
>...
>"What do you mean, his ribs are almost healed?"
>You tense your brows as the voice, which you identify as female, shouts loudly.
>"I-I don't know why, Redheart!"
>You hear the clip-clop of hooves approaching the bed.
>"No, it can't be! Somepony's ribcage wouldn't just heal that quickly!"
>"But look! They're solid!"
>You feel a hoof press into your side.
>...
>"I'll be damned, they are! How is this possible..."
>The hoof continues to poke into your side.
>You grunt.
"Lass, would ye be so kind as to stop doing that?"
>You hear the pony stumble backwards.
>"W-What the-!?"
>You sit up in the bed, yawning.
"And a good mornin' to ye too, lass."
>You open your eyes, and rub the sleep-sand out of them.
>It appears that sometime during your meditation, you fell asleep.
>It was welcome though.
>"There's no way you could heal that fast! You shouldn't even be awake right now!"
>You turn to the ponies in the room.
>Once again, they appear to be mares.
>Why are there so many mares?
>You haven't seen one stallion, yet.
>Looking at one of them, you note she is a soft shade of white, with a pink mane done up in a bun.
>She also has a little cap on her head that has a red plus sign on it.
>That's pretty damn cute.
>Her mark, at least that's what you're calling it for now, appears to be another red plus with a light pink circle around it.
>The other one-
>You catch a glimpse of her hoof as she runs out the door.
>Well.
>In the time of your observations, the pony is still looking at you with a curious expression.
>"How...did you...?"
>You blink.
"Pure will alone, lass."
>She blinks, and starts to chuckle.
>"If that's what you call magic, then I suppose it is. Although, it still is amazing how you could do that."
>You frown.
"It ain't 'magic', lass."
>She starts to debate that point, but you don't pay any mind as you hop out of bed.
>...
>It's markedly colder.
>You look to the unicorn, who seems to be preoccupied with staring at you, mouth slighly open with a slight blush on her face.
"Whassa matter, lass? I'm just a dorf."
>She snaps out of it, shaking her head back and forth, before covering her eyes with a hoof.
>"...you're not dressed."
>You frown, and look down at yourself.
>And are greeted with the sight of your chest, and your lower half.
>Huh.
>...
>Oh Kols, no.
>You hop back onto the bed, and cover yourself with the sheets.
"Sorry, lass!"
>Why didn't you check to see if you had your robes on?!
>"N-no, it's alright. You just...forgot..."
>She trails off, her blush gradually deepening.
>You don't notice it though, still trying to get over the fact that you exposed yourself to a horse.
>She shakes her head once more, seeming to have cleared the image out of her head.
>"W-well, the ponies that brought you in requested to be notified when you were awake...would you want me to do that?"
>You debate for a moment, glad to have your mind off of what you just did.
>"Hmm...sure, lass. Go ahead and get them, if ye'd be kind enough."
>She nods, and smiles good-naturedly.
>"Alright then, I'll go and do that for you."
>She turns, and trots out the door.
>You didn't notice that her tail was raised slightly.
>...
>[Redheart Perspective]
>You trot down the halls, rushing to your office.
>You're glad that he bought that excuse.
>You don't know what you would've done if he kept you there.
>Why of all times did you have to have your heat now?
>You had already used your vacation days, so you were totally screwed from staying home.
>You open the door to your office, and close it behind you.
>Trotting over to your desk, you take a few ragged breaths.
>It was foolish of you to think that you would be okay to go to work, what with the extremely low population of stallions in Ponyville.
>But, once again, fate decided to screw you over.
>Which is exactly what you would have done to that poor stallion...
>But he isn't a stallion...
>He appears to look like a minotaur, but he called himself a...'dwarf'.
>Maybe they're an offshoot of minotaurs?
>You've heard things about them...
>What they can do with their hands, their strange, yet erotic positions they can get a pony into...
>And best of all, is their stamina!
>They can last a whole five minutes!
>You shiver, thinking of how that would feel.
>You wish that you could get with a stallion right now...
>Maybe...
>Maybe the 'dwarf' wouldn't mind-
>You slap yourself with a hoof, head jerking to the side with the force.
>You whisper to yourself.
"Bad Redheart, thinking of sleeping with patients. That's how one of your friends got fired, you know? You need this job..."
>You continue to mutter to yourself, and jump when you hear a knock on your door.
>"Erm, Miss Redheart? There's some ponies here to see the new patient..."
>Wait, there are?
>There are!
>Now you aren't lying when you said you were going to get them!
"Alright, I'll be out in a moment!"
>You hear the clip-clop of hooves trotting off.
>Sighing heavily, you set about making yourself decent, before going off to get the ponies one of the other nurses told you about.
>...
[Anon Perspective]
>Kols, why is that damned pony taking so long?
>It's been 15 minutes, you would think that-
>"SURPRISE!"
>Your heart almost leaps out of your chest as the bundle of pink jumps out of the flowerpot next to you.
"Gah, Kols, don't do that to me!"
>You take a couple deep breaths as your heart races.
>She sheepishly smiles.
>"...Sorry..."
>The rest of the group you met before trots in with the nurse.
>You briefly recall that one of the other ponies, whom you didn't get a glimpse of, referred to her as Redheart.
>How fitting.
>You return your attentions to the high-strung pony next to you.
"It's alright lass. Just dinnae do it anymore."
>She returns to her bouncy self, jumping over to the other ponies.
>Twilight seems to confused at your good health, standing out from the other ones who are merely glad you are well.
>You wave to them.
"How are all of ye doin'?"
>They each respond in their own way.
>You scan over the group one more time.
>The rainbow one is missing.
"Erm, lasses, where is Rainbow?"
>They shift around, looking confused.
>'Redheart' speaks up.
>"She's currently in another room, recovering from a bruised ribcage. She was hurt, but nowhere near as much as you were."
>You let out an imperceptible sigh.
>You're glad she's alright.
>Twilight clears her throat, and begins to speak.
>"Well, it appears that we owe you our thanks. Not many ponies survive an encounter with a Timberwolf Alpha and live!"
>She seems awful cheery.
>Fluttershy sniffles a little.
>"T-that poor deer..."
>Rarity pats her on the back with a hoof to try to soothe her.
>"It's alright, darling."
>Something is still biting at you, though.
>There's still someone missing.
>Oh...
"Where are the three wee lasses?"
>Applejack turns to you.
>"Alla them were grounded fer runnin' off into the Everfree. Wish we coulda done more then give 'em a talkin' to, but we're glad they're alright."
>You nod your head, though you were slightly confused.
>Grounded?
>All that comes to mind is being planted into the ground, like a stone.
>Or a tree, but you feel better to think of stones.
>You're a dwarf, alright.
>Twilight turns to Redheart.
>"When is Anon going to be able to leave?"
>The other ponies crane their heads to look at Redheart for the answer.
>She kicks a hoof in thought, before responding.
>"Well, we were going to have to keep him here for three weeks for his ribs to heal, but he looks well enough to be here for only one."
>The other ponies smile, and Pinkie hops in place with glee.
>'How is she even able to do that?'
>They all walk up to you, and sit by your bed.
>Once again, Twilight begins to talk.
>"So, since you're here, would you like us to visit during the week?"
>You pause.
>You could either have them visit, and have some company while you heal, or...
>You couldn't, and be starved for conversation.
"Sure, lass."
>I was an easy descision, really.
>She looks at you with an excited grin, and levitates a quill and parchment next to her.
>"So, I was thinking that I could ask some more questions..."
>Oh Kols why.
>...
>You can't take it.
>She never runs out of questions.
>The worst part is, the others joined in too.
>You look over to the nurse, silently begging for help.
>She chuckles silently to herself, and begins to talk.
>"So, do any of you want to go check on Miss Dash?"
>They all turn to Redheart, blinking.
>...
>"WE FORGOT ABOUT HER!"
>Redheart waves to another pony in the hall.
>"Would you mind taking these ponies to a patient by the name of Rainbow Dash? The room should be just down the hall."
>You don't hear the response, but you assume it's positive, as the group of ponies files out.
>Only the nurse remains now.
>She shifts awkwardly.
>"Do you need anything?"
>You shrug.
"Besides rest, I don't think so-"
>*gurgle-gurgle*
>Huh.
"Scratch that, methinks I need food, heh."
>She chuckles, and trots up to you.
>"Do you mind if I feel your ribs again, before I get some food for you? I can't very well take an X-Ray because I'm not a unicorn."
>You don't know what an 'X-Ray' is, but you think she wants to get a feel of which of your ribs are broken.
"Aye, ye can lass."
>She nods, and takes a hoof and starts feeling your side.
>You feel a dull, muted sensation of pain.
>She continues up and down your side, feeling in various places.
>Eventually, she pokes too hard at a sensitive rib.
>You wince, sitting upright, and grab her hoof.
>She freezes up as you do so, and you push her hoof away from you.
"I think ye found a sensitive spot there, lass."
>She slowly nods, eyes fixed on your hand, face lighting up with a blush.
"Could ye be so kind as to get food for me, now?"
>Once again she nods, still staring at your hand that's holding her hoof.
>You release it, and she returns it to the floor.
>"I-I'll go and get it. Just wait for a bit, alright?"
>You grunt, and lay back down.
>She turns to trot out of the room, hooves making little sounds as she walks out.
>You're too absorbed in ignoring the pain to notice the subtle sway she has in her hips.
>...
[Redheart Perspective]
>You trot out of the room, and close the door.
>You sit down heavily, and lean against the wall.
>Dear Celestia, those...paws, or whatever he calls them...
>They felt so GOOD on your hoof!
>You sigh, the warm breath tickling your chest.
>If you could have only one moment with him alone...
>You slap yourself, the pain taking your mind off of rutting.
>What is wrong with you?
>You need to put the patient's needs before your own!
>You stand up onto your hooves, and start to trot to the kitchen.
>Having no vacation days sucks...
[Anon Perspective]
>You sit in your room for a while, before Redheart returns with dinner.
>It looks pretty good, actually.
>While you eat, you share a small conversation with Redheart.
>After eating your dinner, she takes the tray on the trolley she brought, and says to press the button next to you if you need anything.
>You nod as she explains, then turns to trot out of the room.
>Laying down, you hear her mutter to herself about another lonely night with her hoof.
>Puzzled, you start to think about why it would be so.
>Body parts aren't very good for conversation, so why would it be that?
>You eventually decide to give up on thinking about it.
>Once or twice you use the button, and a pony comes in to attend to your needs.
>It's useful.
>After about a couple hours, you feel your eyes start to sag.
>You pull up the covers, and close your eyes, beginning the descent to the realm of dreams.