Warforged in Equestria : Recovery

> And wait you did.
> You do not know how much time actually passed as you waited, you only knew of a few routine events.
> The first event that occurred was the arrival of Captain Shining Armor.
> He had shown up out of his uniform.
> You had moved to excuse yourself to give him time with his sister.
> He had said it was fine if you stayed.
> He said he had been told what had happened and was grateful to you for saving her.
> You didn't tell him that she was injured because you had failed to confirm the destruction of the undead.
> A simple and stupid oversight.
> He hadn't really said anything else during his visit, he had just sat in sorrow filled silence with his wounded sister.

> The next visitors had been her parents.
> Her mother, a mare with an off gray coat and layered white and light purple hair.
> Her father, a stallion with light blue fur and a dark blue mane.
> This time when you excused yourself they had made no objection.
> You made your way to the reception area and waited.
> After a few hours the two left the hospital.
> Both had thanked you for saving Twilight.
> You only felt worse when they did.
> You made your way back to the room and waited inside.

> Not long after, a group of ponies arrived to see Twilight.
> Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity.
> This time instead of moving to excuse yourself Applejack had outright told you to leave saying.
> "Ah didn't come tah visit a murderer"
> This had outraged the others, save Fluttershy who was to scared to voice an opinion.
> You had simply told them not to worry and to tell you when they were leaving.
> You headed down to the reception area once again and waited.
> Applejack was the first one to leave.
> She had glared at you and simply walked out the door.
> Not long after she left, Fluttershy had come down with Rarity.
> The two had told you that you were more than welcome to head back up and had made it a point of apologizing for Applejacks cruel words.
> Funny how you hadn't found them cruel at all.
> You knew exactly what you were made for.
> You also knew that you had killed without remorse.
> You had always had a reason to kill, something to justify the action but a justifiable homicide is still homicide.
> Someone who committed homicide was still a murderer
> That just makes you a murderer by any other name, and you honestly didn't care.

> You had gone back up to the room regardless.
> When you had gotten in everyone had apologized to you again.
> You had told them they didn't need to.
> They had asked you about what had happened, saying that they had only been given vague deatils.
> They also asked what happened to you and why a quarter of you was missing.
> Both Rainbow Dash and yourself had kept your word, neither of you saying anything.
> Eventually they had dropped the subject and moved on to small talk.
> Reminiscing about adventures past and grand deeds.
> It turns out the six of them are national heroes of sorts.
> That explains the stained glass windows in Canterlot.
> After Fluttershy had left, they had even asked you about your days as an adventurer.
> You had told them about a few of your more mundane exploits without going into true detail.
> They had stood in rapt attention as they listened to you weave tales of heroism.
> You made sure to leave out the less child friendly bits.
> They didn't need to hear how many skulls you caved in to save one or two people.
> Probably would have taken away from the "heroic" feeling.
> As you finish another tale a calm silence falls on the room.
> Rarity takes this moment to notice the fact that you're missing your cloak.
> This put you in a small bind.
> You wanted to explain to her what happened, but also didn't want to break your word to Celestia.
> In the end you had simply stated that "It was a necessary sacrifice."
> She had tried to pry for an answer, even going as far as outright pouting.
> You had apologized every time she asked and she eventually dropped it.

> They had each left in turn shortly after, Rainbow Dash being the last to go.
> Over time a sort of routine started.
> The doctors would come in in the morning and evening to move Twilight, bathe her, change out an IV bag and recast the regeneration spell.
> Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie would come in everyday and stay for hours at a time.
> Pinkie Pie would often run ideas past you for a get well party for Twilight when she got out.
> Her constant enthusiasm had really helped brighten your mood.
> Rainbow Dash had shared the same enthusiasm, stating repeatedly that Twilight may have been a bit of a nerd, but she was still a "bad-flank" when it came down to it.
> You had no idea what that was supposed to mean when she first said it.
> It took you a while to figure it out.
> Rarity and Fluttershy almost always showed up together and usually at the same time.
> You had figured that was coincidence at first, then you caught the way Fluttershy always seemed to gravitate towards the furthest point from you in the room.
> You had questioned Rarity about that in private and found out that Fluttershy was uncomfortable around you.
> To the point where she could not actually stay in the same room with you alone.
> Suffice to say that you left the room immediately after hearing that.
> You had taken the opportunity to discuss the situation with the doctor.
> He had given you some basic information regarding Twilights condition.
> The gist of it was that she was in a magically induced coma until her wounds were healed enough that she would not be in uncontrollable pain.
> Which according to the doctor should take between two to three weeks.

> You had used that time to head back to the funeral home and recover your missing weapon and plating.
> When you arrived you found the building under heavy guard.
> They had been told you would likely be around to recover some things and escorted you into the basement.
> There are glowing lights set up and chalk lines on the ground in various places.
> Oddly enough the blood and ichor splattered throughout the room are still wet.
> So is the puddle of vomit by the entrance.
> You check to confirm...
> Yep, the stuff on the ceiling is as well.
> Your plates are sitting either where you left them, or in the case of the ones that scored killing blows, left on the ground where the corpses were.
> You start pulling the ones that missed from there resting places.
> It takes you a firm tug to displace them from the walls.
> And the ceiling in the case of one critical failure.
> You place the plates in your bag of holding and retrieve your maul from the corner you left it in.
> You give it a quick swing and the remains of the undead fly off and leave your signature weapon surprisingly clean.
> They also leave a guard very much the opposite.
> To his credit, he doesn't even flinch.
> You apologize and are on your way.
> Your maul over your shoulder you march down the streets back towards the hospital.

> Oddly enough along the way, two humans appeared out of seemingly thin air.
> One, a plain looking man who's only exceptional features were a top-hat and massive pair of boots.
> The other, a slightly older looking man wearing woodsman clothing and wielding a bow.
> A note appears in your hand which you promptly read.
> - Take from those vague descriptions what you will, they aren't my characters.
> - Love the author.
> The note explodes in a small fireball and the ashes disappear.
> You and the two men introduce yourselves to each other.
> Apparently they are some form of inter dimensional travelers, looking for a friend of theirs named "Lyra Heartstrings"
> You tell them you have never met anyone by that name and they thank you before moving to get on their way.
> A though crosses your mind.
> You ask them if they would be able to find you a book written in your native language.
> They agree and are on their way.
> You decide that it is likely in the best interest of everyone that you not mention them to anyone.
> The rest of the walk is uneventful.
> You leave your maul outside in a bush and re-enter the hospital.

> The rest of your stay is, for the most part uneventful.
> Routine visits from those she was close to.
> Her friends visited daily.
> A few visits from family.
> Even a visit from Celestia and Luna at one point.
> All this was on top of regular check-ups, cleaning, spell casting and evaluation by the doctors.
> Through it all you simply stood there.
> The waiting was making you anxious, but you knew that forced idleness would take months to actually drive you insane.
> You had kept track of time by counting the amount of times Rainbow Dash had visited, since she seemed to have the most consistent timing.
> Earlier today she had visited for the sixteenth time.
> She had stuck around a lot longer than usual, saying she "Had a good feeling about today."
> In the end she had only left disappointed.
> The hour had once again grown late as you waited in the hospital.
> As always your gaze remained fixed on the machines attached to Twilight.
> Most of your idle time was spent simply trying to figure out what the machines did.

> For the first time since her arrival, Twilight stirs slightly.
> You think nothing of it at first.
> Then she groans slightly.
> You slowly approach the bed and wait.
> Without further warning her eyes snap open.
> She takes one look at you and lets out a terrified scream before recoiling and nearly falling off the bed.
> She pulls the bedsheet up to the barrel of her chest and clutches it with her fore hooves, panting heavily and wide eyed while she looks at you.
> After a moment she calms down.
> "Anonymous?"
> You nod.
> Now she looks a little angry.
> She shouts at you.
> "STOP DOING THAT!"
> Once again you find yourself wishing you could smirk.
"Doing what?"
> "You know what I mean!"
> She attempts to throw a pillow at you but stops when it catches on one of the wires connected to her.
> Only then does she realize that something is out of place.
> She looks around the room quickly before looking at you with a raised eyebrow.
> "Anonymous... Why are we in the hospital?"
> You point at her bandaged shoulder.
> She tries to turn her head to look where you pointed but it appears to be a blind spot for her.
> You make note of that.

"Twilight, what is the last thing you remember."
> With a perfect deadpan she replies.
> "You, scaring me senseless as soon as I woke up."
> You would chuckle if not for the seriousness of the question.
> She takes your lack of response as reason enough to actually consider the question.
> She lays back down on the bed and rub her chin with a hoof while looking at the ceiling.
> Apparently p0nies like looking at ceilings while they think.
> "I remember walking to the funeral home... Going inside and having the door close behind us, then the stairs, then the smell and the..."
> She trails off and stares ahead like she's looking right through you.
> The thousand yard stare.
> She snaps out of it on her own...
> By going into dry heaves.
> You figure it's safe to assume she won't actually vomit, having eaten nothing for at least a week and a half.
> You walk over and push a little red button that is supposed to call a nurse.
> Twilight stops dry heaving and just looks to be in pain now.
> Her eyes are bloodshot and you can tell she started crying at some point while attempting to puke.
> This was exactly what you were afraid of.
"Twilight, are you al..."
> She chokes out a response before you finish the question.
> "No... Oh sweet Celestia no I'm not okay... There was a... It was..."
> She looks likes like she is about to start heaving again so you raise a hand.
"Twilight stop. I was there you don't need to..."
> She droops her head and whispers something that you can't quiet hear clearly.
> You ask her to repeat herself.
> "I killed a pony..."
> You try to comfort her the best way you can.
> With cold and calculated logic.
"To be fair, it was not really a pony."

> The nurse enters the room before you can continue.
> "Oh good you're awake."
> She turns to you.
> "Could you please excuse us for a moment sir."
> You look to Twilight.
> She nods reluctantly.
"I will be in the reception are when you are finished"
> With that you walk out the door and make your way to the designated are.
> You can't kick the image of Twilight from your head.
> You just keep thinking about how she looked at you when the nurse asked you to leave.
> Like she had both wanted to to stay around and never wanted to see you again.
> You could not blame her for being conflicted.
> You would respect whatever choice she made.

> When she made it, for now you wait.