Broken Wings, Chapter 3 - The Difficult Patient

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4CSG5EXQbA
>”LOOK, I DON’T CARE WHAT P0NY SAID WHAT, I WANT OUT OF HERE!”
>You blink as you stop short of Rainbow Dash’s room.
>You glance down at AJ.
>excaliburface.jpg
>You sigh and run a hand through your hair.
>You liked ornery patients better when they couldn’t talk.
>As the two of you enter, two nurses are struggling valiantly to keep one irritated cyan pegasus in bed.
>The fact that they need to restrain Rainbow Dash while she is in traction is….is….
>Well, what is it?
>It’s stupid! Is she nuts?!
>”Now Rainbow Dash..ye’ been through a lot, maybe you should just calm dow-“
>”I’ll be fine just as soon as I get out of this bed! Now let me up!”
>Nurse Steelheart looks at you, her gray mane all frazzled.
>Yeah, you’ve had just about enough of this.
>You clear your throat and walk up to Dash.
>She looks up at you.
>”Oh, hey Anon…I’m a little tied up, but you think you can help a girl out? You work here, right?”
>You get down in Dash’s face, practically nose to snout.
>You’re wearing your serious doctor face.
>Patent pending.
“Rainbow…I’m the one who operated on you. I’ve seen parts of you not even your mother has seen.”
>Dash gulps, trying to not act intimidated. “Y..yeah? So what?”
“So, I spent a lot of time putting your bones back together, which by the way are held together with titanium rods. You have a lung held together with the equivalent of spit and dreams.”
>That has her attention.
“So, if you pop any of my stitchwork or I have to go back inside you because that lung collapses from overexertion while it is healing, I am sewing you back together with fishing line and a hay spike, got it?”
>”Anon, ah’ think she’s got th’point…”
>You sigh and stand up.
>Rainbow doesn’t seem to know if she should be infuriated or frightened.
>You’d bet money that she doesn’t know what a hay spike was, but it would be unpleasant.
>She’d be right.
“AJ, I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”
>”Sure thing, Anon. The rest of the girls should be here soon.”
>Rainbow doesn’t say anything as you leave.
>She also isn’t moving either.
>Clever girl.

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>By the time you wake up, the sun is starting to set outside your window.
>You rub your face as you sit up. You hate it when you fall asleep at your desk.
>You look at the book that served as your pillow.
>The Equitee Review. Specifically, an article on transmittable venereal diseases that affect unicorn horns.
>How riveting.
>You have yet to see a case of Horn Rot, and you’re perfectly keen on keeping it that way.
>You crack your neck as you stand up. Night rotation tonight, lucky you.
>Guess AJ and the others have gone home by now.
>Wait, what’s this?
>There’s a bag lunch on your desk.
>You open it. A bunch of apple-related treats and a note.
>”Have a good night at work, sugarcube.”
>Under the note, is that…lasagna?! It is!
>Such a sweet girl, that AJ.
>You set it aside. You’re going to enjoy the stuffing out of that later.
>Nurse Redheart is there as you exit your office.
>”Good evening doctor. Fell asleep in your office again.”
“Yup.”
>”What was it this time?”
“Horn rot.”
>”Ugh, those are so gross.”
“I hope I never have to find out. Tell me, do I look alright?”
>Redheart wrinkles her snout.
>”You’d do well with a quick shower.”
>She’s right. A quick shower and you feel fabulous.
>By the time you’re done, it’s already dark out.
>Hopefully, another quiet night at P0nyville General.
>As you head towards the nurse’s station, you pass by Rainbow’s room.
>She stares up at the ceiling with a sigh, her forelegs hung high.
>The lamp in the corner bathes the room in a gentle glow. The girls left her all kinds of flowers and get well cards.
>You step inside, checking her chart real quick.
>”Hey, Anon.”
>You set the chart down and sit down next to Dash’s bed.
“Hey Rainbow. Glad to see you’ve stopped giving the nurses a headache.”
>Rainbow blushes a little in embarrassment, but manages a giggle. “Yeah, I guess I’m like that. Don’t care much for hospitals…sorry.”
>You sigh and flash a smirk.
“Well, I can’t say I care for them myself. I can’t stand the smell of disinfectant.”
>”I know, right? And that food! BLECH! Puh-leeze!”
>This elicits a laugh from you.
>Rainbow shares in your laugh before her face falls.
>”Anon…I didn’t want to ask with AJ and the nurses here, but…nop0ny will tell me how…”
“How bad you were?”
>”Yeah…so…how bad was I? When I came in, I mean…”
>You sigh and glance at the rainbow-maned mare.
“Honestly? I thought I was going to lose you. I did there for a minute.”
>Rainbow’s features sunk as she looked down at her chest. “Oh…I see.”
>”So…any chance I’ll be out of here by the weekend? I’ve got this big tryout for the Wonderbolts and…”
“Dash, by this weekend we may know if you’re ever going to fly again.”
>Rainbow gulps and looks at you with eyes full of worry.
>Maybe…your bedside manner could use a little work.
>You squirm a little as an uncomfortable silence settles over the two of you.
>”Thanks…”
>Wait, what?
“Pardon?”
>”Thanks…you know, for saving my life.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOLpL6Muyaw
>Patients thanked you for stuff like that all the time, but…
>This time it seemed different.
>Maybe it was just those magenta eyes catching the lamp light, but, this one seemed more…
>Honest.
“You don’t need to thank me, Rainbow Dash.”
>”Yeah, I do…I mean, yeah, I’m pretty awesome…but I can’t do what you do.”
“Aww stop, yer making me blush.”
>This lifts Rainbow’s spirits a little, drawing out a giggle.
“Well, as awesome as I am, you need your rest. You have a lot of work ahead of you if you’re going to beat this thing and get back in the sky where you belong.”
>Dash nods and looks out the window. The light from the lamp is obscuring any view of the stars out tonight.
>”Yeah…you’re right.”
“Of course I am! I’m a doctor.”
>Dash just snorts with a toothy grin. “Don’t push it.”
>You both share a laugh as you go to get up.
>”Wait…”
>You pause and sit back down.
“What is it, Rainbow?”
>”Anon…can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what do you need?”
>Rainbow folds her ears down, obviously a little embarrassed.
>”Can you…read to me?”
>You deadpan.
“You want a bedtime story?”
>Dash snorts. “WHAT? NO… it’s just…well, usually when I’m laid up, I read to pass the time…kinda hard to do that like this.”
>She motions to her immobilized front hooves.
>Guess that makes more sense.
“Sure, let’s see what we got here…”
>You pick up a book sitting on the side table.
>Daring Do and the Search for Fucks to Give?
>Who writes this drivel?
>Oh well. You crack it open.
“Alright…Chapter one…”
>You get through two before you notice Dash is fast asleep.
>With a grin, you set the book down and tuck her in.
>She’s got a lot of work ahead of her.
>Nurse Redheart finds you as you leave the room.
>”Oh, there you are doctor. Dr. Horse is swamped and is wondering if you can look at the patient in 12.”
“Sure, what’s the diagnosis?”
>”Adult male unicorn, complaining about a case of horn rot.”
>…
>Blast it.