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Description
Catharsis

Cloud Blazer awoke to a ray of sunlight catching his eyes. The stallion began to stretch, and all of the familiar pains began throbbing through him. He let out a satisfying yawn and looked around. Haggard nurses were still at work, but the pace was not so frantic any longer. A calm had settled over the hospital waiting room, which now served as a place for patients of all statuses.

Beside him, Pixyglitter slept soundly. The bright light didn’t affect her to the slightest degree. Her bandaged chest slowly rose and fell with her breaths. The doctors had worked on her late into the night and been able to remove the arrow. They said there could be some permanent discomfort, but that it was more likely for a full recovery eventually. They did indicate that it would be weeks before it would be safe for her to be up and about.

The stallion sat over her, and strange confused feelings worked their way through his heart and mind. It was like a kind of contentment, just to know that she was safe. His outburst at Scootaloo had surprised even himself. His emotions had rapidly turned from a longing to an intense disdain. Even still, the thought of her made him sick, but he didn’t completely understand why. What he did know for certain was that keeping Pixyglitter safe meant more to him right now than anything else. He had once felt that way about another, before...

He shook his head, initiating a fresh spasm of pain from his ribs. Taking a slow breath, he calmed himself. He couldn’t risk feeling for her the way he had for Scootaloo. There was too much at stake.

Pixyglitter stirred, taking a deeper breath that signaled awakening. This caused a cough, and she winced.

Cloud Blazer shushed her, "Just stay still."

She groaned, "I feel terrible."

“You should; you caught an arrow," he said softly. "What were you thinking?"

She smiled; his heart warmed at the sight of it.

"I couldn’t let you have all the fun, now could I?"

Her sense of humor was of great comfort to the stallion.

“I wish you would have.”

She tilted her head, almost as if amused, “I must be the most unlucky pony in Equestria.”

“How do you figure that?”

“I got hit by friendly-fire, twice.”

He shrugged, not as amused as she seemed by the notion, “Maybe you’re more lucky than you think. You survived it twice.”

A nurse, eyes bloodshot and dim approached and grabbed the scrap of paper that was serving as the wounded mare’s chart. It was Nurse Redheart.

"Looks like you’ll live," she said dryly. "How do you feel?"

"It hurts."

"That’s to be expected, but I’m afraid we’re out of pain killers. Just be glad they had antibiotics when they worked on you. As for the pain, you’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it."

"Joy."

”You’re free to go, but don’t put any weight on your right front leg. Don’t try running or flying. One of the unicorn orderlies put a sealing spell on the wound, but it’ll be wearing off in a few hours, so find a place you can rest and stay in bed. Return to have your bandage changed tomorrow morning, or if you experience any severe pain or bleeding. I’m afraid we don’t have any more wheelchairs.”

The nurse left a sling and drug herself away to check on another patient.

"Free to go?" Pixyglitter asked.

"Well, by the look of things, it’s not like they have an actual bed to put you in. Besides that, as bad as your wound is,” he snorted, “You got off lucky compared to a lot of these…“

"I guess that makes sense enough. Any plans for today?"

"Yeah, there’s one last thing to do," Cloud Blazer spoke, and his determination was rekindled. "We have to round up the keys and rescue the princesses."

"Okay,” Her stomach grumbled loudly. "Could we find some food first?"

"One thing at a time. We need to get you moving."

She smiled, slowly rolling off of the row of chairs that had served as her bed. It was actually more of a grimace. She stood on three legs slowly, taking labored breaths. She was sweating.

Cloud Blazer helped her into the sling to hold her right front leg before asking, "Are you alright?"

She nodded slowly. "Peachy," she spoke sarcastically. "I’m not sure how fast I’ll be able to move."

"That’s fine by me. I didn’t feel like running today anyway," he jabbed.

She snorted, then winced from the pain.

"Don’t make me laugh," she frowned, “it hurts too much.”

"I lost your stick. Are you going to be okay without it?"

"Yeah, you walk loudly. Just let me know if there are any obstacles."

"Sure," Cloud Blazer answered.

He was much more at ease now that Pixyglitter was awake and standing. She did look a bit shaky, but she seemed able to move well enough. The pair worked their way through the crowded but quiet waiting room to the exit. There were hundreds of ponies, mostly soldiers that had all kinds of injuries. Many were severe, but most that Cloud Blazer could see looked like they were going to make it.

Outside, life in the city seemed to be a mixture of celebration and hard work. The citizens of Cloudsdale and Ponyville were mingling in an almost chummy sort of way. Soldiers were stationed throughout and patrolling the city. Other civilians were hard at work clearing debris from the buildings that had been damaged so they could effect repairs.

Oddly enough to Cloud Blazer, they didn’t seem phased by the magnitude of what had just happened. It was an incredible battle, probably a turning point in the war, but to the ponies that lived here, it was another day of fixing something that was broken. About half way to Sweet Apple Acres, Pixyglitter felt ill and had to sit down. It took her a few minutes to recover before they could keep going.

In spite of the destruction, much of which was now in neat piled rows, the farm still felt like home, not that Cloud Blazer had ever actually lived here before his injuries. He had, however, spent a great deal of time running around the orchard with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and the other one. The thought of her nearly sent him back into a full rage, so he swallowed the memory and pushed her from his mind. The anger resounded inside despite his attempt to bury it. Fortunately, his mind was able to be filled with other things. Cloud Blazer knocked on the door to the farmhouse.

Description
Catharsis

Cloud Blazer awoke to a ray of sunlight catching his eyes. The stallion began to stretch, and all of the familiar pains began throbbing through him. He let out a satisfying yawn and looked around. Haggard nurses were still at work, but the pace was not so frantic any longer. A calm had settled over the hospital waiting room, which now served as a place for patients of all statuses.

Beside him, Pixyglitter slept soundly. The bright light didn’t affect her to the slightest degree. Her bandaged chest slowly rose and fell with her breaths. The doctors had worked on her late into the night and been able to remove the arrow. They said there could be some permanent discomfort, but that it was more likely for a full recovery eventually. They did indicate that it would be weeks before it would be safe for her to be up and about.

The stallion sat over her, and strange confused feelings worked their way through his heart and mind. It was like a kind of contentment, just to know that she was safe. His outburst at Scootaloo had surprised even himself. His emotions had rapidly turned from a longing to an intense disdain. Even still, the thought of her made him sick, but he didn’t completely understand why. What he did know for certain was that keeping Pixyglitter safe meant more to him right now than anything else. He had once felt that way about another, before...

He shook his head, initiating a fresh spasm of pain from his ribs. Taking a slow breath, he calmed himself. He couldn’t risk feeling for her the way he had for Scootaloo. There was too much at stake.

Pixyglitter stirred, taking a deeper breath that signaled awakening. This caused a cough, and she winced.

Cloud Blazer shushed her, "Just stay still."

She groaned, "I feel terrible."

“You should; you caught an arrow," he said softly. "What were you thinking?"

She smiled; his heart warmed at the sight of it.

"I couldn’t let you have all the fun, now could I?"

Her sense of humor was of great comfort to the stallion.

“I wish you would have.”

She tilted her head, almost as if amused, “I must be the most unlucky pony in Equestria.”

“How do you figure that?”

“I got hit by friendly-fire, twice.”

He shrugged, not as amused as she seemed by the notion, “Maybe you’re more lucky than you think. You survived it twice.”

A nurse, eyes bloodshot and dim approached and grabbed the scrap of paper that was serving as the wounded mare’s chart. It was Nurse Redheart.

"Looks like you’ll live," she said dryly. "How do you feel?"

"It hurts."

"That’s to be expected, but I’m afraid we’re out of pain killers. Just be glad they had antibiotics when they worked on you. As for the pain, you’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it."

"Joy."

”You’re free to go, but don’t put any weight on your right front leg. Don’t try running or flying. One of the unicorn orderlies put a sealing spell on the wound, but it’ll be wearing off in a few hours, so find a place you can rest and stay in bed. Return to have your bandage changed tomorrow morning, or if you experience any severe pain or bleeding. I’m afraid we don’t have any more wheelchairs.”

The nurse left a sling and drug herself away to check on another patient.

"Free to go?" Pixyglitter asked.

"Well, by the look of things, it’s not like they have an actual bed to put you in. Besides that, as bad as your wound is,” he snorted, “You got off lucky compared to a lot of these…“

"I guess that makes sense enough. Any plans for today?"

"Yeah, there’s one last thing to do," Cloud Blazer spoke, and his determination was rekindled. "We have to round up the keys and rescue the princesses."

"Okay,” Her stomach grumbled loudly. "Could we find some food first?"

"One thing at a time. We need to get you moving."

She smiled, slowly rolling off of the row of chairs that had served as her bed. It was actually more of a grimace. She stood on three legs slowly, taking labored breaths. She was sweating.

Cloud Blazer helped her into the sling to hold her right front leg before asking, "Are you alright?"

She nodded slowly. "Peachy," she spoke sarcastically. "I’m not sure how fast I’ll be able to move."

"That’s fine by me. I didn’t feel like running today anyway," he jabbed.

She snorted, then winced from the pain.

"Don’t make me laugh," she frowned, “it hurts too much.”

"I lost your stick. Are you going to be okay without it?"

"Yeah, you walk loudly. Just let me know if there are any obstacles."

"Sure," Cloud Blazer answered.

He was much more at ease now that Pixyglitter was awake and standing. She did look a bit shaky, but she seemed able to move well enough. The pair worked their way through the crowded but quiet waiting room to the exit. There were hundreds of ponies, mostly soldiers that had all kinds of injuries. Many were severe, but most that Cloud Blazer could see looked like they were going to make it.

Outside, life in the city seemed to be a mixture of celebration and hard work. The citizens of Cloudsdale and Ponyville were mingling in an almost chummy sort of way. Soldiers were stationed throughout and patrolling the city. Other civilians were hard at work clearing debris from the buildings that had been damaged so they could effect repairs.

Oddly enough to Cloud Blazer, they didn’t seem phased by the magnitude of what had just happened. It was an incredible battle, probably a turning point in the war, but to the ponies that lived here, it was another day of fixing something that was broken. About half way to Sweet Apple Acres, Pixyglitter felt ill and had to sit down. It took her a few minutes to recover before they could keep going.

In spite of the destruction, much of which was now in neat piled rows, the farm still felt like home, not that Cloud Blazer had ever actually lived here before his injuries. He had, however, spent a great deal of time running around the orchard with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and the other one. The thought of her nearly sent him back into a full rage, so he swallowed the memory and pushed her from his mind. The anger resounded inside despite his attempt to bury it. Fortunately, his mind was able to be filled with other things. Cloud Blazer knocked on the door to the farmhouse.