Two weeks. That was about how long it had been. Noctilucent had adjusted to his new routine and was even starting to look forward to each new day when it happened, even though a lingering sense of depression dwelled within the depths of his mind. Wake up. Shower. Either wait for breakfast or assist with breakfast. Try to contain patience to see Quirky in the mornings. Gauge Quirky’s mood for the day. Help clean up after breakfast. Mind foals during bath time. Play with the little foals and cuddle with them during the larger foal’s school time. Eat a light lunch. Listen to Sassafras’ and Arroyo’s lesson. Nap. Speak with Dr. Lethe. Have dinner. Mind foals during the evening playtime. And, if all went well, spend a little precious time with Quirky at the diner.
Sassafras and Arroyo had both showed signs of promise with their lessons. Sassafras played the banjo more and more, being a naturally good plucker, and her skill was becoming evident. Arroyo, who often seemed to have trouble expressing any sort of creativity had an honest knack for playing the bass. The little pink unicorn was an entirely different creature when plinking away on the bass guitar. He was clever. He was creative. He was focused. Arroyo had found something he was truly gifted at, other than making dust devils. The musical chemistry between him and Sassafras was a wonder to behold, and the two were becoming fast friends, each lesson bringing them closer together. Bloo Tick dismissed the notion of friendship and called them ‘bandmates’ instead, which he said was far more powerful and important.
The situation between Noctilucent and Quirky was something that Noctilucent simply did not understand. There had been quite a number of dates so far. There had been no further attempt at kissing. There had been a few hugs, Quirky occasionally nuzzled him, but even their budding relationship had fallen into a quiet well established routine with little deviation. Noctilucent had finally been exposed to what others had seen; depressed and despondent Quirky. Noctilucent patiently waited through these spells, and Quirky did the same for him when he fell into one of his funks. Sometimes the dates in the diner passed near wordlessly, as words simply seemed to get in the way or felt useless. Shady Patch frequently joined them both.
The new foal remained nameless, but Noctilucent wasn’t too concerned. One would come in time, even if it took a little while. Good things were worth waiting for. The new foal and Shortbread Cookie were well bonded and close as real siblings. If you took one away from the other, both would begin to cry. The lunar pegasus foal was a creature that you didn’t want crying. She would use her echolocation to make the most awful heart rending racket, and the sound was enough to tear apart your heart and make your ears bleed.
Today was different though. Today was the day that the routine changed.
It was a lazy feeling mid morning. Noctilucent sat nesting in a big pile of cushions, looking after his foals, keeping them content and happy as Holly schooled the foals for the day. Shortbread Cookie was extra-squirmy and the lunar pegasus foal was extra cranky. Noctilucent couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps he and Quirky would share these foals together in a more permanent sense. Noctilucent dared to hope that they would. Dr. Lethe had told him to hope for things he wanted and then to work hard to make them happen, and that he had to find a balance in the middle.
Noctilucent found that even with her mood swings and sudden shifts, he wanted Quirky. And so, he had begun to hope and to work towards that end.
Noctilucent raised his gaze and looked at Lethe, who was sitting with Holly, helping to teach today’s lesson, which was about self esteem and self image. Noctilucent only half listened, having heard plenty about self esteem and self image already from Dr. Lethe.
The lunar pegasus foal began to make shrill squeals and then clicking while she looked up at Noctilucent. The solar pegasus understood what this behaviour was… this was a special form of imprinting according to Lethe. The little foal was busy trying to establish Noctilucent’s profile in echolocation, because lunar pegasi saw as much with sound as they did their slashed pupil eyes. Noctilucent made little clicking noises with his own tongue to encourage her.
There was a knock at the door, which interrupted the class. Noctilucent rose from his nest, made sure the foals were secure on the cushions, and then went to door. He climbed the stairs, hit the latch, and pushed the door open, letting the horrible heat of the day into the building.
One slightly cooked mailpony stood at the door and set down a large package. “One parcel for a Noctilucent here. No other mail today,” the mailpony announced before taking off.
Noctilucent picked up the package in his teeth and headed down the stairs, glad to be back in the cool. He strode quietly across the room and returned to his nest, was very careful not to step on a foal, and with a contented sigh, settled himself back down among his brood, making an audible grunt of pleasure as he did so. Once on the cushions, he began to try to work the package open.
It took a few tugs but he finally broke the string. Then the brown paper came off. He ripped off a small tab that secured the cardboard flap, and then pulled the flap open. Inside were a lot of papers.
He slid them out.
At the top was a promissory note of financial assistance, stamped with Princess Luna’s royal seal and signed with Princess Luna’s own signature. Well, there would be no hiding it, she knew what he was up to now. Noctilucent sighed. A part of him wanted to surprise her, to show her that he was working hard to achieve his own salvation. That particular hope had been dashed upon the rocks. It was okay though, as Noctilucent took a bit of comfort in knowing that Princess Luna was truly looking after him.
The next sheet of paper was an acceptance letter, stating that he had been enrolled into the University of Las Pegasus’ long distance education program. It was signed by a bunch of names that Noctilucent did not recognise. The next sheet of paper explained what would happen next. Lessons would begin arriving by mail, that he would need to collect books from the library, and that soon, he would meet his assigned long distance proctor that would watch over him while he took tests and would be available to him if he had questions or needed help.
The third sheet of paper was an outline of all of his classes, which were many. He was going to be at this for a couple of years by the looks of things. Not that he cared.
He absentmindedly smooched a foal, he was too busy staring at the papers to tell which one.
The rest of the papers were all student information, details about what sort of grades he needed to maintain to keep his financial aid, schedules and how much work was expected done by various calendar markers, and a great deal of assorted information.
Noctilucent slid the papers back into the box and sat feeling very pleased with himself. He felt oddly bubbly inside, as though he wanted to jump up and run around the room, which made him feel very foalish.
The second disturbance came when Princess Luna showed up unannounced just after lunch, collected Noctilucent, stuffed him into a chariot that stood waiting in the noonday sun, and then took off. Noctilucent wasn’t so upset about being taken for a ride, but he was upset about leaving his foals. He spent the ride grumbling while Princess Luna tried to make him smile and congratulated him on his wise move to attend university.
There was a quick flight to Las Pegasus, where Gate Crasher landed the chariot on top of a tall hospital building and then all three of them went indoors.
The waiting room was cool and air conditioned. Noctilucent fidgeted in his seat, bored, and slightly annoyed by Princess Luna’s near constant attention.
“I hear you and Quirky are getting close,” Princess Luna said with a teasing smile. “When are you going to work up the courage to ask her to go steady?” the alicorn asked in a nettlesome tone.
Noctilucent did not reply, but he did turn his head and stare at the wall.
“She is a marvelously pretty pony, isn’t she? If I hadn’t saved you, you would have never met her, and she would have never met you, and that would have been tragic,” Princess Luna stated in a very serious voice.
Noctilucent turned and regarded Princess Luna with narrowed eyes.
“Tragic because you would have died a virgin and Quirky would have missed out on all those golden opportunities to razz you,” Princess Luna quipped.
Noctilucent rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh of annoyance.
“Do you have feelings for her?” Princess Luna inquired, now serious again. “Do you love her?”
Noctilucent immediately felt a surge of panic, knowing about the agreement between him and Princess Luna about not taking away anything he loved. “Why do you want to know?” Noctilucent asked in a strangled worried voice.
“Be calm you silly flighty pegasus, there is no cause for alarm. I just wanted to know how you felt about her,” Princess Luna reassured.
“I feel something,” Noctilucent admitted. “Something I’ve never felt before. The closest I’ve ever felt to what I feel now is with Merriweather, or the filly I tried to give the Hearts and Hooves Day card to.”
“Feeling something is good,” Princess Luna praised. “Continue to feel it and draw strength from it.”
“I want to share my foals with her,” Noctilucent confessed.
“That is serious,” Princess Luna stated.
“Don’t tease! Not about this!” Noctilucent demanded.
“I wasn’t teasing,” Princess Luna replied. “Not about this. I just know how you feel about those foals. You’ve rebuilt your entire existence around both of them, and the others as well, just as I had hoped that you would. To want Quirky to share in that is a desire to have Quirky share in your hopes and dreams. Your very existence.”
“You are nopony until somepony loves you,” Gate Crasher grunted gutturally, not looking up from his magazine, which he held in his grasping digits on each central wing knuckle.
“You have a right to be happy, keep hoping and keep dreaming. Make a grand sweeping gesture of love,” Princess Luna said.
“What if I am rejected? I can’t face that again!” Noctilucent whined, old memories now flooding his mind.
“What if you let slip a once in a lifetime chance to be happy?” Princess Luna asked, her eyes narrowed and her ears forward. “I personally think that you are more afraid of Quirky saying ‘yes’ than you are of rejection.”
Noctilucent glowered at the Princess and his nostrils flared.
“I think I struck a nerve,” Princess Luna announced when she saw Noctilucent’s expression. “Easy to see why Quirky loves to tease you. You are attractive when you are flustered.”
“This way please, “ a nurse called.
Noctilucent shot a final glare at Princess Luna and then left to follow the nurse, his ears folded back against his skull.
Princess Luna sat with Noctilucent and looked at the x-rays. The metal pins were highly visible, the wire mesh that secured his wing gave off a glowing signature, and the bone stood out in in sharp contrast to the soft tissue.
“Things are healing well,” the doctor said. “We should be able to remove the wire mesh soon, maybe a few more weeks, and then begin physical therapy. You should be warned though. No matter how well things heal, you are always going to have a weak place in your wing, right there in your ball and socket joint. The metal pins will help keep things secure, but your wing will never be strong again.” The doctor studied Noctilucent and waited for a response.
Noctilucent did not respond. He laid on the examination table saying nothing, staring at the x-rays, his face completely devoid of expression.
“Noctilucent?” Princess Luna inquired in a gentle whisper.
“I refuse to accept that,” Noctilucent said.
Princess Luna winced and the doctor heaved out a low groan.
“I’ll be fine. It will just mean more hard work,” Noctilucent argued. “Dr. Lethe says anything is possible with hard work.”
“Hard work will help,” the doctor agreed. “No pegasus ever wants to accept bad news about a wing injury.”
“It is only bad news if there is something to actually worry about,” Noctilucent protested. “And this isn’t anything to worry about. It just means I have to push my self a little harder and work through it. It will be fine. What do you know anyway, you’re just some unicorn. You don’t know what pegasi are capable of.”
Princess Luna looked away from the x-ray and her ears fell to the sides of her face. She wanted to tell Noctilucent what he needed to hear, but she no longer had the heart and she knew that Noctilucent wouldn’t listen to her anyway. Not now. Maybe not ever. She expected denial at some point, and here it was.
“Why are both of you behaving like that? What, you think I can’t do it?” Noctilucent snarled.
Princess Luna carefully made her expression go blank. “I am sure that you will work very hard for your own recovery,” she said, her voice now flat and emotionless.
Noctilucent fell silent and glared at the x-rays.
Princess Luna knew it was going to be a long ride home.
Ah, and the next step begins.
You seem to have goofed with the coding, it's all italics after about a third.
4500480
Ugh. Fixed.
It's no big deal. Everyone knows pegasi wings are made of balsa wood anyway. That's why they are always breaking.
.....I suspect that because of the damage to his wing, he wont be able to fly.
Yes?
No?
which one?
A ride full of ackward silences, that just sucks. I hope somepony yells at somepony in all honesty. Just Scream and Shout and Let it all out! Thats the best solution. That and three tons of ice cream!
I don't want to be rude about this, and honestly I could care less if you did or not especially since I've never read anything else you've written yet, also if it's just this story in particular that this happens. Also I Don't know if there is a back story to this story or any other story you've written and I'm stoll very deeply enthralled into the progression of this story. Anyway getting back on topic, I just wanted to know if you had an editor because I'm starting to notice a trend of minor errors in your writing. If you don't and you just purely re-read everything on you own that's O.K. but as a editor in training kinda, and a beginning author it's just a pet peeve when I see the occasional not capped "I". Its probably just me as its not a major error at least. anyway I just wanted to ask but as I have mentioned I really like this story and read it when I can .
P.S. I didn't put any specific line in here since I was just observing and asking a question so if you want to see anything I saw in particular I could but other than that I am just curious
4500675
**kicks editor in the ass**
I told you so!
Ouch! **rubs ass**
I don't have an editor. I don't think an editor could keep up with my pacing. I usually fix things after the fact if somebody posts the error, I'll fix it.
Or try to.
I manage to get most of my mistakes. A few always slip through.
metpi......... this is a world where there is now a species of citrus based amphibians running around. likely they have supernatural methods to help the healing process. I mean rainbow dash got up after what, three days of bed rest from a wing fracture? either that was magic or ponies have a certain level of healing factor which would still apply.
I think you may have missed one little
there...
While we never saw the original version, rewriting this chapter seems to have done it a fair bit of good. It's pretty smooth (and somewhat more believable) compared to many of the others.
Gauge
"through these spells"?
A new word has been added to my already massive vocabulary. Thank you.
Damn you! Now that song is playing in my head.
Ya know, I can totally see Quirky being the dominant one in their relationship.
By softening the blow you of course mean putting Noctilucent in denial so that when the truth finally does hit him, it hits harder. Not gonna envy him the following chapters.
Gauge*
"Sorry about the delay. This chapter was mostly done yesterday, but I slept on it overnight and then reworked about half of it this morning."
You cereal? You worry about delay? Many authors would do some crazy stuff in order to have the ability you have in writing! The speed you manage to pump stuff out; you're loaded with good ideas, and you communicate with the reader quite well. When I first noticed how fast you were putting stuff out there and the quality it was in. Well.... I thought I was hallucinating or it was fricken Ragnarok. You sir, don't need to worry about disappointing to many of your readers at your current state. You haven't disappointed me yet and I'm sure that accounts for plenty of others.
So just....
fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/115/9/e/hang_in_there_by_viwrastupr-d7fxn7l.jpg
Quirky, the foals, university, physical therapy...Noctilucent has a long hard road ahead of him. I just hope he hasn't bitten off more than he can chew.
4500924 I'm mostly worried about the emotional side of the physical therapy. As the first part of the chapter's stated, he's gotten a rhythm going on most of his stuff, and the education work has him excited as all hell. But he seems kind of in denial about the wing thing--not entirely his fault, if I'm reading between the lines correctly. But it still seems to be the biggest issue of the next few chapters.
4500578
>Just Scream and Shout and Let it all out!
nopony loves me...
I like this story but why does it always make me feel terrible about myself when I'm done reading?
4501024
Noctilucent is still a non entity more or less in Gate Crasher's eyes.
Gate Crasher is of course dropping helpful hints.
4501865
>Nopony until somepony loves him
>Luna loves him
>
4502023
Luna loves him because she loves everypony.
Gate Crasher is more concerned about the sort of love that you EARN. The kind you suffer and stick your neck out for.
Well, at least it goes to show that if Noctilucent can fuck up his wing so bad he might never be able to fly as well, that he could totally do it to someone else. And frankly, I want to see that.
Waiting for when Gate Crasher calls him a non-entity for Noctilucent to simply say how it doesn't matter nor does he care what Gate Crasher thinks of him, for he has those who consider him so much more than just an 'entity'.
4501865 When I said "nopony loves me" I wasn't referring to Noctilucent...
The things in this story make me think about my own life and I end up feeling terrible
Delay?
Something this good is normally a chapter a month, no need to worry about delay, we're not going anywhere
I concur with the other comments about wings and injuries and Rainbow Dash. Either Rainbow Dash is extraordinarily sturdy, she didn't cause herself nearly as much injury as Noctilucent (despite multiple, regular injuries), or you have done an iffy job of explaining to us how Noctilucent's injury was so severe. I mean, there was that bit, well done if I may so, about him breaking his wing beforehand to prevent the possibility of instinct saving him., but the end of this chapter still comes across as a surprise. Also, it seems odd that, despite having all kinds of crazy magic, ponies still do surgery and use metal pins...
4502028
Well, you know there is this thing called unconditional love that causes people to suffer and stick their necks out for other people. Of course, that's pretty rare.
4503418
I am taking a slightly more realistic approach to injury.
It is relevant and useful to the story.
4501024 i don't suppose a hug would help?
Here we are, yet another good chapter. As for Nocti, he will fly again, after all he has to teach the new foal how to fly.
4503435
Err, okay. Although the point was, at least in part, that realistic for Equestria and realistic for Earth aren't necessarily the same. I'll take your word on that. It'd be pretty sad though if he couldn't fly at all anymore. Although that might explain why even Luna seems to be pushing him towards Quirky.
4503978
4504378 *hug*
4504385
So does it mean he simply can't fly as well as he used to or not fly at all? If the former, than fine, it sucks, but it's fine; but if the latter, that would be heartbreaking.
4504433 three sad pinkies?
You need more hugs. Here. Have another hug. *hugs*
It is a shame, if only somepony would have been there to stop the said injury. Well I am sure that somepony is feeling bad about it so it is fine.
I think I know what makes me so mad at Luna in this story (is a good story, you do not get mad at characters in bad stories) she acts as if she is a god and lays claims to other peoples lives at her own arbitrary choice. She values _potential_ ponies have and best way to maximize it is to let them almost crash and then be re-shaped by her. If wings a re injured? It is only a physical injury he can be so much more. Freedom stolen? He can be so much more.
What does anything small like that matter really if she can read their pretty little mortal brain and determine what you want them to be and then proceed to shape them, what you cannot directly manipulate you can manipulate by proxy by forcing others to act as you wish them to act.
This is all normal for a god to do, and I do not remember either of the sisters claiming not to be one in this story. And if Luna would do so he has nothing to stand on while she does it.
All hail Luna, the Goddess of Mind.