Ribbon.... is that you...?

Forcing my eyes open, I discovered I was in a hospital room, with Ribbon, undisguised, slumped onto the edge of my bed, crying. Looking at my forehoof, I noticed both it and Ribbon where costet in a crystalline sheen, making the tears on Ribbons cheeks all the more sad.

"...Ribbon...?" Simply saying that one word sent a tsunami of pain crashing down on me, my body spasming from it, sending further aftershocks through my being.

Ribbon slowly looked up, and when she looked into my eyes, her tears of sorrow, became tears of joy. "CHI! You're awake!"

I smile sadly. -It hurts too much to talk... And do you really think such a minor setback like that would keep me from you?-

"I would hope not. Just hold on, Dr. Feelgood will be back with a sedative."

-I'm not sure if it was the blood loss, but right before I passed out, I thought I heard Maria, telling me 'it was not yet my time'...-

"No, I heard it too. I thought it was you, in the link you can make your voice sound like anything." She tilts her head, puzzled. "But who's, Jack?"

-The name I went by before I was 'relocated and reconfigured' by the Nightmare.-

"So that wasn't you then?"

-No, it sounded like... Maria...-

The door swung in, and gray crystal pony wearing a labcoat walks in, carrying a syringe. After measuring the right amount, he injects some kind of sedative into my bloodstream, and I negen to drift off...

When I wake up again, the pain had lessened slightly, and I could overhear Ribbon talking to someone.

"She's only ever gotten truly angry when I've been hurt, and trust me, when she does get angry, it feels like all warmth has left the room, until shes right on top of you, and spewing dragonfire down your back!" That would be Ribbon.

"That, is both heartwarming and rather concerning... she's more protective of you then a dragon is of its hoard..." opening my eyes, I discover the other voice was Cadences.

I groan. I hurt in places I didn't even know, or WANT to know, I had. "So how long have I been out for?"

"A day now. How do you feel?" Like I was dumped in flaming acid.

"Better than before, that's for sure." I notice that Cadence isn't freaking out. "So I see Cadence isn't irrationally afraid of you anymore."

"Yea, she came by before and apologised." Thats sweet, but now isn't really the time for chit-chat, oh who am I kidding.

"So, Cadance, how is the Empire running now that Mr. Ugly is gone?" She gives me a smile at that.

"Better, ponies are starting to remember who they once were. And I don't have to keep the shield up." Ribbon seems to smile at that as well.

"Either of you two got any idea how long i'll be stuck here for? I took one hell of a beating after all." Cadence raised a hoof.

"You were stabbed several times, You're not leaving in just a week, you could be here for awhile." Shit, and I thought that sucked for Rainbow. Hello karma, I believe we've met before?

"I can at least wander around, right?" Ribbon suddenly gets an idea.

"I'll ask the doctor when you can be up and walking." She gets up and heads out in search of him.

After Ribbon walks out, I voice my confusion. "Other then the doctor, I haven't seen a single pony, are they really that terrified of me?"

"You mean Twilight and her friends? they're just busy helping the crystal ponies get their lives back."

"I ment the crystal ponies."

"Oh. maybe they are. Red eyes are rare and and your wings leathery, darker coat, fangs..." yeah, I get it, I look demonic. It was about this time that I heard hoofsteps echoing down the hallway.

"Mommy, she's nicer than you think! She kept going after everything the bad pony did to her, to keep him from hurting her friend!" No bloody way! Its that filly from when I was limping towards the castle. When the small brown filly walks in, dragging a gray, full grown mare behind her, I couldn't help but chuckle. "See mommy? Princess Cadence is with her, so she can't be bad!" The mare gives an audible sigh of relief. "Hi Princess Cadence! Hi, ummm..." The filly finally realizes she never asked my name.

"Chitsuki, or you can just call me Chi if thats to hard to pronounce . But anyway, what's your name, you adorable ball of fluff?" She gives me a huge smile at that, and her mother smiles slightly as well.

"Its Prism, Miss Chi! And my mommys Diamond Dust!" I can feel Prism's infectious smile spreading to me and Cadences face's.

I notice Ribbon walking in, and freezing when she notices the crystal ponies. I point to her, "Prism, Diamond Dust, meet my friend, Tattered Ribbon." The two crystal ponies spun around, Diamond Dust jumping back in fright, while Prism walked up to Ribbon and poked at her legs.

"Miss Ribbon? Why are you hooves cheese?"

"Hehehe, My hooves aren't made of cheese, my hooves just look like that." I watch as Diamond Dust gets her breathing under control.

"Okay, just WHAT are you?" The way she phrased that pissed me off enough to give her back the middle... shit, I've got hooves, can't flip people off anymore... letting my hoof drop back to the bed, I settled for glaring at the back of her head, when I feels my eyes subtly shift, and the room darkens slightly.

"She's my friend, and I would appreciate it if you didn't disrespect her." Diamond Dust turns to give me some kind of snappy comeback, but reels back in fright. Ribbon shuffles a bit nervously.

"I-i think that angriest I've ever seen you." Well yeah, the angriest you've SEEN me. Slowly tilting my head around, I gaze into my reflection on the crystal wall. My irises had narrowed to needle thin slits, and with my eyes being red, it looked intimidating as all hell.

"Wow, I do look angry..." forcing myself to relax, I watch as my irises return to their default width, and the room returns to normal levels of brightness. Turning to face Ribbon and co, I notice Cadence slowly shaking her head. "Sorry about that, I get extremely protective of Ribbon..."

Diamond Dust makes an audible gulping noise. "I-it's okay..." Kuso! I frightened her pretty badly...

Ribbon turns to Cadence, confused. "Crystal ponies don't know about changelings?"

"No, Changelings were a myth until now. It makes sense they wouldn't know."

Cadence shakes her head. "I think we should leave now, Ribbon and Chitsuki deserve so time to themselves." Her and the two crystal ponies file out of the room, before shutting the door behind them.

"So, uh Jack? I thought you were just insane. Now I'm thinking I should know how far this goes." Ohhh boy, this is going to be awkward to the Nth degree. Thank god I already explained the multiverse theory to her.

"At this point, I'm starting to wonder if it was more than just chance that brought me here, and gave me this form... but anyway, I wasn't always what you see before you, I was once an average human male-" Ribbon winced at that. "-named Jack, who after serving in the military, retired to a beach home, and planned on spending the rest of his days with Maria... until..." my èyes started to tear. "Until..." get ahold of yourself, dammit! I take several deep breaths, calming my nerves. "Until we were the victims of a robbery gone wrong. When the police showed up, they took Maria hostage... The cops tried to breach the door... and... and... I wasn't fast enough to save her Ribbon! I failed her! And it's haunted me ever since..." I finally break down into tears, unable the stand the anguish from recalling that event.

Ribbon leans in and hugs me, slowly patting my back. "Its alright, let it out..."

"I was useless Ribbon, Useless! I failed her! Why cou-" Ribbon grabs my head and pull me up to her face.

"Shut up and kiss me..." and kiss we did. It was the most amazing feeling...

*POMF* we quickly disengage, and turn to see Celestia, blushing and wings sticking out straight, in the doorway.

"You have bad timing." I snicker.

-I think she's doing it on purpose.-

'Maybe she's jealous? I don't think she's ever had anypony.' Ouch! Thats a lot of unresolved sexual tension!

"So, Celly, what brings you here?"

"The Empire is being recognized as part of Equestria, so I'm here to sign some papers and thought I would see how you're doing. I heard how badly you were hurt." Seems legit. But then again, I avoid politics like the plague.

"Heh, you should see what left of the other guy.... if there is anything left..."

"Supposedly, there was, but we've yet to find it." Greaaaaat, so he'll more than likely be back, and have a score to settle with me and Ribbon...

I give Celestia a 'you don't say!?' Look. "Considering how crazily prepared he was, i wouldn't be surprised if he had a way to resurrect himself if he died."

"Let us hope not." She turns to leave before pausing. "Oh, and uh if you want, I'll put up a sound proofing when I leave." I nod. Celestia closes the door after herself. That troll.

"So, you never did tell me when I'd be able to leave this bed."

Ribbon is currently blushing a brilliant emerald at the implications of what Celestia said. "You should be up in a few days, but you're here for a month at least."

I yawn, just staying awake had taken a lot of energy. "Night Ribbon..." before falling asleep