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Someone get me as much anasthetic as you can!

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I don't care how much or what brand! She's plowing through this stuff faster than I can put it in!

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Damnit! She's coming back around! Hold her down! We can't let her escape!

I opened my eyes.

The world I found myself in was a mess of color and light, as if someone had taken a freshly painted canvas and pushed a squeegee across it.

What was-?

The patterns in the color moved and shifted.

I could only stare dumbly as I tried to comprehend what I was seeing.

We need another bag of blood!

What were those voices saying? They were words, but to me they might as well have been gibberish.

A blotch of color, the shape of an open hand passed by.

Here nurse, hold this.

It quickly grabbed something and pulled back.

Hand... What would a hand be doing here?

But slowly, now that I had comprehended the hand, the lights and colors resolved themselves into figures, both Human and Pony, dressed in white.

We're almost out of Pony blood! They're already sending for some more across the portal!

They moved across my vision, simultaneously on fast forward, and slowed down in thick molasses. Blurring across my vision as if I were seeing a few seconds into the past and future.

Damnit! Can't we cauterize this? It'll stop the bleeding!

I didn't even bother to move. Despite the situation I felt... Nothing. Like I was laying on a cloud of numb darkness.

No! The Princess expects it'll fully heal given time!

In fact, I could barely move my eyes. It took all of my will power to cast my gaze to something new. But I swiftly stopped, both because it was just too much effort, and all of the shapes and patterns smeared across themselves again when my eye moved.

Really? This? You Ponies sure are durable...

My vision slowly settled once again.

No, only the Princesses are.

A commotion, just out of sight stirred the blotches and colors.

No we couldn't find it. But we're still looking.

A blob of lavender made its way across, disappearing behind a straight line of beige.

I don't care if she's sedated! I need to see her!

A massive white shape loomed, addressing one of the Humans.

It would be best if-

The white mass shook.

No, I've been waiting for too long. I need to be there!

The Human in the teal scrubs gestured.

Are you sure? It's going to be bloody-

The white blob shook its head again.

I've seen my fair share of blood Doctor. You don't have to worry about me.

The white shaped gently pushed the Human aside and loomed larger in my sight.

The shape resolved into Tia's face, her bright magenta eyes full of gleaming tears. Her mouth, pressed into a gentle, but heartfelt smile.

She looked like a mare who had lost something precious, only to have recently found it again.

Her mouth opened.

Oh Luna... I'm so sorry...

Tears began to overwhelm those deep magenta pools, and she began to sob. Pressing her forehead against mine.

I didn't have the energy to move, reply, or even feel emotion.

I was simply too tired.

All I could do, was watch.

I'm sorry... So sorry...

The large mare blubbered and wept, not caring in the slightest how 'royal' she looked to the others in the room.

But still, I could not react.

Someone could've pressed a gun to my head and I couldn't have moved.

So I had no choice but to let the mare, both strange and familiar at the same time, soak my coat with her tears.

Did I hate her? Did I forgive her?

The only answer I could provide was a blank.

Ok Princess, you have to leave now. We're taking her into surgery.

Tia's face became a blob once more as she pulled back.

I- I understand... Will you be in an operating room with an observation room?

Tia's hoof slide into view, and wiped at the blob that was her face.

Yes. I expect quite a few onlookers will be present, both Pony and Human. If your Doctors are to be believed, this will be the first surgery on an Alicorn in living memory.

Two magenta blobs turned to look at me, before sliding across the white blob and disappearing.

Uh- Yes. Yes it is.

The Human fidgeted with something.

Then I expect observation to be full. I imagine quite a few papers are going to be written, even if we're only removing shell fragments.

A nurse carried something I couldn't decipher into view.

I got as much anesthetic as I could carry!

Another hand reached over and grabbed the thing, before pulling it towards my face.

May I have one more moment?

The blob that was Tia fidgeted nerviously. The hand with the blurry, but colorless thing pulled away.

Make it quick.

The blob that was Tia's face got closer again.

Sleep well Luna... I'll be by your side the whole time...

She leaned over, and for the first time since I woke up, felt something soft press against my temple.

Tia then took a step back, allowing the nurses hand to return, with the colorless blur.

The nurse pressed the blur against my snout.

Mask is on!

Gas her up.

The canvas of blurry color and shapes began to fade away.

It was like someone peeking into your dark bedroom from a bright hallway, looked around briefly, and then left, closing the door behind them.

I couldn't help but feel as if I had been put in a coffin.

Yet strangely... I was ok with that.

I was finally on someone's workbench.

I no longer had any obligations that needed tending to.

I was too broken.

run:self_repair.exe

I felt myself relax as I felt my mind started to stitch itself back together.

Est:Structural Integrity of Psychological Constructs: %2.324

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Est:Structural Integrity of Psychological Constructs: %2.325

... Hoo boy... This was going to take awhile...

Whew!
That was a trip!
Anyway, thank you all for reading!
It's been along journey, but this isn't the end!
Yes, I am currently writing not only a sequel, but a sidefic as well!
While I don't know when those are going to be released, I'm taking the night off to stream some old school Dawn of War for a few hours in my discord server (https://discord.gg/RVvqpuGaRa) to celebrate the completion of "By the Moon"!
Come stop on by!
I may be answering questions and dropping a few previews for what the future holds.