She hurt. It hurt. Everywhere Hurt.

She took in a silent breath and arched forward in pain. It hurt so, so much.

She could barely make out the feeling of scratchy sheets.

She slowly opened her eyes, making the slightest crack, barely noticeable. She quickly closed them when a ray of light, felt like a solid streak of fire.

'What... what happened?' She thought. 'Where am I?'

She moved her hoof again, with much more feeling in it.

'I'm in a bed... with scratchy sheets and a flat mattress.' She sniffed the air and she snorted in disgust. 'Lots of cleaning supplies, latex, rubbing alcohol and... is that jello?'

She slowly opened her eyes, forcing a weak fore-leg over them as the invisible fire raced into her brain, each one shooting needles of burning pain into her head.

She let her eyes get adjusted to the light, just enough to lower her leg. She set it down by her side and looked down at herself.

'I'm still a changeling...' She sighed. 'Now, where am I?'

She looked around. White walls, green curtains, a green bed (with scratchy green sheets), a night stand with a little lamp on it, a wide window and a large curtain on the opposite side.

'All I remember is... chasing the changeling... catching him... and,' Her eyes widened in fear. 'Oh no...'

Her hooves slowly went down and lifted up the hospital gown, exposing her scratched shell. She looked down and saw a large scar, made of small networks of cracks, all of them converging into the center.

She gingerly ran a hoof along it, feeling every small groove and prick of shell that stuck up.

'It really did happen...' She laid her head back down. 'I... did I kill him?' She thought sadly. 'I wanted him to die, yet I couldn't do it. Why?' She asked herself.

She shook the thought out of her head before looking towards the curtain, where she saw a small tray on the nightstand. She picked it up with her magic and drifted it over.

'Water… what is that? Cherry jello? And a small daisy sandwich. They knew just what to get...' She thought as a smile appeared on her muzzle.

She picked up the water and drank it in small sips, savoring the cool liquid going down her dry throat. Next she tried the jello, only to find it too sweet.

'What the?' She stared at it quizzically. ‘They must have changed the sugar level, I'll need to write a complaint report to the hospital.' She shook her head as she set it down. 'Seriously, ponies could get diabetes or worse if they put too much sugar in the food.'

Before picking up the sandwich she paused in thought.

'How does Pinkie not have diabetes?' She asked herself. 'For now, she's just Pinkie. Note to self: Test Pinkie later.'

She picked the small sandwich up, a few petals falling free as she bit into it.

'This is great!' She thought happily as she shoved the rest into her mouth. 'Did they add a new seasoning or anything else to it?'

"I see the food here isn't entirely unbearable." Laughed a figure from behind the curtain.

Twilight nearly choked on it as she looked over.

"Okay, I guess I spoke to soon..." The figure said. "I can see you right now, but barely."

"Um... Who's there?" Twilight asked backing onto the other edge of her bed.

She heard the sound of rubber hitting the floor along with the sound of something sliding. A figure came into view on the curtain, still a shadow but she could tell it was a stallion.

"Just another patient. May I come over? I don't want to walk over while you’re not quite covered as it is. These gowns don't cover anything but our dang chests as it is." He huffed.

"You can come over, if you like." Twilight said sliding down into the covers.

The curtain moved up as the stallion went under. He was a dark brown unicorn stallion, a few red splotches on his sides, a dark grey mane, light green eyes and only three legs. The one missing was replaced by a prosthetic.

"My names Twilight Sparkle." She said lifting a hoof over to him.

"Camo travels." He said taking her hoof.

"So, what are you here for?" She asked sitting up.

"As you can see," He lifted the prosthetic. "I lost a leg." He chuckled as if hearing a joke. "Funny way how it happened though would you like to hear?" He asked smiling, showing off a pair of pearly whites with the slightest hint of yellow at the gums.

"Sure, but I don't see how losing a leg could be funny in any way." She said looking back at it. "But I do like stories."

He smiled before taking in a deep breath and exhaling.

"Well, I was going through the Everfree forest. At night and alone, at the time it seemed like a good idea but when did I ever get a good idea?" He laughed as he sat down. "Well, anyway, I was walking along, tracking a rare species of cockatrice. I found it, and it wasn't happy that I also found its nest."

"W-what species?" Twilight asked wide-eyed.

"Fire rock." He said smiling thinly.

Twilight gasped as she moved back.

"F-Fire rocks are the most aggressive species there is! Why would you want to find one!?" Twilight said surprised he would go after one, alone at night.

"I had too. It got my dog, and you don't mess with a stallion's dog. But anyway, I tracked the thing down to a small cave. I went in, couldn't see a thing, yet I kept going." He paused and then cleared his throat. "I found the thing. It put up a good fight, but I put up a better one."

"W-What do you mean? You lost a leg, so what did you do to it?"

"I took its tail feathers. Plucked each of them as dodged its claws. Unfortunately, when I was making my escape, momma came back and saw her baby. And it's feathers in my mouth."

"Now, I was scared, paralyzed even, and I figured that out when I looked into its eyes."

"Y-You looked into its eyes? How did you get away then? Only the strongest ponies can break away from it, I have a friend that stared down a sub-speciees of cockatrice and won. But a Fire rock... that should be impossible."

"Well, I’m no ordinary stallion." He chuckled. "Luckily, I always had a defect in my eyes so if I moved them at the right angle, what I was looking at sort of went fuzzy. So, I tilted my head to the side and I think I broke its wing and a few ribs as I ran it over."

"Y-You ran over it!? Not even a hydra would do that!"

"Then I guess I'm braver, or more stupid than a hydra, because I mowed that sucker into the dirt." He laughed.

"D-Did it cut off your leg then? As revenge?"

"It came back after I was at the edge of town. I broke its beak, but not before it tore off my leg. Make a snack of me, I'll make sure to put up a good fight." He laughed and wiped away an imaginary tear.

"Did somepony find you then?" She asked, ears perked up in interest.

"No way they did!" He exploded in laughter. "I crawled back to my house. I fixed myself up and then saved my dog." He smiled as he looked back at the nub of a limb. "And then I came here, unfortunately the bandages came off half-way here. My dog had to drag me as I walked over."

Twilight smiled slightly, imagining a dog dragging a full grown stallion to the hospital.

"You sound like a great owner." Twilight said.

"Yeah, not so much when I let her get turned to stone though." He shrugged.

"So, what do you do for a living?" She asked.

"Eh, whatever comes at me. I usually just carry around a little wagon, like the one that Trixie mare carried around. Its home."

"Excuse me, sir. Could you get back into your bed please?"

They turned and saw a nurse looking at them both.

She was white with a black mane tied into a bun, her attire blocking her other feature including her horn.

"Sorry ma’am, just telling her how I ended up here." Camo replied as he trotted back to his bed. "By the way, the new leg fits great, just needs some oil around the joints."

"That's good and what about you? Are you feeling any better Miss Twilight?"

"I woke up hurting all over, my throat was dry and the sun hurt my eyes. But then I got some water, adjusted to the light and had some food. I'm feeling better now, even more so after Camo's story."

"We'll that's nice to hear. Is there anything else I could do for either of you?"

"No thanks, but thank you." Twilight said.

"And you?" The nurse turned to Camo.

"Mind if i can see my dog? Poor girl is probably worried sick about me; I hope Gingersnap is taking good care of her." He looked down. "It's been a bit boring in here."

"I'll see what I can do." The nurse walked out, closing the door quietly.

"Hey, Twilight." He whispered. "You said you liked stories, right?"

"Yes, what about it?" She said.

"See the saddle bags over there in the corner?" He pointed over to a pair of worn saddle bags in the corner nearest to his side of the lamp. "Could you toss them over to me? I don't want the nurse to yell at me again."

"Sure..." She said as she lifted up the saddles and put them into his grip.

"Let's see... I know it's here." He started to rummage through the bags, taking out odd items.

A pair of scissors, an anchor key chain, rope, dog treats, a jar of honey, a scented candle and a small bag of oats before pulling out a worn out book.

He threw it over to her as he started to put the rest back in. She caught it before it hit the sheets.

"What is it?" She asked looking at the small book.

"A book. I thought that was a bit obvious." He smiled.

"I know that. I'm talking about what it is, as in what's in it." She looked back to him and then to the book.

"My life story." He said. "I'm going to settle down after I get out. I heard Ponyville is nice. Plenty of apocalyptic events almost every day."

"It's not every day. Usually just on weekends." Twilight said. "But your life story. Wow..."

"I've been sailing from the seas of the Griffon Empire, walked the frozen tundra to the Crystal Empire, ran for miles through dragon territory and visited the plains of Zebrafica. I've had a lot of adventures. And," He looked at her and smiled. "I want you to have it."

"W-What!? I can’t take this! This is your life!" She said as she passed it back.

He held a hoof out stopping it in the air and nudging it back.

"Listen, that's just paper and ink. I could read that and go to sleep, but why read it when you can relive it at any time? I have them all stored up here." He tapped his head. "And I figured that if something happens to me. I want another to remember me. So, consider it a gift."

"I-I don't know what to say... “ She said as she looked at the book. "But thank you."

"Oh quite that mushy stuff. You'll make me throw up and then the doctors will want to run more tests on me." He laughed again. "So, you know about me. Why are you in here?"

Twilight froze, looked down and she felt tars start to well up in her eyes.

"I-I tried to kill myself..." She cried.

He flinched and slowly got off the bed. He made his way shakily over to her and laid a hoof on her shoulder. He quickly brought her into a hug.

"Now what could force you to try that?" He asked sympathetically.

"I don't want to talk about it... but I remember it. All of it…" She cried into his coat.

"Look at me for a second, right in the eyes. Don't question me, just do it."

She blinked a few times before looking up at him. He stared back, almost glaring before his expression fell.

"By Celestia... I've only seen that look once before..." He hugged her tighter. "I'm so sorry."

"W-What? What look? How did you tell what happened from my eyes?"

"I have more than a talent for blending into my environment. I can read other ponies... and I've only seen that look one other time before." He grimaced. "She was a young mare, beautiful yellow coat, a mane that you would have thought was made of the softest leaves, the gentlest hooves, light green eyes and the most angelic voice you have ever heard." He looked out the window, as if in distant thought. "My mother."

Twilight gasped, and squeezed him tight. She looked at the floor, eyes going side-to-side sporadically.

"Now, my dad loved her... she didn't as much. But she did. He wanted a foal, she didn't. So... he got her and now I'm here. She loved me with all of her heart, he did too. When I was born, she said to him that, 'I had been a fool; a foal is everything I wanted next to you.' And, now I'm here."

"That's... I don't know." She said.

"Forget it." He waved her off.

She broke the hug and let him wobble back to his bed.

"Sir, you have a visitor." The nurse said coming back in.

A white husky came running in. Tail wagging, tongue out and ears up as she jumped onto her owner and repeatedly licked him on the face.

"Eww, you got me in the mouth." He laughed. "Alright, Misty calm down. Daddy's alright. Tis' but a flesh wound."

"Yes, a flesh wound." The nurse smiled rolling her eyes as she trotted out.

"Twilight, this is Misty. The dog I risked my life for." He patted her on the head.

"She seems energetic." She laughed.

"Yeah, she is a hoof full. But, she's worth it."

"You know, I thought she would have started to bark at me." Twilight said.

"Don't know why. Maybe she knows you’re my friend." He smiled as the dog curled up at the foot of the bed.

"Maybe," She looked out of the window at the setting sun. "And it looks like we should be going to sleep too."

"Alright, alright." He chuckled lightly before screwing off his leg and setting it down against the wall. "Good night Twilight."

"Good night Camo." She said as she turned the light off and slipped under the covers.

She soon heard the sound of snoring, but that wasn't what kept her up. It was what he said earlier.

'My mother.' The words echoed throughout her mind.

'How could he talk about it so easily...?' She thought.

"Twilgiht," The snoring stopped. "Some words of advice. When it happened to my mother she said, 'Time is your only friend when faced with darkness.' You just need to move on and not dwell on the past. Otherwise, you might succeed the next time you try and end it all." The snoring began again.

'Don't dwell on the past... move on.' She thought. 'His mother does sound like a wise mare.'

She drifted off into sleep.

Canterlot hospital, four hours later.

'Get off!’ Twilight grunted, fighting to push the changeling away. Her horn finally glowed, emitting a bright beam of lavender light. The beam lanced off of the changeling, bounding away to hit a crystal, causing it to explode. 'What?! Deflected?!' The changeling lowered itself onto her, it’s mouth close to her ear. She heard it whisper softly, even as the knobby, pink shaft of flesh began to rub against her stomach.

'New queen…' It said as the nightmare dissolved.

"Ahh! No! Get off!" She flailed around.

"Twilight! Calm down!" Camo yelled cupping a hoof over her mouth.

"It... it was just a nightmare...?" She looked around. "But it felt so real... because it was."

"Twilight..." He sighed. "You've got to understand. If you beat whoever did it, then they have no power over you anymore. You are stronger."

"But it felt so real..." She cried into her hooves.

"It did happen at one time, but it will never happen again." He put his hooves on her shoulders. "Not if you don't let them."

"I tried before..." She buried her muzzle into his chest. "But it was too strong."

"Only if you let him. I heard you beat the living Tartarus out of him when the guards said he escaped."

"H-How did you know about that?" She looked at him, images of Rarity flashing into her mind.

"The word spread fast when a maid passed by, it spread like wild fire. I swear, no respect for others."

"I... I don't know if I killed him though. That's what I'm also afraid of."

"Ahh, you’re scared that you went lower than him." He nodded as her rubbed her back. "Don't worry, he's still alive. But barely."

"I... I can’t believe I'm even thinking it but, I hope he survives."

"Only time will tell."

"Alright quite that." She smiled before pulling back. "I just noticed you’re not nervous around me, and I'm a changeling. Why?"

"Twilight, I've faced dragons, golems, sea monsters, pirates, angry natives, angry mares, angry colt friends of the mares," She raised an eyebrow at that one. "Even a swarm of angry Phoenix's. And, I just got my leg torn off, atleast four days ago. But that's nothing compared to when I had a small chat with the changelings." He grimaced.

"T-The Changelings?" She said.

"Yeah, their queen is real piece of work. Had me imprisoned in a cocoon, but I refused to sleep, she tried everything from spells to physical trauma. I didn't even blink for that leach."

"Why were you there? Did they catch you or did you just go in?"

"A little of both. I went to talk but ended up almost being food. I went there to put some rumors to rest. Or start an entire case of... rape trails." He scrunched up his nose.

"W-What? Rumors about that?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, there were rumors going around that after the failed invasion, they tried to bring the swarm back up. Only they caught the victims, put them in a room alone with a changeling and-"

"Raped them. Turning them into changeling's themselves." She said hollowly.

"Yeah, how did you know about that?" He looked at with narrowed eyes; not out of suspicion but curiosity.

"I'm... you already know..." She cried again into his chest.

"They were right... the rumors were true." He said darkly. "I had hopped they weren't."

She let go and laid back down into the bed. Crying softly as she stained the pillow.

"Twilight, if you would like. I could sleep with you." He said.

She shot up, cheeks burning and ears splayed back.

"Not that way! Bad choice of words!" He raised his front hooves in defense. "You just look like, like you need some company is all. A friend."

"I'm-I'm not sure..." She stuttered.

"Were both grown ponies here. And were just friends, nothing wrong with two friends sharing a bed?"

"N-No... I guess not." She smiled gently, the blush still on her face as he slid in net to her.

"Excuse me if I snore a little." He said.

"Just tilt your head to the left a little." she said as she laid her head down.

"What?"

"I noticed you lay with your neck at a right angle, try sleeping with it at a left angle."

She felt him nod before laying his head down. Soon, she felt his chest move back and forth slowly.

'Let time heal it...' She thought before going into a deep sleep.