As soon as the three of us arrived at the cyan pegasus’ house, I immediately begin giving Derpy a check-up, using time-tested techniques. Fortunately, Derpy had perked back up during the ‘flight’ over here to Rainbow’s house, so it made it much easier on me in regard to the ‘check-up’. I have Derpy sit in the middle of Rainbow’s living room floor, and I take a seat on the floor as well, facing Derpy, while Rainbow sits patiently nearby, already having agreed to go and fetch anything I may need during the process.

The first thing I do is check Derpy’s heart rate. I place a hoof on one of her forelegs, count the number of ‘pulses’ I feel over a course of 15 seconds -- which Rainbow timed for me -- the result of which I multiply by four to get the number of pulses per minute. I repeat the process two more times -- for consistency reasons -- and get the same result: it’s high, at 128 beats per minute. This is actually a good thing, though; in fact, considering what Derpy had gone through, I would have been more worried if it wasn’t that high.

The next part knew was going to be...interesting. Concussion test. Rainbow was able to find a short piece of PVC pipe that she had for some reason, and gave it to me to use for the test. I look over and find Derpy lost in her thoughts.

“Derpy? ...Derpy?!”

The gray pegasus shakes her head wildly to bring herself back into reality, then looks toward me with a smile.

“Alright. I’m going to have to test if you have a concussion, okay?”

Derpy nods.

“Alright.” I hold up the piece of PVC pipe in front of me with one end, keeping it level to the floor. “I need you to keep your eyes on the tip of this pipe while I move it around okay?”

Derpy frowns at the statement.

“Alright then, how ‘bout a compromise? One eye, but it has to be the same eye, alright?”

This time she grins, and we go through the test, which Derpy does surprisingly well on, able to keep her right eye on the pipe as I moved it in different directions.

After I inform Derpy on how impressed I was with her success on the test -- which, if she indeed had a concussion, would have made her dizzy and fall over -- she immediately turns to Rainbow and says something that surprises me, even though she said it jokingly:

“See? I told you I wasn’t brain damaged!” Derpy rolled her eyes kookily as she said the last two words, causing all of us to laugh hysterically for a good five minutes or so. After that, it was on to the next one.

Now, I checked her for any broken bones, which was absolutely uneventful...until I started to check the gray pegasus’ wings, because that’s when it got awkward...and I still feel that the use of the word ‘awkward’ there is an extreme understatement.

Why? Well...the wings of a pegasus are extremely sensitive (and thankfully so, as it makes possible the subconscious mechanism of the wings reacting accordingly to any change in air pressure, which otherwise could cause a pegasus to literally drop out of the air if the air pressure difference was great enough), especially the base of the wings, which was unfortunately where I had to start, as the closer a wing-injury is to the base, the more serious it is. The awkward part of this, however, was that what I found myself currently doing would under any other circumstance would be considered...foreplay; as Rainbow Dash would put it, “it’s a pegasus thing.”

...to put it much more bluntly...I was essentially feeling Derpy up right now. Oh, the awkwardness of being a ‘medic’, for lack of a better word.

Fortunately for me, though, Derpy didn’t at all mind the awkwardness. Unfortunately for me, however, she seemed to be actually enjoying it a bit too much: the deep crimson blush on her face and her visibly-desperate attempts to not moan made it quite obvious.

Not long after, I heard a familiar noise, one that did not surprise me, considering the circumstances:

Phooompf!

That sound was that of a pegasus’ wings suddenly expanding due to...’excitement’ -- this is another “pegasus thing”, and it’s something more commonly known as a wingboner.

However, what did surprise me was that it did not come from myself (since I was doing this from a medical mindset, I did not get any sort of ‘rush’, and thus, no ‘wingboner’), nor from Derpy, who only had her left wing unfolded, as that was the one I was currently checking. I momentarily paused for the sole purpose of slowly turning my head to look at Rainbow Dash with an eyebrow raised. Both of her wings were fully...’erect’, per say, and she had a blush that was nearly maroon.

“Try not to get too ‘excited’ over there, Dash.” I joked with a smirk, receiving only a few very-nervous chuckles from the mare in question.

I finish checking Derpy’s left wing, which fortunately had no damage, so I moved over to her other side and began checking her right wing. After several minutes, and after Rainbow called dibs on ‘next’, I felt what I was hoping not to feel, only an inch and a half or two above the base of Derpy’s right wing. I admit, at first I wasn’t completely certain if my inkling on what I felt in her wing was correct. However, the kicker was when Derpy went from ‘nearly moaning in pleasure’ to ‘wincing in extreme pain’ at the slightest touch. Furthermore, I didn’t even have to say anything to Rainbow, as the audible deflation of her ‘wingboner’ told me she already knew. After several moments of silence, Rainbow finally breaks it, with a sincere look of worry on her face.

“How...how bad is it?” She gets up and sits next to me and Derpy, who had moved onto my lap, nuzzling her face into my chest, her eyes already welling with tears from the immense pain she was still feeling from that ever-so-slight touch on her now-obviously-injured right wing, which still shocks me that wasn’t hurting her earlier, but I know from her body language -- let alone her constant cringing from the pain -- that it’s physically impossible for her to be faking it...that is, if there was some reason why she would.

It was also clear that Rainbow Dash wasn’t actually expecting any answer to her question. I started to stroke Derpy’s blond mane in an attempt to comfort her in any way I could. Hey eyes started to dry as the pain from that one touch finally seemed to be receding. I decide to answer Rainbow’s question.

“At first...I thought it was a sprain, at most a fracture. I can’t say any more though; not because I don’t know -- because I do -- but because there’s no time. I need you to try to find a way to transport Derpy to the hospital while I wrap her wing to keep it immobile. There’s no way that we could fly her, especially in this condition.” After a moment, I add with a slight smile “And ‘ten seconds flat’ would be preferable.”

Rainbow smirked. “What ever happened to patience?”

“Pain doesn’t wait.”

The cyan mare mutters an expletive under her breath as she realizes that she failed to one-up me.

“I’ll be back.” Rainbow promises as she playfully ruffles Derpy’s mane before starting to leave...until she stops at a dresser, which she opens a drawer of and grabs something from it, which she tosses to me, catching it with my free hoof: it’s a roll of ACE bandage.

“You said you were wrapping her wing, so...”

I smile. "Thanks. You saved me a shirt.”

Rainbow smiles back, then nearly gallops to and through the door, before leaping off the edge of her ‘cloud’ and taking wing.

Almost immediately, Derpy carefully maneuvered herself off of my lap and into a position that would make it easier for me to wrap her wing. As I start to unwrap the package the bandage was in, Derpy decided to speak for the first time in a little while.

“It’s going to hurt more...isn’t it?”

The look that Derpy gave me after she said that was one I want to forget; it was so devestating, that I’m now going to stop talking about it and move on with the story just so I can get my mind off of it.

Fortunately for me, Derpy was able to read a ‘yes’ from my face.

With a sigh, the injured mare added, “Well...let’s get it over with, damn it.”

Knowing her tone was out of sheer desperation, I didn’t even bother to nod, instead complying immediately.

“Could you--” I started to ask, before Derpy read my mind with a sudden opening of her left, healthy wing. “Thank you.” I add, to which Derpy only smiles softly.

I take advantage of some adhesive that was included with the bandage in the package to attach one end of the bandage to Derpy’s coat, on her left side. I start to wrap, carefully maneuvering the bandage under her healthy wing before wrapping over her right wing, about a third of the way from the tip, so that her wing will be relatively stable throughout the rest of the wrapping process.

I check to make sure that the bandage is taught before carefully wrapping her twice more in the same place, so that now her injured wing won’t budge at all. I decided against using some of the adhesive to keep the bandage from unraveling for the lone reason that I was only wrapping her wing for transportation purposes alone; that same reason also applied to why I only wrapped the rest of her wing based upon comfort, as opposed to tightness.

All things considered, the whole ordeal was relatively painless for Derpy, the only exception being the first couple layers on the injured area, the resulting pain from which Derpy coped with extremely well, each time relieving herself of it all at once with a single scream into my shoulder.

Once I had finished, we were surprised to notice that only a total of seven minutes had passed. Not long after, though, Derpy’s mind had already moved on from that thought, as she ask me if I could get her some paper and crayons. To most ponies, that would have seemed like an innocent request, and I would have thought the same...had I not seen her facial expression.

This is a prime example of the extensive capabilities of my ability to read body language. Just one glance at Derpy’s face and I immediately knew that, again, she wouldn’t want me to see what she’d be drawing, possibly writing. I don’t know how I learn these things with a simple glance, but I sure as hell know that I trust it: over the entirety of my life, over thousands of these sorts of circumstances, this ‘body-reading’ of mine has yet to be wrong. I actually trust it more than my conscience.

I find some and give them to Derpy, then walk away and sit down on the ‘porch’ area, still within Derpy’s eyesight. I actually took the time to think about some things, but before I knew it, Derpy walked up next to me, and placed a folded-up piece of paper in my hoof. Clearly, this was what Derpy wanted the paper and crayons for.

“Um...I need you to promise me that you won’t open it until nightfall...and make sure you’re alone.”

I smiled at the thought I had, that if it were anypony else who said that it would seem like it somehow involved drugs and a dark alley. However, since it was Derpy, I gave her my word, and sealed it with a hug. Almost immediately afterwards, Derpy and I watch as a hot-air balloon slowly rises in front of us.

“I’m...guessing that that’s your ride, Derpy.”

“Our ride...”

I turn to look at her, causing her to blush.

“I’d...like it if you were...with me.”

“Well...I was actually going to fly ahead and let them know to expect you...”

“Oh...well...could you at least walk me to the balloon?”

I smile softly. “Of course.”

Derpy and I get up, and we head towards the balloon, finding that Rarity and Twilight are inside it, and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovering outside of it.

“Derpy! We heard what happened! Are you okay?”

Derpy looks at me, then give me a little nuzzle, before heading over towards the basket of the balloon. “I’ll...we’ll talk about it on the way.” She turns back to look at me. “I’ll see you there.”

I smile, then took wing and flew furiously over to the Ponyville Hospital, explaining everything, including my own ‘diagnosis’: a partially shattered bone, with some bone-shards lodged in (or partly-lodged in) the major nerve in the area. I headed back outside to wait for the other ponies to arrive, finding it to already be pitch-black out...as well as the balloon touching down not too far away. I rush over to it, and help Derpy out. After another nuzzle, she waits a moment, before saying, “Go now.”

Knowing what she was referring to, I asked “Are you sure you want me to go no--”

“Yes, I am. Now’s the best time. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. You of all ponies should know that.” the gray pegasus interrupted me, saying the last sentence with a smirk. I nod in agreement, and we part with another nuzzle.

I head over to a nearby park, which is obviously deserted at this time, and I sit on a park bench, which is next to a lamppost. With a deep breath, I open up the paper Derpy gave me.

It was a note.

At the end of that note, I notice that before where is says ‘from’, there is another word that is scribbled out. I wonder what it could have been, but I know that I have no time to dwell on it. I make my way over to Derpy’s house, letting myself with one of the spare spare keys. Upon entering, the first thought to enter my mind does not surprise me at all:

Muffins! Muffins everywhere!

That’s not an understatement, either, and I estimate that at least a third of the entire floor’s surface area has a muffin on it. I shit you not. Trying not to step on any of them -- especially the chocolate ones, which I know are Derpy’s favorite -- I eventually manage to maneuver my way to her bedroom. I immediately head over to her bed, and reach underneath it. Sure enough, there’s a shoebox underneath, which I pull out, and place it on top of her bed. Sitting down next to it, I then move it onto my lap, I take another deep breath, and open it.

Inside...is a drawing. Derpy’s drawing. I recognize it as the very one that she hadn’t wanted me to see...and now I finally get to see why. Unfolding it, I find myself staring at a colored-wax-on-paper versions of Derpy’s deepest feelings.

The drawing itself is a simple one, but the meaning of it is anything but. There are two stick-figure ponies, seemingly...cuddling. Even if Derpy didn’t include the names of them underneath -- which she had -- I would have been able to recognize them immediately, as the key details Derpy had made damn sure of.

They were...us. And Derpy had even included her namesake eyes.

However, the most touching thing about it was what was written underneath it:

I shed a colt-tear as I said out loud, “I know.”