New Moon (My Little Pony)

25 One Nostalgic Night (1/2)

"Is she going to be okay, doctor?" Bud asked the lab-coated stallion that peered his otoscope into Nebula's ear. Her daughter's body was unusually cold and her consciousness appeared to teeter as she mumbled random words and sounds. Bud held her daughter's body steady as she anxiously awaited for the doctor's response.

As soon as Bud and Celestia saw Nebula's condition at the garden, she was immediately sent to the Canterlot hospital via Celestia's personal royal carriage. The appearance of royal guards at Bud's side alerted the staff to give her daughter immediate attention as she was swiftly taken to a room to be examined. But along with it was the attraction of a crowd of ponies that awed at the small glimpse of Nebula on the carriage.

As Bud held her daughter upon the clinic table, providing as much warmth as she could for her, the doctor opened Nebula's mouth to peer inside. Bud grabbed a nearby tissue the doctor provided to wipe the excessive snot and slobber exuding from her daughter. Some inevitably fell on her hoof, but Bud could care less about her hygiene at the moment.

Once the doctor had finished, he wrote upon a clipboard he floated to him from a desk placed in the corner of the room. "I would like to assume it to be an allergic reaction, however, because I lack experience in thestral biology, I am not confident a simple allergy pill would grant the desired effects."

"Are you saying you can't help her?" Bud asked.

"No ma'am, that's not what I meant. I am capable of concocting a drug specifically for your daughter, however, it will take time. Two days at least. Studying the spores and your daughter's cells will help me and associates find the correct combination to improve her resistance. But for now, all I can do is prescribe a pain reliever to ease her body until we have created the drug. We're also going to have to remove that flower from the Princess's garden. It's quite possible that it is a safety hazard to all ponies."

Celestia had mentioned to Bud that she collected the seeds of that flower from the Ahuizotl jungle on the outskirts of Equestria. She was entranced by its large form and brought it to her castle to gaze upon it in her garden. She said that she never expected it to be harmful since it hasn't aroused any cases before today. Perhaps it is just an allergic reaction, or perhaps no pony had ever got too close to its spores as Nebula. Either way, Celestia intends to remove the flower and send it to a lab of the hospital for testing.

"...okay," Bud sighed as she hoisted her foal between her hoof. Nebula dropped the full weight of her head onto Bud's shoulder after the constant bobbing she persisted through the doctor's examination."I guess I can find a hotel to stay in for a night. I just hope they're not too expensive here in Canterlot."

"What do you mean," the doctor questioned. "You and your foals will be resting at the Princess's castle, right? That is what she told our staff."

"She did?"

"I think it's quite an honor to be a guest of the Princess. There aren't many ponies that are given that kind of hospitality."

"I don't know..." Bud averted her gaze to her daughter. "Won't I be intruding too much on her kindness."

"I frankly believe it is the safest choice in the matter," the doctor said.

"Safest? You say that as if I am endangered?"

"Oh no," the doctor quickly assured. "I didn't mean to scare you. I only say this because of the attention your daughter has attracted from the residents. If you look outside, you can see the paparazzi of ponies trying to make their way to see Nebula."

"P-paparazzi?" Bud was surprised to hear this. She didn't think that things could escalate that far from ponies. The last thing she would want is to be on the papers. Her officials from Manehattan were at least understanding enough to block promotions of her and her foals in the story of the incident at the hospital.