"Nngh... w-what happened?"

For the longest time, all that Arpeggio could see was blackness and all he could feel was pain. Pain encompassing his head, and excruciating pain in his chest; it felt like there was an oppressive pressure constantly on it. The pegasus could make out a faint beeping sound, but what was it?

'Nngh... my head... everything's so fuzzy...' He slowly began to open his eyes, immediately closing them with a barely-audible grunt as a bright light nearly blinded him. 'W-Where am I?' He slowly opened his eyes again, glancing around. 'I-Is this the hospital?! Why the hell am I here?!' Then the memories started to return to him. He remembered getting pummeled by Thunderclap... then a loud crack... coughing up blood, then... blacking out.

He tried to say something, but no noise came out. It was then, to his horror, he realized that his jaw was currently wired shut. He also noticed the 'cast' of sorts on his snout and his cheek felt heavier. He noticed a tube below him, wondering where that lead to... then, with some horror, realized it was inserted into his chest cavity. 'Stars above... what all happened to me?' A quick glance at his left foreleg noted that there were several IVs inserted into him. '...This is terrifying...'

Jack woke up for the day, and picked up the neccesary things for the day in the market, and spread his wings for a while, being in the air and feeling the breeze alongside him, and he sat on a cloud once or twice, and took a nap on it. It surprisingly felt amazing, being on a cloud. He woke up after a while, and moved a cloud towards his garden, the cloud wasn't so big, and it would be easy to manipulate it. He jumped on it a few times, causing water to fall on the plants. Slowly but surely, the plants absorbed the water, its roots filled with the water. It absorbed it and allowed the plant to grow a small bit for the day. Jack flew around until he eventually set his eyes upon the hospital. He flew down, his saddlebags clinking and clanking due to the high amount of winds that was pushing against him. He stopped pushing against the winds and let the wings work on its own. He glided, and landed near the hospital almost gracefully.

Jack walked in front of the Hospital, knowing full well he did not know the pony he was visiting other then his name, Arpeggio. All he did know was that he was injured badly, and by the ponies friend as well. He always did this charity. Mostly it was for fillies, colts, and foals when he was coming in to the hospital. He always loved visiting the younger ones and giving them gifts when he has enough bits to spend. He noted that they loved lolli-pops. He looked over at his mighty-full saddlebags, and put up a smile. He trotted in, and the other ponies who were sick that were in the main room noticed him coming in. Outside he got a glimpse of the emergency ward, it was pretty bad. The way he normally knows about this is from a nurse that kept mailing him. In the mail that he found, he had the list of fillies, colts, and foals, along with the amount of injuries they have had. It was a little odd for a person to see that in someponys mail, but for Jack, it was a important job. He never got payed for it, but that is made up in the other jobs he takes around Ponyville to make as many bits as he could.

Arpeggio was the first on his list to visit, as he had the worst amount of injuries to him. A punctured lung, two ribs broken and three of them cracked...it was almost insane that his friend had done that much damage to him. He must have been enraged or something. Along his list there was a small amount of fillies and colts that he also had to visit. He always felt bad he couldn't heal or help pretty much anypony, so he read up on a book about healing and the like. Needless to say, he didn't like the pictures of [healing herb here] applied to [really bad injury here]. Those pictures would be in his mind for days without end. Jack walked up to the nurse who sometimes came into the room to bring somepony in to be checked, but right now she was just standing there. "Excuse me, but where is the patient Arpeggio? I am one of his friends." However, saying that just gave him a really bad image of what had happened that got him that much hate from his friend, if he can even be called a friend now. He also was sort of lying, he knew that he never met Arpeggio basically ever. The nurse responded, saying that Arpeggio was on the second floor of the hospital, in Room #101.

He nodded, and stopped for a moment to stare at his saddlebags for a moment, thinking of what exactly was inside, then started making his way up the stairs to floor two. Each step, a thought was finished. This was his whole task for today, be a nice pony and hand over a single thing in his heavy saddlebags. He smiled at the thought of fillies and colts being happy at his arrival. But then again, some of them probably just liked the presents that they get, then there were the others that really liked him just arriving there and reading one or two children's books to them. As he made his way up, he finally reached the second floor, and went in Room #101. He seen the pony and cringed at the sight, and moved a chair from the corner of the room over to Arpeggios bed, then pulled off his saddlebags and set it on the seat. It clinked a bit, and he pulled the flap open to reveal a bag of bits, and a few presents. He pulled out a particularly small one, but also pulled out a medium-sized one. He put the two presents that were, in fact, wrapped, on the side of Arpeggios bed. He then covered up his saddlebag and put it back on near his flank. He sat on the chair, and looked at Arpeggio.

"I don't know you, and you probably don't know me either, but im here to just try to make ponies happy. I have these presents for you. You can open up your presents if you want to- Oh. Right. I probably have to open it for you, sorry."

Inside the small one was a necklace, with the words 'Love&Tolerate' on it. It could surprisingly easy fit on his neck if he tried putting it on in the near future.. The other one was a thick book that described the adventures of a pony taking down a tyrant. It is a great read as well, and in the end the hero-pony and his villain make up after a while of fighting, and set aside their differences to become friends again.

Arpeggio wasn't expecting company at all. Upon thinking of his wired-shut jaw and snout cast, he snarked to himself 'I must look seriously buckin' strange right now...'

He looked around and found a whiteboard with markers and wrote a message on it. 'Can't really talk... jaw's wired shut, I think. ...Thanks for the gifts..." He thought for a bit. "...How bad is it?" He looked at his IVs again. "I... felt a lot of pain... it's kinda dulled right now... guessing they have me on morphine or something..."

Jack looked at the whiteboard, and looked back at Arpeggio. "...Uh...Well, yeah, sort of. I read a bit on how Nurses help their patients with pain. Some take something else, but you really look like your in real pain. If your not, then it probably is morphine." He said, and he noticed how bad that sounded on his end.

'...I see...' He closed his eyes a bit, a few tears running down. '...Guess I won't be able to sing at the Gala... have no idea how long it'll take me to heal from this. 'Least I can still play the piano... what's your name? I'm Arpeggio...'

Jack felt a little bad as he seen the few tears running down the ponies face, and felt a little guilty as if he was to blame for all that had happened. But he wasn't, it was the other pony that had hurt him and sent him to the hospital. He read the board, and seen that he was supposed to sing at the Gala, and he also wrote down he could still play the piano. Jack felt a little worse. "My names Jack, Jack Trades. I can stay here for a little while if you want, i got here early since the visiting hours started, so i can probably be here for a while."

Arpeggio smiled a little. 'Thanks, Jack. I'd appreciate the company... ...Do you know all of what happened to me? I don't even know... I can only make guesses.' He gave what could've passed for a slightly humorless chuckle. 'I suppose if there's any positives to this, at least I don't have to eat that nasty hospital food.'

Whiplash walked into the hospital room. He carried a large, hand crafted, get-well-soon card, as well as a helium balloon on a string. He saw Arpeggio in a horrible state, all bruised and bandaged. Still though, he managed to back one of his grins. "Hey buddy." He said, walking in. He tied the balloon around Arpi's bed, and placed the card on the bedside table. "I heard what happened." Whiplash said, taking a seat. "I'm so sorry about what happened. Thunder told me all about it, how you fought, and he carried you on his back all the way here, Poor guy wouldn't even leave your side. I had to shove him out so he could get some rest. Never seen a pony cry that much." Whiplash's smile faded during the story, but quickly returned.

"Well, I got something to cheer you right up. A gift, from my private collection." Whiplash motioned towards the door. A nurse walked in, holding an old violin case. "I noticed you eyeing this up when you visited me. I know you can play it now, given your state, but I'm sure that once you heal up you'll be playing it all the time." Whiplash took the violin and placed it with the card.

Jack chuckled a little bit. "Yeah, the hospital food can really be nasty. I tried it once...that did not end very well." He seemed real nice. Then a brown earth pony entered the room, and Jack got out from his seat, in order for the pony visiting to have a seat. He wasn't a true friend like how the earth pony was, or at least seemed like it. He looked over at the two. "Is this a bad time? Because i can leave." He said, with no tone that made him sound cruel or the like. He sounded as if he felt like he was intruding on something.

'It's alright, Jack. Whiplash doesn't bite.' Arpeggio smiled a little, before writing another message on his board. 'Thanks for the gift, Whiplash. I appreciate it a lot.' The larger pegasus winced a bit in pain as he adjusted his position slightly.

'So, Whip... how long did it take for the word to get out?'

Whiplash smiled as he turned to face the other pony. "Well where are my manners, my name is Whiplash." He said, offering a hoof. He then turned his attention back to Arpeggio. "It didn't take too long, but word didn't get completely out. All that is being said is that you got into some kind of accident. It wasn't until I ran into Thunder that I really heard what happened." He said.

Jack offered his hoof as well, and after that he let the two talk. "Jack Trades." He said, and watched the two.

Arpeggio quirked his eyebrow at Whiplash a bit, then wrote on his board. 'I'm rather surprised that that's the story going around, considering there was something of a group at the place where I got beaten.'

He exhaled slightly. 'So what all happened to me? I still don't know exactly how injured I am... just know that I hurt all over...'

Whiplash shrugged. "All I know is that you are pretty banged up, buddy." He said. "Umm, I think you may have cracked a rib or two, and that he did a number on your jaw." Whiplash sighed. "Sorry I don't no more. I am more knowledgeable about artifacts." He said.

Jack remembered his mail, but he didn't want to mention it. "I have to go, sorry." Jack said, and waved his hoof before leaving the room and heading to the fillies and colts downstairs.

Arpeggio watched Jack leave, then wrote on the board. 'It's too bad he couldn't stay; it was nice of him to come visit. You said Thunderclap was crying?' Arpeggio frowned quite visibly despite his injuries.

Whiplash nodded. "Ya. He was really broken....I mean really sad. I have never seen a pony so sad before in my life. He must have felt awful about what he did." Whiplash said, and sighed. He came hereto cheer Arpeggio up, not to talk about depressing things.

"Um, so, eh, hey, want me to play for you?" He asked, picking up the violin he brought. "I probably won't be as good as you, but I know the basics." Whiplash smiled, and rosined up the bow.

Arpeggio's mind was playing through his thoughts; he was still not happy with Thunder. Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, though, he wrote on the board, 'Sure, Whip. I wouldn't mind hearing you play.'

Cyan was feeling lonely. She decided that she would go and try to make some new friends at the hospital. Surely I can make somepony's day better! She thought as she brought a piece of cake into the hospital.

Cyan poked her head into the room shyly. "H-hello? I heard a pony by the name of Arpeggio was in here? Is it okay if I visit? I brought cake!" Cyan blurted out from behind the half-opened door.

Whiplash stared playing the violin for Arpeggio. He was out of practice, so when he pulled the bow across he strings, it made an evil hiss. Whiplashed blushed slightly, "Oh, excuse me." He said, "Let's try that again."

Whiplash played a song, a simple melody he remembered his mother humming when she did her household chores. When he was done, he closed up the case, ad smiled.

whiplash turned around when he heard the other pony come in. "Cake? Well you sure have come to the right place! Come on and have a seat." He said, motioning to the chair next to him.

Arpeggio smiled at Whiplash, writing on the board, 'That was great, Whip; thanks for playing for me.' He then turned to the mare coming in, then wrote, 'My am I popular today. Sure, come in; thanks for the cake... even if I can't eat it. I appreciate the thought.'

Cyan sat next to Whiplash happily and gave him a piece. "It's a nice little vanilla cake from Sugarcube corner!" Cyan informed. She looked at the violin. "Music is always fun to do! I like to practice, even if I broke my last violin." Cyan nodded. "... I meant SOLD IT!" She quickly gasped and blurted out. She started shyly nibbling her part of the cake. "You're welcome Arpeggio. I'm Cyan by the way."

Whiplash took a slice of cake. "Well this is very kind of you." He said, and took a bite out of it. His face instantly lit up. "Wow, this is pretty good." He said, trying to downplay how delicious it really was, so Arpeggio didn't feel left out. "Well, nice to meet you Cyan. I am Whiplash. Thanks for coming to cheer my buddy up." He said with a smile.

(Deleted)

(Please stick to a posting order. Arpe is next, then you may go Cyan. Please remove your post for now and Arpe can post with the assumption that Cyan's post didn't happen yet.)