#DR. MORDENHEIM’S TRAVELS

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EMERALD’S LUNCHEON

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DR. MORDENHEIM’S TRAVELS, BOOK 1:De Writer’s

Equestria,Chapters 1 to 5, and Chapter 8

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[mordenheim]

Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1:  De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 8

Dr. Victor Mordenheim has traveled to many different realities in his many centuries of existence.  This series, which I shall add to from time to time, will explore some of them, beginning with the world of @ask-de-writer. Note:  This tale takes place before the Hearthswarming story.  It is actually the night after the Nightmare Night Celebration. =============================================================

The huge zebra sat at the table, waiting for the entrance of the two sisters.  Luna had essentially twisted his foreleg until he finally agreed to meet with her sister, Celestia.  Given that in his own world, Celestia was responsible for his curse and much of the suffering he experienced in his long, long life it had taken a LOT of twisting.

He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and wished silently that he had brought his pipe.  He imagined that it was likely bad manners to smoke inside of the royal palace, but his nerves were shot.  He gazed around the room, which was smoothly tiled and decorated mostly in white and gold with deep midnight blue and black highlights.  The black of a few of the tiles was so deep that he felt he might fall into one if he stared at it for too long.

He glanced back over his shoulders to the four guards posted by the huge double doors.  Three of them stood at attention, their heads scanned the room as proper, well trained guards would.  The fourth had his eyes locked on the “good” doctor, sneering with disdain at what he obviously considered a “lesser” creature.  Victor turned away and rolled his eyes, sighing softly.  There really was no escaping ignorance.

After a few moments there came a knock at the door.  A new guard leaned in and whispered something to one of the others before the two nodded to one another and she backed out and closed the door.

“Night court is running late, I am afraid.  Princess Luna will be unable to attend tea with her sister this evening.  However, Princess Celestia shall be appearing in a few moments.

The zebra swallowed hard and felt his heart sink into his gut.  This was not at all what he had agreed to. Meeting the two of them together was bad enough, at least he would have Princess Luna to lean on a bit and guide him through the ordeal, but this?  This was almost too much to bear.

Victor stared wordlessly into the cup of milky tea swirling before him.  His hooves tapped nervously on the tabletop as he waited.  He turned his head to the left, casting furtive glances towards the door.  The door where a mare who was the spitting image of the one who ruined his life would soon enter.  He cast his eyes over to the side of the room and briefly considered hurling himself through the glass to escape.  It might be poor form, but he wouldn't have to face his fear alone. He knew in his head that she was not the same mare who had been responsible for his centuries of torment, but he was not so sure of how his heart would react to seeing her face to face.  He took a deep, cleansing breath through his nose and slowly exhaled through his mouth as he tried to get his nerves under control.

The door opened and he felt his heart freeze like ice.  He turned to see the Princess of the Sun enter the room, alone.  She was slightly taller than he, her rainbow mane seeming to blow in an eternal solar wind even in the still air of the room.  He felt a sudden urge to flee settle into him until he met her gaze. Her eyes met his and studied him with curiosity.  Where the Celestia he knew would only look upon him with coldness and disdain, there was none of that here.  Her eyes held genuine concern. Her violet gaze seemed warm and inviting, like being bathed in the gentle light of the sun after a cold storm.  He started to speak, then stopped.  Unused to the process he bowed low as he did for her sister, if a bit stiffly.

The princess smiled brightly, “My sister told me that you were quite nervous about our meeting, yet it seems something has changed that already.  What was it?”

He cast his gaze downwards, ashamed of how frightened he had been.  “One look into your eyes and I could see that you were not the tyrant ruler of my old home, despite many physical similarities.  Your eyes speak of inviting kindness, while hers spoke of solitude and hatred.”

Celestia, let out a musical laugh.  She moved about a few of the massive array of cakes set before her to make eye contact easier.  No doubt many of these were part of her sister's bribe.  “I am glad to see you are so observant.  The ability to see more than one's appearance is a very important trait to have.”

The zebra finally took a small sip of his tea. He enjoyed the milky richness and the slight sweetness on his tongue.  He thought about her words and tilted his head a bit. “And what do you see beneath my appearance?”

The tall mare looked thoughtful for a moment.  Her first few words were muffled, spoken as they were around a mouthful of cake.  “Power...  Great power and intelligence, and a kindness and wish to help others.”  Her wistful look turned to one of sorrow, “Beneath that, however, is pain..  More pain than anyone should have to endure.  There's a darkness down there, and that makes you a dangerous stallion.” Victor sat his cup down with a shaking hoof.  The porcelain made a soft clattering noise against the saucer.  How much did she know, he wondered.  Steeling himself, he forced his eyes to meet hers and was stunned to see not judgment, but compassion in her gaze.  “I have done many things I am not proud of over the centuries.  Things I wish I could go back and change, but I can't.  All of this power and all of the time in the universe...” “Yet you can't change the past...” Celestia finished for him.

He nodded mutely and stared down into his tea for a moment. The princess reached across the table and lightly touched his shoulder with a hoof.  The zebra was so tense it was like touching a moss-covered stone.  “I don't know what you've done in the past, but that was another place, another world entirely.  Here, I want you to know that you can start over.  A clean slate, as it were.”

She stared into the depths of her own tea for a moment.  “I know what happened at the celebration last night.”

Victor had gripped the edge of the table with his hooves so tightly that the wood sounded like it was beginning to splinter.  He glanced at the guards, his voice a hoarse whisper.  “They were inciting violence around children, I couldn't just...”

She smiled softly, “I know...  I know everything that happened, Victor.  Luna knew what had happened and we do not keep secrets from one another.”

The zebra was confused by the smile, but relaxed a little.  She hadn't shouted for the guards so all may still be well.

“My apologies.  A transgression like that where I come from could result in several years in the dungeon, if not becoming a permanent addition to the royal statue garden.” He rubbed a bit at his eye patch and chuckled nervously, but could see genuine concern in Celestia's eyes.

“I'm sorry to hear that.  To think that a punishment for a crime would be levied without looking into all circumstances involved, or worse that the circumstances did not matter is horrible.  To think that it comes from a version of myself, even more so.”  The tall alicorn helped herself to another piece of cake from the rapidly dwindling pile.  As she took a bite, she mulled over a few thoughts.

“It doesn't sound like you are in any particular hurry to go back there,” she said softly, taking a sip of tea.

“Not at all.  There is nothing left for me there anymore.  Everything was taken from me.”  He picked up the mug of tea in his hooves and sipped at it sparingly.  It had gone cold while they were waiting, but that was fine as far as he was concerned.

Victor was once more bathed in that comforting warmth as Celestia smiled at him.  “You may, of course, stay here for as long as you wish.  You are after all a citizen of Equestria, if not this particular version of it.”  She giggled a bit, “Luna has also told me that you were so anxious to open your clinic that you forgot to get the proper licenses even after she told you directly.”

Victor blushed, a deep crimson showing through his pale fur.  “Y..yes, well...”  He stammered for a moment before nodding, “Very true.  If Princess Luna had not been visiting that day I could have ended up in a rather large spot of trouble.”

“Ah!  Before I forget!  Luna was extremely impressed with the demonstration of your prostheses.  She even said that it has pushed her to try improving on her own design. Perhaps the two of you should compare notes with one another and come up with a single design using your combined knowledge?”

Victor hummed and rubbed his chin, “I think that is an ingenious idea!  If you think she would be willing, of course...” Celestia chuckled to herself, “I think she would be delighted.  After all, who knows what breakthroughs the two of you may devise?”

Victor slowly took another long, cleansing breath and allowed himself to relax at last.  “Lord and Lady, I had been so nervous about this day.  Thankfully, I see that it was for no good reason.”

The tall alicorn tilted her head at that statement, “Lord and Lady?  I must admit that's an expletive I have not heard before.”

“Ah..”  Victor blushed a bit and thought he had gotten a bit too comfortable.  “It is in reference to the parents of Princess Luna and Celestia from my own dimension. Lord Kraken and Lady Faust.”

The princess nodded.  She took a very large bite of cake and chewed thoughtfully as she mulled it over, “Yes, I suppose that would make sense.  Though it is interesting to hear that a version of myself and my sister came from an entirely different set of circumstances.”

The zebra lifted a fork in his hoof and took a small piece of the sugary sweet cake onto it, “Well, the circumstances, unfortunately, created a very different version of you both.”

Celestia took one look and could easily read the hurt in the doctor's voice.  She cleared her throat a bit and smiled once more at him, “Perhaps that is something we can discuss another time.  This being our first meeting perhaps we should stick to more pleasant conversation.”

He placed the sugary treat into his mouth and let it melt upon his tongue.  There was so much sweetness to it it made his teeth tingle, but it was still very flavorful.  It wasn't sweet just for sweetness sake, but crafted with love and care by someone who knew precisely what they were doing.  “Mmm.. sorry..”  He took a sip of his tea to clear some of the stickiness from his maw, “Did you have something particular in mind?”

“Well, the running of the leaves is in a few weeks.  We've changed the route a bit so it runs past your clinic and will clear some of the mess out in that area.  I was wondering if you were going to participate in the running itself?”

His ears perked up at the sound of that.  How long had it been since he'd gone for a run and just really let himself loose?  He could actually feel his true cutie mark trying to push its way pas the wolf-head curse mark on his flank for a moment.  “I..  would like that very much, but I don't know if I should...”

The princess blinked in surprise, sitting upright, “I don't understand.  The running is open to any creature who wishes to join in.  What could be the problem?”

Victor chuckled a little, “Simply put, my skill as a scientist is purely due to study, hard work, and dedication.  It has nothing to do with my talent.”  He smiles, actually puffing up with pride a little, “While I may be a bit rusty, my true talent is running.  I just don't know if it would be fair to the others if I were to participate.”

She laughed a little, a high, cheerful piccolo like sound.  “Oh, now I wish to see you run even more.  If it is something you are skilled at and enjoy enough to brag about it in front of me, you must be impressive indeed!” He blinked as he realized that he had just stepped in a mess with this turn of conversation.  He sighed softly and shook his head, “Alright then, I will participate, but I just hope the other ponies won't be upset if I show them up too badly.”  He finished his small slice of cake and drained the last of his tea before smiling at her.  However, the hour is late, and I still have a bit of paperwork to do before bed.” “Of course, of course.  I should be getting to bed myself.  It is a shame that Luna could not join us, but I did exercise enough restraint to save her a slice of cake.” Victor turned and bowed to the Princess, his head low to the carpet, “By your leave, your highness.”

She smiled and nodded, “Of course.  I look forward to seeing you again soon, Doctor Mordenheim.  I also look forward to what breakthroughs you and my sister may come up with.” The zebra stood and turned to trot out of the room. He took great delight in the look of impotent rage on the face of one particular guard as he passed by.

[ask-de-writer]

I would like to thank Delightfully

EAGER BINGE READER

@furislupus​ for READING and LIKING

DR. MORDENHEIM’S TRAVELS, BOOK 1:

De Writer’s Equestria,

Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6,

Chapter 8

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I would like to thank Delightfully

EAGER BINGE READER

@furislupus​ for READING and LIKING

DR. MORDENHEIM’S TRAVELS, BOOK 1:

De Writer’s Equestria,

Chapter 1, Chapter 8, Chapter 3

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I would like to thank Delightfully

EAGER BINGE READER

@furislupus​ for READING and LIKING

My whole MASTER STORY INDEX SECTION,

and began working his way through

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Jedi Knights Parts 1 to 7

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He also found the time to READ and LIKE

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He dove into the Deep End of my

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De Writer’s Equestria Ch. 1 to 8 of 8

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Hi just wanted to let you know that in the Hosted Tales section, Dr. Mordenheim's Travels, the there are no links between chapters 4-8.

Thank you for letting me know about it. They are not the only ones in Hosted Tales. I really need to work on that section!

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 4

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 4

by

Mordenheim

(In Hosted Tales)

1458 words

© 2019 by Mordenheim

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

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NEW TO THIS STORY? READ FROM PART 1 which is HERE

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Victor smiled as he finished up with his latest patient.  Using a rag wrapped around one of his fore hooves, the other end gripped in his teeth the zebra polished the shining steel of the green earth pony’s prosthetic rear leg.

“Now then,” he said, tossing the rag aside and picking up a small vial in his teeth, “In a few hours the anesthetic will start to wear off.  It will feel like a dull ache at first but will gradually get worse.  As SOON as you feel that ache I want you to take a teaspoon of this potion, then once every eight hours after that.  I’m sorry if it throws off your sleeping schedule, but this is necessary to make sure that everything heals and melds together properly.”

Rosewater nodded and smiled, taking the vial and placing it in her saddlebags, “Thank you, Doctor!  When that cart ran over my leg, I thought I would be in a mobility cart for the rest of my days.”

“Well, you’re not out of the woods just yet.  There’s still a chance that your body might reject the implants or the nerve connections may not heal properly.  However if you take your medicine at the prescribed times and come back for your scheduled checkups, the risk is minimal.  In fact, you should be right as rain in just a few weeks time.”  He walked around the mare, making sure that everything seemed to be properly finished as well as admiring his own work.  “In the meantime, you can walk on it normally, but no running, jumping, or kicking until I give you the okay, alright?  We don’t want to cause any more damage.”

The mare shook her head, her pink curls swaying from side to side.  “No sir!  I’ll take it nice and easy for now.”

Victor smiled again, draping a hoof over the back of the mare that he towered over.  The red-maned zebra being the size of a Rom horse himself cast a bit of an imposing image, but his gentle words and actions had won over the smaller female.  “Now, since you are the first to get this experimental treatment, there shall be no charge for the surgery, however, I will require a few bits payment for the medicine itself.  I will send you my bill shortly, but I promise it will not be much.”  He carefully helped the mare walk towards the door.

Rosewater opened the door slowly, the well oiled hinges not making even the slightest squeak as she stepped outside and took a deep breath of fresh air.  The sun was sinking low in the sky.  “Oh my, it’s later than I thought!  Thank you, doctor but I need to hurry home before dark!”

Suddenly the heavy hoof of the zebra stamped down on the end of her tail, drawing her up short.  “No running!  Just move at a gentle canter and you should be back in Ponyville proper before you know it.”  He lifted his hoof and smiled before waving.  “Fair travels, miss Rosewater, and I will see you next week.”

As he trotted back inside, he put out an ornately carved wooden sign that said “RING BELL FOR SERVICE” in bright green lettering.  The paint of the sign was designed to glow brightly when struck by moon or starlight as was the bell hanging by the front door.  Heading into the workshop at the back of the clinic, he tossed a few hunks of wood and coal into the large incinerator and fired it up, using a chemical compound and a bit of flint.  After the fire was burning brightly, he opened the door to his operating room.  Carefully gathering up the bloodied sheets and disposable equipment, he tossed them into the incinerator.  Closing the heavy iron door with a loud clank, he turned his attention to his surgical equipment.  He pulled out a few bottles of powerful antibacterial potions and carefully mixed them into a vat of water.  He then set his sharp, shining instruments inside to soak for a while.  He heard the bell ring at the front door.

Tilting his head, he headed for the heavy wooden door.  He'd never actually had a patient this late since the areas near the Everfree could be dangerous after dark, so it must be truly important.  Opening the door, he was used to looking down to greet his patients, due to his towering, Rom-like height.  He was quite surprised to actually find himself eye to eye with a beautiful midnight-blue mare.

“Oh! Your highness!”  He remembered himself at last and bowed to the Princess of Dreams and Nightmares, “To what do I owe this wonderful surprise?”

The zebra found himself being ushered to one side by one of the Royal Guard.  Commander Lightning Rays, a white pegasus with distinctive black wing tips used the tip of his spear to gesture for the doctor to step back to what he deemed a safe distance.  As he glanced through the doorway he could see two more guards posted outside the doors before they swung closed behind his guests.

“Unfortunately, my reason for visiting is not pleasant.  I have received a complaint from the Ponyville Medical Society that there was a doctor in the area practicing without proper authorization.”  She frowned a bit, looking over the zebra’s shoulder, “May I come in?”

Victor nodded, smiling as he backed out of the way, “Of course, of course! Please, make yourself at home!”

Luna cast her gaze around the waiting and consultation area, seeing that everything was clean and brightly lit.  It was cheerfully colored rather than being the normal stark white of the horsepital.  Several comfortable chairs and couches lined the walls.  There was a shelf full of various books.  A small area off to the side seemed to be dedicated for foals to play while they waited.  A large, heavy-looking wooden desk was central to the wall opposite the entrance.  She rested a hoof on it’s shining, smooth surface, the reddish-brown wood so polished that she could see her reflection in the surface.

“Mahogany?” she asked, a bit surprised as the wood was quite hard to come bay so far to the north.

The zebra nodded, his chest puffing up a bit with pride, “I wanted to be sure that everything was the very best, for both myself and my patients.”

The mare looked thoughtful, walking over to the bookshelf, running a hoof over the many different tomes.  There was everything from medical journals, to nonfiction historical books, children’s books, and even a complete set of Daring-Do novels lined the shelf.  Victor watched as she inspected everything carefully before she headed towards the operating room door.  

She pushed through into the operating chamber, finding the room to be a sparkling white.  Her nose stung a bit from the strong chemical smell coming from the bucket of surgical tools, but that was to be expected.  Her ears twitched a little at the low rumble of the incinerator against the far back wall.  “I can see you keep everything meticulously clean.  Not at all what I was told by Dr. Crossly.”

The good doctor looked a bit confused, “Dr. Crossly?  I’m sorry, I’ve never met anypony by that name.  In fact, I haven’t met any of the other local doctors.  They seem to be avoiding me for some reason.”

The midnight mare rolled her eyes a bit, “I expected as much.  It would seem that the Medical Society feels threatened by your business and are trying to use me for a method of bringing you grief.  Tell me, the prosthetic on the young mare who just left, was that your work?”

“Yes, your highness.  In fact, surgical amputation and prosthetics are something of a specialty of mine.”

“Do you have one of your prosthetics that I may look over?  I am very curious about your work.”

Victor crouched down and pulled open a heavy drawer set in the base of the wall.  Dark padding lined the inside of it and a small, foal-sized prosthetic leg was lying within.  He lifted it out of the drawer and placed it upon the operating table, an odd amalgamation of wires dangling from the inside of the hip.

Luna picked it up with her magic, turning it over in the air, inspecting it with a jeweler’s gaze.  Every tiny detail was visible to her, from the wires designed to interface with the nerve endings in a pony’s legs to the special pads and enchanted rods used to allow the natural magic of an earth pony to flow naturally.  She tilted her head a bit before uttering, “Doctor, there is one thing I am curious about.  Many prosthetics are designed to rely on a pony’s natural magic to power them, but I see no such thing in your design. While it is very impressive, I fail to see how it can even function.”

The zebra smiled a bit, reaching up to tap his hoof on a small square panel that the princess had assumed was part of the assembly.  With one gentle press it sprung open, revealing an empty cavity lined with hundreds of tiny metal wires, looking much like  brush of some kind. “This is where the power supply is inserted.”

He pulled the drawer out a bit further than it was before and produced what looked like a small suitcase of some sort.  Opening it revealed a crushed velvet lining and several small quartz crystals nestled within.  Each of the crystals glowed faintly with a differently colored aura.  “A short while ago, I discovered an alchemical process to alter quartz crystals to allow them to hold either magical or electrical energy.  The prosthetics are designed to use either.” Picking up a crystal with a faint green hue, he placed it in the open compartment where it slowly started to rotate, generating tiny sparks as it rubbed against the metal brushes.  He snaped the door closed before picking up another crystal, this one glowing bright white.

“The crystal I put in the leg is charged with earth magic, while this one is charged with pure electricity from the last storm to pass through the area.”  He smiled at the princess as he readied the white crystal.  “Would you mind setting the prosthetic down on the table, please?

At the mention of pure electricity being harnessed from lightning, the guard perked up a little.  He rubbed at his black goatee a bit as he too leaned in closer to see what was going on.

Very curious now, Princess Luna did as he asked and stepped around to the opposite side of the table to watch.  Victor lowered the white crystal to each of the “nerve” wires in turn, causing the leg to twitch and spasm, the artificial “muscles” contracting just as a real leg would.

“I can connect these to the major nerves.  I have even perfected it to the point that if too much is lost I can run artificial nerves straight to the spinal column, though the procedure can be dangerous.”  He sighed a little as he set the crystal aside. “Sadly, my ultimate goal is to give the patient sensation in an artificial limb, but I fear that may be out of my reach.”

Luna actually seemed a bit stunned.  This was an incredible accomplishment for anypony, and his ambition was amazing.  This zebra sought to create a prosthetic leg that would be functionally identical to that of a real one, and he had gotten very, very close!  She leaned down a bit closer, tilting her head as she noticed there were a few silvery wires that he had not touched with the crystal.  “And, dear doctor, what are these connections for?”

The big zebra actually clopped his hooves together and smiled brightly, “Actually, that is the part I am most proud of.”  He gestured to the delicate-seeming bundles of wire, the tiny connections little thicker than a single strand of his bright red mane.  “These allow magic to flow freely through the artificial limb as if it were real, meaning that Earth Ponies still have their full connection to the Earth, and pegasi won’t stumble from having an artificial leg that falls through clouds!”

Luna’s guard took in everything, then gripped his spear a little more tightly.  When their host had smiled, he had caught a glimpse of the zebra’s oddly sharp, interlocking teeth.  Long and white, they reminded him of the mandibles of a shark or some other sleek predator that lurks in deep, dark places.  He shook his head a little because his charge seemed oblivious to the possible danger of the situation, but he knew better than to chime in when she was so wrapped up in what she referred to as “talking shop” with another pony.

Lightning Ray’s ears perked up as he heard a commotion coming from the guards he left posted outside.  As he pushed open the door he saw that they had their spears crossed, pushing back a rather pudgy-looking off-white unicorn.  The intruder stamped his hoof and hissed at them through gritted teeth as he demanded entrance.  His mane, almost the color of a smoker’s stained teeth flipped this way and that.  He turned around and at first Lightning thought he was going to make the massive mistake of bucking at the royal guards, but instead he was trying to use his prodigious rump to shove his way through!

“AHEM!!” Lightning poked at the unicorn’s rump with a wing tip.  He got a good close look at the intruder’s cutie mark.  To most ponies, it would look like a red cross adorning a medical bag, fairly common for pony doctors and nurses.  However, to his trained eye the cross was slightly askew, and it was a bank bag, not a medical bag that adorned his flank.  “May I help you with something?”

The unicorn puffed himself up with pride, almost giving him the appearance of a bloated toad.  “Yes, actually.  I am Dr. Crossly, the representative of the Ponyville Medical Society who reported this fraud for operating without the proper permits.  I came by here to make sure that he was shut down.”

Lightning tilted his head a little, then thought of Luna’s reaction to the work that Dr. Mordenheim was doing.  Smiling a little, he gave the signal for the two guard ponies to let the unicorn pass.  “Of course, Dr. Crossly, right this way.”

The unicron looked like he’d swallowed a lemon when he heard laughter coming from the next room.  A deep, bass rumble of a laugh and a higher, beautiful tone, almost like tinkling chimes.  He burst into the next room, Commander Lightning rays in tow and stamped his hoof on the white tiles.

“What is the meaning of this?  This.. this les... er.. zebra.  Has been operating a clinic without authorization!”

Luna nodded to the unicorn, and sadly to Dr. Mordenheim.  “This is true, and a fine of five hundred golden bits must be paid.”  Dr. Crossly was practically rubbing his hooves with glee at this remark.

“However, I have now thoroughly inspected your facilities and seen examples of your work first hoof.  You have my approval to keep operating your emergency clinic right here on the edge of the Everfree for as long as you are able.  Please stop by town hall tomorrow evening.  Your paperwork should be properly registered by then.”

Crossly’s jaw nearly hit the floor at this announcement, but he quickly recovered.  His shocked face soon became a smirk.  “Actually, to operate a clinic here in Ponyville, he will need to be voted into and become a dues-paying member of the Ponyville Medical Society.  We all have to do our part to protect not just the good ponies of this town, but one another as professionals, after all.”

It was Victor himself who got a bit of a smug grin now.  “Actually, that was what we were discussing when you so rudely barged in.  It seems that my own clinic is actually outside of Ponyville and therefore falls directly under royal jurisdiction.”   He slowly stepped towards the unicorn and lowered his head to Crossly’s level.  He smiled a little wider on one side of his mouth, out of sight of the princess and her guard.  His long, sharp teeth were revealed to the unicorn causing the pudgy pony to pale prodigiously beneath his fur.

“I suggest you leave immediately before I ask our dear princess to have you removed for trespassing, or better yet I take care of it myself.”

Dr. Crossly, who had already been slowly backing up as the towering zebra advanced, nodded and turned tail, his hooves scrabbling on the slick tiles as he scooted back through the door and out into the night.

Victor cleared his throat a bit as he stood upright once more, using a hoof to straighten out his slightly rumpled lab coat.  “Alright then. Thank you, your highness, for the proper documentation to operate my business.  I truly was unaware of the rules at the time, but I shall gladly pay the fine that is due tomorrow when I visit town hall.” He smiled a bit more pleasantly at both Princess Luna and Commander Lightning Rays.  “Perhaps we could meet somewhere this weekend and discuss matters further over tea?”

Eyes twinkling with humor, Princess Luna smiled back at Victor, her own lips spread just enough to show a set of fangs even larger than his. “Your dismissal of Doctor Crossly was delightful, Victor!  I would be delighted to meet you for tea, after my Night Court adjourns.”

A bemused Victor watched his royal guest and her guard take wing. Muttering to himself, “She really does not miss much, does she?” he shut the door.

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 3

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 3

by

Doctor Mordenheim

1458 words

© 2019 by Doctor Mordenheim

Writing begun 04/11/19

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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NEW TO THIS STORY? READ FROM PART 1 which is HERE

===================================================

Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1:  De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 3

Victor sighed softly as he trod across the heavy wooden bridge towards Castle Canterlot.  His breath steamed slightly in the air and he was glad for the cloak he had picked up earlier in the day.  The night air was unseasonably cool and there was a slight dampness as dew began to spread in minute droplets through the sweet grass.

Two guard ponies, both unicorns stepped before the open entrance and crossed their spears before the larger of the two spoke out.

“State your name and business.”

The slender zebra pulled back his hood, looking down on the two of them.  The smaller guard looked a little shocked at the sight of the scar tissue showing from around the black patch over his right eye.  The guard who spoke looked more disgusted that he was addressing a zebra.

“Dr. Victor Mordenheim, and I come to petition Princess Luna for the right to purchase an old ruined building near the edge of the Everfree forest.  I wish to restore it and set it up as a home and place of business.”

The smaller and obviously younger guard seemed satisfied and stepped back to his place, resting his spear on his shoulder.  The older guard, however moved to stand in the center of the doorway, his spear lowered towards the doctor.

“I don’t believe the princess needs to be bothered by the likes of YOU.  Besides, we have a perfectly fine horspital right in Ponyville.  What use would there be for another doctor who operates so close to the Everfree?”

The younger unicorn looked to his superior, blinking, “But sir..  according to the law, he is allowed to petition either Princess with his request.  It’s up to THEM whether or not his request…”

“Just shut up, Torque Wrench.  It’s our job to keep out the riffraff as well.”

As the older unicorn turned to berate his younger partner, Victor made his move.  He didn’t so much lunge as his head almost seemed to blur forward for a moment.  This was accompanied by a loud crunching noise and the sound of a heavy steel spearhead clanging to the stone floor.

The two guards jumped as neither had seen what happened.  The zebra had seemed to stand perfectly still while they argued.  Victor simply tutted as he shook his head.

“Oh dear.  It looks like that spear shaft must have been dry-rotted.  You should go get a replacement right away.  Don’t worry, though.  I won’t mention anything to Princess Luna about your failure to properly inspect your equipment.”

The older stallion frowned for a moment before gathering up the broken spear with his magic and stomping off to get a replacement.  Torque Wrench looked at the huge zebra for a moment then lowered his spear, stepping aside to let him pass.

Victor entered the palace, stopping by a potted plant for a moment to spit out the chunk of wood he had bitten from the unicorn’s spear.  As expected it was largely empty as far more ponies wished to deal with the sun princess than what many of them saw as the embodiment of nightmares and darkness.

He took his place in line, listening to the complaints of a few odd-looking ponies who were in line before him.  One complaining that the night was too long and he had not enough hours in the day to accomplish his chores.  The deep blue alicorn dismissed him with a wave of her hoof, suggesting that he do a better job of managing his available time as the correction and regulation of the sun and moon were the concern of herself and her dear sister, not his.

Princess luna sat on her own throne beside the empty throne of her sister looking utterly bored.  A third throne sits behind these two, slightly above them on a dais.  This is the throne of the Queen and the mother of the two sisters, Creator Titan Skyglow, Titan of Life Creation  The few ponies that petitioned her night court all seemed to be either petty and spiteful about her night or just outright mad.  The purple unicorn mare who was next in line was petitioning for stuffed animals to be placed on each street corner so she would feel more comfortable going out in the darkness.  Luna sighed and rolled her eyes, suggesting that she simply buy one of her own and keep it with her if it was such a necessary comfort.

Victor finally stepped forward.  The alicorn princess hadn’t even looked at him yet, her boredom overwhelming her, “State your name and business, please.”

“Dr. Victor Mordenheim, and I would like to see about purchasing a piece of abandoned property on the edge of the Everfree forest.  Given that it seems to be an old fort of some sort I believe it falls under the purview of your highness.”

Luna perked up almost instantly, sitting up straighter on her throne.  She recognized the Shirish lilt of the speaker’s voice even before she set eyes upon him.  This was the being whose dreams she had seen recently.  This traveler of the Everfree who seemed to come not just from another land but from another version of Equestria altogether.

“Ah yes, Dr. Mordenheim, or should I say Dr. Redline?”

The zebra actually took a step back, blinking his single blue eye and instinctively lifting a foreleg across his chest in a defensive posture, “Nobody has called me by that name for cen…  for a very long time, your highness.”

The princess shook her head sadly, “From what I witnessed in your dreams, I imagine they have not.  Though I could not see your form in the dreams as the ones that I witnessed were from your own perspective, I saw enough to see that what you experienced all of that time ago was a true tragedy.  I only wish that what appeared to be my own counterpart would have done more to aid you.”

Victor tilted his head a bit as he lowered his foreleg, “Counterpart?  I am unsure of what you mean.”

“You have traveled the strange paths of the Everfree for some time, doctor.  Somehow you have ended up in an Equestria very different from the one you know.  For example, myself and Celestia are the daughters of the Titans of Creation in this reality, while they are the daughters of alicorns known as Lord Kraken and Lady Faust in your own?”

The zebra frowned at mention of both Celestia and Lord Kraken, but nodded slowly, “Indeed.  I had been curious about the many changes to Ponyville itself.  So much seems the same, but so much is different that I thought somehow I had stepped forward in time until I saw a few familiar faces.”

The princess nodded in return, “I would very much like to discuss this further with you, unfortunately, I still must perform my duties and many ponies are waiting.  Why is it you wish to purchase these old ruins from us?”

Victor smiles a bit, his hardened expression softening, “I am considering rebuilding it into a home for myself, as well as a business.  An emergency clinic for Ponyville and Canterlot, if that is something that may be needed.”

Luna’s smile widened as she tapped her hooves together, “Indeed, we do have need of such a thing!  While Ponyville has a very serviceable horspital, it seems there have been complaints lately about the conduct of a few of the doctors.  Perhaps a bit of competition would help to adjust their attitudes.”

“And the cost…?”

“Given that the place has been in ruins for centuries and seems to have no real historical value anymore, you have my permission to rebuild it as you see fit.  You will, however, still need to take a proper exam for a medical license and of course you will need the proper tax forms and business licenses as well as building permits.  It may seem a bit overwhelming, but I hear that Caramel Treat is very experienced in such dealings and may be willing to help you navigate some of the more unscrupulous or biased ponies.”

The big zebra bowed low and smiles a bit, his sharp teeth flashing on one side, the sight of which caused the princess to tilt her head curiously.  “Thank you, your highness.  I hope that my clinic will be of great service to any and all who need it.  Also, I hope to see you again soon, perhaps to have a more casual conversation about our respective pasts.”

“I would enjoy that greatly, Dr. Mordenheim.  Perhaps for tea two days hence?  After night court ends, of course?”

“I would be honored, your highness.”  He pulled up the hood of his cloak and turned to leave, his fur ruffling a bit at the stares from both the ponies waiting in line and the royal guards.

~THE END~

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 2

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 2

by

@mordenheim

1785 words

© 2019 by @mordenheim

Writing begun 04/11/19

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions. All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Dr. Victor Mordenheim has traveled to many different realities in his many centuries of existence.  This series, which I shall add to from time to time, will explore some of them, beginning with the world of @ask-de-writer.

===================================================

NEW TO THIS STORY? READ FROM PART 1 which is HERE

===================================================

An almost painfully purple colored unicorn sat his narrow rump in front of the Ponyville Day Spa.  He ran a grubby hoof through his greasy-looking slicked back green mane as he puffed out his chest with pride.  A white ribbon was around his neck, holding a silver medallion, a symbol of the Celestian Church.  Pokeweed had decided to take it upon himself to guard this fine business and make sure that no undesirables make their way inside.

It was just a few moments before he saw the bedraggled looking zebra making its way down the road towards him.  Getting a self-righteous smirk on his face he held up a hoof towards the creature and shouted out, “Lesser creatures got no business here.  Jes’ move along.”

After a moment, Pokeweed realized he may have made a mistake in more ways than one.  First of all, he had misjudged how far down the road the zebra had been when he called out.  The second was assuming that he was dealing with a normal black and white heretic like the poison-selling witches he had been told so much about.  As the striped intruder got closer, the violet stallion realized he might have bit off more than he could chew.  In seconds, he was staring slightly up towards a nasty-looking x-shaped scar on the front of the zebra’s chest.

Victor slowly lowered his head down, his single ice-blue eye seeming to bore right into the violently violet unicorn’s soul.  His voice was a deep base rumble as he asked, “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Pokeweed, who was a fairly recent inductee into the church must have still had a few scruples left as he simply swallowed hard, mumbled, “N-no sir…” and backed out of the way before trotting down the road, quickly!

The big zebra sighed.  Things had started out so well this morning.  Ah well, he thought, no point in letting just one mishap get to him.  Lowering his head, he ducked through the doorway and trotted inside.

Behind the counter sat a pale blue mare with a pink mane, a small brass plaque in front of her showing her name as Lotus Blossom.  She quickly sat up, taking notice as Victor made his way through the door.  Her voice was heavily accented, rolling her r’s as she spoke, “Oh my, you are a beeg one, aren’t you?  Well, we gladly serve all kinds here, please, just sign the register and we can get started.”

He blinked again, once more pleasantly surprised by the hospitality he was being shown.  Taking a quill gently in his teeth, he signed his name into the thick book.  He was so confused by the situation that he nearly forgot what he had been told at breakfast time.  Keeping his voice soft and low, he murmured, “Caramel Treat sent me.”

“Oh!  Wonderful, wonderful, let’s see here…”  She glanced at the book and smiled, “Veector, now that is an interesting name.  Well, come with me, please.  I think we should get you started with a nice, long soak and do something about that mane and tail.  You look like you’ve been lost in the forest for days!”

Victor found himself being whisked from room to room, being scrubbed to a shining white with fragrant shampoos.  His mane was cleaned and brushed, leaving it long, luxuriant and shining, it’s deep red color offset by it’s gleam.  In what seemed like mere minutes, he found himself deposited face-down on a table that was surprisingly not too small for him, his face resting through a hole, looking down at the floor.  Everything was soft and comfortably padded and he felt himself drifting off until he heard voices from the next room.

“Alright, Snowflake.  Veektor ees a new customer, and I want you to be sure to get every last knot worked out of his muscles, do you theenk you can do that?”

A deep, gruff voice belted out an enthusiastic “YEEEAAAH!!!!!”

Victor jerked his head upright, looking towards the door as a literal white wall of muscle forced his shoulders and tiny wings through the doorway.

“al-RIGHT, let’s DO THIS!” the pegasus shouted.  A few bottles of oils on the walls rattled at his voice.  Victor could not doubt this “Snowflake’s” enthusiasm!

He felt a chill run down his back as a cold, floral scented oil was poured onto his back, but that quickly became a warmth that seeped into his old muscles as it was rubbed down his spine.  Just as he was starting to relax, there was a sudden downward thrusting force between his shoulders, a sharp crack, and a blinding pain that seared through his nerves before his tense muscles suddenly relaxed.  The big zebra gave a low moan, practically melting into the table beneath him as Snowflake worked his magic.

A few moments later at the reception desk Lotus Blossom and her sister Aloe were running around like chickens with their head cut off!  Huge, heavy thuds were echoing through the floor and walls as they tried their best to catch the vials of oils and shampoos that were shaking themselves off of the shelves.  They looked at one another and shrugged, they had never known any creature to be able to endure Snowflake’s massage for more than a few seconds, but this had been going on for a good fifteen minutes!  Finally, just as Aloe made a diving catch to save a particularly expensive bottle of mane conditioner, the noise finally stopped, followed by a low, rumbling groan of relief.

After he had finished, Victor stood slowly on wobbling legs.  He had no idea that he had been so tense.  He nodded to the blonde buzz-maned bodybuilder in thanks and headed back to the front to pay his bill.  Snowflake smiled and relaxed a bit.  He finally had a customer who didn’t run screaming in pain from his deep tissue massage.

Stepping back out into the sun was a changed zebra.  His body had healed a bit, filling back out a bit as his body quickly processed the wonderful food from that morning.  His mane was pulled back in a tight ponytail behind his neck, healthy and bouncing slightly as he walked.  His tail had been bound in braided leather straps both for fashion and protection, the fluffy tip protruding from the end.  His black stripes were sleek and shining and his white fur almost seemed to glow in the sunlight.  Even his dark hooves were polished almost to a mirror sheen.

He smiled brightly, still careful to keep his muzzle closed as he looked about at the little ponies going about their chores.  They shuffled from store to store, most greeting one another cheerfully as they did so.  He could see occasional confrontations, but these seemed minor and far between.  Of course, they still kept staring at him from the sidelines and moved far out of the way as he passed.

Sighing, he gazed up at the mountainside above Ponyville at Canterlot Castle.  He would have to venture up there soon to ask about official ownership of the ruins in the Everfree, but he was determined to wait until after nightfall.  Not only would his size cause less of a ruckus amongst the so-called Canterlot Elite, he would be more likely to granted an audience with Princess Luna, with whom he was still on somewhat good terms unlike her accursed sister.

He wandered the town for a while, slowly becoming more and more confused.  Most of the roads were the same, aside from being in such good condition, but others were new entirely.  Most of the buildings were in good repair, most of the ponies he recognized were here, though they didn’t seem to recognize him at all.

As made his way down the street, ponies continued to give him wide berth, either trotting to the other side of the road or slipping into alleys as he passed by.  All save one.  A small white pegasus in a wide-brimmed black hat trotted right up to him, tilted his head back and held out a hoof in a welcoming gesture.

“Greetings, friend!  I don’t believe I’ve seen you in these parts before!”  He smiled pleasantly enough and seemed sincere in his welcome.

Victor reached out a foreleg and tapped the offered hoof in return, his own dwarfing the smaller stallion’s.  “Indeed.  It’s been a long time since I last visited, far longer than I intended, it seems.”

“Well, I certainly hope you’ll be staying a while!  Allow me to introduce myself, I am Reverend Smallflower, and…”  his voice trailed off a bit as he saw the sudden change in the huge zebra’s mood.  

Victor frowned, his mood turning sour.  Thunderheads seemed to knit between his eyebrows as he scowled down at the pious pony before him, “Reverend?  After hearing from one of your congregation earlier, I’m surprised you speak to, how did he put it?  “Lesser creatures like me.”

Smallflower shook his head, frowning now as well, “Bah, you ran across a member of the Celestian Church.  In our church, all are welcome.”

He blinked, then reached a hoof up to rub at the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed.  He’d just acted every bit the ruffian that the townsfolk had been treating him like.  “I’m sorry, Reverend.  You’re correct.  They were in front of the day spa and were trying to keep others from entering.”

The reverend sighed and shook his head, “They know better than that.  THe next time you see them doing something similar, just inform Constable Crager of the Ponyville police department.  He’ll set things straight.  Just make sure you talk to him directly.  Sadly, some of the officers are members of the Celestian church as well.”

Shaking his head in return, Victor smiled in thanks, “I appreciate you letting me know.  Perhaps I may stop by to see your congregation one day.  Good day, Reverend Smallflower.”

“And a good day to you, too, brother.. uh…  I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Victor, and thank you again.”

With that, the two touched hooves again and went their separate ways.  After this encounter, however, Victor noticed a change.  Fewer ponies were crossing to the far side of the street to get away from him.  He got a few nods of acknowledgment or waves.  He was even able to browse a few shopping stalls without the keeper not suddenly having business elsewhere.

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 8

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 8

by

@mordenheim

2319 words

© 2020 by @mordenheim

used by permission of the author

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

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NEW TO THIS STORY? READ FROM PART 1 which is HERE

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Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1:   De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 8

Dr. Victor Mordenheim has traveled to many different realities in his many centuries of existence.  This series, which I shall add to from time to time, will explore some of them, beginning with the world of  @ask-de-writer. Note: This tale takes place before the Hearthswarming story.  It is actually the night after the Nightmare Night Celebration. =============================================================

The huge zebra sat at the table, waiting for the entrance of the two sisters.   Luna had essentially twisted his foreleg until he finally agreed to meet with her sister, Celestia.   Given that in his own world, Celestia was responsible for his curse and much of the suffering he experienced in his long, long life it had taken a LOT of twisting.

He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and wished silently that he had brought his pipe.   He imagined that it was likely bad manners to smoke inside of the royal palace, but his nerves were shot.   He gazed around the room, which was smoothly tiled and decorated mostly in white and gold with deep midnight blue and black highlights.   The black of a few of the tiles was so deep that he felt he might fall into one if he stared at it for too long.

He glanced back over his shoulders to the four guards posted by the huge double doors.   Three of them stood at attention, their heads scanned the room as proper, well trained guards would.   The fourth had his eyes locked on the “good” doctor, sneering with disdain at what he obviously considered a “lesser” creature.   Victor turned away and rolled his eyes, sighing softly.   There really was no escaping ignorance.

After a few moments there came a knock at the door.   A new guard leaned in and whispered something to one of the others before the two nodded to one another and she backed out and closed the door.

“Night court is running late, I am afraid.   Princess Luna will be unable to attend tea with her sister this evening.   However, Princess Celestia shall be appearing in a few moments.

The zebra swallowed hard and felt his heart sink into his gut.   This was not at all what he had agreed to. Meeting the two of them together was bad enough, at least he would have Princess Luna to lean on a bit and guide him through the ordeal, but this?   This was almost too much to bear.

Victor stared wordlessly into the cup of milky tea swirling before him.   His hooves tapped nervously on the tabletop as he waited.   He turned his head to the left, casting furtive glances towards the door.   The door where a mare who was the spitting image of the one who ruined his life would soon enter.   He cast his eyes over to the side of the room and briefly considered hurling himself through the glass to escape.   It might be poor form, but he wouldn’t have to face his fear alone.

He knew in his head that she was not the same mare who had been responsible for his centuries of torment, but he was not so sure of how his heart would react to seeing her face to face.   He took a deep, cleansing breath through his nose and slowly exhaled through his mouth as he tried to get his nerves under control.

The door opened and he felt his heart freeze like ice.   He turned to see the Princess of the Sun enter the room, alone.   She was slightly taller than he, her rainbow mane seeming to blow in an eternal solar wind even in the still air of the room.   He felt a sudden urge to flee settle into him until he met her gaze.

Her eyes met his and studied him with curiosity.  Where the Celestia he knew would only look upon him with coldness and disdain, there was none of that here.   Her eyes held genuine concern. Her violet gaze seemed warm and inviting, like being bathed in the gentle light of the sun after a cold storm.   He started to speak, then stopped.   Unused to the process he bowed low as he did for her sister, if a bit stiffly.

The princess smiled brightly, “My sister told me that you were quite nervous about our meeting, yet it seems something has changed that already.   What was it?”

He cast his gaze downwards, ashamed of how frightened he had been.  “One look into your eyes and I could see that you were not the tyrant ruler of my old home, despite many physical similarities.   Your eyes speak of inviting kindness, while hers spoke of solitude and hatred.”

Celestia, let out a musical laugh.  She moved about a few of the massive array of cakes set before her to make eye contact easier.   No doubt many of these were part of her sister’s bribe.  “I am glad to see you are so observant.   The ability to see more than one’s appearance is a very important trait to have.”

The zebra finally took a small sip of his tea. He enjoyed the milky richness and the slight sweetness on his tongue.   He thought about her words and tilted his head a bit. “And what do you see beneath my appearance?”

The tall mare looked thoughtful for a moment.   Her first few words were muffled, spoken as they were around a mouthful of cake.  “Power…   Great power and intelligence, and a kindness and wish to help others.”   Her wistful look turned to one of sorrow, “Beneath that, however, is pain..   More pain than anyone should have to endure.   There’s a darkness down there, and that makes you a dangerous stallion.”

Victor sat his cup down with a shaking hoof.   The porcelain made a soft clattering noise against the saucer.   How much did she know, he wondered.   Steeling himself, he forced his eyes to meet hers and was stunned to see not judgment, but compassion in her gaze.  “I have done many things I am not proud of over the centuries.   Things I wish I could go back and change, but I can’t.  All of this power and all of the time in the universe…” “Yet you can’t change the past…” Celestia finished for him.

He nodded mutely and stared down into his tea for a moment.

The princess reached across the table and lightly touched his shoulder with a hoof.   The zebra was so tense it was like touching a moss-covered stone.  “I don’t know what you’ve done in the past, but that was another place, another world entirely.   Here, I want you to know that you can start over.   A clean slate, as it were.”

She stared into the depths of her own tea for a moment.  “I know what happened at the celebration last night.”

Victor had gripped the edge of the table with his hooves so tightly that the wood sounded like it was beginning to splinter.   He glanced at the guards, his voice a hoarse whisper.  “They were inciting violence around children, I couldn’t just…”

She smiled softly, “I know…   I know everything that happened, Victor.   Luna knew what had happened and we do not keep secrets from one another.”

The zebra was confused by the smile, but relaxed a little.   She hadn’t shouted for the guards so all may still be well.

“My apologies.   A transgression like that where I come from could result in several years in the dungeon, if not becoming a permanent addition to the royal statue garden.” He rubbed a bit at his eye patch and chuckled nervously, but could see genuine concern in Celestia’s eyes.

“I’m sorry to hear that.   To think that a punishment for a crime would be levied without looking into all circumstances involved, or worse that the circumstances did not matter is horrible.   To think that it comes from a version of myself, even more so.”   The tall alicorn helped herself to another piece of cake from the rapidly dwindling pile.   As she took a bite, she mulled over a few thoughts.

“It doesn’t sound like you are in any particular hurry to go back there,” she said softly, taking a sip of tea.

“Not at all.   There is nothing left for me there anymore.   Everything was taken from me.”   He picked up the mug of tea in his hooves and sipped at it sparingly.   It had gone cold while they were waiting, but that was fine as far as he was concerned.

Victor was once more bathed in that comforting warmth as Celestia smiled at him.  “You may, of course, stay here for as long as you wish.   You are after all a citizen of Equestria, if not this particular version of it.”   She giggled a bit, “Luna has also told me that you were so anxious to open your clinic that you forgot to get the proper licenses even after she told you directly.”

Victor blushed, a deep crimson showing through his pale fur.  “Y..yes, well…”   He stammered for a moment before nodding, “Very true.   If Princess Luna had not been visiting that day I could have ended up in a rather large spot of trouble.”

“Ah!   Before I forget!   Luna was extremely impressed with the demonstration of your prostheses.   She even said that it has pushed her to try improving on her own design. Perhaps the two of you should compare notes with one another and come up with a single design using your combined knowledge?”

Victor hummed and rubbed his chin, “I think that is an ingenious idea!   If you think she would be willing, of course…”

Celestia chuckled to herself, ��I think she would be delighted.   After all, who knows what breakthroughs the two of you may devise?”

Victor slowly took another long, cleansing breath and allowed himself to relax at last.  “Lord and Lady, I had been so nervous about this day.   Thankfully, I see that it was for no good reason.”

The tall alicorn tilted her head at that statement, “Lord and Lady?   I must admit that’s an expletive I have not heard before.”

“Ah..”   Victor blushed a bit and thought he had gotten a bit too comfortable.  “It is in reference to the parents of Princess Luna and Celestia from my own dimension. Lord Kraken and Lady Faust.”

The princess nodded.   She took a very large bite of cake and chewed thoughtfully as she mulled it over, “Yes, I suppose that would make sense.   Though it is interesting to hear that a version of myself and my sister came from an entirely different set of circumstances.”

The zebra lifted a fork in his hoof and took a small piece of the sugary sweet cake onto it, “Well, the circumstances, unfortunately, created a very different version of you both.”

Celestia took one look and could easily read the hurt in the doctor’s voice.   She cleared her throat a bit and smiled once more at him, “Perhaps that is something we can discuss another time.   This being our first meeting perhaps we should stick to more pleasant conversation.”

He placed the sugary treat into his mouth and let it melt upon his tongue.   There was so much sweetness to it it made his teeth tingle, but it was still very flavorful.   It wasn’t sweet just for sweetness sake, but crafted with love and care by someone who knew precisely what they were doing.  “Mmm.. sorry..”   He took a sip of his tea to clear some of the stickiness from his maw, “Did you have something particular in mind?”

“Well, the running of the leaves is in a few weeks.   We’ve changed the route a bit so it runs past your clinic and will clear some of the mess out in that area.   I was wondering if you were going to participate in the running itself?”

His ears perked up at the sound of that.   How long had it been since he’d gone for a run and just really let himself loose?   He could actually feel his true cutie mark trying to push its way pas the wolf-head curse mark on his flank for a moment.  “I..   would like that very much, but I don’t know if I should…”

The princess blinked in surprise, sitting upright, “I don’t understand.   The running is open to any creature who wishes to join in.   What could be the problem?”

Victor chuckled a little, “Simply put, my skill as a scientist is purely due to study, hard work, and dedication.   It has nothing to do with my talent.”   He smiles, actually puffing up with pride a little, “While I may be a bit rusty, my true talent is running.   I just don’t know if it would be fair to the others if I were to participate.”

She laughed a little, a high, cheerful piccolo like sound.  “Oh, now I wish to see you run even more.   If it is something you are skilled at and enjoy enough to brag about it in front of me, you must be impressive indeed!”

He blinked as he realized that he had just stepped in a mess with this turn of conversation.   He sighed softly and shook his head, “Alright then, I will participate, but I just hope the other ponies won’t be upset if I show them up too badly.”   He finished his small slice of cake and drained the last of his tea before smiling at her.   However, the hour is late, and I still have a bit of paperwork to do before bed.” “Of course, of course.   I should be getting to bed myself.   It is a shame that Luna could not join us, but I did exercise enough restraint to save her a slice of cake.” Victor turned and bowed to the Princess, his head low to the carpet, “By your leave, your highness.”

She smiled and nodded, “Of course.   I look forward to seeing you again soon, Doctor Mordenheim.  I also look forward to what breakthroughs you and my sister may come up with.”

The zebra stood and turned to trot out of the room. He took great delight in the look of impotent rage on the face of one particular guard as he passed by.

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[ask-de-writer]

Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1:  De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 5

           Tea with the Moon Princess        

This is another piece from Victor’s past that takes place in the reality of De Writer.  Preparations for a nightmare Night surprise are afoot!

Victor smiled and relaxed a bit.  He filled his teacup about a third of the way with a bit of cream and sugar before pouring the hot Rom black tea over it.  He stirred it a bit, took a long, indulgent sniff and sipped the wonderful brew.  “It’s always so good to have a proper cup of tea. I always get the water too hot and scald the leaves.”

Princess Luna smiled across the table at the tall, slender zebra.  “I agree, and it’s always nice to have a bit of company at night.  I do still wish you would come by at dusk sometime to meet my sister as well, though.  She asks many questions about the mysterious new doctor on the edge of the Everfree.”

Making a bit of a face, Victor sat down his cup.  “It will take a bit of time before I am ready for that.  I know that she is not the same Celestia that I know, but…  it’s just so ingrained in my mind that I feel almost a physical reaction when I see her.”

One of the guards stationed by the door stood up a little straighter at this statement and leaned out in the hall.  He whispered something to a guard in the hallway and returned to staring at the night princess’ visitor.

Keep reading

[ask-de-writer]

Because all of the previous chapters of Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels are all linked to his blog, I am REPOSTING them with permission and all due credits along with links to his blog.  This will allow me to link all the parts together so that a reader can simply go directly from each part to the next.

[mordenheim]

Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1:  De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 7

Dr. Victor Mordenheim has traveled to many different realities in his many centuries of existence.  This series, which I shall add to from time to time, will explore some of them, beginning with the world of @ask-de-writer.

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Victor sighed softly as he tiredly cleaned the last of his tools and set the gleaming silver instruments in their proper places.  He  brought in his glowing “Ring Bell For Service” sign as he closed for the holiday and looked out towards Ponyville proper.  It was late at night and fluffy snow was falling slowly from the overcast sky.  Through a long break in the clouds the moon and stars could still be seen glistening against the night sky.  He tilted his head a little, cocking an ear as he could still hear peals of laughter and joyful music in the distance.

Closing the door, he trotted back through his clinic, turning off the lights as he went.  He placed a few foal’s books back upon their shelf before opening a side door.  The huge zebra stepped into his small but comfortable living quarters.  He spent a bit of time building a fire in the small fireplace before taking a few moments for a nice, hot shower.  He dried himself thoroughly and slipped into his forest-green robe.

Clean and dry, he trotted over to the refrigerator.  Taking a small wrapped package of leftover steak from Caramel Treat's, he sliced it thin and prepared himself a sandwich along with a snifter of apple brandy.  It had been a gift from the Apple Family for helping Big Macintosh get back on his hooves after spraining his knee during the fall harvest.  Now seemed as good a time as any to have a drink.

He sat in silence, listening to the crackling fire as he finished his meal and the glass of brandy.  It truly was an excellent drink.  He trotted over to the window once more and gazed out at the town.  It was quiet now.  Most of the lights had gone dark except for a few along the main royal roads.  Feeling restless, he draped his dark cloak around his shoulders and put on a green scarf.  He picked up his pipe, filling it with a fine, sweet-smoking weed before lighting it with a punk from the fireplace and trotting out into the snow.

He gazed up at the moon and stars shining overhead, framed by silvery clouds and took a long pull on his old ivory pipe.  He exhaled a plume of smoke that coalesced into what seemed to be a Hearthswarming tree.  Three smaller clouds formed into two ponies, large and small leaning on one another and what looked to be a small colt tumbling excitedly around the tree. He smiled a little wistfully at the scene and began to sing.

“O bonny Portmore, I am sorry to see Such a woeful destruction of your ornament tree For it stood on your shore for many's the long day Till the long boats from Antrim came to float it away.”

He trotted through the image, scattering it into wisps in the wind, heading a little farther down the road before taking another pull on his pipe and exhaling again.  Another Hearthswarming tree, but four figures this time.  A large male with a small, older-seeming female leaning against him and a young, happy couple sitting with them.  They all looked to be speaking excitedly about something, occasionally seeming to laugh at some forgotten joke.

“O bonny Portmore, you shine where you stand And the more I think on you the more I think long If I had you now as I had once before All the lords in Old England would not purchase Portmore.”

He trotted through the smoke once more, smiling a little less than he did before.  He looked tired as he took another pull on the pipe.  Exhaling again, the smoke billowed out into another scene.  There was just a small tree on what looked to be a bedside table this time.  The larger pony sat, unchanged from the first ghostly image, however now there were two older ponies standing off to the side as the larger had his hoof resting upon that of an elderly looking mare in a bed.  His head hung low as he nuzzled her cheek gently.

“All the birds in the forest they bitterly weep Saying, "Where will we shelter or shall we sleep?" For the Oak and the Ash, they are all cutten down And the walls of bonny Portmore are all down to the ground.”

He walked more slowly now, his head hung down as low as the stallion in the smoky image as he walked on through the falling snow, unaware that he was now being watched from the forest nearby.  He took one last pull on his pipe as the red glow from the bowl faded and died, the weed spent.  He exhaled a final plume of smoke revealing the large stallion once more, still unchanged as ever appearing in a field.  Three small stones sat before him as he lie on the ground, hooves covering his face as he wept.  The tall zebra's voice quivered slightly as he sang one final verse.

“O bonny Portmore, you shine where you stand And the more I think on you the more I think long If I had you now as I had once before All the Lords of Old England would not purchase Portmore.”

He sat heavily in the snow, not even feeling the cold as the pipe slipped from his teeth, clattering onto the snowy cobblestone.  He head hung low as cold, stinging tears  slipped from his single eye.  He tried to keep quiet, wrapping his forelegs around his chest to hold in wracking sobs as he heard a soft voice behind him.

“Uh...  uhm...  e-excuse me.  Doctor Mordenheim?  A..  are you alright?”

He blinked, wiping at his eye and turned to see a small yellow pegasus mare with a pink mane dressed in a pale blue coat looking up at him.  “Er..  yes?  May I help you, Miss Fluttershy?”

She trotted a little closer, but he could tell it was taking a bit of effort.  For a moment it seemed she would break and run at any second.  Then she calmed and reached up to place a hoof gently on his shoulder.  “Well.  I couldn't sleep, so I decided to come for a walk.  I couldn't visit with my family this holiday as I just had too many animals to watch over and needed a few moments to clear my head.  Then I heard this beautiful, sad song I had never heard before.”

The zebra blushed a little at that, his white cheeks turning pink in the silvery glow of the moon.  “Yes, it is a song from my homeland, and was one of my wife's favorites.”

She smiled a bit sadly, then nodded.  “I see.  Um..  Would...  you like to join me for a cup of tea.  It's getting colder and well...  Nobody should spend Hearthswarming alone if it can be helped.”

He paused for a moment, about to turn her down.  Then he looked down at this mare, the bearer of the Element of Kindness, saw the determination behind her soft gaze and smiled softly.

“Thank you.  I think that would be lovely.”

The two of them turned and followed the path towards the small bridge that lead to Fluttershy's small shack near the Everfree.

“Happy Hearthswarming, Doctor.”

“Happy Hearthswarming, Fluttershy.”