Chapter 2:
Sterling's POV:
Once again I was struck by the similarities to home as I entered the red brick building that housed the local Hospital, but after nearly two years of mud and sheet iron walls, leaky ceilings and chasing rats from the food stores I suddenly felt rather spoiled.
The entry hall was bright and open with not a speck of grime to be seen, other than my hooves of course.
I noted only a handful of patients as I walked to the desk, the nurse, a young woman with a pale blue coat and light malachite hair, looked up, "Hello, can I help you?"
"Hello, earlier a young man was brought in with a stab wound," I said, "tall guy with a red coat and barleycorn mane, built like a brick outhouse?"
The nurse blushed lightly at that, "one moment," she then checked the patient register, "Here we are, McIntosh Apple, stabbed in the side and puncturing the left lung. He came out of surgery two hours ago, if you'll take a seat I'll ask one of my colleagues if he's ready to receive visitors."
"Thanks," I said and went over to an empty seat, looking around I saw five others waiting: a woman and a child with a colander on their head, a man with crutches and his leg in a cast, and a couple sitting opposite me with the woman cradling a bandaged arm gingerly, probably a burn.
After a few minutes another nurse appeared, this one was a very pretty twenty something with a snow white coat and a long pink mane in a bun.
"Are you the one asking to visit Mr Apple?" she asked.
I nodded, "he's just woken up, If you will follow me I will take to you to his room," she said, with that I stood up and followed her out of the waiting room.
I tried to remember the way from the waiting room, but I gave it up after the third corridor on the first floor, eventually the nurse stopped at a door, A113.
She knocked, waited until a voice answered, then entered, "good evening Mr Apple, how are you feeling?"
"A little sore down my left side and a little groggy," a deep, an almost American voice replied.
"Very good, I just need to take a few measurements and then you have a visitor," the nurse said.
"Applejack?" the male asked fearfully.
"Fortunately she isn't here yet," I chuckled quietly at the relieved sigh, then tried not to react as the male quite audibly was made into a pincushion for the nurse.
Eventually the nurse finished, "that's all done, now you can have your visitor."
"You can come in now," I pushed off the wall and entered, keeping a straight face as Macintosh rubbed his shoulder, glaring at a rather large needle that resembled a knife I once saw a French Officer shank a German with.
"Oh don't tell me that a bid strong stallion like you is afraid of needles too?" the nurse pouted playfully, noticing me watching the needle.
"I've seen my share of knife fights," I countered, "forgive me if I'm reluctant not to keep an eye on sharp objects."
The nurse pouted, then went back to tidying away her instruments, but just before she left I stopped her.
"I didn't thank you, miss...?"
"Nurse Redheart," the nurse replied.
"Thank you miss Redheart," I said, smiling gratefully.
"You're welcome, it's nice to see there are some gentlecolts left in this town," Nurse Redheart replied, smiling, "when you're ready to leave just find me at the nurse's station down the hallway, to the left from the door."
And with that, she left. I turned around to see the m...stallion looking at me.
"You ok, they get the knife out alright?" I asked, settling into one of the visitor's chairs.
"Yeah, Doc said ah mighta died if ah'd pulled the blade out when yah stopped me," the stallion blew a strand of hair out of his face, "ah'm Macintosh Apple, friends call me Big Mac," he said, holding out his good hand.
"Sterling Armure," I replied, shaking his hand, "sorry you got caught up in that mess."
"What exactly happened? Ah don't recognise yah from round town?" Big Mac asked.
"We're not from around here," I replied, "we were heading into town to find out where we are, actually. But when everyone we saw met us with the thousand yard stare I figured it would be better to ask one of the shopkeepers, and the only one obviously open was that merry-go-round place..."
"Carousel Boutique," Mac noted, "Miss Rarity's store. Then what happened?"
"We heard that thug threatening the shopkeep," I said, "Miss Rarity, was it?"
"Eeyup," Mac replied.
"Well, the Lieutenant sent me and Weston round the back to get in that way, once we were inside we signalled the LT and waited for him to distract the thug so we could disarm him, you know the rest," I shrugged at the end.
"Well, in case you were wondering ah followed when ah saw two of yah run round the back, imagine my surprise when I hear somepony threatening Miss Rarity."
"Thanks anyway, that knife caught me off guard, one of us might have been killed without the help," I said gratefully.
Any reply was cut off by a shout from the hallway, "Macintosh Zap Apple!"
I jumped up, a glance told me Mac was terrified out of his mind, I stepped behind the door and drew my revolver but didn't cock it.
Footsteps reverberated through the floor in time with ominous echoes as we waited, then the door was thrown open.
"Macintosh! What in Celestia's Multi-Colored... Oh! Howdy."
Standing in the doorway was a rather pretty orange coated, blonde maned woman almost as tall as me, well muscled, though not to the same degree as Mac or any of my platoon, with feminine curves that'd sink a Dreadnought and a pair of chest pillows that'd bounce a six pound shell.
"Nice to meet you," I replied, holstering my revolver, "Sterling Armure, I take it Mac's your brother."
"Applejack Apple," the woman said more pleasantly, "Ah don't recognise yah from town, are yah new here?"
"Arrived in the area sometime this morning," I replied, gesturing to the chair opposite me, "my friends and I are really lost, so we figured to get directions in town, only we walked into a holdup in one of the shops and Mac here decided to help out."
"And that's where he got stabbed?" I didn't need to be a veteran soldier to detect the danger in her tone.
"Thug had some kind of freaky knife," I explained, "went from a toothpick to a lethal weapon in a flash of light, guy used my distraction to break free and tried to fight his way clear, between us we brought him down but Mac got stabbed. I stopped him form pulling it out..."
"And Just Why Would Ya Do That?" the woman demanded.
"Are you a three year War veteran? Do you know what most common weapons do to people and how to stabilise them so the medics can bandage and evacuate them?" the woman wilted at my glare and ashamedly shook her head, "the blade was in his lung but plugged the wounds, if it had been removed then blood would have flowed freely into his lung, he could have drowned before the Doctor arrived."
Applejack looked ashamed and mumbled an apology, then I felt a tug on my sleeve.
In front of me was a little boy, a Unicorn, with a black coat, a silvery mane and bright azure eyes.
"Did you really save my uncle?"
I nodded then jump a little in surprise as the kid hugs my knees, I place my hand on his back gently.
"Thank you for saving him," the boy mumbled.
"It was only right," I said, as a little girl, a pale yellow with hair a bright red like Mac's hugged me too, mumbling her thanks into my jacket side.
"Now who are you?" I asked, noting the children, both seemed around ten but I couldn't know for sure.
"Ah'm Applebloom, Mac's little sister," the girl said proudly, stepping back and curtsying.
"I'm Star Field," the boy said shyly, "Mac's my uncle."
"Adopted," I asked Applejack, who nodded.
"Found the tyke all alone in a basket one morning ten years ago," Applejack said, wrapping her son in a hug, "under one of the trees just outside the house, once ah saw his bright eyes looking up at me ah knew ah couldn't turn him away."
"That was very kind of you," I said earnestly.
Just then Nurse Redheart knocked, "excuse me, but I believe you said you were involved in the incident today, Mr..."
"Sterling Armure, and yes I was," I replied.
"Then I must ask if you've had a checkup, from what I heard the fight was nasty," Redheart added.
"Not the worst I've been, but no one but other than the aggressor was injured," I replied.
"Then I'm going to have to ask you to follow me for a checkup," Redheart said, "We have a duty to ensure the health of everypony in town."
I sigh and stand up, I know from experience it's a bad idea to fight with doctors and nurses, "Alright, I'll come quietly. I guess we'll chat another time," I said to Mac.
"Eeyup," he said with a knowing smile.
"Thank yah again," Applejack said.
"Bye," both children waved.
"Bye now," I said, then I followed the nurse out and down the corridor.
I followed Nurse Redheart into the examination room, it was fairly standard, though I was surprised by what looked like a reclining chair with two articulated stirrups that would hold someone's legs beside the examination table.
"If you could strip we can begin," Redheart said, moving to an instrument table.
I took off my jacket and laid it on a table off to one side, followed by my shirt, my ear flicked as Redheart gasped, I ignored it and laid the shirt down.
I know my back is a mess, a year of colonial policing and two in Hell in Flanders has turned my shoulders and upper back into a roadmap of pain. Shell fragments, shrapnel balls, rifle, machine gun, pistol bullets and various knifes and clubs had left their marks on my body, I'm actually pretty proud that I've only twice suffered more than superficial injury.
This is followed by my belt, I can almost feel Redheart's eyes on the holster as I set it down, but she doesn't say anything.
Finally I take off my trousers, piling them on top of my belt, hiding the holster, I take a step towards her but Redheart clears her throat.
"You need to be naked, this will be a full check up," Redheart explained.
I tried not to let my discomfort show as I removed my shorts and added them to the pile, I'm not ashamed of my body or particularly shy, sharing a dugout with thirty other men cures you of that if huddling together during the shelling doesn't, but I haven't exactly been naked in front of a woman before, not even a nurse... at least when I was awake.
As I lean against the table, Nurse Redheart begins dictating to... a floating quill?
"New Patient File. Patient name is Sterling Armure. Coat colour is white. Mane is sapphire blue with two streaks, one cerulean the other pthalo blue. Eye colour is cerulean. Cutie Mark..." at this the nurse leaned around me to look at my hip, "A blue shield bearing an Arcane Star with three stars crowning. Height is..." at this she gestured I stand, as I did she produced a tape measure, "Two Hooves and one Stirrup."
'I'm 6 foot 1,' I thought.
"Weight is approximately two hundred and ten pounds. Shoulders and upper torso are covered in scars, largely superficial though indicative of a violent past," I raised an eyebrow at the nurse.
She then taped the quill and it fell still to one side of the paper, she then takes a thermometer and slips it under my tongue, before turning back to the tray and picking up a small torch.
"Do you have any allergies or history of illness?" she asked, shining the torch in my right eye.
"Other than a few aches when it rains," I muttered semi-sarcastically, "nothing I recall," I tried not to wince when the light was shone in my left eye.
"Pupil dilation is normal," she notes, writing the results on the paper, then she takes the thermometer, "as is temperature," she then produced a stethoscope, "breath in."
For the first time I recall, it wasn't cold, I obeyed Redheart, taking a few deep breaths, she then told me to relax.
"Breathing is normal, airways sound healthy," she made another note.
I froze and tried very hard not to move.
"Turn you head and cough."
I'm pretty sure I could be mistaken for Mac's long lost brother as I return to the waiting area, I had to stand there for several minutes as Redheart constantly adjusted her grip so she got accurate results.
If I wasn't so embarrassed at her barely veiled groping, her whispered praise regarding my endowment would have been a real boost to my ego.
As it is I'm glad to be out of there.
"Armure?"
I look up to see the Lieutenant rise from a chair, "Colthurst."
He gives me a look, but I silently communicate they don't know we are soldiers, a handy skill when snipers are sniffing around.
"All done?" he asks.
"Pretty much, nurse decided to give me a checkup as we're new in town," I explained, "apparently basic healthcare is paid for by the state and everyone is entitled to it."
"Something we could learn from," Colthurst said.
"Excuse me, did you arrive in town with Mr Armure?"
I struggle not to grin as Nurse Redheart, who was showing me out, notices the lieutenant.
"Indeed I am, Miss?" Colthurst replies politely.
"Nurse Redheart, I'm afraid I must ask you to follow me for a checkup, seeing as not only were involved in the altercation earlier but you are new to town, it is mandatory for all new arrivals to receive a checkup," she explained.
"Very well, if you'll allow me a moment," the nurse nods and walks over to the desk, "the lads are outside if you want to wait with them, this shouldn't take too long," Colthurst said.
"See you in a bit," I said, then headed for the door, I looked back as I opened the door to see nurse Redheart lead the Lieutenant away.
outside I walked down the steps and spotted Weston and Hagen at a fountain opposite the doors, the former sitting on the wall ringing the fountain and the latter on the ground leaning back against it.
"Where's the LT sarge?" Weston asked me as I settled beside Hagen.
"Getting a free checkup," I grinned, "including a 'Full' physical."
The two men chuckled, I think he might be a bit miffed you left him in there," Weston warned.
"Then I'll offer you two getting one as a peace offering," I grinned broadly as they went deathly pale.
"You don't play fair, sarge," Hagen moaned.
I shrugged, "I had to sit through it, so can you."
"But you're the same species, we ain't," Weston argued.
"And they run the only medical institution for miles," I countered.
"At least we got plenty to tell the Captain when we get back," Hagen pointed out.
I winced at the thought of explaining this in the debriefing.