Author's Note:

Hmm… just moving right along, I suppose.

Chapter XVII

Jake opened the door to his dorm room and was surprised to see that not only Ashir was there, but that one of Lancelot's goons was helping her along.

"Woh, woh, woh! Time out!" Jake followed Ashir and Lucius Tiberius into his room. "What's this about?"

"Your friend's ankle is hurt and she threatened me to bring her here instead of to the doctor's office, nearby." Lucius calmly explained.

"It's because Doctor Percival is currently busy with more important patients." Ashir snapped as she sat down on Meleagant's vacant armchair, the aforementioned rocker being out at an all-night gig for the Knights in Black Satin. "Besides, I can take care of myself." She stated.

Jake sighed. "You'd better go." He stated to Lucius. "She's probably not going to change her mind." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Um… thanks for bringing her here."

"No problem." Lucius quickly made his exit, shutting the door behind him.

Jake let out a long sigh, easing his hand through his hair. "Ashir…"

"I know what you're going to say –Jake- and I'm telling you, I don't need to got to Doctor Percival." Ashir stated firmly. "I'll be fine here."

Jake sighed once more, "fine…" he looked down at Ashir and shook his head. "You know… let me get a look at that injury of yours before I start agreeing with you…"

"It's nothing." Ashir tried to tuck her ankle behind the other, but the mere contact brought a grimace of pain to her face.

"You see!" Jake said, having noticed Ashir's expression, "Now c'mon… don't be stubborn."

Ashir pouted, removed her shoe and stuck out her injured foot so that her ankle was showing. The skin surrounding her ankle was red and considerably swollen up.

Jake winced at the sight and then walked into the adjacent bathroom, retrieving a basin and a pitcher of warm water. He set the basin down by Ashir's feet and motioned for her to put her injured foot in it. Ashir did so and Jake poured the warm water over her foot.

Ashir exhaled slowly, feeling some relief come to her injured foot. She looked at Jake gratefully, "Thanks Jake." She smiled softly.

Jake smiled back. "You know, how 'bout I go check up on Artie for you and you get some rest. Okay?"

Ashir looked away, thinking over Jake's offering, and then looked back at him. "All right… um, just be back before curfew. Right?" She smiled weakly.

Jake nodded, heading towards his dorm room door, and he glanced back at Ashir. "The water should help the swelling on your ankle," he stated, before exiting his room.

Ashir had fallen asleep in Meleagant's armchair by the time Jake had returned to his dorm room.

The news of Artie's condition hadn't changed. Artie hadn't woken up. Jake decided not to wake up his best friend over such marginal information and got himself into bed. He looked over Ashir, noting how ill she seemed to be getting, and sighed.

"Guess you won't be better until he is, huh…" Jake murmured. He then extinguished the candle on his bedside table.

Artie was walking through a dark forest, a deep green cloak drawn around his self. A chilling wind howled through the gnarled black trees, blowing the occasional leaf into his face as he continued down the twisting forest pathway. Artie noticed a shimming glow before him and came up to a fork in the pathway.

The first pathway led straight to a horizon of light, where the trees seemed thinner. Standing on the direct pathway was a delicate-looking unicorn with pale fur, deep magenta eyes and a multi-hued mane braided back in an orderly manner.

The second pathway was more twisted and seemed to lead deeper into the dark forest. Artie could barely make out a powerful winged horse with fur the colour of the night sky, bright black eyes and a wild looking mane of black hair.

Artie began to take the most obvious pathway, the direct one heading towards the horizon. But with every step Artie took, it seemed that he was getting nowhere nearer to the rainbow unicorn. The glowing horizon began to shrink and the gnarled trees seemed to thicken.

The dark winged horse moaned gently as it fell to the ground, apparently no longer strong enough to support itself. Artie turned around; glancing momentarily back towards the rainbow unicorn -who seemed indifferent of his presence- and hurried towards the winged horse.

Every step he took seemed to be a bound towards the winged horse, the twists in the path seemed to straighten out, the trees began to thin and the forest's edge seemed closer. Artie hurried to the winged horse's side and knelt down beside it.

The winged horse looked at him and gently nudged his hand with its nose, as if encouraging him to do something. Artie looked down into the horse's eyes, feeling a strangely familiar sensation of warmth and caring radiating from them. He stroked the winged horse's nose, inwardly wishing it to rise again and be the impressive creature from when he first laid eyes upon it.

Gradually, the dark-furred horse rose from where it lay, with Artie's hands still on its nose, until it was once again standing. The winged horse bowed its head to Artie, as if in thanks, and turned away. It knelt slightly, offering Artie to ride upon it.

Artie looked back, barely seeing the rainbow unicorn now roaming the dark forest, and then looked back at the winged horse. He lifted his self onto the winged horse's back and gently grasped its mane. The horse then extended its wings and leapt into the air, clearing the last few gnarled trees, and bringing Artie into the blinding sunlight.

Artie opened his eyes, groaning as he did so, for it was the early morning and a dusty beam of sunlight was shining right upon his face.

"Artie?" A gentle voice spoke from beside him.

"Where am I?" Artie asked, trying to squint through the sunlight.

"You're in the infirmary, Artie…" Mary stepped in front of the morning sunlight, casting a shadow upon Artie's face.

"Because of that fight?" Artie looked up at the young nurse.

Mary nodded, turning around to adjust the recovery rooms curtains so lesser amounts of sunlight entered the room. "You just missed Ashir, she was in to check on you before breakfast… she's been really worried about you, Artie."

"Why?" Artie asked.

"Well, you've been out for three days…" Mary explained calmly.

"Three days!" Artie exclaimed.

Mary simply nodded. "Don't worry too much about it, Artie, but we're glad that you're finally awake." She gave Artie a warm smile.

Artie sighed, sitting up in the bed. "What happened to me?"

"It's a bit of a long story." Mary started.

Author's Note:

Thanks for the support!

MG#6