The Crystal Empire: Tell Me Everything

“Brave Storm?” Ginger Remedy called from behind a curtain that separated him from the infected. Brave Storm slowly entered the curtained booth set up to separate her interviewer from her, reducing him from catching the disease. The booth was dimly lit and a layer of glass stood between her and a bat pony covered in blankets.

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t off put by how young he was. He couldn’t have been much older than seventeen, although that was being generous. His face was still clinging to some of his baby fat.

Ginger Remedy set down a clipboard in front of him and slid in a fresh set of papers. He got to work filling out details that he knew for certain. Getting some signatures out of the way, writing down Brave Storm’s name, and the current time. Instead of jumping straight into the line of questioning, he sat casually and made gentle eye contact with the mare. She was uncomfortable, everypony usually is in these situations. He needed to help calm her down first.

“My name is Ginger Remedy. I come from Sumit’s Hallow. I’ve been told that you’ve been there. Did you like it?” he wanted to get her used to talking about herself to him.

“It was nice.” Brave Storm answered. She looked over her shoulder, back towards the way she came.

“Have you tried a honeyberry?”

“I go to Sumit’s Hallow to collect a basket full of them every month or so.”

“You must really like them!” Ginger Remedy’s wings spread open. 

“They’re mostly for Araneus.”

“Araneus?”

“Oh, my spider. It saved me when I was fighting Moon Widow.”

“You fought Moon Widow?” Ginger Remedy already knew this. He needed her to bring it up first. “Thank you. You’re far braver than I.”

“You’re just a kid. You shouldn’t be expected to fight things like that.” Brave Storm sighed. “Or risk your life here either.”

“Thanks for your concern, Miss Storm. But you don’t have to worry about me.” Ginger Remedy smiled. “I’m taking every precaution I can to reduce the chance of catching the infection. But I need to take the risk occasionally. Like now, so I can help other ponies. Will you help me?”

“It’s why I’m here.” Brave Storm answered. She was tired and wanted to get this over with.

“To start, we need to learn how this disease spreads. Tell me everything that you were doing leading up until you noticed the crystals growing.”

“I was on the other side of the fence bringing supplies over with Pas D’arms and Pale Blossom.”

“Brave Storm, I need you to tell me everything. Spare no detail.”

“That’s going to take a while,” she warned.

“I wouldn’t be here if I wanted to do a quick and easy job.” Ginger Remedy gave her a reassuring smile.

“Well, it started when we first got here. I wanted to see Princess Flurry Heart…,” Brave Storm began. Almost half an hour passes, “... and that’s when I saw the crystals growing on my chest. I backed away from Paz. He didn’t get infected, did he?”

“So far he’s showing no signs.” Ginger Remedy answered as he finished writing the rest of Brave’s recollection. Brave Storm slumped back in her seat as she released a sigh. “Brave Storm, I need to ask a few personal questions now. I want to let you know that I am, for all intents and purposes, a nurse- maybe a doctor. Whatever you Equestrians would call me. Any information that’ll be shared about you will be shared among others researching the cure and nopony else. I understand if you don’t want to share anything, but anything you do share could save lives. If nothing else- you can not lie to me. Okay?”

Brave Storm felt her heart flutter in her chest. What a foreboding way to start the next line of questioning, especially after he had been so casual. She bit her lip and nodded. Ginger Remedy sets down the clipboard again and Brave Storm peered to peek at what he wrote. Somehow it was worse than anything she had seen Star Atlas write.

“Do you have any allergies?”

“None that I’m aware of.”

“How often do you get sick?”

“I get snotty and my eyes itch at the start of Spring because of the pollen.” Brave Storm answered. This wasn’t as bad as he was making it out to be. “I get sick a few times a year aside from that. Stomach bugs and fevers. I haven’t gotten anything like the flu yet. And I haven’t gotten chicken pox, does that matter?”

Ginger Remedy nods. “Is there any chance you may be pregnant?”

Brave Storm’s gut wrenched. There’s the question. She felt herself getting shaky. She couldn’t answer verbally. She shook her head. If Ginger Remedy had noticed a shift in her disposition, he had the courtesy to not say anything about it.

“Did you participate in Golden Sage’s ritual?” he moved on.

“I did.”

“Were you or anyone in your family born from the Mirror Tree?”

“I don’t know.” Brave Storm answered honestly. 

Ginger Remedy scribbled down her answers. He released he hadn’t looked at her in a moment and peered over his clipboard to make eye contact with the mare again. He wish he did sooner as he noticed that the dark blue color of her nose looked pale. She was rocking slightly in her seat and her knees were wobbling. Her jaw slacked open.

“Brave Storm.” He said firmly. “I need you to slowly and gently lay your head do-”

Brave Storm dropped, slamming her head loudly against the table before she slid the rest of the way onto the ground. If Ginger Remedy hadn’t already been in caretaker mode, he possibly would have panicked. But instead, with no hesitation, he dived under his desk to grab his first aid kit. Running from the sterile booth, he yelled to the other researchers, “Brave Storm fainted! I’ll give her first aid. Somepony else help me get her somewhere we can run tests!”

He knew of the risk he was bringing to himself, but he didn’t care. He could do something to help her and Luna herself couldn’t stop him. Ginger Remedy found his way into her side of the booth. Brave Storm was laying still on the ground. She was in a position that told him that she had attempted to get back up but slipped in the process.

Her eyes were open and she lazily turned her ears to focus on him. She was responding, and that was good. No blood that he could see, and no broken limbs either. He found some nearby pillows and propped her limbs up above her head.

He felt for her pulse. It was slow, even for a healthy earth pony of her size. And it was definitely weak for the strength she had. He could see her sides rising and falling, albeit slowly. She was breathing at least. She’s good to be moved.

Ginger Remedy dipped out to see who came to help him. But it would seem as though most of the researchers were too worried about catching the infection to help him. He sucked his teeth. He’ll bring the equipment he needs over here if he has to. As Ginger Remedy rushed away, hoping that Brave Storm would be okay on her own, he felt something hard rubbing against the neck of his hood.