When Strangers Become Friends (HeartBeat + Whisperpaw) RP

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw was a shy stallion. He was fearful and didn't have many friends. The one he had previously met had gone back home. With that, Whisperpaw had decided to go on a journey. It was a journey he had planned to help him gain his confidence. But what the stallion didn't expect was his fears to come crashing down on him like a ton of bricks.

It was early in the afternoon, when it started to rain. The black stallion took shelter under a tree. Suddenly, the sky lit up and it sounded as though it was going to explode. Whisperpaw did all that he could think to do. He galloped off as fast has his hooves would take him. The rain hit his black pelt hard. He felt the bitter cold, but when the stallion was scared he didn't stop running. His heart pounded loudly and his breathing had quickened it's pace at an alarming rate. Whisperpaw didn't know where he was going. He was too scared to use his own logic. Occasionally, he'd trip or stumble over certain things. But one thing was for certain, he wouldn't stop until the storm had gone quiet.

After the storm had ended, Whisperpaw had found that he had managed to get his self lost. He wanted around aimlessly. His breathing was deep and heavy as though he was panting for air. The cold had suddenly set in on the soaked unicorn as he began to shiver. Whisperpaw looked all around. He'd never been to this place before. 'How long have I been running for? Too long... My legs are tired and I think I'm lost.' He thought to his self. The stallion lay down on the cold, wet floor. All he wanted to do was rest his aching legs.

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat was walking down the road as she made her way from Manehatten to go see some friends of hers when she saw a black stallion laying by a tree who seemed to be in pain or lost or both.

"I sure hope everything is ok!" HeartBeat said before sprinting over to him and began to examine him without even asking, it was the nurse her that was taking over. As she looked she stopped at his front right hoof and squinted her eyes at it. "How long have you been running without a break. It is imperative that you tell me exactly how long." She said before her brain clicked and she had remembered that she hadn't even introduced herself yet and was already examining the poor stallion. "I'm very sorry." She said letting his hoof back down, "My name is HeartBeat and I am a nurse from Manehatten Hospital. I saw you laying here and had to make sure that you were ok." HeartBeat was soaking wet thanks to the lovely thunderstorm that had came. A soft rain was all that was left now, it wasn't at all as gloomy as it was before with the sun shining a little bit making the smile on HeartBeat's face seem to be even larger then it actually was. "Well before you answer any questions we need to get you inside. Luckily we are actually not that far from Manehatten where my house is." She bobbed her hoof in the direction that she had come from and then leaned over to help the stallion get up. If she was going to take care of him she needed to do it right.

[PonyHooves]

"Oh... Umm... Sorry... I didn't mean to worry you..." He whispered his only response. Whisperpaw was nervous. He didn't want to be a bother to anypony. But she wanted to help him. This mare, HeartBeat, knew nothing about him. Most pony folk let him get lost when he was scared. The stallion usually stayed indoors when a storm came, but this time he wasn't ready and the result was he'd worried a stranger. Whisperpaw didn't want to be a burden to her. She had no idea what he was like. He even wondered if she'd understand his lack of speech around her. The unicorn couldn't speak out loud. His nerves always got the better of him and he'd whisper every conversation. Still, this mare, HeartBeat, she was trying to get him to stand. Whisperpaw didn't want to seem rude. The stallion slowly got up with her help, though his legs still wobbled unsteadily. 'I don't want to be rude... She said she's a nurse... Bad time to be so cold... So tired... I wish I wasn't so easily spooked. Never mind that just stay calm... Now why does that sound impossible to me? Just be yourself.' He thought to his self.

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat helped the stallion to his hooves and then using her magic got out a rope from her saddlebag and tied him to her so that he could walk and not have to worry about his shaking legs. Her smile was nothing but pure joy at the moment, not that this stallion was hurt or anything, but that she was able to help him.

"We are going to take this one step at a time ok?" She said as she used her magic to pull the umbrella off of its holster on her saddlebags and then opened it over this mysterious stallion. "When we get to my house I will take care of you nice and good!" She said giggling at the phrase 'Nice and good' as per it was an interesting way to say 'very well' and she liked interesting things like that. "Come on now, left hoof, then right hoof." She said in a commanding voice as she bent her head down and nudged his left hoof with her horn. "We have to walk in sync or we might fall over." HeartBeat said with a giggle and a wink to the stallion as she lead off on her right hoof to match him.

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw slowly lifted his hoof. He ached from tiredness and just wanted to drop to the ground. But then as he thought about that he didn't like the idea of being in a strange place, outside in the rain and different things being so confusing. It was not what he was used to at all. The stallion knew that he was better off listening to HeartBeat. Even so, a part of him was still scared... It screamed out inside him and as he heard it, he began to feel nervous. Whisperpaw looked at the ground. The shy unicorn wasn't used to so many social interactions with other pony folk. He was used to them turning their rumps on him and leaving him to be a coward on his own. The friends he always made had to go away, back home. 'This... This is so strange. I'm not being ignored... But why is it so scary? For Celestia's sake, she's helping and not a stranger. Oh but the feeling is so odd.' Whisperpaw continued to follow instructions, but he was afraid to make eye contact with the mare who was helping him. He didn't want to gallop in fear, dragging her along by mistake.

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat giggled as she used her hoof to pull the stallion's face up towards her so that he had no choice but to look her in the eyes. With a very soft and reassuring tone she spoke slowly and confidently.

"It is ok love, just calm down. Nothing can hurt you while I am here, I wont let anything bad happen either. Take a deep breath and walk in step with me." She then released his head and started to walk slowly back towards Manehatten where her house was. If she could get him to her house she would have an easier time getting him to relax and be calm, there was no way she was taking him to the hospital in this sort of situation. "Come on love," She started to speak using the same voice as before, "we are almost to the city, stay with me if you can. If you have to pass out I can carry you, don't worry I can handle myself." She wasn't sure exactly how badly this stallion was in pain but she knew that she couldn't just carry him on her back as that might make wounds to his back she didn't know about worse. The gate to the city was coming up within view, surely they could make it there before the second round of the storm came through.

[PonyHooves]

"Th-that's easy for you t-to say... Y-Your th-the f-first pony I've s-s-seen in w-weeks..." He stammered in a whisper. Whisperpaw shivered slightly. He was trying his best. Usually by now he would be squeaking feebly trying to get even the slightest suggestion of a word out. Whisperpaw was a gentle soul. But many ponies didn't understand. He wasn't afraid of his own kind. But he was timid and shy. HeartBeat was helping him though. Her voice was so gentle, just like his aunt's. He remembered when he was just a foal and he spent all of his young years with her. She calmed him down when he was scared and told him that the loud scary things would go away. Whisperpaw loved her dearly and she loved him too. But he grew up and left her. However they stayed in touch by sending each other letters. 'I hope she doesn't try to send me a letter this week... I told her in my last one that I was going away for a while...' He thought to his self. Whisperpaw came back to reality. He was trembling, but not from fear. It was the coldness. He turned his head away polietly as he sneezed into the opposite direction. "If y-you knew th-the r-r-reason why I w-w-was galloping, y-y-you'd think I w-w-was w-weird... B-b-but n-nopony c-can help b-bieng s-scared." He whispered softly.

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat had a strange look on her face, she was trying to understand this pony but it wasn't going too well for her. What is he so scared of? She thought to herself as she tightened the rope using her magic to pull him in closer to her and to try and make it easier for him to walk. "Look here love," She spoke calmly and soft to this pony again. "I don't care what you are afraid of or what you are running from, it pales in comparison to how much in danger you are if I don't get you fixed up and healthy. There is no need to be so worried or anything, I am here and I will make everything better. Nothing scares me and nothing ever will." They were now entering the town, people on the walkway moving out of HeartBeat's way since she was a nurse carrying a hurt pony. They all stared and whispered things to each other that were not able to be heard by HeartBeat since she was too focused on getting this pony to her house and get him healthy. She could deal with the remarks and allegations later. They were just inside the town now making their way towards HeartBeat's house but some ponies stopped moving out of the way when they noticed that she wasn't taking him to the hospital. "Excuse me, please clear a path. I am a nurse with the Manehatten Hospital, I need to get this patient safely to his destination." This time her voice was completely different she was loud and commanding, any who didn't get out of her way were surely going to be trampled by her.

[PonyHooves]

The city had many loud noises even though it was raining. Whisperpaw's ears were now slanted backwards. He didn't like it. The voices all around him. They were so loud. His heart began to race. The unicorn didn't know how much he could take. He looked at HeartBeat and said. "It's t-t-to l-l-loud..." He had almost retorted back to squeaking. Whisperpaw was no longer breathing at a steady pace. It was as alarming as it was when he was galloping out in the storm. The shy pony wanted to gallop. But he was trying to restrain his self. It was obvious now that he wanted to flee from the noise as he was raising his legs unusally high. He wasn't just nervous. He was terrified. Whisperpaw was straining as hard as he could to force his self to not burst out into a mad gollop. But even so, he was tiring out. Everything was fading. The stallion fainted from both exhuastion and from fear.

[AlisonRose]

As the pony fainted HeartBeat let out a defining roar that was halfway between a scream and a growl. She had snapped and was in a very bad mood now that her patient was passed out. She used her magic to hoist him up onto her back and then began to plunge horn first into the crowd, anypony who didn't move was about to feel her horn in their sides. "Get, out, of, my ,way!" She roared again an expression of pure anger on her face now as she broke in to a full on sprint towards her house. She was not going to let this pony suffer any more then he already had. Reaching her apartment building she bucked the door open and then climbed the stairs as fast as she could using her magic to keep the stallion on her back. Once she made it into her house she let him down gently onto her bed and tucked him in as best she could. With a deep sigh she seemed to return to her normal nurse self and began to calculate what to do, she got a glass of lemon water from the fridge and forced him to drink it all the while saying, "Drink this, come on, if you don't drink it you are going to drown. Stay with me, please do not die on me or I will bring you back to life just to yell at you." She said as tears began to drip down her face, she had tried her best to keep this pony conscious and now that he was not her situation became even more dire. She got her medical bag out of her closet and put it on and then stood next to the stallion. She remembered that she had left the door and windows open so surely there was going to be a bunch of on lookers now. She quickly ran and shut all of the windows and the door to her house, locking them all and putting towels down at the seals to make the house as sound proof as she could get it. "I sure hope that he wakes up from this fine and doesn't hate me for bringing him to the city." HeartBeat spoke, shaking and still crying a bit not sure what exactly to do now.

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw woke up slowly. He was confused. But it seemed quiet. He felt safe. But, he felt bad for HeartBeat. She'd found out what the stallion was like. 'I'm a burden... She looks like she's going to cry... I'm just a coward... Maybe she'll forgive me... Oh my aching... I nearly galloped... But... What stopped me? Come on... Try to remember... It was her... She stopped me. She was being calm and keeping them all away. I should apologise.' He glanced over to HeartBeat's direction. "Don't be sad... I'm.. Sorry... I... I'm a burden... A coward... Afraid of loud noises..." He whispered as he burst out into tears. Whisperpaw was ashamed of his self. He was supposed to be a stallion, but he acted more like a headless chicken. He knew why they all avoided him. They couldn't play their musical instruments near him. They, couldn't sing because he'd be galloping off until he fainted. Whisperpaw was just too shy. He felt guilty for his actions even though they were legal and everypony is allowed to be scared. "I'm sorry.. P-please don't be sad..."

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat still with tears in her eyes grabbed the stallion from off the bed and gave him a huge hug.

"Don't you ever worry me like that again!" She said between sobs, her voice soft and calming but still with force behind it. She then released him and used her magic to lay him back in the bed properly. "Now you need to get some rest love, you had a really rough day so far and I think it is best that you stay here in my house for the time being. Unless you had somewhere else you needed to go or something you needed to do." She was glad that her new friend, or as she thought was her friend, had recovered so well and would surely be feeling a lot better by the time the storm stopped. HeartBeat just had to convince herself that it was ok to let this pony do what he wanted to, it wasn't like in the hospital where she could force him to do what she wanted thanks to proper medical procedure, but she knew that if he wanted to get up and walk a bit he would be fine since his wounds were not that great it just happened that he pulled a few muscles and needed to rest.

[PonyHooves]

"I was meant to be going on a journey to gain my confidence... I don't want to be afraid or be avoided any more." He whispered softly. Just then he heard a thud. He turned and saw a tawney owl with a letter in it's mouth. 'I told her to keep Epistola with her... He shouldn't be in the city.' Whisperpaw looked at HeartBeat. "Please can you let my friend in... He's wild, but my aunt appears to be using him to sent messages to me. I told her to care for him when I left." Whisperpaw knew that the owl was a wild animal. He tried to release the tawney owl on so many occasions. But it always came back. In the end, he gave it a job and when the job was done, he set the owl free. But the owl often flew in through his open window in his home. He was so used to Epistola's visits, that he built a perch for the owl in his house. When he had sent his final letter, he had instructed his aunt to take good care of his feathered friend. But it seemed as though she still wanted to send letters, despite the fact that he told her he wanted to have no connection with her during his journey.

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat did as she was told and opened the window to let the bird into her house and then quickly closed the window behind it wondering why in the world the bird had followed them all the way into city. She was still crying as it wasn't very easy for her to forget that her hopeful friend laying in her bed was still wounded. She tried her best to hide her tears so as to not alarm the pony in her bed but she knew that was impossible, he had fainted on her before what was stopping him from doing it again, she had to figure out what she could do to help him. It was in her nature to do the best she could to help anypony at all times, this one was no exception.

“You can stay here as long as you need, I seemingly never have work when things like this happens and I can assure you that this time is no different.” She said with a gently smile as she wiped the last of her tears away and then went to refill his glass of lemon water and get one for herself.

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw watched as the owl flew over to his side. "I thought I told her no more letters..." He mumbled to Epistola as he gently stroked him with his hoof. Epistola dropped the letter in front of Whisperpaw. He opened the letter carefully. The owl perched on his horn. Whisperpaw was used to Epistola standing on his horn. He has had the owl for quite a while. Every time he tried to set the bird free, it always flew back to his house and entered through the window. The stallion had accepted that the owl will leave him when he's good and ready to leave. But the bird always seemed helpful. He was greatful for all of the help he had recieved from such a beautiful creature. With the help of Epistola, he had managed to stay in touch with his aunt, who had raised him since he was a foal. Whisperpaw began to read the letter.

Dear Whisperpaw,

I am sorry for using your owl when you wanted me to take care of him for a while. I did it because I was worried about you. I remember when you lived with me in Canterlot as a foal. You spent most of your time in bed because you were scared. You were so scared that you galloped off and I always found you on the floor, miles away from Canterlot. I know I'm ranting on at you, but your so sensative that I worry you'll see a croud and get lost. So I told Epistola to follow you, but to stay out of sight.

I hope you learn how to make friends. You've spent such a long time being alone in Solstice Heights. You'll tell me that your not alone because your with the animals. But they can't speak to you. You need to find a friend because you can't do this on your own. Not after your history of galloping until your too weak to stand. If you end up in the city, please be careful and try to calm down before well... Just take care of your self... I haven't forgotten the time you ended up in Solstice Heights hospital. If you are going to gallop away in fear, please don't bang your head and forget who you are.

Love

Auntie

Whisperpaw put the letter down and blushed slightly. 'I was hoping she'd forget about the whole accident in Solstice Heights... But she cares.' He then looked at HeartBeat. The stallion had an idea. He couldn't put it to use until he was strong enough to walk. But it was an idea inspired by his aunt. He decided the best way to introduce this idea to HeartBeat, was to allow her to read the letter before saying anything. That seemed like the right thing to do at that moment in time. "HeartBeat... I want you to read this letter because I have a favour to ask you. But the letter explains it better than I can." He whispered in a tone so gentle.

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat took the note from the stallion's hoof and read it slowly to herself.

A concussion? What in the world has this poor stallion been through! She thought to herself as she put the note down on the nightstand next to the bed. Out of reflex she reached over and gave the bird a few strokes with her hoof before she turned to look out the window and swished her tail from side to side trying to think of what to say or ask. She thought of something, but for all she knew it would only make the situation worse. She trotted over to the stallion in her bed and placed a hoof on the side of his head and began to stare into his eyes with her 'official nurse' face that was designed to melt the hearts and calm the minds of anypony she came across. If it had any effect on the stallion it would sure be a step in the right direction for sure! She held the face just as she held the stallion's head trying with all her might to make it work. Most people are piles of goo at this point, and yet here he sits. She thought to herself as she continued to stare into his eyes.

[PonyHooves]

She was looking at him with soft eyes. Those eyes were so gentle that they seemed to be saying 'I'll make all of the terrible things go away'. Whisperpaw seemed enchanted by the magic which they may possibly hold. He wasn't afraid. Inside him, a little voice seemed to be talking to him. 'It's time to let go of the hurt... It's time to make a stand. Time to face those fears... She's a friend. That's number one... I've got to keep it up and not give in to weakness.' It was all true. Whisperpaw had given in when he felt powerless to control the noise. He felt powerless when they all looked at him and all spoke at the same time. He ran away from his fears. He began to see that running away did nothing, but make his life worse. He missed out on all of the fun events because when he was a foal, he was in bed crying about how scary they were and when he grew up he moved to a place so quiet that he barely met a soul during his time of work. It had to change. But he wasn't strong enough to overcome those fears alone. HeartBeat had got the message burned into his mind just by looking at him. The stallion knew what he had to do. But, he had one question first. "Will you help me overcome my fears? I don't want to run away anymore... Running away never helps..."

[AlisonRose]

HeartBeat nodded her head, she knew that what he was saying was true. She had experienced it herself, running away never helped.

"Well I am glad that you have come to the conclusion. But what do you plan to do to overcome your fears?" She spoke as softly and as calming as she could. Her mind reeling with ideas of how she could help but none of them really mattering at this point since to her it felt like he was afraid of EVERYTHING. But even letting her get this close to him was a step in the right direction, it was obvious that he had some sort of friends but what he needed wasn't friends what he needed was a guide to show him through the minefields of life. It was a hard task and one that would surely not be easy on either of them but with a nod and a hoof raised high HeartBeat spoke again. "I will do what I can to help you overcome your fears, but you must promise me one thing." She lowered her hoof down and stared at this pony hard now. "You will never ever tell me or yourself that you can't do something. As soon as you admit that you can't then there is no hope for you ever, you must always be ready to push your fears and thoughts aside and press on never looking back and never wanting to. If you can promise me that then I will see what I can do to help you overcome some fears but we'll have to start small." She giggled to herself as she recalled that she hadn't even asked this pony what his name was and here she was promising to help him overcome his fears.

[PonyHooves]

"I promise..." He replied in a tone so gentle. Whisperpaw saw that something else was in the envelope. He pulled it out carefully. It was a photo of him when he was a foal. He was stood beside a wolf who was carrying a pup by the scruff of it's neck.. In the photo he was smiling. 'Somepony caught that moment on camera... I had no idea... But who?' He thought to his self as he layed down the photo on his bed. The stallion then realised that he had never told the mare his name. "I'm sorry... I didn't tell you my name. I'm Whisperpaw, the animal conservationist." He introduced his self. The stallion wasn't afraid of animals or the noises they made. It was the noises other ponies made and the sound of lightning. Ponies had such loud voices. Their musical instruments were also loud. Large crouds made him nervous. But, Whisperpaw was only a shy stallion. "I want to listen to a band and be able to talk around other ponies." He told her.

[AlisonRose]

With a huge grin on her face HeartBeat walked around the house and started to remove her sound proofing items so that the hustle and bustle of the city slowly came into an audible range.

"I know that you don't like to be around other ponies and you much prefer to be out on your own doing your own thing. But this time it is different, I am not letting you simply get away easily." She levitated over her ropes and tied the stallion to the bed after pulling the covers over him. "You need to rest, and there is no better place to do it then here. While you rest I am going to think of a plan to help you, as best I can." She took a deep breath and looked around trying to think of where to start, opting for the window she opened it just enough to let the cool breeze in but keep the rain from entering the house. It was coming down very fast outside of the house the patpat of the rain on the window was very calming and caused HeartBeat to yawn and stretch. With a devious grin on her face she laid down atop the bed and pulled a spare blanket out for herself. She got as close to the stallion as she could and with a giggle whispered in his ear. "Uncomfortable yet?"

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw saw the ropes tie him down. He felt the warm bed covers touch his soft fur. He heard the rain pelting down outside. There was no lightning. The voices of ponies had seemed to have drifted away into quiet chatter and the odd clatter of hooves racing for cover was slowly dying down. The stallion thought that the rain must have brought an end to any hope of joyful out door activities. He could cope with the hushing sound of the falling rain. It was as if it was trying to silence Equestria. HeartBeat suddenly laid down on the bed with Whisperpaw. When she whispered in his ear, a shiver went down his spine. It seemed too close for comfort. But the unicorn couldn't back away. He was tied down. Whisperpaw had very limited magic too. He could only use it to help rabbits find wild growing carrots. He looked over to her and whispered. "Very..."

[AlisonRose]

With a giggle Heartbeat whispered back to her now captive friend.

"Good, that is a step in the right direction then. Now, what are you going to do about it?" She looked at him and wondered what in the world could he possibly do to even attempt to get away from her. He was not only tied down in her bed but had no idea that she hadn't even tied the ropes all the way, they were just loosely strung about for show. Keeping him in the mental state that there was nothing he could do would give her a chance to think of a better way to help him get out of her house and actually try to get over his fears. It would be a long time coming but Heartbeat knew that it wasn't going to be easy, she might be a nurse but this was one ailment that she herself hadn't even overcame. With a grin and a slight nod she slid out of the bed and walked over to the window and let out what seemed to be a happy noise as she just stared out and looked as the rain fell and pitter pattered against the window and the side of the apartments. It was a strange thing to have a guest in her house whom she had just met, but if one thing was for certain she wasn't going to let this pony be out in the rain and such by himself while he is injured as he is. She sat down on the floor and flipped her mane out of her face before letting out a small sigh.

"You know, I don't even know why you were running, or where you were running. But I think fate had it out for you to run into me." She lets out a tiny giggle again as she looks about the dreary sky and grins softly as the rain continues its endless barrage on the town. It wasn't a harsh rain, the noise more soothing in its repetition and execution then a stabbing noise to cut the silence. Everything felt soft and graceful in the noise of the rain, as if everything that was going on was meant to be slow and soft rather then the hurried and loud expression that was needed before.