@Lazy Ferret
Eldrich turned around to speak to the shop keep to ask who he thought he was to give such a punishment to anypony. Before he could open his muzzle the vaults PA systems crackled to life.
" Eldrich, Gale, Abbey, report to the OverMares office immediately. "
Looking up to the ceiling of the vault Eldrich let out a sigh before trotting towards the office of the OverMare. He was sure the Doc had reported him for being rude and he was going to get a lecture.
Head down he entered the OverMares office. There were far more ponies inside then he expected. The OverMare Kind Quill, Doctor Tender Hooves, his mother, and even his martial arts teacher Stripes. The mood was tense and somber.
" What's going on, I'm pretty sure this is not about my attitude in the clinic this morning....."
Kind Quill shook her head glumly. The Doctor stepped forward taking a breath as if to brace himself. When he spoke it was in a clinical tone as if speaking normally would break a wall of emotions he did not wish to get into.
" The Stable is under grave threat. Or at least our ghoul population is. There is a disease that is spreading rapidly that appears to only impact ghouls at the moment. We have managed to keep this from being public knowledge thus far but the speed at which its moving is going to change that very soon.
The disease seems to be some mutated form of the very rate disease cutiepox. It changes the cutie mark of the pony that contracts it and forces them to work themselves to death performing the task of their new cutie mark. Now the one upside is that with a ghoul this is very hard so we have only lost one pony so far. But if it makes the jump to non-ghoulified ponies this will no longer be the case. "
The OverMare stepped forward looking sad and stressed. She hesitated for only a moment before speaking.
" We need somepony to head out and seek a cure for cutiepox so that we might alter it to fight this mutated strain. You are the best combatant in the Stable. I am going to send Gale and Abbey with you to make amends for the theft and other troubles they have caused....if it not such a threat to so many ponies in the Stable I would not ask this of you. But we don't have much of a choice.
His mother with tears in her eyes set saddle bags down in front of him. This was going to happen now...... as he tried to gather his thoughts each pony and zebra in the room stepped-up to place items in the empty saddle bags.