Chapter One: One Stray Board
Chapter One: One Stray Board
The hospital doors burst open and through them went a small, wheeled table. Sprawled out on the table and unconscious was everypony's mulberry-colored princess, Twilight Sparkle. Blood was gushing from the massive head-wound just above her left eye and had already dyed her mane, her coat, and the table's sheets red. The doctors and nurses spoke medical jargon about things such as blood pressure while they regulated her breathing and shined a light in and out of her eyes. They continued down the hallway in a rush and into the emergency room.
Following behind the insensible princess were none other then her friends: Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy. After being told several times to "back off" by the medical staff so they could do their jobs, the ponies stayed back since it was in the best interest of their friend's health. They were worried about Twilight and on the verge of tears, but the only pony already there was Fluttershy. The others tried to comfort her as they walked to the emergency room's waiting room.
"Don't fret, dear," Rarity said to Fluttershy, "I'm sure Twilight will be fine."
"Yeah. Besides, it's Applejack's fault," Rainbow Dash accused.
"How exactly is this my fault?" Applejack asked, pressing her nose against Rainbow's.
"You were the one that invited her to the barn-demolition," Rainbow blamed.
"Well, maybe you should stop bein' so goll-darn careless when you destroy stuff," Applejack said right back.
"It's not my fault that stray board hit her--"
"Girls! Girls!" Rarity yelled with her hoof around Fluttershy, "Instead of pointing hooves at one another, I think we should pull together and pray that Twilight will be okay."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash broke it up and saved it for a less complicated time. And throughout the entire time, Pinkie Pie, perhaps the most vocalized and well-expressed pony one could ever come to know, was silenced by the events that had occurred.
* * *
It took a bit; but when all was right and ready, Doctor Stable walked into the waiting room. Upon seeing the doctor, the girls leaped from their seats.
"Is everything okay, Doctor?" Rarity asked.
"Princess Twilight has gone into a coma. Other than that, she's fine. We've stopped the bleeding and dug the splinters out."
"When will she wake up?" Rarity asked.
"I do not know," the doctor replied.
"Can we see her?" Fluttershy asked.
"Follow me."
The doctor led the girls from the waiting room, down the hallway to the right, and into the third room on the right. It was a private room with a bathroom on the other side of the wall with Twilight in her bed. Layers upon layers of bandages were wrapped around her head, making her look like a wounded soldier from a war. Her eyes were closed, and she looked like she was asleep—or worse.
The five girls surrounded the Twilight in her bed and looked upon her with mournful eyes. The good doctor left, and the girls merely stayed where they were. Nothing was said. Nopony moved. They all just looked and thought. Although, when the hospital's visiting hours were over, they had to say good-bye.
* * *
The news of the princess' state reached all four corners of Equestria and the headlines by the end of the day. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna paid their respects. Twilight's parents came to visit for a day, but Twilight Velvet was so hysterical that Doctor Stable had to restrain her. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence could not make the trip because of pressing matters in the Crystal Kingdom. Spike surprisingly did not visit, saying that he did not want to see her in that state.
* * *
"There we go, Twilight," Rarity said, sitting in the one guest chair and having just trimmed Twilight's hooves. It was Tuesday, three days after the accident. The two were alone. "Just because you're in a coma doesn't mean that you shouldn't have well-trimmed hooves."
Just then, a chilling breeze brushed up against Rarity. She shivered.
"Oh my, winter seems to be coming early. But I have just the thing." Rarity reached into the basket beside her seat and pulled out a small, purple blanket she had crotched for Twilight. She threw it over Twilight. "I know how small and thin these hospital blankets can be."
There was no response; just the continuous beeping of the heart monitor.
A small tear appeared in the corner of Rarity's left eye. "At least now you're not worrying about everything."
* * *
The next day, it was Fluttershy who kept Twilight company. She had brought with her one of Twilight's books, "The Old Mare and the Sea." She read nearly half of the book, a total of two-hundred-and-seventy-four pages, and would stop after every chapter and look at Twilight, hoping she wasn't just yammering to herself like an old mare in a boat.
* * *
"…And then, you won't believe what happened next! I actually made it!" Rainbow Dash was telling Twilight about her latest stunt, which started out with her being catapulted into the air and somehow ended with her falling through three rings of fire and safely landing into a pile of hay.
Rainbow Dash chuckled a bit before saying, "You know, this is usually where you would say, ‘That is ridiculous.'" Rainbow Dash sat down on the floor. "I really wish you'd say it."
* * *
"Hey, Twilight, hope you're hungry!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she and Applejack entered the room. They were carrying warm apple pies from Sweet Apple Acres and fresh cupcakes from Sugar Cube Corner. Their sweet aroma was intoxicating and caused many of the doctors and nurses to take an early lunch.
Applejack turned to Pinkie Pie, "You do know we can't actually feed them to her, right?"
"Don't remind me."
But still, Pinkie Pie tried holding a cupcake under Twilight's nose, hoping it would awake her like some smelling salts; and when it failed, Pinkie Pie returned the cupcake from under Twilight's nose and shoved it into her own mouth, though not with the usual joy the typical cupcake would bring under normal circumstances.
They stayed a bit longer, to talk and keep Twilight company. It wasn't long before they ran out of food, due to Pinkie Pie.
Just as they were about to leave, the medical machines in the room began to ring and holler, as if somepony won a prize at a carnival. And suddenly, Twilight rose from her bed, gagging on the tube in her throat. She started shaking and struggling. Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked at each other in shock. Doctor Stable and some nurses rushed in to the princess' aid, shining lights in her eyes and placing an oxygen mask over her muzzle.
Doctor Stable yelled, "Princess Twilight, can you hear me? Blink your eyes if you can hear me!"
Twilight blinked her eyes.
"Blink your eyes if you want the tube out."
Twilight blinked her eyes, a couple of times. The doctor pulled the tube out.
"Can you speak?"
"Yeah." Her voice was frail and hoarse.
Somehow, through the chaos, Pinkie Pie managed to get through the nurses. "Hey, Twilight. Boy, am I glad that you're awake. Everypony was so worried."
A confused look came across Twilight's face. Struggling, she spat out the words, "Do I know you?"
Pinkie Pie and Applejack looked at each other, now also confused. "It's me, Twilight, your gal pal, Pinkie Pie," Pinkie said nervously.
"And me, Applejack," Applejack added in a voice just as worried as Pinkie's.
Twilight swallowed something in her throat. "I've never met you two before in my life."
