Cold Feet

STUTTERING BREATHES REPLACED the sobs and soon Clara was able to think again. O-Okay. So what happened? She scrunched up her brow in concentration. I fell unconscious. But why? Stress? A chunk of plaster from the citadel's ceiling? Maybe I tripped and hit my head on the floor? Ooh, I can't remember! In her uncertainty she strengthened her hug on the guard in search of reassurance. So either I'm dreaming right now or ... She gasped. Or I'm in the hospital and hallucinate my appearance and the one of the others! Like in that one episode of that TV-Show where that one girl thought everyone was acting like in a musical! A grin started to form on her muzzle. At least until she remembered something else. Wait...Didn't she have cancer ?!  With that thought a whimper escaped her and she further tightened her hug. Okay, it was only a TV-show. Right.

As she tried to calm down again she heard the rhythmic clicking of metal on stone and she once again paid her surroundings some attention. The clicking stopped and there in the entrance stood a horse-y being of darker hue with a horn and feathers hugging its barrel. Apropos of hugs...

"Tia, couldst thou please refer from suffocating the poor Sergeant?" The alto voice was soft but tended to have a hard edge to it. Like that of a kindergartner.

This caused her to only take a second until the necessary dots were connected and she eased her tight grip on the small horse she held. Small horse? "Pony!" she exclaimed with wide eyes and a hoof shot up to point at the new arrival.

A rising eyebrow was the answer.

"Indeed, I am a pony, sister. Though I wonder what would give it away." the dark pony said with a slight smile on her lips. Though after the lack of any reaction she dropped it with an annoyed eye-roll. "Howbeit, wouldst thou please stand up and tell me what ails thine heart?" She walked over to Clara and pried her hooves off of the Sergeant with a bit of properly applied force. Without touching her.

Her eyes grew even wider when that same force seemed to pick her up and lower her on the still incredibly soft bed. Her brain sputtered sparks at the attempted comprehension which caused her to voice her very first thought. "You're a wizard." Her hoof was pointing again.

The dark pony – I really need to call it something else. – apparently disagreed vehemently if her narrowing eyes were a clue.

"Tia," she said with a threatening timbre; though before she continued her eyes widened again and she gave a quick glimpse around the room. "Aha!", she exclaimed suddenly and strode over to a vanity mirror.

Clara followed with her still horribly confused expression which served only to deepen it. There on the small table sat around a dozen plates with a few scrapings of cream. Except for the last one which still had a half eaten piece of cake on it. "Wha?" she whimpered.

So this was the reason her sister acted so weird! She ate to much cake and thus sugar which induced a sugar rush! Of course! "Sister, I'm afraid I'll have to ban sweet pastries from the castle. Thou might be of the opinion of having it under control but this situation proves to me that it is indeed the other way around. You have a problem dear sister and I care too much about you to let you indulge in it any longer. Cake is not good for. It impedes the health of your heart and teeth and store itself on your thighs." After taking a more royal stance an a quick glimpse to make sure that her loyal scribe was waiting at the door she cleared her throat. I'm sorry, Tia.

"I hereby decree that all sweet-tasting pastries are not to be distributed, purchased or stored in the Royal Canterlot Castle and it's boundaries. I furthermore declare the power of veto inherent in the throne of Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia Solaris in this case as void by reason of subject-related insanity." As she looked into Celestia's face she was met with a slack-jawed expression. Though it slowly turned into an angry – no – furious one. Uh-oh. And suddenly she had to listen to something very strange.

ϡϗ

As soon as Clara heard the first sentence she was completely and utterly lost. What have cakes to do with anything?! She tried to listen but got only more confused. And why did she call me 'Tia' and 'sister'? I don't recognize that voice either sowhoisthis?! When the dark horse finally came to an end with her rambling about cake and outlawing it, Clara snapped.

Howdareshehowdareshehowdareshe "How dare you?! I don't care about some godforsaken cake! The only thing I want is go home and everything being right again. And stop calling me your sister! I am not!" She stood up and wobbled on the soft mattress trying to find a good stance. "I don't care about you or that stupid bed or damn ponies! I want back to Josh you will let me see him and I want backbringmetomyJo—" Suddenly she felt like something had hit her. Like she ran into a street-sign. And she couldn't speek any more and everything began to fade out. The she lay on her back and looked at a suspended ceiling, while a constant peeping permeated the air. What?

ϡϗ

Luna looked in shock when her sister screamed at her. 'And stop calling me your sister! I am not!' Those words reverberated through her head. At least until Celestia suddenly stopped speaking and her eyes rolled back. Her body slacked and she fell on the edge of the bed and rolled over it. Only the thud as she hit the floor slapped Luna out of her stupor and the younger one jumped towards her big sister.

"Tia!" Something is not right. She would never say something like that. And all the other things she shouted didn't make any sense. "Tia, please wake up!"