When Nightmares Become Real

Nurse Redheart was sitting calmly at the reception desk in Ponyville Hospital. She looked at the clock. Hmm, almost midnight. Nothing exciting has happened. I think I'm going to go home for the night. She was getting ready to leave when a familiar group of ponies burst through the door carrying an unconscious dog and an... alien? Well, this is a new one... What could have happened?

Twilight ran up to the front desk. "I need you to help them. The dog is dying and the human might be too." Human? Where have I heard that before?

"Yes, of course. Just a moment." With that, Redheart ran through the pair of double doors to find doctors and a room.

Twilight was waiting, albeit not calmly, with the others in the room. The dog's bleeding had slowed, but not stopped and was now seeping through the bandages Fluttershy had put on. He was knocked out from the tranquilizers that she had given so that he wasn't in pain while they were getting them to the hospital. She didn't know how the human was doing.

Pinkie Pie's mane was at about half of its normal poofiness. "Oh, I hope they can save them. The human seems like he'd be a nice guy if he wasn't so... so... Twily, what's the right word?"

"Angry. Serious. Unconscious." Twilight thought that the human was going to die.

"Silly Twilight! I asked for one word."

Twilight was not in the mood for joking. Just then, Nurse Redheart came through the doors again, with a pair of doctors with stretchers in tow. "Yes, over there. The dog and the human." They loaded the animal and alien onto stretchers and started for the doors when she remember the smaller weapon the human had. "Wait a minute."

Confused, the doctors stopped while Twilight used her telekinesis to pull the gun from its holster and was careful not to put pressure on the lever. "Okay, go. I didn't want him to wake up and use it against anypony. He's very scared and was hiding in the Everfree for two months while other members of his species were hunting him down. I think we're the only ones that didn't attack him and he doesn't quite trust us."

Still confused, the doctors took the pair into the back and prepared to save them. "Twilight, if you and your friends want to go home, I don't think they'll be waking up tonight."

"No, Nurse Redheart. I'm going to stay here." She turned to the others and said, "Girls, if you want to go home, you can, but I'm waiting for them wake up."

The other girls looked at each other, not believing what they had heard. "Twilight, darling, if you're going to stay, then so are we." Rarity decided for the group.

Nurse Redheart spoke again. "Well... Oh, alright. You girls can sleep in the chairs if you want. I'm going to go home." One of the doctors came through the doors again. "Ma'ams? The alien-"

"Human," Twilight corrected.

"Right. The human is awake and asked specifically for 'the purple one.' I want to assume he meant you, Ms. Twilight. And hurry, it looks like he'll be unconscious again soon."

She looked at her friends. "A-alright. Lead the way, Doctor."

The doctor took her down the corridor past several doors where she either snoring or confused words. Ignoring them, Twilight found the doctor had stopped in front of a door labeled #21. "Go on in, he's in the bed on the right. Call me when he's out again."

She nodded in agreement and went into the room.

Jones had just woken up in a strange, white room. This has to be a hospital. Or a mental asylum. Oh God forbid it be the latter. There was another of the ponies Twilight had talked about, but he had a white lab coat. Either this is another nightmare or they really took me to the hospital. He moved to get up and pain shot through his entire body. Nope, not dreaming.

"Ah, good. You are awake. If I am not mistaken, you are great pain, yes?"

"What the fuck do you think? And where's my dog?"

The doctor was shocked at his profanity. "Oh... Uh- I'll take that as a 'yes.' And your dog is right here." He pulled back the curtain to reveal another hospital bed with an unconscious Rocky that had fresh, white bandages wrapped around the bullet wound.

"Good, thank you. Where the fu- Uh, where am I?"

"You are in the Ponyville Hospital. Twilight Sparkle and her friends rushed you and your dog in here and said that you were trapped in the Everfree Forest while other members of your species were hunting you down. I assume that is correct?"

They really did bring me here... "Yeah, it is. Can I see her? The purple one."

"You mean Twilight?" He nodded. "Yes, I believe they are. Give me a moment and I will fetch them."

"No, just her."

The doctor was confused but complied. "Okay, just give me a moment." He walked out the door, closing it.

Jones then heard two heart monitors beeping in synchronization. He looked and saw a heart monitor and an IV hooked up to Rocky, and an identical set up next to his bed. "Rocky? Are you okay?" The dog didn't answer, but by the steady beeping of the machine next to the dog, he knew the answer.

He heard talking outside the door. He reached for his gun, and realized it was no longer there. "Did they take my gun?"

"No, I did," a familiar voice spoke. "I didn't want you automatically assume the doctors were going to hurt you and you use your gun on them."

"Heh, that's a good thing then. I was just trying to get it when I heard you talking."

Twilight was standing in the doorway, looking as though Jones was actually one of life-long friends. "Why do you look like that?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look scared, worried, sad. Like it was one of your friends laying here instead of me and Rocky."

"It's just who I am. I worry about anypony that I know when they get hurt."

"Shut the door, please."

"Oh... okay." She prepared to walk out, but he stopped her. "No, don't leave. I want to speak to you privately."

"Oh... alright?" She shut the door and walked to his bed. "What is it?"

"Thank you for saving me and Rocky. You didn't have to, but you did. Explain to me... How did you know where I was?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you when you're feeling better." She began to walk out the door again. "Just one thing."

"What is it?"

"What's your name?" He told her without hesitation. "Henry Jones."

"Goodbye for now Henry. We'll talk tomorrow." Before he could speak again, the door was closed and steady beeping made up the only noise in the room.

Pinkie Pie was sitting in the waiting room with the other girls, still worried about the human and his dog. "Oh, I hope they're okay. Nopony's died from injuries since... since... A long time ago!"

"Sugarcube, you forget that they ain't ponies. They're a dog an' a human. Sure, they have feelings, same as us, but I will never for the life of me understand why Twilight decided to save them."

"I don't know AJ, but if they survive, that just means more parties!"

"Darling, you would have thrown more parties whether or not they had ever come to Equestria."

"You're right, Rarity." Her mane was still was still less poofy than normal, but the talk of parties was cheering her up slightly. Twilight came in at that moment with a look worried happiness. "What is it Twilight? Is he okay?"

"Yes, Pinkie, he's okay. It'll take him a while to get better and get used to everything, but he'll be fine."

"So, um, what did he want? If you don't mind telling us..."

"No, I don't mind Fluttershy. He wanted to know how I knew where he was. I told him he would have to wait until he was out of the hospital. He said his name was 'Henry Jones.'"

Rainbow Dash was the last to speak. "'Henry Jones? That's a weird name."

"Oh, come on, Dashie! We don't know what they're like. Don't judge him yet."

"Oh, whatever. I'm going home. See you guys later." Rainbow walked out of the hospital and flew off towards her home.

Henry Jones... Pinkie doesn't know what she's talking about. That's a weird name. Settling down on the stoop of her cloud home, Rainbow Dash opened the door and went inside. A familiar tortoise with a propeller strapped to his back flew in front of her.

"Hey Tank. I know, I've been gone all day, but I need sleep too. I haven't had any naps today." Tank seemed to understand and set down next his empty food bowl. "Oh, that's right. Sorry."

She fed Tank and tried to sleep, but couldn't. "Why the buck can't I sleep? I haven't slept all day and I'm not tired! What gives?" If this is because of the human, I am going to be mad. Eventually, trying to convince herself that it wasn't Twilight she was thinking about, she fell into a restless sleep.

Fluttershy insisted that she stay so that she could make sure Rocky was okay, but the doctor refused. He finally agreed after a reluctant use of "The Stare" from the quiet pony. She walked into the room and found Jones still awake, trying - but failing - to sleep.

When the door opened, she heard the human say, "Huh? Who's there?"

Fluttershy peeked in the door and said quietly, "It's just me Henry. I'm coming to see you and Rocky." She saw him relax. "Oh, good. I was afraid it was another doctor trying to get DNA from me."

"But why would they try to get your DNA?"

"Looking at me should explain it." He gestured to himself.

"Oh... right. Has Rocky been awake?"

"Not since you first tried to stop the bleeding. What was your name again?"

"Fluttershy."

"That explains your personality. Shy and quiet. Sometimes that's a good thing to have. Anyway, thank you for doing that. The doctor said he wouldn't have survived if you hadn't done what you did."

"Oh, it was nothing. I love helping innocent animals." The room got quiet and the human looked surprised. "What? Did I offend you? I'm sorry."

"No, no. You didn't offend me, it's just... I need you to keep a secret. Can you do that?"

"Um, I guess so..."

"Me and Rocky? We aren't exactly innocent."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not just a human, and he isn't just my dog. We were trained to kill others." Fluttershy looked horrified.

"B-but just in self defense, right? Right?"

Jones just looked down at the floor, guiltily.

"Oh... No, please tell me you're lying. Please, this isn't funny!"

"Fluttershy I'm not lying or trying to be funny. I just need to ask you something."

Her voice was just a squeak. "What?"

"Would you have saved Rocky if you knew we weren't innocent?" Fluttershy couldn't take it. She started crying and ran to the side of his bed. It was his turn to be horrified.

I'm an asshole. I just fucking made her cry. Jones you idiot! Oh, please don't let anyone hear this. Shit...

Fluttershy continued crying, and Jones tried to console her. "I'm sorry, Henry!" WHAT? Did she just say she was sorry? "I didn't mean to break down on you like this!"

"NO!" She recoiled. "I mean, no. Don't be sorry. It was me that made you cry. Please, just stop." She just buried her head into the sheets on his bed and continued crying, while Jones continued trying to calm her down. After an hour, she finally stopped.

"Hey, Fluttershy?"

*sniff* "Y-yeah?"

"If you want to sleep in here by Rocky, you can. If the doctors let you, I don't mind."

"Thank you, Henry, but I don't want to burden you."

What the hell is with her? Why does she keep apologizing and thinking she gets in the way? "No, I want you to stay. There's no one here to talk to and I haven't a calm conversation with anyone since before two months ago."

"R-really?"

"Yeah, really. If you want to talk, we can. I doubt I'm getting any sleep tonight anyway."

"Thank you, Henry. Very much. Goodnight." She walked over to the chair next to Rocky's bed and laid down, almost instantly falling asleep. "Goodnight, Fluttershy." He knew he wouldn't get an answer tonight.

If the others don't come find me, I think this world will be a nice change of pace...

Applejack was just returning home after the eventful night and found Big Macintosh and Granny Smith waiting for her. "What are ya'll still doin' up? Ya'll should be in bed, sleepin'.

Big Mac argued, "Nnope." A pony of few words, he was.

Granny Smith said, "Come now, Applejack. We just wanted to see how that new human friend of yours turned out. Where is he?"

"Oh, he's at the Ponyville Hospital with his dog and Fluttershy. She wanted to stay and make sure they was alright."

"She's such a sweet girl. Sometimes I wonder why you've never tried anythin'."

"GRANNY!"

"Oh, ho ho. I was just teasin' Applejack. I know you don't swing that way. 'Specially not with your friends."

*sigh* "Just, please don't do that in public. I don't know what the others might say." Applejack walked up the stairs to her room, irritated at Granny Smith. When they thought she was out of earshot, she heard Granny say, "Big Mac, I think I just struck a nerve."

"Eeyup."

Applejack went to bed angry and restless.

Luna was in her room, reading letters that had be sent for her the previous day. She sighed. Few were business related. The rest were either fan mail or idle death threats.

There was a knock at the door. "Yes? Come in." She decided to let her personal guards get some rest and trusted the castle guards to keep intruders out. Celestia walked in, holding a letter. "Sister, what are doing up? And pray tell, is so important that you had to wake up and come tell me?"

"It's a letter from Twilight. She says she successfully saved the human and his dog, but was originally met with a gun pointed in her face. She also says their names are Henry Jones and Rocky. I must say, those are odd names."

"Well, that is worth waking up and tell me. Thank you sister. Return to sleep and allow me to read the letter. There are few here worth reading."

The letter rolled up and hovered over to the table Luna was sitting at and Celestia yawned. "Goodnight, Lulu. I will see you again come morning."

"Goodnight sister." She hovered the letter in front of her face and read.

Dear Princesses Celestia and Luna,

I happily report that we have tracked down the human, his name is 'Henry Jones', and his dog, which is named Rocky. I believe he has been running from other members of his species for the two months he was here. It was just like the nightmare, except that I got there just in time. He was ready to end the dog's life, but when I got there, he was obviously more scared than I was. And I was the one with a dangerous weapon pointed in my face! Evidentially, we were the first species of any kind in the two months he was in the Everfree that was not hostile towards him. Fluttershy got there and saved the dog, and we got them to the Ponyville Hospital. The doctors say that they'll be fine, but she insisted that she stay with them in case something happened. I don't know how she convinced the doctors to let her stay, though I must admit that I fear she used 'The Stare.' If you wish to come down and see for yourself, he will be in the hospital with Rocky until further notice. If that is to change, I will send you another letter.

Your fellow princess,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S. This is Spike here. She says she will let him stay at the library until he is able to get his own place, but I am scared of him. I admit it, I'm scared of aliens. I'm just glad that the nightmares stopped. Thank you for whatever you said, Luna. It worked better than you probably hoped.

"Oh, dear, Twilight Sparkle. You have no idea what you have just gotten yourself into..."