Rainbow Dash and the Quest of the Sleeping Pony
The day started off pretty typical. I was still in my hospital bed, and covered from head to hoof in bandages. Honestly, it was just a scratch. Really?
Sometime early in the day, the doctor and the nurses wheeled in another pony while I was trying to sleep. I didn't really mind, but since they "did" tell me to get some rest, and there wasn't much else I could do at that point, I just tried to ignore them.
After listening to them talk for a minute, I heard that the pony in the bed next to me was actually Rainbow Dash! What in Equestria could've happened for her to end up here? The curtain was still drawn between us, so I didn't know how bad off she was. I also knew that I was in no situation to try to talk to her, given that my mouth was still completely covered, so I just went back to sleep. I hoped that she would feel better.
A little while later, I could hear more ponies come into the room, but I just kept my eyes closed and tried to sleep.
"Is she gonna be okay?" I could hear a country sounding pony say.
"Oh, I'm so worried." Another, quieter pony said.
"Is her face gonna stay that way?" A high pitched pony said.
"Okay, trying to sleep over here." I wish I could've said that, but not being able to speak is a real pain. I just tried to block out their talking, and focus on my rest.
"How long do I need to lie here? I've got things to do!?" I could hear Rainbow Dash say.
Yeah, I've got things I need to do too. Namely: sleep. I heard the doctor say that she'd need to be here for a few days, and I hoped that they wouldn't be too noisy.
"You guys have got to get me out of here. I'm gonna climb the walls!" Rainbow Dash spoke again.
"Ooo! Just like a spider! Perhaps it will give her super duper spider powers!?" The high pitched pony spoke again.
Spider powers? Really? I already look like a spider wrapped me up in a hundred webs. Where's my powers?
"I bet the chow in here is hoof licking good!" The country pony spoke again.
Food. That was another thing I couldn't really enjoy. All my food was fed to me through a straw that they stuck through my bandages. I haven't eaten whole solid food in a week.
"And look, you have a roommate!" The high pitched pony, whom I found out was Pinkie Pie said, as she opened the curtains between us.
I could finally see all the other ponies in the room. There was Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Doctor Stable. I gave them all a sad of a look as I could, hoping that it would encourage them to be courteous and let me rest. I looked myself over, looking down at my supported hoof, and then up to my bandaged head, trying to improve my case. Rainbow Dash didn't seem all that impressed, so they closed the curtain back on me. I hoped that meant that they'd be leaving soon.
Then came the squeaking of the book cart outside the room. There have been many a day since I've been here that that horrible squeaking has woken me up. I really wish that they would just oil that thing already. I could hear a pony run out of the room as it passed, and then I heard the sound of a Unicorn using magic. Hopefully it meant that they were fixing the wheel.
"What's this? Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone?" I heard Rainbow Dash say from the other side of the curtain.
Ah, Daring Do. Now the antics that she got herself into would have been a much better excuse for why I was wrapped up in so many bandages.
"No thanks! I soooo don't read!" Rainbow Dash spoke again, combined with the sound of what I guess was the book hitting the wall. "It's undeniably. Unquestionably. Uncool."
I rolled my eyes in my bed, before closing them. At least until I heard all the ponies start laughing.
"Why a good book is almost as magnificent as silk pajamas on a Sunday morning." I could hear Rarity say.
Silk pajamas really would sound good right about now, as opposed to these itchy bandages.
"Yeah I love reading! And my head isn't even close to the shape of an egg. It's more the shape of an apple, or maybe an orange, but a BIG orange. Maybe a grapefruit really?" Pinkie started again.
If it was any other time or party, then I'd be happy to hear her voice, but of all the other ponies in the room at the moment, her voice was the loudest.
"Alright my little ponies. Rainbow Dash needs her rest. You'll have to come back tomorrow." Nurse Sweetheart told the ponies in the room.
Yes! My savior! Finally I could get some piece and quiet. I could hear the sounds of hooves, as the ponies left one by one. I tried to position myself as comfortably as I could in my bandages so I could get to sleep again, as the door to the room closed. However, the silence didn't last long.
/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\
Sometime during lunch, Rainbow Dash began a series of antics for the course of an entire minute, which I could only describe as impossible for that timeframe.
First: She began bouncing a ball off the door to herself, the sound of which was decently repetitive, until I'm guessing the ball stopped short. Between the squeaking and the bouncing, I was just glad that it stopped.
Second: I could hear her eating her food that Nurse Sweetheart had brought in, and quite loudly I might add. I think at one point she even dropped her glass on the floor. At least it didn't break, or I'd have to listen to the sound of it being cleaned up as well.
Third: Rainbow Dash started turning the light on her side on and off repeatedly. The constant clicking and blinking was annoying, especially when she started doing it faster.
Fourth: Rainbow Dash opened up the curtain between us and started talking to me. She tried telling me jokes, but I kept closing my eyes to make it look like I was really trying to sleep...which I was.
"To get to the other side! Get it!?" She finally finished with, before looking frustrated and closing the curtain again.
I was just about to fall asleep at the end of that fateful minute, when Rainbow Dash let out an annoyed groan, waking me back up. She then let out a sigh, before banging on her bed for some reason. Seriously? Can a pony get some peace and quiet around here?
"As Daring Do trekked through the tropical jungle, the wet heat sapped her energy, and slowed her every step." Rainbow Dash spoke aloud.
Wait, what!? That sounded like the beginning of that Daring Do book she had earlier? I thought she wasn't going to read that!? And here I thought I had finally caught a break.
"Few days. It might as well be a few months. Or a few years. I'm right there with ya sister." She spoke again.
And I'm still right here, trying to sleep. I got the feeling that this might be a long few days ahead of me. I sat there, and listened to her read more and more of the story, until she finally stopped for a second.
"I hate to admit it to myself. I would REALLY hate to admit it to my friends, but I love this story! I love reading!" Rainbow Dash announced.
And I would REALLY love to get some sleep!
"I'm an egghead." She spoke again.
If only I could actually talk, I would really consider using that as blackmail, if it meant that I could get some sleep these next few days. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen, so all I had was being the sole witness to her confession. I just hoped that she didn't try to rough me up further to protect that secret.
/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\
Day One. She continued reading more of the Daring Do story after breakfast, and I was once again forced to sit and listen to the entire thing. At least I was able to get a relatively good nights sleep, so I guess it wasn't so bad. But did she have to read out loud? I can only imagine what my situation would have been like if she somehow expressed sound effects as well.
Eventually, a knocking came at the door, and Rainbow Dash stopped reading. I assumed that it must've been either the nurse again, or her friends coming to visit.
"Hi Rainbow Dash!" Twilight and Fluttershy said in unison.
Why didn't I ever have somepony come visit me? I mean, I know my injuries weren't THAT serious, but that didn't mean that I don't enjoy company as well?
"We brought your favorite board game." Twilight told Rainbow Dash.
A board game? I wish I could play!
"Alright. Cloud 3." Twilight spoke.
Aww, I love that game! Why did I have to be completely immobile!?
"Aww shucks, you rained on my cumulus." Rainbow Dash told her friends.
What? That was quick. Normally it took a little longer for the first hit to happen.
"Woah! You found my seagull." Rainbow Dash spoke again.
Boy, her friends must be really good. Either that, or Rainbow Dash was really unlucky.
"You zapped my weather pony. You stung my bumble bee. My thunderbolt! And that's my last cloud. You found it! Guess you guys win. I lose." Rainbow Dash announced one after another.
I wish I could express the expression I had into words, because it was one of utter amazement and complete WHAT? That was the shortest game of Weather Cloud I'd ever experienced. It was almost like Rainbow Dash was losing on purpose? I mean, I'm a little grateful that it ended quick, since that meant that I could possibly get back to sleep sooner, but at the same time I was still confused.
"Do? Who said anything about Daring Do!? I told you, I'm not interested in reading." Rainbow Dash told her friends, before turning off the light.
Ahh, I got it now. She was trying to get rid of her friends, so she could get back to her secret reading.
"It's nap time for me." Rainbow Dash told her friends, before starting to...snore? I really hoped that snoring wouldn't last, since she didn't snore the night before.
Her friends eventually left, shutting the door behind them, and I got ahead of myself by trying to take advantage of the situation and going to sleep again. Bad idea, as Rainbow Dash started reading her book again.
/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\
Day Two. More reading filled my day, as Rainbow Dash once again read her book aloud after eating. She went on throughout the day, but I don't think she noticed when her friends came in to visit her again. I gotta say, for a new found book lover, she reads REALLY slow, since it was almost dinner time when her friends arrived.
"Heeelllloooo Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie Pie told her friend.
I wondered if her friends caught her in the act, but based on the nervousness of Rainbow Dash, I think she managed to put the book away just in time.
"Okay, dinner time for Rainbow Dash." Nurse Snowheart told the ponies in the room.
I would've thought that food being brought in would cause her friends to leave, but instead they told her that they'd stay while she ate. I don't know what she did during that time, but it didn't take long for her friends to change their minds.
"Uh, on second thought." Rarity spoke.
"We'll see you tomorrow Rainbow Dash." Pinkie Pie followed.
The door shut once more, and I could've sworn I heard Rainbow Dash throw up her food, before pulling out her book to read again. Don't they teach manners to ponies anymore?
"Whoa! Who is this dude!?" Rainbow Dash said aloud.
I don't know, but he's probably the one who's going to capture you and lock you up, if you don't let SOME ponies get their sleep!
/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\
Day Three. Rainbow Dash read all through the night, causing the bags under my eyes to grow, and also giving my right eye a twitch. I thought it would never end, until Doctor Stable finally came into the room.
"Have you been up all night?" Doctor Stable asked Rainbow Dash.
No! She's been fast asleep for the past three days and has never kept ANYPONY up during that time! Why would you ask such a question!? Maybe if you actually bothered to check on me from time to time, you would have noticed the 20 pound bags under my eyes!
"Well I'll be quick. Congratulations Rainbow Dash, we're checking you out of the hospital!" Doctor Stable told Rainbow Dash.
Oh thank sweet Celestia! FINALLY!
"Right now!? Right now right now!?" Rainbow Dash asked Doctor Stable.
Yes! Right now right now right now! You are being checked out of here RIGHT NOW! Oh happy days! I could hear the sounds of I'm guessing Rainbow Dash struggling, before the wonderful sound of the wheelchair leaving the room soon followed.
It happened. It finally happened! I was free! Rainbow Dash and her constant distractions and reading were finally gone. I closed my eyes, settled myself in, and was just about to finally get some well deserved rest...when they wheeled another pony in.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! That time, I actually tried to speak out loud. Everything came out muffled and mumbled, but I could tell that I actually got the attention of the nurse and the other pony, when the two of them looked at me from behind the curtain.
"Is everything alright Rough Tumble?" Nurse Sweetheart asked me.
I exclaimed more incomprehensible statements, and rocked back and forth in my bandages, giving off the distinct vibe that I was not a happy pony. Eventually though I calmed down, and luckily enough, my new roommate remained quiet as well. Like me, he seemed to want to get some sleep as well, so I quickly welcomed my new roommate by going to sleep as well.
/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\
Nighttime eventually fell, and my roommate and I were fast asleep in our room. At least until I heard the familiar sounds of a particular pony reading. My eyes jolted awake, and I immediately peered towards the direction of the reading, obscured by the curtain separating us. I started making noise to wake up the pony next to me, to see if he could get rid of Rainbow Dash.
"Help! Burglar! Burglar! Someone's trying to steal my slipper!" The pony cried out.
I don't know why he was so concerned about a pony stealing his slipper, but if it meant that it got the attention of the staff, which it did, I was all for it.
"I'm not trying to steal your slippers. I'm trying to steal this book." Rainbow Dash told the pony.
I'm pretty sure saying that you're trying to steal a book isn't much better than stealing a slipper. Either way, as long as she left soon, I didn't care. I heard the other pony throw something at Rainbow Dash, and she quickly left the room.
"Stop thief!" I heard Nurse Sweetheart call out from outside the room.
I really wish that they could've caught her a little more quietly, but I was still in no position to argue. I heard the commotion make its way down the hall and I thought the worst was finally behind me. "I thought." Being the key words there. Instead, the commotion was followed by the hospital alarm going off, which was by far the loudest thing I had heard in the hospital so far. At one point during the alarm going off, I think I even heard the sound of a dog barking. When did the hospital get a guard dog?
The siren went off for a little while longer, until it finally died down. My eye started to twitch again, but I closed my eyes to try and stop it.
"Do you think they'll bring my slipper back?" The pony next to me asked.
I didn't answer him. I didn't make a grunt, I didn't try to move, I just gave him the cold shoulder. I think it worked, because he didn't say anything further. I closed my eyes as tight as I could, until I could feel myself start to relax.
I felt my body getting lighter and lighter, as I drifted closer and closer to sleep. If walking through a gate was the same as falling asleep, then I had my hoof on the handle, and was about to swing that gate open. I almost had my hoof through the door, when I heard the sound of a dog barking again, and the guard Night Watch telling somepony to get back in their room.
My eyes snapped open, as I sat there and listened to the sound of a dog howling all night long. My eye continues to twitch to this day.
Author's Note
This was a fun first-person/pony perspective to write. It always makes you wonder what the lives of background ponies are like, especially ones that aren't as mainstream as the usual ones. Just a quick scene, or an interesting reference is all it takes to spark an idea of what goes on in the lives and minds of characters.
