Chapter 8

Have you ever woken up and had someone staring right at you as soon as you crack your eyes open? Me either but that changed when I opened them up that morning. Two cyan rimmed orbs were looking down at me a few inches from my face. Pinkie was sitting on my legs,
“GOOOOOD MORNING!!!! DID YOU SLEEP WELL?!” Pinkie yelled paying no mind that it was about 6 am according to the clock. I was surprised all right and was wide awake thanks to her.

“Yes I did in fact” I answered trying to keep the confusion out of my voice, granted I was still in some pain but that was the best night of sleep I had gotten in a very long time. I noticed the energy Pinkie had. “I am glad to see you are getting better Pinkie I take it your injuries are healing properly?”
“Yep! I have never been hurt that bad before, the doctors said if they had gotten to me sooner I would have been out of faster but I don’t mind. It’s fun hanging around with the other patients doctors. Plus all the meals they give you come with a free dessert. Isn’t that amazing!?”
I couldn’t help but smile. After all this pony had been through her spirits were still high. A pang of guilt suddenly hit me. “Yeah I guess getting free dessert is pretty awesome…listen Pinkie I wanted to apologize, if it wasn’t for me you could have gotten to the hospital in no time as Fluttershy said. And your injuries would have been much less severe it’s my fault you are even still in here….”

Pinkie cocked her head looking perplexed as to what I just said. “It wasn’t your fault I got hurt, it was mine for not avoiding rainbow dash we she was doing her loop de loops and whooshing through town. Besides Fluttershy came through yesterday to check up on me. She felt awful about what she said to you was sorry. She even told me that she would come by later to apologize in person. Plus if none of this had happened I would have never of met you…oh my gosh…then we would have never been friends and I would have one less friend than I could have had.” I felt I had to interrupt her before she got lost in a contemplating multiple friendship scenarios and to tell the truth I had a hard time believing she genuinely thought of me as a friend.
“Pinkie, ok I get it, but I still feel like I have to apologize so please let me.”
“Okie dokie lokie, but you don’t have to, plus I got this really cool scar on my head that I can show off at parties, oh but that might make people uncomfortable well I can always keep it hidden in my mane” she said as she lifted her mane to show a series of jagged dark pink lines.
“You did that…” darkside whispered in my head. Instinctively I tensed all the muscles in my body and held my breath trying to shut him out.
Pinkie noticed “Hey are you ok? Oh are seeing who can hold their breath the longest? Here let me try I love that game.” She quickly took a deep breath and held completely still.
Distracted from darkside for the moment I let my body relax “Pinkie how long are you going to keep that up?” she stomped hoof two times and indicated at the clock. “Two minutes huh? Is that a record?” I asked her face a slight shade of blue now. She nodded looking determined. “Well I’ll leave you to it”. She stayed completely still her face turning bluer by the second. Not wanting to disturb her I decided to grab some reading material from the bookshelf built in to my bed, pretty fancy now that I think about it. There were all sorts of interesting topics but one book in particular caught my eye. It was titled “Aces Of Equestria” it was pretty much an in depth look at pegasi flying techniques while also detailing fascinating equipment pegasi use to improve their aerial performance. I began reading for a few seconds only to notice Pinkie staring at me. “Something the matter?” raising my eyebrow perplexed. She shook her head with a smile. She looked like she was trying to hold in a laugh. I continued reading astonished by all the fascinating things developed for Pegasus flight. Pinkie had been holding her breath for a good minute. Her face more magenta in color now and she was struggling not to laugh. “you sure you’re ok pinkie?” I asked raising both my eyebrows and widening my eyes. I guess she couldn’t take whatever I was doing and busted out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” I asked very confused.
“Your face, the expressions you can make are hilarious.” She answered in between giggles.
“I see…., well I am glad I can make someone laugh, sorry for ruining your chance at a record.” I quietly said
“Don’t be, it’s just a silly old record anyway I got loads more that you can try and beat once the hospital lets us leave.”
“right, well what should we do till then?” I asked more to myself than Pinkie after all my injuries were pretty severe.

“Oh we could play some board games, or we could throw a mini party with the two us here or we could…..” I lost track of all her suggestions as she started listing off dozens of
things we could do in the meantime. Hard to believe she was injured at all anymore.

Pinkie seemed right as rain she could probably check herself out if she wanted. I wondered why she hadn’t done so already. Not that I didn’t enjoy her company but she didn’t need to be wasting her time in this plain, sterile, well regulated hospital and she shouldn’t of been wasting her time with me. Like I said I am not that interesting.
“Pinkie mind if I ask you something?” I said interrupting her current plans to try and bring an inflatable pool into the room. “ What is it?” she asked with a smile. “you seem to be feeling better and look to be in good health. So why haven’t you gone home? I’m sure that you would like to get back to your life in Ponyville right? With all the rest of your friends? ” Part of me was terrified of what she would say and yet I desperately needed to know. For once she didn’t have an answer prepped and ready to go. She raised her fore hoof to her chin lost in thought. A long pause later “Silly, I stay because I like spending time with you. We’re friends after all and I want to get to know you better since I know everyone in Ponyville, everyone but you.” It was strange to hear this coming from Pony I had known only for a couple of days. “Pinkie I don’t deserve to have someone like you or anyone for that matter as a friend, you don’t need to waste your time on someone like me you have a life beyond this hospital and I shouldn’t be the reason you stay here. I am weak and not worth it.” That last bit was from Darkside. Pinkie seemed confused by what I had just said her head tilted to one side. After a short pause she gave me a
gentle smile

“I don’t know that much about you” she giggled “I don’t even know your name, but as far as I am concerned you are my friend, you are nice to me and you make me laugh. And if I am wasting time hanging out with someone I like, then that’s alright because like I said you are my friend.” I wanted to believe her, and I think part of me did. Darkside was in my head all the while telling me to ignore what she said. That it wasn’t true, she simply pitied me, that’s why she was kind and continued to stay. For once I mustered the strength to ignore him and with my voice at a whisper uttered “Thanks Pinkie, you have no idea what that means to me”. She beamed “You are very welcome”.

Pinkie spent the next two days with me as I regained my strength, regaling me with stories of what she and her friends did. She made me laugh a few times, I try to keep control of myself and remain stoic, after all no one can hurt you if you don’t react to anything. They can’t judge you at least not negatively. You can turn yourself into an enigma, no one can pinpoint exactly where you belong and as long as you attempt to be kind, generous, and loyal they will be content with that picture even if it’s not really you. That aside I couldn’t help but crack up at some of the jokes she made a few times she even pulled out a set of drums and cymbals to go along with her comedy acts. Where she kept those in a hospital I’ll never know. Although I could have sworn I saw her stashing the set in some weird portal like thing. I decided it was better not to question it.

Soon enough Nurse Redheart gave me the all clear and that I was free to go. Most of my cuts and bruises had healed leaving me with some unseemly scars. While I have always found scars to be a marker of someone who is tough and experienced, it doesn’t really count when you inflict them on yourself. Now the only purpose they serve is a marker of weakness and shame.

Pinkie was ecstatic when she heard this news “Wooo! This means I can finally throw you a welcome to Ponyville party. This party has to be amazing but….” She paused almost looking perplexed.
“But what?” I asked
Most ponies myself too know nothing about humans… that goes for what they eat and stuff…” Her face lit up as if she had just had the most brilliant Idea ever.
“I know we can ask Lyra, she never really tells any pony about it but she is secretly fascinated by humans and studies them lot with all sorts of books and legends. I betcha she’ll help us plan your party!” Now I suppose I should mention I don’t do well in social gatherings party or otherwise but to disappoint the one being in this world that saw some worth in me….well I couldn’t do that.
“That sounds fine Pinkie” I answered attempt to show some enthusiasm even though It wasn’t really there.

“ALLLright!” Pinkie rocked to the ceiling bouncing around like she had just won the lottery, but at this point I realized she treated everyday as though she was most optimistic pony in the world. To be honest part of me envied that. To be able to look at everyday knowing only good things could come out of it. I already know my future that is assuming I get to leave this world but…I won’t write it down now. Also assuming that captain Rhyo doesn’t kill me first. Yeah I am not that optimistic.
Pinkie Pie and I left soon after. It was kind of a strange feeling leaving the hospital; after all it was the one place in my opinion that cannot be that different between our worlds. Earlier the hospital staff had washed my filthy and blood stained running clothes, my shoes included which I might add were in very rough shape with my big toe sticking out the front of my right shoe. The laces were frayed as if a dog had been chewing on them but in the end I was grateful they were still wearable. My white running shirt smelled fresh but it appeared that a few spots of blood could not be cleaned. The shorts were gray but now mixed with a hint of brown as if the mud I had been caked in at Fluttershy’s house could never truly be cleaned. At least I have clothes I thought, not that it really matters after all these ponies walk around naked. If course my body somewhat below average by my own standards a hairy chest fairly pale skin, occasional minor acne appears on it from time to time. I noticed my beard had begun to grow a bit during my six days in the hospital. Great now I have to find out how to shave in a completely foreign world I thought.

Author's Note

Rabble Rabble Rabble, Thank you for reading if want comment and tell me what you think

P.S. I apologize for any grammatical errors I do my best to proofread these chapters before uploading but you might catch something I do not see please comment if you do thanks.