Water? Check.
Coffee? Check.
Bright, beautiful sunny day with the windows wide open? Check.
Loud music outside? Check.
Okay, everything seems ready. There are distractions everywhere, but nothing I haven't had to handle before. I managed to sleep for 12 hours last night as well, and had a hearty breakfast. Nothing can go wrong!
Before she can react, the white pegasus feels a weight on her back as soon as the door flies open. Suddenly, there's an eerily wide upside-down smile in front of her face. Complete with bright blue eyes and pink in the rest of her vision.
"Whatcha doooin'?" Pinkie Pie asks, with all of the energy in the world.
Velvet Dash just lets out a quick squeak and hides behind her rainbow mane in reply. Still not used to that!
"Oh, right, sorry!" The pink pony jumps lightly from atop Velvet's back, "I forgot you're sorta new here, and that I shouldn't be scaring the parasprites out of newcomers! So whatcha doin'? You look like somethings wrong. What's wrong? Will a party help? Scratch that, OF COURSE a party will help!! Be right back!"
Without giving Velvet a chance to respond, the party pony has already bounded out the door with that lovely perky smile on her face. As annoying as she was, Velvet just couldn't get over the fact she felt happy and energetic when she was around. Perhaps that was just what she needed..
Exploding through her door once again, Pinkie Pie carried in a very distressed-looking Twilight Sparkle and was following by a bright streak on colour. Of course. Of course her cousin always had to make an entrance.
"Okay! Now I just need to find the others and my instruments! One-" the crazy bouncing pony started.
"Wait! I'm sorry Pinkie, but I actually don't need a party. On the other hand, I think the fact that you brought Twilight here is just what I needed."
Twilight perks up, still looking flustered, "Me? What do you need me for? I assume it has something to do with that stack of paper over there?"
Cocking her head to the side, Velvet isn't sure whether she is excited, worried, or just plain confused. "Erm.. Yeah.. How did you know?"
"Well whatever that is, it has a pretty strong enchantment. What kind of spell is on it?"
Velvet hoofs as the ground as she speaks, "Well to be honest, I'm supposed to be editing a really long story for my friend. The problem is, every time I try to go back to editing it, I become inexplicably exhausted. It isn't that the story is boring, it's actually really amazing. A little.." Velvet cringes, "Disturbing.. for my tastes, but I did promise." She looks at Twilight again, "Sometimes I can sleep for a few hours after looking at it, wake up, look at it again, and go straight back to sleep."
Rainbow Dash is lounging on the couch, looking skeptical and arrogant.
"Yeah, right. I bet you just don't want to do it. You in on it too, Twi?" The 'fastest flier in Equestria' flutters over to the desk and picks up the first page of Another Wolf's Moon. "Let's see what this is all about, anyway. It's supposed to be raunchy, ri-?"
Before Rainbow Dash could finish the last word of her sentence, she had looked at the page. As Velvet expected, and secretly hoped for, Rainbow Dash proceeded to pass out and fall flat on her face. Snoring like nothing else.
Twilight was much more concerned.
"Rainbow?! Are you okay?!"
"Don't worry, Twilight. She's just fast asleep. She will most likely wake up in a few hours. Here, I'll carry her over into my bedroom while you examine the enchantment."
Velvet Dash lifts her cousin onto her back and brings her into the other room. As much as she wouldn't want to admit, she sometimes envies how bold the older mare is. Velvet isn't that type. She's still competitive, of course, but not quite to the extremes that Rainbow is. That, and Velvet is a bit more.. humble. Or in denial, whichever. She's often told that she's an amazing singer, but never wants to believe she's "all that and a bag of carrots". She just enjoys what she does. Singing, writing, editing and video games.
After she finishes making Rainbow comfortable, she retreats into the main room to be greeted by Coyote.. Along with the smell of cupcakes wafting from the kitchen.
"Pinkie, where did you even find ingredients for cupcakes? I haven't gone shopping yet!"
"Well that's a silly question, Dashie Number Two!" She hears an energetic giggle coming from the other room, "I told Coyote about the party that isn't a party anymore but is still a party and will hopefully become a real even bigger amazing super totally great party, and he bought you some groceries!"
Ah, Coyote. There are so many reasons why you're my best friend! Now if you'll just buy me some Chinese food..
I look back over to my impatient friend sitting on the couch. Twilight has books scattered everywhere, trying to disenchant Coyote's story.
"Velvet, what in the hay have you been doing?" Coyote is a clear cross between annoyed and concerned. "I have so many ponies that are actually interested in my story, and you somehow haven't managed to touch Chapter 2. Are you okay? Have you been sick or something?" The blue pegasus tosses his messy black mane out of his green eyes, and looks me over, "At least you don't seem to be hurt."
"Yeah, I'm fine. But there's a little problem with your story." I look over at Twilight, who seems to be casting a disenchant she found.
"There's a spell on my work? But.. How?"
Twilight finishes and chimes in, "You had quite the enchantment on your writing, Coyote. I'm surprised that Velvet managed to get as far as she did!" The purple alicorn looks a bit smug as she floats the pages back over to my writing desk, "I managed to disspell the magic, and Velvet Dash should have no issues whatsoever in completing her editing."
"Spell? What?"
"There was a sleeping spell on it. I did what I could, but it's been hard. Especially with me having to move my things here from Cloudsdale over the past few weeks." Velvet Dash gives him a salute, "But preparations have been made, Sir, and all is in order!"
"Who.. wants.. CUPCAKES?!?" Pinkie Pie bursts into the room with a full tray of freshly baked cupcakes, and Velvet loses her mock serious face as they all start laughing.
Munching on her third.. or maybe fourth.. cupcake, Velvet returns to editing her best friend's work, and doesn't have to deal with that spell ever again! Hopefully..
Author's Note
Oddly enough, it really is true that every time I try to edit this story, I pass out. This really has been happening. But I am NOT letting myself sleep tonight before cranking out another chapter, at least. I cannot let this get to me anymore.
Thank you for reading!!!
Velvet Dash