"Please wake up, dearest," said a distant echoed voice as she came into consciousness. The muffled sounds of voices and medical equipment filled the room as she slowly came to consciousness, her body feeling as if she were being engulfed by a dark, encompassing body of water. Blackness escaped her vision as she blinked slowly, struggling to see from beneath her heavy, drooping eyelids. Her body felt weak and aching, and cold. She felt the the numb warmth of a hospital blanket wrapped tightly around her body as the scene surrounding her slowly became a bit less fuzzy.
"Diane, are you alright?" said the voice again. It had a soft, warm intonation that gave a slight sense of comfort.
She imagined her gaze turning slightly rightwards, and thought she could feel slightly moist hair unfurling from her back. The voice was familiar, but it seemed so distant. It felt as if she hadn't heard it for so long. Who was this familiar voice, she thought as she struggled to think of a name or face to put the voice to. The name she had mentioned seemed familiar, but only somewhat. A distant memory from the deepest recesses of her thoughts.
"Pinkie, do you understand me?"
Pinkie. This name she seemed more familiar with. Was this not the name she had always had? What was the first name again? Her mind struggled to place together the pieces of her past as an encroaching fog of darkness seeped throughout her subconscious. Bits and pieces of her memories surfaced like bubbles as she focused with all her might just to understand what was going on. Where were her friends? Who was this semi-stranger calling out beside her? Why am I in this hospital bed?
"I don't know if you can hear me, but...I just want you to know that we care about you."
I can hear you, the words came to her thoughts, but no sound came out. She did not even feel anything escaping her lips. She tried to look at the face who was speaking to her but her head did not turn, nor did her eyes shift their gaze. She was motionless, and had only imagined moving beforehand.
A panic ensued. Am I dreaming, she thought as her mind began to rapidly piece things together. A fluid stream of thoughts and actions raced through her mind, but none came to fruition. Full of panic and desperation, she wanted to kick her legs and thrash about, but her body remained completely still, her sense of touch only a numb and distant feeling. Everything about her senses felt off. Where are my friends, the thought emerged once again in her mind amidst the tumultuous avalanche of others. Memories of her adventures with Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity poured over her. These names and memories were vivid and filled with happiness, but the dark cloud obscured them, too. Why did they feel so foggy and distant?
She heard the voice to her right sigh sorrowfully and felt the vague sensation of something caressing her arm, slowly moving down to her fingers. Something about it felt odd to her, but also somewhat familiar. Why can't I feel anything? There was no sensation of her fur prickling upwards as it dragged softly downwards. It was cold and smooth, and this brought attention to the rest of her feelings. She felt numbingly cold all around, and as if she didn't belong in her own skin. She almost felt as if she didn't belong in her own body.
The panic came back as the small sensation on her arm ceased, leaving only confusion in her already clouded mind. Why am I here, another plea for some kind of answer filled her thoughts. She tried to think back to her earliest memories. She recalled seeing Princess Cadence's newly born foal for the first time, and the giant birthday bash she and Cheese Sandwich held for Rainbow Dash, and all of the times she and her friends used the Elements of Harmony. But then she began to revisit these memories with a new perspective. Cheese Sandwich doesn't sound like a real name she thought blankly to herself. Why had such a nonsensical name been a part of her memory? Why did it stand out as nonsense in comparison to the others? Her memories with them seemed much more vivid and vast, but a manifestation of thoughtlessness transformed them. What about when she used the Mirror Pool to copy herself so that she could have fun with everybody at once? That was nonsensical. How could a magic pool of water grant her this ability? Now this memory, too, was transformed by the cloud looming from all around her thoughts. All of her most vivid memories fell one by one, each of them succumbing to the dismal abyss in her mind, leaving only emptiness within.
The looming dark cloud continued to encompass her thoughts, wrapping its eerie shrill tendrils around her, strangling her, pulling her deeper into the ocean of darkness that was her own consciousness, her vision fading sharply back into blackness as the sounds of her hospital room slowly deafened into silence and the warm sensation of the hospital bed ceased until she felt absolutely nothing at all. Her mind slipped carelessly away.
A bright light appeared in her eyes as she came to her senses. The shining blue sky and vibrant colorfulness of the familiar landscape of Ponyville filled her field of vision as she pranced gleefully through the town, giving warm greetings to everypony that she came across. The pleasant smells of the air wafted into her nose and a slight breeze meandered its way into the town, gently tossing her curly pink mane. She felt the soft, silky green grass beneath her hooves as she trotted through town to gather supplies for the next party she was planning. Everything just felt right. The way everything seemed to have always been. She felt a sense of bubbling excitement rise up within her as she gathered the supplies and her anticipation grew. It was Fluttershy's birthday tomorrow.
"I just don't know what to do. She seems so lost in her own thoughts, but I know deep down she's still in there."
"It'll be okay, honey. Our little Pinkie will pull through, she just needs some more time to rest is all."
"It's been a few hours. Shouldn't she have woken up by now?"
"The doctor said she's in a coma. He doesn't know how long it might last."
The voice started sobbing uncontrollably. "Why hadn't we noticed she had gone under the surface sooner?"
"It'll be okay. She'll be okay, I just know it. She's probably having the most fantastic dreams, right as we speak. She'll be alright. Come on now, the doctor is saying we need to go. She is going to be just fine."
"I hope so," the voice sniffled. "I really hope she is."
Author's Note
Inspired by this comic, but taken on a bit of a different route: http://9gag.com/gag/3077226/my-little-pony-depression-is-magic
