Journey to home

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Curse you, 502 error. Curse you.

Chapter 7

CLOUD

I don't understand, why was she so angry? She seemed okay, then she was suddenly yelling at me! Maybe I said something that hit a nerve, what was it that I said before she went ballistic?

"You were flying pretty fast. Are you okay?"

She seemed to get angry at the part when I said she was flying fast. Why in the hay would she get angry about that? Maybe her flying fast got her out here in the first place. Or she's angry about something related to flying fast? Either way, I wouldn't be too happy if I woke up with no knowledge where I am with the only pony able to explain being a complete spaz.Wonder if she's okay right now. What am I talking about? Of course she's not okay! She's tired, injured, hungry... CRAP, I DIDN'T GIVE HER FOOD? Stupid, stupid, stupid! She's probably starving! What could I make? Don't want to give her that awful stale bread... Soup! Yeah, I'll make her soup! Just gotta find the right mushrooms...

DASH

How long has he been gone? Four hours? five? What could he possibly be doing that could take 5 hours? What if he got attacked by bandits? What if he needs my help? I can't even move, let alone fight bandits! What if a tree fell on him or something? He could be in serious trouble, and I'm just sitting in this bed, totally useless. Whose bed is this, anyway? Sweet Celestia, is this his bed? He could be fighting bandits, or stuck under some tree, and I'm resting in HIS bed? I don't think so!

Cmon, Rainbow, you're the fastest flyer in Ponyville, you can get out of a bed. Just lift yourself up, nice and slow, GAHH! Horsefeathers, that hurts! Alright, good job, you're almost there already... Just get to that bed stand... Alright, now lift yourself down... CRAPCRAPCRAPNOTGOODNOTGOODAAAAAAAH!

Okay, guess I'm on the floor now. Ya know, I don't think I really planned this out. How am I supposed to get out the door if I can't get out of the bed without getting hurt? Oh well, might as well try, just one hoof drag after the other. Gosh, that crash took a lot out of me. I can barely move... Let's see if I can get to that chair. Yeah, that's a start...

CLOUD

Alright, just one more mushroom... There! As good as it's gonna get, I guess. Time to head back to cook this stuff. What if she wondered where I went? How long have I been gone? Hrm, looks like it's just past midday, so that would mean that I've been gone for about... 6 hours.

Holy living chicken stuffing.

Why am I not able to take care of another pony? Why? Never mind that, sprint home, man! Alright, inside, where is she, where is she... Why is she on the floor?! How did she even get over there?! Forget that, check on her! Please be okay, please be okay...

Gosh, she's out cold... how the heck is she by the chair, though?

"HEY! WAKE UP!"

At that point she opens her eyes. We just stare at each other for what seems like forever, but I'm sure it was only a few seconds. I've never really seen her eyes before. They look amazing, a vibrant red color.

"You're okay..."

That's all she says before she passes out again. What the hay did she mean by that? Of course I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be okay? Oh well, just get her back onto the bed... guess it's time to make that soup, she's gonna want it when she wakes up. Guess my recipe isn't exactly the best, just throw the mushrooms into hot water. Heck, it's done in five minutes. I guess it's still better than hard tack or whatever monstrosity my chickens hatch.

Hm, she's still out. She's definitely hungry, though, me being an idiot saw to that. Guess I should wake her up. Shaking her should work.

"Meh, I don' wanna clear the sky, mak Thunr'lane do et."

What's that supposed to mean? Guess she's just sleep talking. Maybe shaking her again would work?

"I shheaid, I don' wanna clear it! Make Thunnderlane do it! And why are you gree- oh."

Alright, now she's awake. Now don't go crazy like last time. Just say hi. You got this.

"Hi."

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

"Hi."

And she said hi back! This is much better than last time! Think I should give her the soup now.

"You hungry?"

Just hand her the bowl at this point. I think she's realizing how long it's been since she ate. Maybe an entire day? Gosh, she's looking at it like it's the last bowl of soup on earth. Oh, wait, she can't use her arms very well. I guess I could feed it to-or not. I guess you don't need arms to eat soup. Gosh, doesn't that hurt? Sticking your face into a bowl of soup can't exactly feel goo-

"AAAAAAAH!"

Soup. Goes. EVERYWHERE.

Now we're both screaming and covered with soup. Fantastic.

"Why in the name of table salt would you do that?"

"I was just so hungry and it looked so delicious-"

"Okay, okay. It's fine. I'll just feed you it. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

This wouldn't be one of her proudest moments, being spoon-fed by a random earth pony in the middle of nowhere, but she doesn't seem to care, she's just grateful for every spoonful of the stuff. The soup's gone pretty soon, and she lets out a huge belch. I think I'm gonna like this pony.

"Thanks."

"No problem, it's on the house. Now, how are you feeling?"

"Not so great. Don't think that was one of my biggest crashes, but it's up there. How did you know how to splint my wing?"

"I have a first aid book. It has all sorts of stuff on pegasus injuries. Now, why were you out cold on the floor when I came in?"

"Well, I thought you were in trouble or something, so I got out of the bed to help you!"

"Wait, why did you think I was in trouble?"

"You were gone for like five hours. What could you be doing for five hours if not being attacked by bandits or being stuck under something?"

"And you helped me fight these 'bandits' by crawling to the middle of the floor and passing out?"

It's honestly hard not to crack up at the explanation. I thought something was seriously wrong, but she was just plain worried. About me, too, which is weird.

"Well, it seemed cooler when I thought it out in my head..."

"Who are you, anyway?"

She's laying down on a bed, but the way she says "Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in ponyville!" makes me feel like I'm at a speech.

"And you are?"

"Just a random earth pony that lives around here."

"No, your name. What's your name?"

"Swift Cloud, but I like to go by just Cloud."

I think I hear her mumbling something along the lines of 'What kind of earth pony is named Swift Cloud' but that's understandable so I just let it slide. Better if she doesn't know anyway.

DASH

Shoot, for the last time, it's Thunderlane's turn! He's always saying he's sick though, he never is! And it's always me that has to cover for him! I just want to sleep in for once! No! I don't want to clear the skies! That's Thunderlane's job! Make him do it, with his fake cold and everything! Why are you turning green? What's going on?

"Oh."

"Hi."

Oh my gosh, he's okay! He wasn't captured by bandits after all! Wait, didn't I try to help him? How am I in the bed again? Did he put me back? That means he's not angry! This is great! What should I say? Should I apologize? Ask him where I am?

"Hi."

Eh, that was close enough.

"You hungry?"

He then proceeds to give me a bowl of soup. When was the last time I ate? I didn't want to eat anything for 12 hours before the tryouts, so I guess that would make it more than a day without food. It looks so good! Shoot, I can't move my arms. Oh, I know, I'll just drink out of it like a cup! Rainbow Dash, you're a genius! Mmm, this is delicious! Wait, is it still ho- SWEET CELESTIA, MY FACE! AAAAAAAAAAAHH!

The green pony is covered with soup now. We're both screaming like an alien just exploded out of the bed.

"Why in the name of table salt would you do that?

Shoot, that was stupid. What was I thinking?

"I was just so hungry and it looked so delicious-"

"Okay, okay. It's fine. I'll just feed you it. Are you okay with that?"

If I was under any other circumstances, and I mean ANY other circumstances, I would not be okay with being fed soup. That's just downright embarrassing. But I'm so hungry, and the soup looks so good..."

"Yeah, I guess..."

After the first spoonful of it, I don't really care how the soup is being eaten, as long as it is being eaten. It's just SO GOOD. It's all gone in a minute, and I burp like crazy. Now, what I was expecting was some kind of a scolding and a 'that's not polite', but the green pony just smiles. He seems pretty cool.

"Thanks."

"No problem, it's on the house. Now, how are you feeling?"

"Not so great. Don't think that was one of my biggest crashes, but it's up there."

That was true, I have had worse crashes than this. Like that one time I was on an intensive care unit for a week- never mind, back to the conversation.

"How did you know how to splint my wing?"

"I have a first aid book. It has all sorts of stuff on pegasus injuries."

Now, I need to give my Doc that book! He can never get a splint right! This one is great, too.

"Now, why were you out cold on the floor when I came in?"

Shoot, now I gotta explain that. How am I gonna do that without sounding stupid?

"Well, I thought you were in trouble or something, so I got out of the bed to help you!"

"Wait, why did you think I was in trouble?"

You know, I kinda jumped to conclusions there. Just a little bit.

"You were gone for like five hours. What could you be doing for five hours if not being attacked by bandits or being stuck under something?"

Yeah, that definitely sounds dumb. He's not saying that though, just laughing a bit... yeah, this pony is definitely cool.

"And you helped me fight these 'bandits' by crawling to the middle of the floor and passing out?"

Really, what was I thinking when I did this?

"Well, it seemed cooler when I thought it out in my head..."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in Ponyville! And you are?"

I really need to know this guy's name. I can't just keep calling him 'The green earth pony'

"Just a random earth pony that lives around here."

"No, your name. What's your name?"

"Swift Cloud, but I like to go by just Cloud."

What kind of an earth pony is named Swift Cloud?