Author's Note
Written as a pass-time when I couldn't get to sleep a couple of nights ago. That being said, don't be surprised if it ends up being terrible or clunky; I never rewrote it, so this is pretty much a sloppy first draft.
Self-inserts or stories with my OC isn't something I typically go for or that I'm comfortable with writing, as they make me feel a tad big-headed, but I gave it a go. Judge for yourself.
Please, wake up
The Pink Mile
A Story by FireRain
*** *** ***
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The monotonous, robotic pulsating beep of the heart monitor continuously bleeped and blooped on the same note throughout the small hospital room. It was the early hours of the night and the hospital visiting hours had long since ended, but Fire Rain had persisted with great protest against the staff that had tried to ask her to leave. In the end, they had simply left her alone, deeming the situation hopeless.
She hadn’t felt right about leaving the mare she was here with. She had vowed to remain glued to the chair she was currently sat upon in case there was any change in Pinkie Pie’s condition, and she would only leave in the event that she required to take a bathroom break. She was going to sleep here tonight, partially to keep her laid-up friend company and to keep an eye on her.
Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack had already left, and each of them insisted that Fire Rain should head home and get some rest, too, but she wouldn’t have any of it. After all, she did feel as though she was partially responsible for what happened. Staring down at poor Pinkie’s lifeless form, Fire’s heart squeezed itself bitterly into a knot, an emotional wreck.
‘’You’ll be alright, Pinkie Pie. I know you will,’’ She said numbly. She had hoped that the mare would hear her. This was only the third day of her admittance to the Ponyville General Hospital, and she had been diagnosed as having three cracked ribs, one of which had almost punctured her lung, a cracked left leg bone and a sprained neck. It could have easily have turned out worse, and it was all thanks to that drunken idiot of a taxi pony, too wall-eyed on hooch to see two metres in front of him and too wobbly-kneed to run straight.
Even still, the stallion hadn’t been found, and he was currently going to be confronted with a hit and run charge if authorities found him. For that day, Fire Rain and the others were anxiously awaiting word that the perp had been put behind bars for his actions.
Pinkie’s body was wrapped securely in bandages, the majority of them firmly hugging around her barrel to support her cracked ribs, and there was a white cast around her injured leg. She would be stuck in that thing for at least three weeks, and she was also going to have some trouble with her sprained neck, which she had been told by doctors could have been a broken neck, which, by the speed she was struck at, would have effortlessly killed her instantly.
‘’At least you’re due to make a full recovery,’’ The distraught white pegasus mare said in a brighter tone. ‘’And then you’ll have all of your friends to help you while you get better. I only wish you’d wake up, Pinkie. Please, wake up.’’
The pegasus reached out her hoof to touch down against Pinkie’s, lightly making contact with it before cupping it. The party mare’s body was comfortably warm and inviting, and her fur was soft and cuddle-able. Pinkie’s lips parted slightly as she mumbled unintelligibly at the contact, her speech incoherent.
She had been doing that quite frequently. She will mumble beneath her breath and either barely and incoherently breathe single words or she’d voicelessly and silently shift her lips, as if having a conversation with a phantom in her dreams. Whatever was going on in her head while she was in her coma was unknown, but with Pinkie being Pinkie, it could literally be anything. But it was likely to be anything but sugarplums and dancing fairies and a white rabbit holding a teacup.
‘’Please, Pinkie - wake up. We’ve still got so much to do together, so many more pranks to play on ponies. Don’t you remember the time when we pranked Rarity with the sneezing powder in the red roses supposedly gifted from her crush, Trenderhoof? That was pretty funny, right? How we both laughed afterwards?’’ Fire Rain giggled reminiscently at the comedic scene of Rarity sneezing uncontrollably all over the place with violent spasms that almost sent her muzzle rocketing off of her body and into space.
‘’And then how about that time we both baby sat for The Cakes’ twins, Pound and Pumpkin, that time when Mr and Mrs Cake had to leave on a business trip? Remember how adorable Pumpkin was when she fell asleep against one of her little teddies? Or how Pound made all of those cute faces and noises when you were playing Where’s Pinkie Pie?’’ Fire Rain continued to ask the unconscious mare, unaware if she was capable of hearing her.
Fire Rain hoped that her voice was found and not lost to the pink mare’s ears, at least having the slightest amount of optimism that she would follow her voice back towards the light and she’d finally wake up. That was really all the white pegasus wanted. To see those eyelids flutter open to reveal Pinkie’s utterly adorable baby blue eyes and to hear her high-pitched but sweet voice again. Life just wasn’t the same without her around, and it wasn’t just Fire Rain and the others that were upset by news of Pinkie’s hospitalisation; it was the entire town.
Ponyville’s local residents were all concerned and hopeful about their dear party planner’s swift recovery back to health. She was friends with literally every single pony in town, mare, stallion or foal, and she had this unfathomable bond with each and every one of them, joined at the hip. Pinkie knew all of these ponies inside and out, from favourite foods, phobias, birthdays, anniversaries, jobs, talents, interests, hobbies, likes, dislikes, you name it. Pinkie was friends with them all.
‘’You know, Pinkie, I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but…I wanted to let you know how much your friendship means to me. You have always been there for me, no matter what problem I had, and you always stuck by me through it all. Unlike most ponies, you never mocked me or made fun of me at every turn, and I’m eternally grateful for that. You’re…you’re one heck of an amazing friend, Pinkie Pie. I mean that. I have no clue what I’d do if you were gone, and neither does anypony else. We’d all be lost without you,’’ Fire Rain said, a tad tearfully as she thought about a Pinkie-less world. ‘’We all need a little bit of pink in our lives,’’ She said.
A low mumble came from Pinkie’s lips.
‘’And it’s been the time of my life knowing you. I can’t remember a time when I felt truly happy without you around, Pinkie, and I never thought I’d smile again or even know what it feels like to experience joy. I don’t know what it is about you, Pinkie Pie, but you have this way about you for brining light even in the darkest of moments, and you can befriend any creature and make them smile, even the gloomiest of ponies or creatures, and I don’t know how you do it, but I admire it. You’re so stubborn and you’re caring enough to never give up on anypony when you see that they need it, and that’s what I need you to do right now, Pinkie,’’ Fire Rain slightly tightened her hold on the mare’s limp hoof.
Pinkie began to mumble even more, this time, more coherently.
‘’Please. Come back,’’ Fire Rain asked pleadingly. ‘’Don’t go wandering off into that dark night. There’s no party if you’re not there, and there’s no meaning to life if you’re not in it. So please…wake up, Pinkie.’’
‘’U-humm….F-Fir-Fire…’’ Pinkie grumbled, as if dreaming. Her voice was soft and weak, but it was audible - the first intelligible sound she’s made in days. ‘’Hmmm…d-don’t l-leave…’’
‘’We’re all lost without you, Pinkie. Gummy will miss you, too. He keeps wondering when you’re going to come back, and Fluttershy doesn’t know what to tell him. He’s worried about you, like everypony else. He’s waiting for you, and he’s going to be really upset when he figures out you’re not coming back to him,’’ Fire Rain said, imagining what that little alligator might do without his owner and mother to take care of him. Fluttershy’ll take him in, most likely, but it wouldn’t be the same.
‘’N-No, not Gummy,’’ Pinkie responded, eyes tightening and her brow knitting as she shuffled slightly in bed at the mention of her beloved pet. ‘’Mummy wo-won’t leave you, Gummy,’’ She said.
‘’Pinkie?’’ Fire Rain asked, surprised by the response, and it was then that the pink mare’s eyes began to slowly flutter. It happened slowly and shakily, but it was happening! Pinkie Pie was coming around! This was incredible!
‘’Oh…’’ Pinkie groaned as she attempted to sit upright in bed, woozy and light-headed. Her eyes were now fully open and her irises were visibly dim and dull, a side effect of exhaustion. Her face was riddled with pain. ‘’Where am I?’’ She asked quietly, momentarily confused.
‘’You’re in the hospital, Pinkie,’’ Fire Rain said as she lightly pressed her hooves against Pinkie’s shoulders to keep her laid back in bed, not wanting her to move so suddenly. ‘’You were hit bit a drunk taxi driver, but you’re alright now,’’ She informed her, letting her know she was safe. ‘’I’m glad you’re finally awake!’’
‘’W…What? How long was I out?’’ Pinkie asked numbly.
‘’Three days. Hey - don’t try to move, you’re still pretty beat up!’’ The white mare stopped Pinkie from shuffling around and hurting herself worse. Her ribs were especially tender, and if she made a sudden move that would cause her already-fractured ribs to break, her lung might get punctured, then she’d be in real trouble.
‘’Ow,’’ Pinkie whimpered like an injured puppy with large pupils, glistening with tears from the amount of pain she was in. ‘’You know, it was so strange. I heard your voice, Fi-Ri. You kept talking to me and I followed your voice. I felt like I was sleeping and dreaming, but I don’t know what about. I can’t describe it…’’ Pinkie said confusedly, absolutely clueless as to what had happened while she was out of commission.
‘’Well, regardless, it’s good to have you back, Pinkie,’’ Fire Rain said as she hugged her friend, grateful that she was alright and finally back amongst the living. ‘’You scared us all.’’
‘’I’m sorry, don’t be sad,’’ Pinkie said comfortingly as she weakly returned the hug, being careful about the burning pain in her chest area. ‘’And thank you. For being here for me.’’
‘’Hey, I’m only returning the favour. You’re the only pony I want to party with forever.’’
