Mind's Eye
by RainbowCache
The doctors and nurses of Equestria often said the quickest recoveries come from happy patients, and Nurse Tenderheart could not have agreed more whenever she saw Pinkie Pie as her client. Tenderheart knew optimism and good cheer were universal cure-alls, and the curly-haired, pink pony never seemed short on either. Tenderheart raised her head from Pinkie's midsection finalizing the inspection of her patient's stomach. Pinkie, who was snuggling her green, down blanket, followed Nurse Tenderheart with her stare. The indigo nurse reassured her patient with a warm smile.
Pinkie lived above Ponyville's only bakery, Sugar Cube Corner. The entire staff of the quaint pastry shop consisted of Mr. Cake, Mrs. Cake, and Pinkie Pie herself. Constructed from wood, her flat was modest in size consisting of a spacious, central room connected to a bathroom and kitchen in the rear. As of late, Pinkie adorned her loft with varicolored confetti sprinkled about from a party she hosted two days earlier.
Pinkie placed her bed to the right side of the central room facing directly ahead of the front door. Adjacent to her bed, on the right, stood a tall dresser housing various jewelries, knick-knacks, candles, and even some rocks Pinkie kept for sentimental value. To the left, a small, round table housed a mirror.
A long, rectangular dining table surrounded by stools dominated the left side of the room. Windows stood within the near and far walls allowing natural light to illuminate the space at all hours of the day. Gummy, Pinkie's toothless, pet alligator, slept at the end of the bed while Nurse Tenderheart and Pinkie's close friend, Twilight Sparkle, stood to either side of the pink pony. An open saddlebag of medical supplies rested at the foot of the bed.
Although Pinkie knew every pony in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle was one of her most valued acquaintances. The gifted unicorn recently moved to Ponyville to study the magic of friendship after she and her friends, Pinkie included, discovered that their close bonds linked them to the elements of harmony - a set of magical artifacts used to protect all of Equestria from powerful enemies of the state. Twilight and her baby dragon assistant, Spike, lived across town in the library built inside a hollowed oak tree. The pink earth pony often bragged about being friends with Equestria's foremost student of magic and personal protégé of Princess Celestia.
Twilight and Pinkie planned to eat breakfast together that morning, but Twilight insisted that Pinkie see a doctor when she discovered her friend ill in bed.
Pinkie knew better than to argue with the purple unicorn in bangs.
Nurse Tenderheart closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have just wait this one out, Pinkie," she conceded.
"What's wrong? Will she be okay?" asked Twilight as she widened her eyes and leaned toward the nurse.
"It's just a stomach bug. She'll be fine in a few days," explained Nurse Tenderheart as her gaze drifted back toward Pinkie. "She's not contagious," she added.
"Are you sure there isn't something you can give her?" asked Twilight.
"Nothing that would be better for her in the long run," replied Nurse Tenderheart shaking her head.
Pinkie's eyes darted back and forth between the two ponies.
"The best advice I can give right now is to stay in bed and drink as much water as possible," said Nurse Tenderheart as she cocked her head and smiled. "Can you do that?" she asked Pinkie.
"Will do! I'll be as good as new in no time. My stomach always gets better on its own really quickly even when I do things to my tummy that are totally, horrifically, awfully bad!" said Pinkie. "There was this one time where I drank too much hot sauce and thought I was going to throw up all night, but I didn't throw up all night because..."
"Pinkie, hush," said Twilight causing the chatty, pink pony to tighten her lips and draw back under her covers.
Nurse Tenderheart gave Pinkie a reassuring smile before nodding at Twilight confident Pinkie's friend could take care of the needs of her patient after she leaves. Thanking Twilight for notifying her of Pinkie's condition, Tenderheart turned around and picked up the saddlebag of medical supplies she had placed at the end of the bed. Twilight and Pinkie thanked Nurse Tenderheart. Flattered, the nurse tilted her head toward the floor and acknowledged their gratitude before turning around and strolling out the front door.
"Wait!" yelled Pinkie. Nurse Tenderheart froze and shot a blank stare back at her patient. "Instead of water, do you think I can have hot chocolate instead?" asked the smiling, pink pony. Her eyes began to flutter.
Nurse Tenderheart chuckled under her breath. She admired Pinkie's energy in spite of the pink pony's apparent discomfort. "Sure, why not? The important thing is that you get plenty of fluids in your system," she replied.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! Did you hear that, Twilight? I am under doctor's orders to drink hot chocolate," remarked Pinkie as she threw her arms into the air.
"Well then, I better go. I have other patients waiting for me," said Nurse Tenderheart. The ponies, once again, spoke their goodbyes, and the nurse trotted out of the loft shutting the door behind her.
"Well! Time to go to work! Cupcakes don't make themselves you know. Or maybe you didn't know that," said Pinkie Pie.
Twilight looked straight at Pinkie and narrowed her eyes. "Pinkie, you heard Nurse Tenderheart. You need to stay in bed," she replied. The astute unicorn took notice of her friend's fading smile. "Don't worry, I'll inform Mrs. Cake for you," she added.
"But Twilight," pleaded Pinkie. "If I don't go to work, then Sugar Cube Corner will be understaffed. And if they are understaffed, then they can't bake enough food for the customers. And if they don't have food for the customers, then the bakery will have to close. And if the bakery is closed, then the Cakes can't make any money. And do you know what that means?"
"Um, No?" said Twilight.
"The Cakes will go broke and have to live on the street making cupcakes out of old newspapers and, and, and discarded sandwiches! And without the Cakes, there is no Sugar Cube Corner. And without Sugar Cube Corner, I don't have a job which means I can't make money which means I can't afford to feed Gummy!" explained the exasperated, pink pony. "Do you really want to do that, Twilight? What has Gummy ever done to you!?"
"Something tells me that's not going to happen," said Twilight rolling her eyes toward the back of her head.
"You don't know that," replied Pinkie as she furrowed her brow.
"Listen," Twilight began. "I think Mr. And Mrs. Cake can handle the shop for one day."
"W-W-Without me?" Pinkie Pie stuttered closing her eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure they can run the store by themselves. So please, just take the day off," said the unicorn.
Twilight's purple coat, mane, and horn often brought up images of royalty for the common earth pony, which was actually quite fitting given her friend's relationship with the princess. In Pinkie's mind, Twilight's regal colors gifted the unicorn with the advantage of class and authority over most other ponies. After a brief pause, Pinkie Pie exposed opened her eyes. She knew she could not argue with her friend. How could someone like her hope to outwit somepony so purple?
"Okay. If you say so," replied Pinkie grinning at her friend.
"Very good," said Twilight. "I'm glad you're finally seeing it..."
Cutting off the unicorn, Pinkie gasped. "My party tonight! Tonight's party is tonight! I'm going to disappoint you, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy if I can't host it! Then you will be sad and it will be my fault!" she shouted.
Twilight smiled and gestured to her friend to calm down. "I'll tell the others it's off. They'll understand," she reassured her. Twilight tried to smile for her companion, but Pinkie was too busy shifting her gaze around the room to notice.
After some thoughtful silence, Pinkie looked back at Twilight. "But, but, but, but, but," she pleaded with a quiver in her voice.
"No," said Twilight with as much authority as she could muster. She narrowed her eyes toward the pink earth pony and pursed her lips. Once again, Pinkie's gaze shifted around the room.
"All right," Pinky Pie conceded. Once again, who was she to question somepony so purple? The earth pony proceeded to cover herself with her green blanket and turned her head to gaze out the window. The pegasus weather team cleared the clouds to create a perfect autumn sky the playful earth pony could have been enjoying if she was not so sick. The blue sky always reminded her of the balloons of her cutie mark. Pinkie narrowed her eyes and sighed. She only enjoyed parties more than the outdoors.
"Hey Twilight, do you want to spend the day with me?" asked Pinkie throwing her gaze back toward her friend. She mustered the biggest grin she could handle.
Twilight lowered her head, took a deep breath, and replied, "I don't know. I have a lot of studying to do today."
Pinkie turned her head and stared out of her window again. After a drawn out sigh, she responded in monotone, "Okay. I understand." Pinkie grabbed tight hold of her covers and continued to gaze outside.
"Are you going to be okay?" asked Twilight cocking her head.
Pinkie once again sighed and shut her eyes. Giving her blanket an extra squeeze, she replied, "Yes."
"All right, well get lots of rest. I'll stop by later, okay?" said Twilight smiling at Pinkie.
"Okay," said Pinkie.
Twilight and Pinkie exchanged their goodbyes before the unicorn walked toward the entrance. For some reason, she stood on the tips of her hooves even though she had no idea why she felt she had to be so quiet; no one was sleeping after all. When she reached the doorframe, she turned around and smiled back toward her sick friend who had rolled on her side and was no longer paying attention. Twilight walked out of the apartment, and with a final click of the door fastening shut, she trotted down the stairs eager to make up for any lost time dealing with today's studies.
Pinkie lay motionless on her bed staring at the patterns on the walls. Although she knew the grain of the wood flowed and swirled by nature, each swirl, line, and knot seemed to complement each other. She imagined that she could find significance in the patterns and textures if she studied her surroundings with enough determination.
The motionless earth pony listened to the subtle whispers of Gummy's breathing. She perked her ears in hopes that she could find something more interesting. Perhaps somepony might start some commotion in the streets below, or a group of chatty ponies would visit the bakery. However, the day was too early to fill the streets or expect many customers at Sugar Cube Corner.
At least the scent of fresh pastries from the bakery below embellished her otherwise hebetudinous surroundings. Although the Cakes baked fresh goods for their customers every morning, Pinkie never grew tired of that aroma. By the smell alone, she knew that they were cooking fresh croissants and muffins today. However, given Pinkie's sour stomach, she did not care to think about food at the moment.
Music might have brightened the atmosphere if she had a working record player. Her last one had an unfortunate accident involving two drunken ponies, the bathtub, and a certain crocodilian companion of hers. Pinkie lifted her head and stared at the sleeping alligator with an agitated expression. Gummy should not take all the blame though; Pinkie was the one who insisted on filling the tub with processed cheese spread and popcorn.
Bells jingled from the bakery below; Sugar Cube Corner's first customer of the day entered the door. Pinkie could not make out everything said downstairs, but she understood the gist of what had transpired. A young filly ordered some baked goods, Mrs. Cake handled the order, and a satisfied little girl left the store. The Cakes seemed able to run the store by themselves after all.
"Oh Gummy, Twilight was right. They are able to run the store without me," said Pinkie to the motionless alligator.
"They don't need me," she emphasized beginning to stare down at her covers.
"What's the point of them even hiring Pinkie if they can do everything without Pinkie?" she lamented.
Gummy lifted his head and turned toward the chatty earth pony. Blinking a few times, the stoic alligator stared at his beloved caretaker.
"After today, the Cakes will want to run the store without me, and then it will be goodbye Pinkie Pie!" said the pony as she flailed her arms in the air.
Gummy continued to stare.
"And it's obvious that my friends don't appreciate my parties anymore if they are willing to cancel tonight's just like that! And without my parties..." said Pinkie followed by a deep sigh. "They won't want to hang out anymore, and I'll lose them forever. It'll just be me and you, Gummy."
Gummy blinked.
"And now I'm stuck inside sick and... Oh no," said Pinkie. She grasped for the wastebasket under her bed. After gagging a few times, she occupied herself with a bout of reverse peristalsis. The cupcake she ate this morning filled the container in its new semi-liquefied state. She spit a few times to eliminate the rancid taste from her mouth.
Pinkie placed the bin on the ground and fell back onto her pillow. She mirrored Gummy's blank stare back at her little green companion. Sighing, she twirled her hair around her hoof in silence.
The deep colors of sunset lit Pinkie's flat with a fiery orange tint. Gummy continued to lie on the bed albeit in a new position to better capture the sun. Pinkie, unable to sleep, sat up on her blanket with her arms hugging her bent legs. The smell of pastries from the bakery below faded for the evening as Sugar Cube Corner closed soon. In the distance, Pinkie could hear the faint sound of owls welcoming the dusk.
"I wonder why the sky turns to red in the evening? I mean, it goes to orange, and then red, but I never see pink," the perplexed pony said to no one in particular.
Taking a deep breath, Pinkie tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Nothing of particular interest caught her attention, but at least she was looking at something different. After a few deep breaths, she began to chuckle under her breath.
"Oh, Gummy, that's not how it works," she replied.
Gummy blinked.
Faint voices crept into her apartment. By the sound of it, at least two ponies were approaching. The voices grew louder, and she began to hear clopping hooves ascend her stairs. The vocalizations continued to approach until they lingered behind her front door. Someone knocked.
Unsure about leaving the comfort of her bed to deal with guests, Pinkie froze. She took a few deep breaths.
Someone knocked on the door again.
Pinkie sighed and shook her head. She threw off her covers, left her bed, and stomped toward the entrance. A raspy voice shouted, "Hey, Pinkie, You there?" from the outside. The quiet earth pony opened the door.
Outside stood Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash - a pegasus pony from Cloudsdale. Pinkie had known Rainbow for a while but avoided her until they both befriended Twilight. Rainbow and Pinkie garnered a reputation for themselves as the town pranksters. The pegasus' blue coat, red eyes, and prismatic mane distinguished her among the residents of Ponyville. As coordinator of the weather team and being capable of producing earth-shattering sonic rainbooms from the sheer speed she is capable of achieving in flight, Rainbow was a difficult pony to ignore.
"Oh hey, Pinkie Pie," said Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie stood in silence, refusing to make eye contact with her friends.
"Hi," chimed in Twilight.
Again, the pink earth pony refused to acknowledge her friends.
Rainbow and Twilight exchanged glances and resumed focusing their attention toward Pinkie Pie.
"Uuh, may we come in?" asked Twilight.
"Oh, yeah, sure," replied Pinkie nodding her head. She gestured her visitors into her home and closed the door behind them. "Sorry about that."
"Yeah, Twilight said you weren't feeling well. I hope you don't mind me stopping by," said Rainbow Dash making her way past her host.
Pinkie turned to check on Gummy who was still enjoying himself on the bed. Finding the alligator at peace, she once again turned her attention toward her friends.
"We're not interrupting anything, are we? You seem a little..." said Twilight struggling to find the words to complete her thought.
"Oh, not at all," said Pinkie. "I was just hanging out with Gummy."
The earth pony ushered in her guests and made her way back to bed careful not to disturb the alligator. Twilight closed the door behind her, and the two visitors huddled around Pinkie. Twilight glared and gestured at Rainbow. Being oblivious to Twilight, Rainbow scanned the loft for any changes since her last visit. The purple unicorn grimaced at Rainbow and whispered in the pegasus' ear.
"Oh yeah. We got this for you," said Rainbow. She lifted a wing and pulled out an envelope with her mouth. She placed the gift next to her ill friend. "Go ahead and open it. It's from all of us," she added.
Using her hoof, Pinkie dragged the envelope next to her. She picked up her gift with her mouth and tore open the ends. A card dropped in front of her. The front displayed a picture of a cheetah holding a football and dashing across a football field. Before opening the card, Pinkie glanced up at her friends and grinned. The inside of the card read, "Hope You Make A Speedy Recovery!" followed by personal messages from her friends.
"Rainbow picked it out," explained Twilight.
Pinkie smiled at Rainbow Dash causing the normally arrogant pegasus to recoil and blush. Satisfied Rainbow understood her approval, Pinkie turned her attention to what her friends had written in the card.
"Get better soon. Ponyville's too boring without you. - Dashie"
"Sorry breakfast was cancelled. Let's reschedule. - Twilight S"
"Do feel better soon my dear. - Rarity"
"Dear Pinkie Pie,
This is Spike. I am writing you because I hear you are sick and Twilight is making me I wanted to write something to you so you know I am thinking about you. Get well soon.
Your friend, Spike"
"I hope you feel better. Let me know if you need anything. - Fluttershy"
"I'm countin' on ya to make a full recovery. - Applejack"
"We hope to see you back at work soon, dearie. - Mr. and Mrs. Cake"
"Thank you. That was very nice," said Pinkie looking up at her friends. She hugged Rainbow and Twilight and sat back down. The pink earth pony closed the card and placed her gift on the small, round table in front of her mirror.
"Have you had anything to eat today?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie shook her head. "No."
"Think you can stomach some dinner?" asked the unicorn.
Pinkie took a deep breath and lowered her head. "Maybe," she replied.
"Great. Rainbow and I will go pick something up," said Twilight. The unicorn gestured to Rainbow to accompany her. The pegasus nodded and acknowledged her request. The two discussed dinner choices, and, once confirming with Pinkie, Twilight and Rainbow approached the front door.
"Wait!" exclaimed Pinkie as her two guests stood in the doorway. The two puzzled ponies turned toward Pinkie awaiting her request.
"Maybe one of you can stay?" she asked.
"Yeah, I can do that," said Rainbow. "Will you be all right on your own?" she asked Twilight.
Twilight nodded. With a mutual understanding of the plan among all three ponies, the purple unicorn said her goodbyes and shut the door behind her.
Rainbow trotted toward the foot of the bed. "What's up?" she asked.
"I just wanted you to stay, that's all," replied Pinkie. She smiled and locked eyes with her friend.
"Okay," remarked Rainbow as the pegasus raised an eyebrow. She took a seat on the floor.
An awkward silence filled the room. Rainbow shifted her gaze around her surroundings while Pinkie stared at her covers. The pegasus took note of Pinkie's alligator and flashed him a smile. Gummy blinked.
"So, do anything interesting today?" Rainbow asked in an attempt to break the silence.
"I threw up a bunch of times, and Nurse Tenderheart came to visit," Pinkie replied still staring at her covers.
Rainbow grimaced at her friend as the two, once again, sat in silence. Tiring of her stare at Pinkie, Rainbow followed her friend's lead and dropped her gaze. Bringing her head back up after a brief pause, the blue pegasus decided to continue trying to make small talk with her host.
"Well my day was pretty awesome. We scheduled for a clear sky, and we really didn't have many clouds to begin with. Work was basically done in like ten minutes; so all the weather team had to do was take shifts taking care of any drifters from the Everfree Forest," said Rainbow Dash.
"Yeah, getting work done early is the best," replied Pinkie to Rainbow's relief. She refused to make eye contact though.
Rainbow continued, "So yeah. Since we had all this time on our hands, I scheduled some team building exercises. We got paid to play all day. It was awesome." She raised her hoof in victory.
"I never have days like that at work; I always have to bake or eat a bunch of pastries when we make too many or are trying something new," replied Pinkie making eye contact with her guest.
"So you get paid to eat cupcakes?" asked Rainbow.
"Well, I have an obligation, no, duty to ensure that all our sweets are of the highest quality. It's a burden, but I, Pinkie Pie, have dedicated myself to the cause of delicious treats," Pinkie exclaimed bringing her right hoof over her heart.
"Whatever you say, Pinkie. I'm no good at baking so you have..." Rainbow began.
"No," said Pinkie nodding her head.
Rainbow gave her friend a puzzled look. "Huh?"
"No, no, not you. I'm sorry, go on," apologized Pinkie.
"Pinkie Pie, you are way too random," Rainbow replied.
Pinkie flashed a smile in response.
"Oh, I thought of a great prank," said Rainbow.
Pinkie raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I know you don't like to play jokes on Fluttershy, but what if we told her Gilda was visiting again and asked her whether or not we could cook one of her animals for her? She wouldn't know what to do! It would be hilarious," Rainbow chuckled.
Pinkie stared at her friend. "No, don't do that. She's too sensitive. Just leave her alone," she demanded
Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed.
The two continued to make small talk. Pinkie informed Dash of the get-togethers she planned to host while Rainbow explained how to take advantage of thermal currents to boost a pegasus' altitude. The pegasus rambled at times to keep the conversation flowing, but otherwise she enjoyed herself. Pinkie, on the other hand, appreciated the change of pace a friendly conversation brought after sitting in her loft with Gummy all day.
Although she heard others in the room, Pinkie made a sincere effort to ignore the chatter. She knew her friend was unaware of their existence and recoiled at the thought of explaining the voices to Rainbow Dash. Except for a brief giggle when one of her stools told a joke, Pinkie Pie kept herself composed and focused on her guest the entire time; though, she could swear a certain stack of rocks on her dresser did everything in his power to make Pinkie slip.
Fifteen minutes later, Twilight let herself in. "I brought the sandwiches," she declared.
Rainbow looked at the unicorn. "All right. Let's eat."
"I'm going to throw up again," said Pinkie leaning her head down over the toilet. Rainbow Dash held Pinkie's hair back at arm's length while the sick pony continued to empty tonight's dinner into the commode. Twilight decided to handle the dishes.
Pinkie began to heave again.
I was stupid for coming here, thought Rainbow Dash. The pegasus took a deep breath and turned her head away from Pinkie. She could hear the half-digested mixture of chocolate milk and grass sandwich splash into the water again. Rainbow closed her eyes and tried to occupy her thoughts with images of grassy plains, Cloudsdale, or any place that was not next to a sick pony spewing her dinner. After a few more splashes, the noises behind Rainbow Dash ceased.
Pinkie spit a few times into the toilet before flushing. "Okay. I think I'm done," she told her friend in an exasperated tone. Rainbow sighed in relief and let go of Pinkie's hair. Getting back on all fours, the sick pony and her friend left the bathroom.
"Pinkie, why don't you head back to bed while Rainbow and I finish cleaning up?" insisted Twilight. Pinkie agreed and hopped under her covers. Rainbow rolled her eyes and headed into the kitchen.
Much to Rainbow's relief, Twilight had finished most of the dishes, so she had little work to do. "Next time, you hold her hair," whispered the pegasus as she began to dry the dishes.
"Why me?" Twilight replied as she put away the glasses and straws.
"I don't know. You're better with that kind of stuff," explained Rainbow.
"All you have to do is stand there and be supportive," said Twilight as she placed the last straw in the cabinet.
"Yeah, and I suck at both," admitted Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie stood in front of the kitchen entrance gazing at her friends.
"Pinkie!" said Twilight as she jumped in the air. "What are you doing here? I thought you just went to bed," she asked.
"I did, but then I heard voices in the kitchen," explained the earth pony. "Twilight?"
"Yes, Pinkie?" replied the unicorn.
"Why were you talking behind my back?" asked Pinkie.
Twilight and Rainbow exchanged puzzled glances.
"We weren't talking behind your back," Rainbow Dash insisted.
Pinkie winced at her friends. Rainbow and Twilight exchanged glances again as Pinkie continued to follow them with her eyes.
"Hey, why don't we go back to your bed together?" suggested Rainbow Dash.
Taking Pinkie's lack of response as a sign of approval, Rainbow escorted her friend out of the kitchen over to a pillow the pink earth pony dropped on her way to the kitchen entrance. Grabbing the pillow with her mouth, Rainbow carried it to the head of the bed. Dash nudged Pinkie to get into her bed. Giving Rainbow a cold stare, Pinkie drifted under her covers.
"Well, everything's cleaned up," said Twilight as she exited the kitchen. "So, if you don't need any more help with anything, I should really be going."
Rainbow sighed in relief.
"Wait!" said Pinkie as she sat up straight. Twilight and Rainbow both froze and gave their friend their full attention. "Gummy hasn't been fed, and he could really use a bath."
Twilight glanced at Rainbow and back to Pinkie. "You want us to wash your alligator?" asked Twilight gaping at the pink pony.
Pinkie nodded.
Twilight looked toward Rainbow who was covering her face with her hoof. Bringing her attention back to Pinkie, the unicorn took a couple deep breaths. "Fine," she said.
Using her unicorn's magic of telekinesis, Twilight levitated Gummy off the bed. After pausing to sigh, she carried the alligator into the bathroom. Rainbow grimaced at Pinkie before joining Twilight.
"Do you really need me to help you with this?" complained Rainbow to Twilight.
"Yes," said Twilight as she closed the door behind her.
Pinkie chuckled at the ruckus of two clueless ponies trying to give an excitable alligator a bath. Closing her eyes, she focused her mind on whatever shenanigans she could overhear. If she could focus her mind on her friends, she thought she could ignore the voices around her.
"Is that cheese in the bathtub?"
"Gummy! Stop trying to kill Rainbow Dash!"
"Quick! He's on the ceiling! Rainbow, cut him off!"
"I'm TRYING to hold him down, but look at him! He's possessed!"
"He has the soap! Don't let him escape!"
Eventually, the bathroom door burst open, and two frazzled, wet ponies stumbled their way into the dining area. Struggling to breathe, Twilight collapsed first followed by Rainbow Dash.
Twilight raised her head and mumbled, "Gummy is clean." With her muscles giving out, her head fell back down onto the floor.
Out of the bathroom swaggered the alligator. Wagging his tail, he walked between Pinkie and her guests and spun around.
"You look very handsome," said Pinkie.
Satisfied by the approval of his caretaker, Gummy marched toward Pinkie and jumped onto the foot of the bed. Twisting around, he situated himself on the down blanket near the pink pony's warm legs. After the pride of defeating the two inexperienced ponies began to wane, Gummy closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
Rainbow managed to come to and rose to her feet again. Walking over to Twilight, she placed her hooves under the unicorn and lifted her from the ground. Shaking on all fours, Twilight took a moment to collect herself.
"Um, Gummy still needs food and water put out for the night," complained Pinkie.
Twilight shot her host a piercing glare and stomped over to Gummy's dish to fill it with the alligator's mushy, canned food. Opening the container, she thought, This stinks worse than rotten cat chow.
Likewise, Rainbow sped over to Gummy's water bowl and dumped water into it. As soon as Rainbow placed the bowl back on the floor, she ran to the flat's entrance.
Throwing the empty can of alligator grub in the trash, Twilight trotted over to Rainbow.
"All right, now I really have to go," pleaded Twilight.
"Wait!" said Pinkie.
Rainbow rolled her eyes to the back of her head and gave an exasperated sigh. Twilight shook her head and replied, "What!?"
"You can't go," said Pinkie grasping her covers while staring at Gummy.
"Pinkie!" shouted Rainbow Dash. She grimaced and glared at her host.
Pinkie curled herself up and pulled her covers over her head. "I'm sorry," she squeaked.
Twilight and Rainbow exchanged puzzled looks. The pegasus sat on her hind legs and raised her arms as if to say, "I don't know." Twilight shook her head.
"Is something wrong?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie remained quiet. Once again, Rainbow and Twilight looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Uh, Pinkie Pie?" probed Rainbow Dash.
"I'm fine," said a voice from under the covers.
"Are you sure? You don't sound fine," said Twilight.
The quivering earth pony removed the covers over her head and sat back up. "Rainbow startled me is all."
"You sure about that?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie nodded. "Yeah."
"Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie you know," remarked Rainbow glaring at Twilight.
"We'll come and visit you in the morning," announced Twilight.
"We?" replied Rainbow as she furrowed her brow at the unicorn.
"Okay," said Pinkie. She laid herself in her bed and rolled on her side.
"Ouch!" cried Rainbow followed by a drawn out sigh. "Fine, I'll see you tomorrow," she sighed.
Twilight blew out all of Pinkie's candles, and the ponies said their goodbyes. The two guests left the loft and closed the door behind them. Pinkie could hear her friends bickering outside her walls. Rolling her face onto her pillow, Pinkie wiped her eyes.
Pinkie and Gummy slept as the flickering street lamps from below cast dancing shadows throughout the apartment. Outside, leaves and branches tickled each other from the Everfree Forest's outgoing breeze. Meanwhile, an unexpected drizzle pitter-pattered the windows. The occasional traffic of late night ponies echoed between the alleyways.
Pinkamina Diane Pie! said a voice.
Mother, is that you? asked Pinkie.
Get back to work, said the voice.
I am working, replied Pinkie.
If you don't want pull your weight around this farm, you might as well move out, the voice retorted.
Pinkie remained silent.
You'll starve. No one will hire a pony whose special talent is throwing parties, said the voice.
Images of Pinkie's former life surrounded the pony. Her heart raced from the anxiety. The disappointment of her parents pierced Pinkie's mind. She wanted to retreat, but space itself held her still. She cried for help as images of her sisters shaking their heads in denial perverted her desire to escape. The horror drained her will to struggle, and her thoughts and memories crushed her.
Pinkie shot out from under her covers and gasped for air. Taking deep breaths, she waited for the stillness of reality to ground her. Her eyes darted around the room trying to make sense of her surroundings. Gummy perked his head up and stared at the frantic pony.
Jumping out of bed, Pinkie dashed to the bathroom. She turned on the sink and splashed water on her face to clean the sweat from her brow. The trembling pony grabbed a nearby towel and dried herself before heading back to bed.
Pinkie stared at the ceiling too nervous to sleep and too scared to entertain her thoughts.
"You're too sensitive," said Gummy.
Pinkie continued to stare upward.
"Even Fluttershy doesn't freak out this much in bed," the alligator continued.
Pinkie shot up and gave her pet a cross look. "Shut it," she demanded.
Gummy replied with a blank stare and a few blinks.
Pinkie laid herself back down and resumed her stare. Taking deep breaths, she counted the notches in the wood of the ceiling. The rhythmic echoes of rainfall tiptoed in her mind.
"Yo, your friends don't really like you," said a deep voice.
Pinkie squinted in concentration as the sounds of a late night passerby hauling a wagon in the streets below began to accompany the rain.
"Hey, pay attention to me. Dump those losers," the voice continued.
"Rocky!" screamed Pinkie Pie at a stack of rocks on top of her dresser. "I don't like you, I have never liked you, now please be quiet!" she demanded.
The sound of the pedestrian outside paused for a few seconds before resuming. Pinkie sighed and shook her head. Pushing her covers away, she sat up in bed. She began scanning the room with her eyes and ears.
"Oh, don't worry dearie," said the unmistakable voice of Mrs. Cake. Pinkie gasped as her eyes darted from side to side.
"Over here, hun," said the voice.
Mrs. Cake stood in front of the main entrance with her arms crossed and legs spread wide.
Pinkie grimaced at her boss.
"Today was a great day without you here at the bakery. We were twice as productive as usual without you wasting our ingredients and eating our product," continued Mrs. Cake.
Pinkie found herself wrapping her arms around her legs. Sighing, she lowered her forehead to her knees.
"You're not going to cry, are you?" asked Mrs. Cake. "We already pity you enough to give you a pointless job. Don't expect your crocodile tears to earn you any sympathy, dearie."
Taking a deep breath, Pinkie drove her head upward and glared at her boss. "Ha, ha, ha!" she shouted.
"Don't worry. We're not going to fire you, hun. Mr. Cake and I have too much fun laughing behind your back," Mrs. Cake shot back.
Dropping her forehead back onto her knees, Pinkie sighed and shook her head.
Tree branches began to tap on nearby windows as the rainy weather drew in heavier gusts of wind. Pinkie took extended breaths to slow the thoughts racing through her mind.
"She's gone now," said Gummy.
Pinkie peeked up. Finding Mrs. Cake still staring at her with arms crossed, she once again retreated back into herself. The quiet urgency of Pinkie's broken sniffing shot across the room.
"Pinkie, I heard screaming. Are you okay?" asked Twilight Sparkle.
The quivering pony elevated her head. She saw Twilight standing in front of the entrance gasping for air. The unicorn's mane dripped water into glistening puddles on the floor.
"What are you doing here?" asked Pinkie.
Twilight smiled. "I was studying late when I realized I left something of mine outside. I saw the rain, so I got worried. When I passed by your place, I heard screaming. Are you all right?" Twilight asked again.
Pinkie paused to breathe. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine," she said smiling back at her friend.
"Do you want me to stay?" asked Twilight cocking her head.
Shifting her eyes away from Twilight, Pinkie took a few deep breaths. "I'll be fine," she said bringing her attention back toward her friend.
"Good," said Twilight. "I have a lot of studying to catch up on. Not like you would know or anything. Everypony knows you're a failure at school," she continued. Twilight glared at the earth pony.
Pinkie gaped at her friend.
"It's no big deal. Some of us have talent, and some of us, like you, couldn't make breakfast without somepony's help. You're just one of losers, I guess," said Twilight Sparkle chuckling under her breath.
Pinkie closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Oh, come on. You know nopony has any faith in you. You're an immature sugar addict with no future," Twilight retorted.
"Shut up!" screamed Pinkie Pie.
"Don't be such a drama queen, my dear," commanded an elegant voice. A white unicorn with a purple mane glared at Pinkie from behind Twilight. "Just look at me. I am your age and own my very own boutique. You are quite pathetic if you are still baking pastries at your age," said Rarity.
Pinkie stared at her friends and forced herself to shout an unconvincing laugh at them.
Twilight and Rarity fell to the floor in hysterics. "What a weirdo!" they remarked.
"You know, sugar cube, they're right," said an earth pony with blond hair and an orange coat.
Applejack stood to the left of Pinkie. The country pony looked down at her friend shaking her head.
"Sure, they all got magic powers or whatnot, but that don't make a lick of difference. We earth ponies are strong, hard workers. Oh wait? Did I say we? I didn't mean to include you, sugarplum," she said.
Pinkie threw her head back down into her lap and mumbled nonsense under her breath. Taking a few sniffs from her nose, she wiped away the fresh tears from her eyes.
"Aww, perk up Pinkie Pie," said Rainbow Dash sitting in front of Twilight. "I know I was in kind of a hurry to leave tonight and all, but I didn't care that you were sick or anything. That's cool. It's just that your place is so cramped. I'm used to my house - you know, the big one I earned because I actually do something useful for Ponyville," Rainbow chuckled.
"I hate all of you," mumbled Pinkie Pie into her lap. The sound of laughter engulfed the pony.
"At least you can amuse us with your soirées; I can't imagine why we'd talk to you otherwise," giggled Rarity.
"Really Rarity?" said Twilight. "I've been in Ponyville less than you have, and I'm already tired of her."
Once again, the sound laughter suffocated Pinkie. The trembling pony dropped onto her belly and pulled the covers over her head. She threw her hooves over her eyes catching the stream of tears before they stained the bed.
"There, there. It'll be all right," said a gentle pony embracing Pinkie between her arms. "Don't listen to them. You're our friend, and we'd never say such awful things. We love you."
"Thank you, Fluttershy," wept Pinkie.
The morning sun glistened in the puddles from last night's storm as varicolored leaves from fallen branches dotted the streets. The local birds hailed the morning stillness with their usual disjointed voices. Early morning pegasi flew overhead to take advantage of the rain-washed air, and the sound of opening and closing doors marked the beginning of Ponyville's morning commute. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle stood outside Pinkie's loft.
"You think she's all right?" asked Rainbow Dash.
Twilight knocked again. Lacking a response, Rainbow pushed the door open. The two ponies tip-toed into Pinkie's apartment and closed the door behind them. Rainbow pointed at a pony-sized bulge under Pinkie's blanket.
"Hi Pinkie," said Twilight probing for a response.
A faint mumbling began emanating from the head of the bed.
Rainbow and Twilight shot concerned glances at each other. Returning her attention toward Pinkie, Rainbow walked to the foot of the bed. "Pinkie Pie?"
After a few seconds of no reply, Rainbow spun toward Twilight and responded, "She's crying."
"What?" said Twilight.
Rainbow faced Pinkie again, and Twilight walked to the head of the bed. Twilight heard the sound of incoherent babbling and sniffling from under the blanket. Her heart raced with anxiety. Twilight looked back at Rainbow Dash who signaled her to continue by pointing at the bulge under the covers.
"Pinkie?" asked Twilight probing her with a hoof.
Pinkie screamed from the top of her lungs and threw her back against the head of the bed. Twilight recoiled and ran to Rainbow Dash. Pinkie turned to her left and opened her dresser. She began throwing the contents at the two uninvited guests.
"That's it," said Rainbow Dash dodging a hairbrush. She lunged at Pinkie pinning the earth pony to the bed. Pinkie screamed and struggled kicking the pegasus multiple times in the chest. Rainbow furrowed her brow as she leaned her head toward the frantic pony. "Pinkie!" she screamed.
Pinkie lay motionless under Rainbow. The two ponies stared at each other while recovering their breath. Turning her head past Dash, Pinkie locked eyes with a gaping Twilight Sparkle. The earth pony grimaced.
Rainbow let go of Pinkie. Confident her hysteric friend calmed down, the pegasus jumped off the bed and joined Twilight Sparkle. Pinkie pulled her covers back over her body.
"What has gotten into you?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie's eyes darted around the room.
"Pinkie?" asked Twilight again.
"I'm fine," she replied
"Don't lie to us," said Rainbow.
The earth pony reached under her covers and picked up Gummy. Holding her alligator up to her guests and lowering her voice, Pinkie replied, "She said she's fine."
Gummy blinked at the two ponies.
Rainbow sighed and rolled her eyes. "Not this again," she remarked.
Twilight turned her head toward Rainbow and raised her brow. "This happened before?" she asked.
"Yeah. I found her like this on her birthday," she replied.
Twilight shot Rainbow an angry glare and walked up to the agitated pony in bed. "I'd like to speak with Pinkie," she said. "Can I do that?"
Pinkie nodded and placed Gummy back on her blanket. The alligator laid himself down and closed his eyes.
"Did something happen last night that upset you?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie furrowed her brow and pursed her lips at the unicorn.
Twilight stepped back and took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" she asked.
Pinkie turned her head away.
"Did somepony hurt you?" Twilight tried again.
Pinkie's breathing became heavy as she snapped her head back at Twilight. She threw off her covers and lunged at the unicorn knocking Twilight to the ground. "Why?" yelled Pinkie. "It's not enough that you tell me how much better you are? You want me to say it for you!?" she shouted.
Rainbow raced toward Pinkie and wrapped her arms around her. Flapping her wings, Rainbow pulled her away from Twilight. The earth pony screamed and flailed her arms at the unicorn as Rainbow strained to separate the two ponies. Taking a deep breath, Rainbow threw her weight into pushing the hysterical pony back onto her bed. Overpowered, Pinkie submitted. Twilight stood up and shook her head.
Rainbow glanced at Twilight before returning her attention to Pinkie. "Who hurt you!?" she yelled.
"Rainbow," said Twilight signaling the pegasus to stand down.
Rainbow huffed at Twilight and let go of Pinkie. The pegasus hopped off the bed and crouched. She prepared herself to pounce at a moment's notice if Pinkie lost control again.
"Pinkie, we can't help you unless you tell us what happened," pleaded Twilight.
Pinkie turned her head and squinted at the unicorn. "Twilight?" she asked.
"Yes?" she responded.
The earth pony's eyes lit up. "Twilight!" she exclaimed. Pinkie jumped up and put her arms around her friend burying her head on the unicorn's shoulder.
Rainbow dropped her guard and sat on the floor while Twilight returned Pinkie's embrace. The trembling pony looked up at Twilight and gaped as the reality of the situation set in. Shaking her head, Pinkie pushed herself away from Twilight and fled to the comfort of her bed.
"So, uh, do you want to tell us what happened?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie shook her head and looked down at Gummy. "It's nothing," she replied.
"Nothing? You were about ready to kill her," said Rainbow as she pointed toward Twilight.
Once again, Twilight signaled Rainbow to calm down. "Why did you think I was going to make fun of you?" asked the unicorn turning her attention back to Pinkie.
The earth pony's heart raced, and she began to hyperventilate. "I, uh," said Pinkie trembling.
Twilight put her hoof over Pinkie's arm. "It's okay. You can tell us anything. We want to help," the unicorn reassured her.
Pinkie shut her eyes and blurted out, "Because you did make fun of me last night."
Twilight and Rainbow raised their brows in interest. "You know I would never do that, right?" replied Twilight.
Pinkie put her hooves over her ears and closed her eyes. Twilight glanced back at Rainbow. The pegasus cocked her head.
"Is she all right?" asked Rainbow.
Unsure of an answer, Twilight ignored Dash's question. The unicorn pulled one of Pinkie's arms away from her head. "You know I would never make fun of you, right?" repeated Twilight.
Pinkie dropped her arms and nodded. "I mean, it looks like you, but it isn't you," she stuttered.
"So you saw me last night, and I made fun of you?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie lowered her head and started to sniffle. Both Twilight and Rainbow waited in silence for their friend to compose herself.
"Did you see any other ponies last night?" asked Twilight hoping to break the silence.
"I don't know. A few," said Pinkie.
"And you're sure this wasn't a dream?" asked the unicorn.
Pinkie nodded. "This happened before."
Twilight flashed Rainbow a worried look before turning back to Pinkie. "I'm going to go away for a little bit, is that okay?" asked the unicorn.
Pinkie grabbed Twilight's arm and shook her head. "Don't tell anyone," she pleaded.
Twilight and Rainbow locked eyes. Both ponies took a few breaths before returning their attention to Pinkie.
"I promise no one will do anything to hurt you. We just want to help," reassured Twilight. The unicorn flashed her friend a smile.
Pinkie brought down her arms down and sat back in bed. After a brief pause, she looked up toward the purple unicorn.
Twilight smiled at Pinkie and headed toward the loft's entrance. Rainbow turned to follow the unicorn, but Twilight shook her head.
"Stay here with her," whispered Twilight.
Rainbow was at a loss for words. She glanced at each of her friends. Having taken the time to weigh her options, Rainbow nodded at the unicorn.
"I'll be right back," said Twilight as she opened the door. She looked back at her friends and smiled for them. Confident she could leave without incident, she shut the door behind her.
Rainbow stared at Pinkie who was looking down at her blanket. The pegasus stood still and contemplated her options. Taking a few deep breaths, she mustered the courage to try to come up with something to say that would cheer up her friend for sure.
"Uh, hey Pinkie Pie," said Rainbow.
Pinkie continued to sit motionless on her bed.
Well that was a dud, thought the pegasus.
Rainbow hopped onto the bed. In response, Pinkie turned around and laid herself on her belly. Rainbow paused but soon continued heading toward the pink pony. When she arrived next to Pinkie, Dash mirrored the earth pony and rested beside her. Turning her head toward Pinkie, Rainbow put her wing around her friend.
Pinkie turned toward Rainbow, and the two ponies stared at each other.
"How's your stomach?" asked Rainbow breaking the silence.
"Better," replied Pinkie.
Again, the two ponies stared at each other.
"You know it's cool to talk to me about stuff," said Rainbow.
Pinkie closed her eyes and nodded.
"When did this start happening?" asked Rainbow.
Pinkie took a deep breath. "Since I was a filly," she whispered.
Dash gave her friend a confused look. "And no one did anything about it?" she asked.
"My family isn't the type to care. Granny Pie told me to laugh at them, but that's all the help I ever got. All that mattered to my parents is that we were able to get our work done," she explained.
"Well, I always thought you put too much effort in everything. I guess I know where that comes from now," remarked Rainbow.
Pinkie flashed her friend a puzzled stare. "Everypony thinks I play around too much," she said.
"I know. It doesn't matter if you're at work or rolling around outside, I always see you put way too much energy in whatever you're doing. You make me kind of jealous," explained Rainbow flashing a smile.
Pinkie turned her head away from her friend and closed her eyes as a few quiet tears rolled down her face.
"Oh geese, I'm sorry," Rainbow Dash apologized.
Pinkie shook her head and smiled back at her friend. "No, it's okay," she replied.
"So, um, if you don't mind my asking, what did Twilight say to you last night?" asked Rainbow.
"Oh, you know. How she's a gifted student and how I'm not," said Pinkie.
"A student?" asked Rainbow.
"No, gifted," replied Pinkie.
"Ah, did you see me too?" Rainbow asked.
Pinkie turned her head away from Dash and stared down in silence.
"That's cool. You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to. For what it's worth though, Twilight intimidates me too you know," said Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie turned toward Rainbow and cocked her head.
"Yeah, I mean look at her. She's the Princess' protégé - the most gifted student in probably all of Equestria. And I, on the other hand, dropped out of flight school," joked Rainbow chuckling under her breath.
Pinkie shifted her gaze down toward the mattress.
"Hey, why didn't you have me and Twilight spend the night with you if this was going on?" asked Rainbow.
Pinkie looked away. "Well, I didn't want to tell anyone what was happening," she explained.
"You didn't have to. You could have just told us we needed to stay," said Rainbow.
"But then you'd probably get all angry," explained Pinkie.
"Nah. Well maybe, but you're our friend. It's cool," said Rainbow.
Pinkie smiled at her companion.
"Hey, Pinkie?" said Rainbow.
"Yes Dashie?" replied the pink earth pony.
Rainbow stared at her friend for a moment before continuing. "I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone earlier."
Pinkie smiled and dropped her head next to Rainbow. Tightening her wing over the tired earth pony, Rainbow smiled back and rested her head on the mattress below.
Pinkie's loft bustled with activity. Twilight and her dragon assistant, Spike, studied in the back with some books and scrolls they carried over from the library. In the center of the room, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack played the board game, Marenopoly. A cloudy sky hid the late-afternoon sun.
"So what did the nurse say?" asked the baby dragon.
"Well, she gave her some medication and referred her to a specialist. We'll see how things go," replied Twilight.
"Will she get better?" asked Spike.
"Probably a little bit, but there's no real cure," explained the unicorn.
Rarity finished handing over her last 100 play-bit bill to Applejack. "I am positively broke!" she announced.
"You shouldn't have given away all that property of yours," replied the country pony.
"You're one to give financial advice! I'm about to bankrupt you the moment you land on Boardtrot," Rainbow boasted.
"Applejack," said Pinkie opening her mouth and pointing inside. "Can I have more pie please?" she asked.
"Don't you think you've had enough for one afternoon?" Applejack replied.
"I haven't had pie in two days! Two days, Applejack!" said Pinkie.
"Am I interrupting something?" a quiet voice asked at the door.
"No, come on in and make yourself at home," replied Pinkie.
Fluttershy entered the loft completing Gummy's afternoon walk. She took off the alligator's leash and placed it by the door. Gummy jumped back on the bed and closed his eyes.
"What a little angle Gummy was," remarked Fluttershy.
Rainbow and Twilight shot Gummy an angry glare.
"Oh, hey Fluttershy. There was something I wanted to ask you regarding Gilda," giggled Rainbow.
Pinkie threw her arm up in front of Dash and shook her head.
Rainbow sighed. "You know what? Never mind. I forgot what I was going to say."
"Hey Twilight, wasn't there something you had to do tonight?" asked Spike.
Twilight looked up from her book. "My letter to Princess Celestia!" she exclaimed. The diligent student took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Pinkie, I think you learned more about friendship this week than I have. Want to report to the princess?" Twilight asked.
Pinkie nodded. "Ahem, take a note, Spike!" the pink pony commanded.
"Hi Princess Celestia,"
"This is Pinkie Pie. Twilight said I could write to you this week. Today I learned that good friends always, always want you to be super-duper, terrifically happy. If something is bothering you, you shouldn't keep it from them. Even if they can't solve your enormous, totally-serious problems, at least they can be there for you and cheer you up without judging you like a bunch of dorks."
"- Pinkie Pie"
"Send it, Spike," said Twilight.
Spike took a deep breath before exhaling flames upon the parchment causing it to dematerialize as part of the teleportation process to Princess Celestia.
"I give up. How long are you going to play before we move on to the next game?" asked Rarity.
"I don't know," replied Rainbow. "I've got all night."
