> The Cupcake Hospital > by Perry Pinkie Potter > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Allow Me To Explain Myself > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi there! I'm Lavender Melody! I run the Cupcake Hospital. Um... Maybe I should explain that. I always wanted to be a doctor, and I got a degree in it, which I'm proud of. But I didn't know what exactly to do. I moved to Ponyville and worked at their hospital. These days ponies ask why I don't anymore. It drives me crazy, because the question they SHOULD be asking is 'Why did that pony mysteriously disappear?' One night at Sugar Cube Corner, I walked in late to get something, but nopony was there. I quietly opened the basement door when I thought I hear noises. And I saw... Things. I quickly closed it before Pinkie could see me. Thank goodness she didn't, or I wouldn't be here right now. I told Celestia immediately, but she didn't believe me. I guess I can't blame her, who would believe that? I knew I couldn't take her on, but that meant I was useless. But I was desperate to do something! That's when I had an idea. I got a home in the Everfree Forest, secluded so I could do my work. Now that I know Pinkie's schedule, I can help ponies escape. AND, I can use my degree to help them. Nopony knows. Only me, my sister Forest Shine, who helps me out, and the ponies who I could save. We are the only ponies who know of Pinkie Pie. We are the only ponies who know of the Cupcake Hospital. > My Sister's Best Friend Was Almost A Pastry > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Alright, Forest. Pinkie should be about done with her victim. I'm going to head out. Make sure you're ready when I'm back, ok?" I reminded her. Forest nodded. "I know. Good luck." "Be back soon." I opened the door and walked to the outskirts of the forest. Or as most ponies would call it, the edge of Ponyville. Early on, I had magicked a door in Pinkie's basement, hidden from anypony's eyes but my own. Now, I just follow the tunnel and wait. "Um.. Uh... Bingo! Here it is!" I exclaimed once I found the door. Trying to stay quiet as possible, I began to crawl through until I reached a dead end. There, I sat and waited until I heard hoofsteps. Finally, I heard Pinkie Pie trot upstairs to get more insulin. I opened the door. Oh no... I thought to myself. I recognized that pony from anywhere. It was Fender, Forest's best friend. My stomach churned, but I had a job to do. I used my horn to poof up a Fender look-alike. And before you ask, no, that's not a normal thing. But it's my special talent. (I know, weird. Trust me, I was surprised too.) Breathing through my mouth, I gently levitated the colt onto my back, replacing him with the decoy. I heard hoofsteps and hurried back inside the tunnel. "Okie dokie, Fender lokie! Time to wake up again! I wasn't done with you, you know. I had more body puns!" Pinkie complained. What she didn't know was that the adrenalin wouldn't wake 'him' up. Once I knew the coast was clear, I began to trek back through the tunnel, wondering how I would tell Forest Shine. But the time passed before I knew it. Knock, knock! "Hey sis. Who today? Are you both alr-FENDER!!!" Forest squealed. I sighed. "Shh... I know, it's okay. C'mon." Forest trotted after me, helping me lay him down. I quickly examined to see what intestines would need to be replaced prosthetically. I took a breath. "Alright Forest, I need the cart first off." I told her as I looked. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! He'sdeadHe'sdeadHe'sgottobedead!" I looked back at my hyperventilating sister. "He's not dead, Forest. He's fine." Right now, at least. I groaned. We didn't have time unless I wanted to give my sister something to REALLY cry about. "I know it's hard, but there's still a chance. But Forest, I need you to help me, or there won't be." Forest nodded, and pushed over my cart of supplies. I noticed Forest trying hardly not to vomit as I worked. "Maybe you should go check on the other victims?" I asked her. I knew I wouldn't want to see my friend's guts- or rather, lack of guts. She nodded. "Okay." She walked out of the room, and I got back to work. ... "Alright. Now for the final part. It's all or nothing." I murmured to myself. "Is there anything else you need me to do?" Forest Shine asked. "You can pray that this works." I told her. Because this last piece was it. This could make or break everything. I COULD NOT mess this up. I breathed, and lit my horn. I picked up the last part and moved it. And I placed it. And I had done it! I smiled, relieved. "Is he okay?" Forest asked anxiously. I smiled in return, and nodded. "Thank Celestia!" She began to cry. Once I has sewn everything up and let it heal a little up, Fender was ready to wake up. I woke him up. He looked around a minute, observing where he was and who he was with. "Fender?" Forest asked. "Are you okay? Please say something." Fender opened his mouth. Forest hopped up to where the table was. "What?" He sighed and looked at her. "Careful. There's some crazy stuff going on in that basement." Forest chuckled and hugged him, tears pouring down her cheeks. "You were dead! I swear! I was terrified!" "YOU were terrified?" I mumbled, thinking of Fender. He didn't seem to mind, though. Tears began to form up in his eyes as well. "I know. Trust me." He said shakily. "But I'm okay. I'm alive." "You're alive." Forest repeated, as though she couldn't believe it. "You really are!" > I'm Reminded That Pinkie Has Had A Lot Of Victims > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Alright, c'mon." I gently reminded the two fillies. I waited as Fender and Forest Shine broke apart. "We'll get you into a room Fender, and if you both want, Forest can stay with you. Sound like a plan?" I asked them. Both ponies nodded. I looked at my paper. "Okay, there should be Room 11 open. Um, let's go with that." I pulled a wheelchair and helped Fender into it. Once he was in his room, I hesitated. "Are you sure your okay with her, Fender? I don't want my sister bothering you." I asked. Fender nodded. "Alright... Forest Shine, be good. Don't do anything stupid. You hear me?" I waited until Forest nodded. "Good. Get better, Fender." I walked out of the room. "Okay, I think it's about time for dinner." I said to myself. My first stop was the Oatsen sisters, two mares who had been 'done' together. I trotted to Room 15 and knocked. "Come in!" I walked in with a cart that carried multiple trays of food. "How are you girls doing?" "As good as we'll ever be." One sister smiled. I smiled back. "I brought you some supper!" I levitated a tray onto each of their beds. "Oatburgers, yes!" The second sister exclaimed. "Do you two need anything?" I asked before leaving. "I- think we're good." The first said. "Alrighty then. Call me if you do." "We will. Thanks." "No problem." I replied as I shut the door. Forest had given everypony else their food during the surgery, so now it was time for the most dangerous part of dinner. The patients who HAD healed. I quietly went out the door, and sneaked into town as always. When I pony fully heals, they can't just stay cooped up. But they can't exactly be out in the open either. So I found a compromise of sorts. That pony is sneaked into town to visit their families and assure them they're alright. They're told of the basement and the hospital, and once they promise not to say anything, they are back into their old homes. But I always make sure they're still doing fine. The problem is, I can't be seen either. The townsfolk think my sister and I moved (so our numbers are taken out and nopony questions where we went) so I have to be careful. "UGH!" I heard Pinkie yell as I trotted past Sugar Cube Corner. I jumped. I decided on a whim I should probably head back and wait until tomorrow. I trotted back to my place. I went back to Fender's room. "Okay Forest, Fender needs his- rest?" I stopped myself when I looked inside and found both ponies fast asleep, Fender in one bed and Forest Shine in the other. I sighed. "Good night, you two." I check to make sure there's still makeup on my Cutie Mark. It's not that i don't like it, but i don't like ponies to see it. I don't think even my sister knows what it is. I went back to my room and settled into bed. I was bombarded by my usual dreams. Or my usual nightmares, more like. I awoke in a dark room, surrounded by nothing but black. Suddenly, I heard a high-pitched voice that giggled. "Hello! Glad you finally came to! Ready to get started?" I was strapped down. Then the lights flickered on, forcing my eyes to take in the horrors of the basement. Everything flashes by. Slice! There goes my Cutie Mark, sitting on the floor. Shing! My horn hangs on her neck. I'm dead, then awake, I'm a mere fragment of myself. I think it's over, when I'm stabbed with a needle and awoken again. I wake up, screaming as always. I'm panting. Just a dream, just a dream. It's always just a dream. Calm down. Seeing the things I've seen makes it hard to sleep at night. But working at the hospital helps a little bit. I sigh. And somehow I fall back asleep.