Pinkamena looked around and saw that she was in a hospital. All her friends were there with her, but they all had the strangest of looks on their faces, and for some reason, she could see dried tears marking their cheeks. Even the doctors were wide eyed. Had they been crying? But why? Had something happened? She looked down at herself and saw bandages. So many bandages. They covered her hands and winded up her body like a slithering serpent set on devouring her head. It had apparently not gotten the chance however, as her head was the only thing not covered by it, as it instead chose to wrap itself around the rest of her body and squeeze rather tightly.
It was then that she realized what must have happened. She had been hurt out there in the storm, and her friends brought her to the hospital. She smiled, thinking that she couldn't ask for better friends.
Her smile only lasted for a moment, however, when she noticed that the strange looks on her friends faces, were ones of shock.
"What's the matter, girls?" Pinkamena said, truly wanting to know what was wrong.
"This is impossible!" The doctor suddenly said, startling her.
"What's impossible?" Pinkamena said.
"This can't be happening. You...you should be... Why, this is a miracle! I must tell the other doctors." With that he ran off to join the other workers on call.
What had given this situation extra impact, was that not only had she just basically come back from the dead, but as the doctors came by and one of them took off her bandages, they noticed that she had no injuries whatsoever. It was as if the incident had never happened.
As she looked back, she noticed that her friends were now mere inches from her bedside, all crying uncontrollably and smiling wider than she had ever seen.
The first to speak was Rarity. Wrapping her in a tight, loving embrace, she said, "Oh darling, I just can't believe you're alright! We were just so worried that...that..." With that she began to cry, followed closely by her friends, who joined her in the embrace of their friend.
"What do you mean 'you're glad i'm alright.'? What are you talking about? What were you so worried about? Can someone please explain to me what's going on?"
"We will." Everyone turned toward the voice to see Twilight, wiping her eyes with her hands as she spoke. "But first, we need to welcome you back."
They all hugged her tighter, one last time before releasing her, along with all their tears and grief, from their grip.
After that, Pinkamena was discharged from the hospital. Celestia said she could stay home, and had exempted her from all classes and homework for at least a week. "It would be best to rest and take things slow for now," she had insisted, despite pinkamena's protests about her condition. "You did just have a traumatic experience after all." She would have tried to argue further, but after being told that one of her students had nearly died, and in fact was officially dead until a few moments after the fact was over, she insisted that she heed her decision.
Pinkamena couldn't understand why Principal Celestia wouldn't just let her continue school. Scratch that, she did understand. It's just that...even after all that, if she had said she was fine, then why wouldn't she just let her go? But she knew that their was no arguing with Principal Celestia about this. When it came to the safety and well being of her students, Principal Celestia was in constant "Mother Mode", hugging them, scolding them, and fretting over the smallest things. She had even once sent a student to the nurse's office for scraping his knee on the concrete of the school walkway, when all he really needed was a band-aid and a little time.
She knew she meant well. It was just...too much sometimes. And what about her grades? She couldn't just miss a week of school and expect everything to just continue as it had been. Celestia assured her that her grades would not be affected, and she even said she would personally make sure that that was the case, but...what was she supposed to do after that? It wasn't like she could just stay at home and do nothing. She had to have something to do. Anything to take her mind off the ensuing boredom she was beginning to feel.
She decided to study. No sense in being out of school if you're just gonna spend that time lollygagging about, right? She spent an hour studying as much as she could, and then planned to set aside another hour for her to do the exact same thing later. Then she offered to help the Cakes with their baking. At first they were hesitant, but after she pointed out that she still had a job to do and it in fact was time for her to do that job, they gave in and let her go.
Once she had made her rounds, she returned home with a pocket full of coins known only to the population as 'bits'. This was the official currency here in Ponyville.
As was customary she counted out the amount and split it into two stacks, putting one in one jar, and one in another. These jars belonged to the family business and her respectively.
One was for the business profits and one was for her college fund, which already had a nice bit of coins in it from even before she was born. One jar had gotten so full that they had to close it off and grab another from the closet. This was the one she used now.
As she finished counting and sorting the coins, she made her way up to her room, hoping to spend a little time relaxing in her bed. But, before she could even get a chance to lie back and let all the stress from today wash away, her phone rung.
She picked it up and answered, hoping it was just one of those telemarketers her mom hates so she could have a reason to hang up the phone and lie down like she wanted. She mentally scolded for even planning to be so mean to the person before she even answered the phone, and then proceeded to place it to her ear so she could hear properly.
"Hello?" She asked curiously.
"Oh, it's you, Pinkamena. Good, you picked up. I was starting to get worried." It was one of her friends. Twilight Sparkle, to be exact.
"Yeah, i'm sorry. I'm just so tired." Pinkamena said, punctuating her sentence with a yawn.
"Tired? You? No way. I've never even seen you sit down for too long."
"Yeah well, after all that's happened I'm kinda beat."
Twilight knew what she was referring to, and at that realization, her happy face fell, letting loose a frown so deep it could drown a person if they looked too hard.
"Oh, I see..." Then, she perked up a bit as she said, "Well, the girls and I were planning on hanging out tonight if you want to come. Maybe you could relax there, with us?"
Pinkamena thought for a moment before saying, "Sure, I'll be there. When are we meeting up?"
"An hour from now, at the usual place." Twilight said cryptically, which made Pinkamena wonder why her friends didn't just say the name of the place.
Everyone of her friends knew what the 'usual place' was, so there was no need for secrecy. That is unless something serious was going down.
She got up and got dressed, heading downstairs and out the door. But not before telling her parents where she was going and kissing them goodbye.
As she made her way down the path, Pinkamena could only wonder what the problem was. She found herself caught up in thinking about it the whole way to the meeting place.
She and Rarity were the first ones there, considering their houses were the closest.
The meeting place was none other than the school mascot statue that also served as the portal to Equestria. This being the meeting place, her first thought was that something was up with the portal.
"Hi Rarity. You got here first?"
"Good evening, dearest. Why, yes I did. I've been waiting here for the others for quite while now and I was starting to get impatient, so I decided to bide my time by painting my nails."
"Is that right?" Pinkamena said as she took in that useless bit of information from her friend. "So, how long have you been out here?"
"Just about 30 minutes, dear. It's been an 'excruciatingly' long time."
Pinkamena giggled at her friend. She knew Rarity had a tendency to exaggerate but come on. This was just ridiculous.
She sat down next to her and began waiting. Fortunately for the both of them, but most of all Rarity, Twilight showed up, leading the others to the designated meeting place herself. Rarity was livid.
"You could have told me you were coming to get us, Twilight! You know how I hate to be kept waiting."
Twilight giggled. "Sorry, Rarity. Guess that thought slipped my mind."
"I suppose it did." Rarity said with a dramatic "Hmph!" at the end as she stuck her nose in the air.
She opened one eye to see Twilight's reaction, only to turn her head entirely, giving her undivided attention to the glasses wearing nerd.
"So, did you decide where it is we are going?"
"I'm trying to. I want us to go to a museum but-"
"No one but you wants to go to a museum, Twilight. Besides, why would we go there when you're a walking encyclopedia yourself."
"Hey!" Twilight said with a smile as her friend teased her. Everyone laughed at the joke and then Sunset spoke up, turning the conversation back to the topic at hand.
"I wouldn't mind a visit to the museum."
Twilight smiled even wider, turning to look at Rainbow Dash in a way that says, "Told you."
"Whatever, Twilight. Museums are boring. How about we play a game?"
"Is it another sport that ya know ya'll are gonna beat all of us in?" Apple Jack piped up from her place behind the two of them.
"Noooo. Why would you think that?"
"Because that's what it always is."
Rainbow Dash huffed, but said nothing to deny her claim.
"I want to go to the zoo." Fluttershy's small voice said. Apple Jack looked at her.
"Why that's a humdinger of an idea, Fluttershy. Sounds perfect."
"Hmm, the zoo... I suppose I could go again, just for fun this time."
Everyone looked at Twilight when she said that, no doubt wondering what else the purple human could possibly have gone to the zoo for.
"What? I go there to study animals."
"Classic Twilight." Apple Jack said, followed by a simultaneous "Yep." from all those present.
"How about we all go to the spa? I know the perfect treatments for all of you to relax and unwind."
"Rarity, the spa sounds wonderful, but I don't believe it's that much of a place to go."
"Whatever do you mean, darling? The spa is an adventure in itself."
"I suppose but we want to spend time there. You know, just us girls?"
Rarity thought about this and nodded. "I understand completely."
What followed was a long walk to the Ponyville zoo. It was located inside the Everfree sure, but ever since the battle against Gaia Everfree, it became open territory.
"Hmm, the zoo..."
"Oh be quiet Twilight. We already know what you're thinking about."
Twilight looked up at her friends and saw Rarity looking at her
"What do you mean, Rarity? I'm not thinking of anything!" She was getting flustered.
"Really now? Are you sure you're not thinking of Timber Spruce, the boy from Camp Everfree?"
She was. And they knew. All of her friends were looking at her now, and their eyes made her feel guilty.
"Fine. Yes, I am."
"I knew it! I can tell these things, you know?"
Now it was twilight's turn to fake skepticism. "Oh really?"
"Why yes I can. And the passion of love radiates off of you like a wave crashing against the rocky shores."
Twilight was flustered again. "L-love?"
"Oh it's obvious dear. You've fallen for him hard, haven't you? Ever since the dance at camp."
Was that true? Had she fallen for him? He was cute, and kind, and sweet... No, it couldn't be. Rarity was just playing with her.
"No!"
"Deny it all you want dear. The Diamond sees all."
"I'm telling you, i'm not in love!"
Everyone laughed and laughed at that, leaving twilight the helpless victim of endless teasing. She was already very shy, not as shy as Fluttershy mind you, but still, this made her feel a pang of shame as the ride continued on "Oh, shut up." She smiled.
What followed was a myriad of animals, facts, and fun times had by all as they made their way through the zoo, talking and laughing all the way. Once they had had their fun, they left, Apple Jack having to drag Fluttershy out of what she considered heaven.
The seven friends made their way back to Ponyville, going their separate ways once they reach Pinkamena's house, as was usual due to the fact that her house was located in between their own homes.
Pinkamena stepped into her house, receiving a creak of protest as she opened the door. She knew that her parents were asleep by now, and she didn't want to disturb them, so she tried to be as quiet as possible.
Her and her friends had gone to the zoo in the afternoon, only to return to Ponyville at night. The only reason they were able to do this was because the Ponyville zoo, due to its location and population of mostly nocturnal animals, was the only zoo still open at nighttime.
She slowly, quietly walked up to her room, shutting the door with the utmost gentleness.
She took an hour to study as she had planned, and then proceeded to lie down on her bed and surrender to sleep. However, what awaited her in her mind was not a dream of happy times with her parents or of laughter with her friends. This, was a nightmare of unknown origin that had seeped it's way into her mind from the deepest, darkest, most sinister of shadows. And it was going to change her life forever.