“...and if he ever comes back, we’ll just scare him away again! Everypony, you’re safe from the bed bug monster!
Notepad and Poptart waved to all the townsponies and walked off into the sunrise, heroes once again.”
Spike closed the book and was immediately met with claps and cheers from all the children present.
“Hooray!” a small, black-furred colt yelled out. “I knew they could do it!”
“Yeah, they always win against the bad guys,” another, a small golden filly, piped up.
“Can’t we have just one more story?” another said aloud, rising to his hooves and giving Spike the biggest puppy eyes he could. “Please?”
Spike chuckled but shook his head. “Sorry, you’ll all just have to wait until I come back next week for another story.”
“Aww!” they all shouted in unison.
“But,” Spike interjected with a claw in the air, “I promise, I’ll pick out an extra good one for next week just because I like you guys. Alright?”
He was met with a series of enthusiastic nods and smiles.
“But, I’ll only come back if you promise to be extra good for all the doctors and Nurse Redheart, okay?” Spike winked at the white mare in question who was standing at the back of the room. “Make sure you all take your medicine and do what they say. Do we have a deal?”
“Yes sir!” they all said, some even throwing their hooves into a salute.
Spike stood up and nodded to Redheart. “Alrighty then, I’ll see you next week, guys!”
The nurse smiled at him and approached all the children. “Alright you all, time to go back to your rooms. Hurry up now.”
Not wanting to break their promise to Spike already, they all jumped into a single file line and marched back down the hall to their rooms, smiles plastered to their faces.
Nurse Redheart watched them head off with another nurse, eyes wide, before trotting over to Spike. “Wow, you sure do have a way with them. Normally, it takes us a good five minutes to round them up. We should keep you around here full-time.”
Spike let out a laugh. “Sorry, but my services are needed at the castle just a little too much. Who else would keep our local Princess of Friendship in check?”
“Fair point,” Redheart agreed, eliciting a laugh of her own. “In other news, though, were you still able to go visit Dinky? I didn’t tell her anything just in case something came up with your schedule.”
“Absolutely!” Spike said. “Do you think she’d be up for a visit, though? If she needs to rest, I could try and come back at a different time.”
“Oh, trust me, she’s up,” the nurse said. “She was very upset she had to miss your visit today, and I could barely keep her in bed. She’s a hoof full to be sure.”
“Well, that settles it, then,” Spike said. “But, just in case, I think I’ll pick a bit shorter story for her. That way she can get a bit more rest.”
“I appreciate that, Spike.”
Nurse Redheart led Spike out of the room and down the hall through a large pair of double wooden doors. Spike had never been to this part of the hospital before. If it was possible, this area seemed even colder than the rest of the hospital. If it wasn’t for his internal warmth, Spike would’ve needed a jacket. The area’s cold climate was masked quite well however by colorful pictures and drawings obviously from other children lining the walls. There was even a giant, sparkled banner hanging from the ceiling that just read ‘SMILE!’
“What area is this?” Spike asked aloud.
“This is the special care recovery room,” the nurse replied. “Here is where we keep our younger patients who may still need immediate treatment. We have an extra doctor who works here just in case.”
Spike’s face began to droop into a frown. “That doesn’t sound like too much fun.”
“It’s not,” she replied. “But don’t be too alarmed, Spike. We’re actually about to move Dinky back to her room in the children’s wing. With any luck, most of the children you talked to today can be going home soon.”
“That’s some welcome news. Saying goodbye is my favorite part of all this,” Spike said, face curling into a smile once more.
He followed her a bit further to a room with a large closed door. It had a few pictures of smiley faces taped to it.
“Alright, Spike, before you go in, make sure you wash your claws,” the nurse said, pointing to the sink right next to her door. “I’m not trying to say you’re dirty, but policies and such.”
Spike followed her direction and washed up. “Who did all the drawings on the door?’
“The other children did,” Redheart replied. “Dinky is one of the favorites here, so when she moved out they all drew pictures for her, bless their hearts.”
“That’s sweet.” Spike dried off his hands and picked up his book and satchel he had set down. “Well, I’m ready if you are.”
“Awesome. Let’s go.”
The nurse took Spike over to the door and knocked a few times before entering. “Hello, Dinky? It’s Nurse Redheart.”
“Oh no,” Spike heard a voice say from inside. “Do I have to take more medicine?”
“Not yet,” Redheart replied. “But, I do have something for you. It’s a visitor.”
“A visitor? For me?”
She motioned with her hoof for Spike to come in after her. Spike followed her call and walked in the room. The walls were a cold eggshell white and lined with posters of various pony anatomy diagrams. There was a large machine rolled off in the corner that Spike couldn’t name if he tried, but it was well hidden by a small bed in the center of the room with a wide-eyed unicorn filly.
“Spike!” Dinky cried out, smiling ear to ear.
Nurse Redheart smiled brightly and stood off to the side, allowing Spike to fully enter the room. “Hey there, Dinky!”
The little filly squeaked and wiggled her legs and arms. “I can’t believe it! I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again when they put me in this boring old room.”
“Then you thought wrong,” Spike said, walking over to her. “You don’t honestly think I’d let one of my favorite fans go a whole week without hearing a story, did you?”
Dinky’s jaw dropped. “What? You’re gonna read me a story, too? Oh my gosh, I’m so happy!”
Spike chuckled and looked to Redheart who had her hoof to her mouth trying to stifle a laugh. He turned back to Dinky. “I take it it’s okay if I read one to you? Or are you too tired? I could always just come back another day.”
“No! No, no, no! Please, I’m totally awake!” Dinky sat her body up and wiggled her way from under the covers to an upright position. “You see? I’m super awake! Nurse, give him a chair, please. You gotta hurry so he’ll read to me!”
“Yes, Dinky, I’ll get him a chair,” Redheart said, dragging one from the closet up to the side of the bed. “Here you go, Spike.”
“Thank you,” Spike said, taking a seat. “Alright, Dinky, you ready?”
The filly smiled and nodded her head vigorously. “I’m ready!”
Spike nodded and flipped the pages throughout the book until he found the desired passage. “Alrighty then, let’s get started. Today’s story is Poptart and Notepad and The Curious Cold Caper.”
Dinky clapped her hooves together. “A Poptart and Notepad story! They’re my favorites. I bet Poptart is really handsome. The book says so.”
Spike laughed. “I’m sure he is, Dinky. But, in this story, Poptart catches a cold and has to go the doctors. Notepad doesn’t know what’s wrong, so he searches all over town trying to figure out what made his best friend sick.”
Dinky threw her hooves over her mouth and gasped. “Oh no! Poptart is sick? What happens? Does he get better?”
“Well, I don’t know,” Spike said with a shrug. “But, I bet we’ll find out after we read the story. So let’s find out together, okay?”
Dinky nodded once more and snuggled into her covers. “Okay.”
Spike cleared his throat and began:
“It was a beautiful day in the town, but something was wrong. Poptart had been coughing all night and he didn’t know what to do…”
The story was nearing its end, and Dinky was quite literally on the edge of her seat, to the point she was practically falling off the bed. Her eyes were wide and unblinking as Spike was reading.
“...’Don’t you see what’s wrong, Poptart? You never got better because we spent all this time trying to find ways to cure you instead of just letting you rest and take your medicine.. I almost feel silly, now.’
.
‘Me too, Notepad. But, like the doctor said, if I just stay in bed and rest, I’ll be better in a few days and we can go on adventures again, then.’
‘Then let’s get home, shall we? You need to get better as quick as possible. The town needs the both of us.’
The two ponies went back home and got the rest they needed. Poptart got better and they both had many more adventures.
The End
Spike shut the book and looked up at Dinky who had a wide smile on her face.
“Yay!” the filly shouted out. “I knew he would be better. Remember? Remember when I said he would get better? You didn’t believe me but I knew!”
“Yes, Dinky, I remember,” Spike said with a chuckle. “You were right all along because you’re just that smart.”
Dinky nodded her approval and nestled back into her place in the bed. “A stupid little cold wouldn’t get Poptart down. He’s way too awesome for that.”
“I agree,” Spike replied. “And so are you. Just between you and me, I heard Nurse Redheart talking earlier, and rumor has it you might get to go back with the other kids pretty soon. Does that sound good, or what?”
She giggled and squirmed. “That’d be awesome! I’m tired of being alone over here. It gets so boring. Well, except for Derpy. She comes after work, but that’s about it.”
“Derpy?” Spike questioned. “The mailmare?”
“Yeah,” Dinky replied with a nod. “She’s my big sister.”
“Speaking of her,” Nurse Redheart said, glancing at the clock on the wall, “she should be here any time n—”
The nurse was interrupted by a loud crash coming from the hall outside the room, causing Spike to jump from his scales.
“And here she is.,” Redheart said with a shake of her head. “C’mon in, Derpy! We’re over here!”
After a few more bangs and crashes, the blonde-maned mare stumbled into the room, holding a small bouquet of flowers in her mouth. She took them out and set them on a nearby table so she could address the nurse.
“Sorry about the mess out there, nurse,” Derpy said. “I wasn’t paying attention and I ran into one of the medical carts. And then I backed into another one by accident. I helped pick it up the best I could, though.”
“That’s perfectly fine, hun,” Redheart replied waving her hoof. “You’ve had a long day, I imagine.”
Derpy shook her head before turning around. That was when her eyes noticed the dragon sitting by the bed. “Hmm, Spike?”
“Hey there, Derpy,” Spike said, getting up to greet her.
“It’s nice to see you,” she replied. “But, what are you doing back here, if you don’t mind me asking? I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“He came to read me a story!” Dinky shouted from the bed. “Nurse Redheart was being a meanie and wouldn’t let me leave to go to recess again, so Spike came to me instead and brought recess with him!”
“Yeah,” Spike said. “Sorry, maybe I should’ve asked permission first from you.”
“Oh no, it’s perfectly okay,” Derpy replied with a smile. “Dinky told me before that someone came to read them stories every week and she really loved it. Thank you, actually.”
“It’s no problem,” Spike said. “I just didn’t want her to feel left out. Nobody likes that.”
Derpy gave him a smile. “That’s very sweet of you. Did you like the story, Dinky?”
Dinky giggled and nodded. “Yes, duh! Poptart was sick, but then he got better because he took his medicine and went to bed on time and stuff! I knew he’d be better but Spike and Nurse Redheart didn’t believe me.”
“Oh, did you now?” Derpy asked, walking over to her sister. She wrapped her up in a gentle hug. “Well, guess what, Dinky?”
“What?”
“I made a stop on my way over here and got you those flowers you say you like!” Derpy grabbed the bouquet and gave them to Dinky. “I remember you saying you liked the orange ones.”
Dinky snatched the flowers and gave them a big sniff. “I love them because they smell so good!”
Spike smiled and walked over to the nurse. “I guess this would be my cue to leave and give them some time together.”
Nurse Redheart nodded. “Yeah, I could use a coffee break myself.”
Spike turned back to the two sisters. “Alright, Dinky, I’ve gotta head home now.”
“Aww,” she said. “Do you have to leave?”
Spike nodded. “Yeah, but I’ll tell you what. You do me a favor and get better as quick as you can, and I’ll come see you again as soon as possible, alright?”
“Okay, but does that mean I have to take my medicine?”
“Yep,” Spike retorted. “You’ve gotta do whatever Nurse Redheart says. That way, just like Poptart, you’ll get better. You think you can do that for me?”
“Okay…” she said with a frown. “But only because Poptart did it and he’s always right.”
Derpy got up and waved a hoof to Spike. “Thanks again, Spike. I really appreciate it.”
“Not even a problem,” Spike said before walking out the door.
Dinky looked over to her older sister. “I like Spike. He’s really nice.”
Derpy nodded in agreement. “Yeah he is, isn’t he?”
Meanwhile, in the hall, Nurse Redheart was leading Spike back to the recess area.
“Thanks so much, Spike,” the nurse said. “If you couldn’t tell, that completely made her day.”
“Oh yeah, I had no idea,” Spike said with a chuckle. “Well, I’m just glad I could help. She’s a firecracker, though.”
“You have no idea,” Redheart replied. “If she weren’t so cute, we’d probably have made a cage just to hold her in by now.”
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Spike said, turning to the nurse, “how often do her parents visit her? She mentioned Derpy coming when she could, but that was it. Is something wrong?”
“I… I can’t tell you that,” Redheart responded, rubbing the back of her neck. “But, all i can tell you is that Derpy is her legal guardian.”
“I see.” Spike paused for a moment before deciding it would be best to drop the subject. “Well, like I said, I’m glad I could help her out. Even if it’s not much.”
“Trust me, Spike. For a lot of these kids, even just a few minutes of someone coming to spend time with them is more than enough. Will you be able to come back next week?”
“Oh yeah,” Spike replied. “Nothing could keep me away.”
“Thanks a bunch,” she said. “For now, I’m going to grab some coffee. Have a great afternoon, okay?”
Spike bid farewell to the nurse and made his way down the hall. He couldn’t help but feel good about himself, but at the same time, he felt bad he couldn’t do more.
He shook off the thoughts before they festered any further, however. He was gonna go home and enjoy a nice long nap. He earned one.