//------------------------------// // 13 // Story: The Blessed // by RarityEQM //------------------------------// Reality was not gentle when it greeted Pinkie Pie. No. It slammed into her with the full force of a train and the world that crept into view was a blurry tornado of sensations and sounds, smells and colors. Her senses came back to her in jarring fragments and broken chunks. Jagged and punctured, they did not all return at once. Sleep. She had fallen asleep. Or, perhaps, exhaustion had finally won and she couldn't flee anymore. She couldn't remember. The last clear memory that she could play back in her mind was the explosion, then fleeing for the forest. She groaned. She was so close. She'd gotten so close to escaping the town and its influence. But escape was not in the cards. No. She had fallen asleep and that meant now she had to go back. She knew she had to go back. There was no other choice. It was time for ponies to suffer. Pinkie tried to sit up, really she did, but her body refused to answer her commands. Instead of smoothly climbing to her hooves like she wanted, the little pink pony convulsed and jerked, twitching spasmodically and coughing up a storm. You have to get up Pinkie. That voice again. She made another attempt. This time she managed to make it into a sitting position, but that was as far as she got before a hoof gently pressed against her chest, ushering her back into a sea of softness. She did not resist it. "Any attempt you make to move, I would strongly disapprove," rhymed a soothing voice from somewhere to her left. Pinkie groaned, squeezing her eyes shut and meekly nodded her head. It was good advice. It was advice she wanted to take. She was tired. She was so very tired. But there was another voice. A voice that wouldn't let her rest. A persistent whisper bouncing and echoing in her head, lashing at her like a whip to force her into action. You have to get up, Pinkie Pie "I found you on the forest floor and brought you here, through my front door," words sprinkled that air over head in a gentle coo, "I gave you some of my special brew, but I was worried you'd not pull through," Get up Pinkie "You're very sick, this I can tell, and not just from the coffee smell," somepony was saying. Pinkie swore she knew that voice. It sounded familiar, so familiar. She reached a hoof out to try and find the source of the sound, but there was nothing in front of her. To her left, there was floor. She wasn't in a bed. She was on a mat or something. On the floor. She was on the floor. Good. That would make it easier to leave. Once she had the chance, she had to get back to ponyville as soon as possible. "You must have an important mission to be out in your condition. But I suggest, that you stay here, and recover from your stress my dear," Somepony cooed to her. Pinkie sat up again, slower this time, and gave a low groan while the swimming room came to a stand still. A hut. She was in a hut, and next to her sat a Zebra. Aside from her warm smile, Pinkie could make out relief sketched across the canvas of her face. Zecora. For the first time in weeks, Pinkie found herself smiling. A weak, flimsy smile, but a smile none the less. "Hey," she said meekly. Zecora offered a warm smile in return and dipped her head softly in acknowledgement. "Thank you for your help, Zecora, but I have to go," Pinkie sputtered quietly. Zecora frowned, slowly shaking her head. "I must insist that you stay, Pinkie Pie, please say 'Okay'. You're very sick, to me it's clear, you lack your normal pep and cheer. You are my friend and need my care, to let you go, I would not dare, " Zecora murmured. Pinkie opened her mouth, paused and tilted her head. For a long few moments she stared at Zecora, before a fierce shiver raced down her spine. She sighed. You know what comes next, Pinkie. There's no choice. "Maybe...I should stay put. Y-you're right. I don't feel good at all. D-do you think you can make me something to help me rest?" Pinkie whimpered. Another look of relief washed over Zecora and she smiled softly. "Something I can make for you, if sleepings what you plan to do," Zecora purred, before she stood up and made her way to a table at the side of the room and began to collect herbs and roots. "Pinkie Pie, if you need an ear, I can lend one, while you're here," Zecora called over her shoulder. She grasped her mortar and pedestal and picked up a hoof-full of purple petals she sprinkled into the bowl. Pinkie Pie smiled thinly and silently climbed to her hooves. "Wandering the forest exhausted, you're lucky you were not accosted. There are Timberwolves and monsters too, one wrong move could be the end of you," Zecora explained, mixing the petals she'd gathered with a number of roots she had nearby. It wouldn't take long for the brew to finish. All she needed now was a cinder fern to grind and it would be complete. She had one somewhere, didn't she? Oh, yes, there. Top shelf. She grabbed it quickly and mixed the ingredients together into a fine powder. A sleeping aid as requested. She smiled quietly at her handy work. Perfect, like usual, and slightly faster than normal. Even as experienced as she was with crafting mixtures, it was nice to know she was still getting faster. She caught a flash of pink out of the corner of her eye. The warm hooves on the back of her head were surprisingly strong. Certainly strong enough to forcefully press her face into the wooden table Zecora was standing at. Strong enough to hold her nose against the powder she made and strong enough to keep her there, despite her struggles and shouts until the drug took effect and the room slipped into darkness. It has to be this way. You know it has to be this way, Pinkie. The Celebration is coming, Pinkie. They'll all be in one place. Finish your work.