The picture shook and quiet clattering was heard before the camera Pipp was streaming from stabilised and the audio adjusted itself to her voice. The image showed the inside of the Brighthouse bedroom, with a non-intrusive stream overlay displaying the words Preparation Phase in the upper left corner.
"Greetings, Pippsqueaks, colts, gentlemares, and everypony else watching," she said animatedly, but keeping her voice low, coming into frame on one side of the video feed. "I am coming to you live from the Maretime Bay Crystal Brighthouse, for the first ever Maretime Bay Naptime Championship!"
Hitch slipped in from out of frame, taking up the other half of the feed. "Woo, yay~!" he whisper-cheered, the stomping of his hooves reduced to quiet thuds on the rug.
"I am your host, Pipp Petals, and this is my co-host and Earth Pony Napping Habits expert, Hitch Trailblazer. Hitch?"
"Thanks, Pipp. This afternoon, we can expect to see three of the most extraordinary mares when it comes to competitive napping. Representatives from Zephyr Heights, Bridlewood, and of course Maretime Bay, competing for the title of Naptime Champion."
The two of them slid out of frame again. There was a slight audio distortion as they settled behind the camera, and Pipp's desk microphone was slid between them. The camera re-focused onto the room. From their position, three made beds were well visible, as well as the stairways leading down from the gallery and up from the living room.
It only took a moment before a lone pony came trotting up the stairs, seemingly unaware of the camera while setting aside her satchel.
"Here comes competitor number one, Sunny Starscout. Got any insights on her chances today, Hitch?"
"Absolutely, Pipp. Sunny just finished a long early morning shift at the smoothie stand. While that means minimal physical exhaustion, it does involve a lot of exhaustion through social interaction. Prime conditions for a deep nap."
Sunny set her hind hooves firmly against the floor and slid forward with her front hooves, lowering her shoulders to stretch out her back, before climbing onto her bed, prompting Hitch to continue his quiet commentary.
"Amazing, Sunny isn't wasting any time. From personal experience, I can assure you, she holds the Maretime Bay record for falling asleep."
"We'll see if that record is still hers after today, Hitch. Here comes the representative from Zephyr Heights."
Zipp was gliding down the stairs from above, having come in through the gallery. She regarded Sunny with a short greeting, before landing on her bedding and starting to nudge her blankets around with her hooves. While she was still busying herself with that process, hoofsteps came up the stairs again and Izzy appeared from the living room, carrying a small object in her magical grip, too small for the perspective to get any details, but the way her magic glow played off of it was a sure sign that glitter was involved.
"Izzy Moonbow from Bridlewood has just finished an intense session of creative activity, while Zipp Storm has been flying circles around the bay all morning. It looks like we have three different kinds of exhaustive preparation on our hooves here, Pipp."
"All three of them are still awake and we already have a fascinating insight into their respective styles! Incidentally, everypony, tune in this evening when we interview Izzy about her newest creations."
Setting her work aside, Izzy crouched down and shook her hindquarters for a moment, before leaping up onto her bed. Her magic seized some of the pillows and cushions and grouped them together in a small pile against which she could slump.
Meanwhile, Zipp had finished with her blankets as well, having bunched them up in a small oval shape, settling down in the middle while tucking her hooves under her body. As soon as she was settled, she spread her wings a little, resting them on the blanket mounds instead of keeping them against her body.
"As we can see, Sunny has elected to doze before the actual nap, to let drowsiness set in naturally, while Izzy is going with a simple pillow pile approach. Any insight on Zipp's technique, Pipp?"
"Of course, Hitch. Competitor Zipp is using a classic nesting technique, an old favourite among pegasus napping experts. Originally, it was designed to allow a quick take-off from the napping position. She is trading some comfort points for a juicy bonus in execution and aesthetics."
The air was heavy with anticipation as the room fell into silence. All three competitors had closed their eyes but were yet a bit too still, some tension still obvious. Zipp struggled to find a comfortable way to lay her head, bunching the blankets again to adjust, while Sunny sniffed and huffed quietly, going for small single-leg stretches every now and again.
"Now that everypony's style is clear, we are waiting with bated breath for who will be first to fall asleep."
"While the wake-to-sleep speed is only a small part of the final scoring, a quick time here could secure a very helpful head start."
They went silent again, watching closely. And when no more movement came from any of them, Pipp touched a button on her phone, changing the stream overlay to display the words Sleep Phase.
"It appears now that all of our competitors have fallen into their initial sleep," she whispered, "They may stir and awaken again, but for now, sleep has been achieved."
"This may well be the most critical phase of this competition, Pipp," Hitch added, equally quiet, "While adjustments can always been made, a good comfort score in the preparation may lead to an Uninterrupted Rest Bonus from here on out."
"If that were the case, it seems that Izzy Moonbow is in the clear lead. She required no adjustments to her initial setup and seems to be fully passed out. If conditions don't change, she may well sleep through the rest of the-- wait, what is this?"
Zipp shifted and rose from her nest to hop off of her bed, starting to trot away from it.
"Oh no, Pipp, it looks as though Zipp's rest was short-lived. Perhaps some leftover energy that wasn't entirely expended during her flight?"
"Perhaps, but look!"
Zipp trotted over to the window closest to her bed and opened it partway, before trotting straight back to her nest.
"I believe I can shed some light here, Hitch. Zipp warmed up during her exercise and she failed to notice how much due to the fresh breeze outside. Combining that with the warmth-trapping conditions of her nesting style, she is simply too warm to stay still."
"Fascinating, Pipp. If she had thought ahead, she could have avoided this small hiccup, but unfortunately this will be a point reduction in the preparation category."
Zipp settled back down. Under their own blanket, Pipp and Hitch huddled a bit closer, as a cold breeze now swept through the circular room. It didn't take long for the other competitors to notice. Both Sunny and Izzy grumbled quietly and curled up instinctively against the cold.
"Oh, what a surprising upset! It looks like Zipp's preferred conditions have made things more difficult for her competition. A planned manoeuvre perhaps?"
Sunny blindly reached out with a hoof and found the edge of her blanket. Pulling it over herself, she rolled from the middle of the bed closer to the wall end, holding the blanket against herself and wrapping up during the movement.
"What a great counter. Pipp, what Sunny is displaying here is an old earth pony technique, the Burrito Roll. I wasn't sure if we'd get to see it today, but it is a move Sunny has mastered since she was a foal."
"And just like that, she managed to avoid any damage to her score due to the sudden chill. But what will Izzy do, now that she is behind?"
They went quiet with anticipation again, watching the unicorn closely. She shifted and turned, trying to find some way to block the chill, but came up empty, no matter how she leaned into her wall of cushions. Finally, she too sat up, slipping from her bed more than stepping out, bringing three cushions with her with the use of her magic.
"It looks like Izzy intends to set up her sleeping arrangement anew. A bold move, since this could really cost her. But, wait, that's--"
Izzy climbed onto Sunny's bed and set the cushions down next to the earth pony, dropping onto them and nudging herself against the other competitor. Sunny turned and pulled one hoof from her loose blanket roll to drape over the unicorn, who peeled away just one layer of the blanket to put it over herself.
"Awww~" both commentators went simultaneously, causing a long pause before Hitch quickly picked up the narrative again.
"Uh, looks like Sunny and Izzy have decided to collaborate their efforts. I believe that's a, uh... a friendship bonus?"
"Um, yes. Yes, right, the Friendship Bonus. Since Sunny was the only one undisturbed during her rest, plus this, uh, Friendship Bonus, I believe we might have already found our Naptime Champion."
"Yay. Can we actually sleep now, please?" Zipp muttered grumpily.