Thanks to the creep of the setting sun and the bell ringing for study period, your awareness returned to you. You gave the classroom a quick once over. Outside Truffle Shuffle talking a lot more to Twist than he usually did nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Cheerilee was still going out, and the two class bullies entertained your mind with speculation thanks to their own little struggle mentally as they stared at Pipsqueak and Dinky Doo talking.
With only a small ting of hope you had your eyes glance over to Scootaloo. She had not bothered to talk to you at all since almost kissing you. You were too tired to bother with conserning yourself with the feelings there. The more pressing matter was the flashes from your dreams that involved darker and less pleasant thoughts with her and Applebloom, which had caused your sleep deprivation.
In Scootaloo’s case, she blushed upon noticing your gaze and then immediately went off to talk to Sweetie Belle and Featherweight. This left you there contemplating with your tired brain, drowning out everypony’s talk of Hearts and Hooves Day’s slow approach finally arriving tomorrow. A day you slowly feared more and more as it came. You only hoped your now red ends that showed you were almost due for a mane cut again was hiding your own face well enough.
Even with Pinkie’s help, you had yet to get any of your problems done. Today was the first of your meetings with Twilight Sparkle to see what was going on with your head. The dreams of Scootaloo and Applebloom making out where understandable, you knew that. But ever since the blackout you had in the forest things had become far worse for you. Cold shivers, headaches, and a sense of paranoia were pledging you lately. Normally you’d have talked this out with your guardian as well but it was the other day that the two of you had been hit with yet another blow.
The letter had come in the morning after Pinkie had calmed you down after your nightmare. You had nearly forgotten about the fact a social worker was supposed to come an assess Pinkie’s ability to take care of you. The result was of course the realization that while it was paying the bills, Pinkie’s new job wasn’t exactly going to be favorable to this pony either, especially if it came to explaining how you were working at the bakery because you wanted to. This meant Pinkie was now scrambling to find some other job that she could do along with working at the Cakes when she realized this and thus you had not been in contact with her since this morning when she devoted the entire day to job hunting.
Sure you could explain it away easily enough, but a social worker’s purpose was also to give their opinion on how this would affect your future. And if they looked into Pinkie’s and your past that wouldn’t leave you with any options for a good magic school to attend. Not that you wanted to, but it was expected out of all unicorns that they at least go to one, much like Scootaloo would one day go to a flight school, but at least she wanted that.
“What’s with the moping,” the slightly annoying chortle of Snips making you wince. “We have two days till Hearts and Hooves Day and you of all ponies are depressed about this?” You felt your eye ping in pain. Sleep would be so good right about now, but every time you shut your eyes you would see somepony you knew in pain with a cut across their throat and your eyes would snap open. You tried to rise to no avail.
“First off it’s tomorrow,” you mumbled under your breath with just enough force for the unicorn to hear. You tried again, but better but still useless to your mission result to get up so you could go to the Ponyville library. “And secondly, what’s ‘you of all ponies’ supposed to mean?”
“Oh come on,” groaned Snails from behind you. “I mean you already got Applebloom right? I got noin’ and nopony.” His gaze focused for a second on Twist for a moment which you made a mental note off.
Attempt number three got you on your hooves at least. Now to try walking... nope still delayed. “I don’t have Applebloom, didn’t you hear? I basically shut her confession down.”
Snails looked like the bottom had fallen out of his stomach. It was Snips however that flicked your horn with his own magic. The result had caused you to jump back more than either of you expected and you fell on your back and crashed into a chair. Snips looked from his horn to you in worry, but not before you caught him looking at Diamond Tiara for a moment before looking at you, “Oh, sorry.”
Again, a cold chill ran up your spine as your brain registered the shorter colt’s betrayal of his feelings down as well. For a moment as you refocused, you could have sworn you heard a familiar voice that wasn’t Pinkie in the back of your mind, but you shook it off.
“Are you alright?” That voice, out of everypony in the classroom was the last you’d think you’d hear. Scootaloo held out a helping hoof to get you back up. You took it and felt the heat rush to your face as you looked away from Scootaloo and muttered your thanks. “N-no problem,” she replied. You could tell she had not really thought about talking to you until this point. She had solely helped you out of concern for a friend. That knowledge helped you calm down a bit so you could turn your attention back to her.
“So,” the words were hard to come out. “Um are you doing anything tomorrow?” The three foals almost double take before you can clarify. “I mean as friends, I don’t really have anything to do since Pinkie’s going to be busy and Featherweight and Truffle are going out with their special someponies and all.” This was a lot harder to say than you expected, even if you really didn’t have any romantic intent behind it that you were willing to let out. You had decided to at least wait till Applebloom came back to work everything out.
“You could always just hang out with us,” piped Snails. This caused you to both want to hit Snails for saying that and yourself for not thinking it. Luckily Snips beat you to that.
“You moron,” shouted Snips, “He’s trying to ask her out for Hearts and Hooves Day.” Or unluckly as it would now seem. You could hear a pin drop after that. You didn’t even have to look around as you braced yourself for the tackle that was the white blur of Sweetie Belle on your side.
“Explain,” to her credit she was able to get out one word sentences. This was something you thought beyond her based on how angry she was. You’d likely feel the need to pee your pants at this if you were not already used to nightmares every few hours being a regular thing. You didn’t really even have the energy for a proper terrified look, though now your attention was returning again.
“What? Is there a problem with hanging out with a friend?” You honestly didn’t care anymore. Sweetie Belle’s tackle had gotten you closer to the door. Sweetie wasn’t going to let up but you just faked a laugh to throw her off. “I’ve got a meeting right now. We can talk after I’m out.” And with that you turned to go, and fell right on your face. Dang legs are still not working well in a lack of energy state. Should not have wasted it spouting off.
You felt yourself being lifted by gentle hooves and gaze up to see Scootaloo. “You really should get some sleep. You look awful.” You deadpan back but ask to go to Twilights all the same. The orange filly groans. “Sweetie Belle, help me get this idiot onto our wagon. Pinkie has afternoon shift today so Twilight’s is a good a place as any to leave him if he’s this determined.”
Darkness takes you again for a moment. No images this time. Maybe having Scootaloo so close means you know nothing is wrong now, but you have not good dreams either. It’s just a short dark minute until you are awake again where you needed to be. You could only hope Pinkie’s friend really was good with all forms of magic or at least knew who to go to for this problem.