//------------------------------// // Hospital stay part two // Story: The love of three // by Shadymist //------------------------------// When I woke up again I was still in the chilled sterile room, still in the hospital.The only noticeable difference being the enormous headache that I was sporting. I laid my head on it’s side and opened my eyes slowly and immediately closed them again the bright light of the midday sun was too much for me. I shoved my deep into my pillow to hide from it the bright light shining through the window. “Come on Princess, have a heart,” I groaned. I moaned, head throbbing in pain, as I pushed my head further into the pillow. Last thing I remember was pinkie doing the most terrifying thing ever and then nothing. I did know though that if the pain did not subside soon, I was going to hang himself with my I.V. A short time later I heard the the door to the room open along with three familiar voices. “Come on Twilight, we said we’re sorry....” I heard Rainbow Dash say “How long are you going to be mad at us?” Pinkie said in small and sad voice “I’ll stop being mad when you two learn to stop horsing around so much, I mean really who does these kind of things in a hospital, also you should be apologizing to me you should be apologizing to Spike ” Twilight lectured “How are you feeling Spike? Twilight asked, as she tried to coax me from out of my pillow. I didn't even bother speaking opting to just let out a loud groan and pointed towards the window. The sound of the curtains being closed was a good sound. “Come on spike the curtains are closed you can come out now.” Twilight said in a much softer voice than before.” Reluctantly I emerged from under my pillow. “I feel like that Manticore came back to finish the job. What happened?” Twilight turned and looked over her back at her to friends who seemed to both looking down at ground with new found interest. Rainbow seemed sad enough, but compared to Pinkie you could say she looked very happy. Her mane and tail had flattened and drooped, her eyes were water, I could even her a little sniffle coming from her. It was heart breaking. “It would seem that Rainbow fell on your head after Pinkie scared her, which ended with you being knocked out with a minor concussion. The doctor said you should be alright, but you will have to say here a tiny bit longer than originally anticipated.” Twilight explained. My expression immediately dropped from pained to downtrodden. I really didn't want to spend most of summer in the hospital. Though most of my friends were out of town at the moment that didn't change anything. I have better things to do than sit in here all day. Like reading comics, or...um...uh. Well that’s depressing. “I'm sorry Spike, I didn't mean to fall on your head and stuff, Pinkie kind of took me by surprise.” Dash said trying to keep her eyes from meeting my own. “Me too Spike, I am so super sorry, I never wanted to hurt anypony, I was just trying to play a prank on Dashie I hope I didn't get you hurt too bad.” Pinkie said before coming to my side and nuzzling my arm. “I’m sorry I went over the top again Spike. Can you forgive us?” “Don’t worry about it Pinkie, I know you two were just trying to help, no harm done. But.” I smiled at the two ponies “If you really want t make it up to me, Pinkie I want you to come by every day and play a game with me to help pass the time.” Pinkie’s eyes lit up and her hair poof back up into its regular state as she bounced in place” Hip hip hooray! of course I will play with you Spike! Oh we can play battle clouds, or crazy eights! Why do they call it crazy? how can an eight be crazy why not sane, or silly? Oh I know we can do some clghsgdh...” Pinkie’s loud rant was cut short as Twilight plunged a fresh apple into her mouth, not that Pinkie minded. She quickly began to eat the fruit whole, but it bought the dragon a few precious seconds of silence. “Thanks Twi” Spike groaned as he held his head before looking at the fastest flyer. “Rainbow, I want you to do my chores for 2 weeks starting after I get out of here” “Oh come on Spike, there has got to be something else? I can help you dig up some gems, please, anything else, just not the chores. You know how she is when she hits her egghead zone. She becomes a pain in the flank, and I don't even know where all the books go, it will take me hours just to pick them up.” “A pain in the flank am I?” Dash froze at the cold tone in her marefriend’s voice. Seeing Rainbow Dash heading for the dog house made me laugh inwardly “Alright Dash you don’t have to do my chores, but you owe me a favor.” Rainbow let out a breath in relief happy she wouldn't have to do my work. “But you will be sleeping on the couch tonight.” Twilight added, Dash mumbled something about it being unfair and pain in the flank. “I’ve also decided to give you back those cupcakes.” I shot up ignoring the searing pain going through his head. “Really!” Realizing what I had just did I froze and felt my eye twitch. “AAAAAAAAA-” -Third Person- -Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse- “-AAAAAAAAHHHH!” Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo each looked up from what they were doing, looking for the source of the scream of pain. “What was that?” Sweet Bella asked looking around the clubhouse. “Probably some poor sap hitting his knee or something, come on we need focus on the task at hoof,” Scootaloo stated looking down at the list on the table. “Yeah yer right,” Apple Bloom said looking back down at list as well. “Agreed,” the white filly said nodding, finally looking down at the list. “So far we've crossed out desserts, candies, gems, and a party,” she add as she read off the list. “Why was that again? “Well we can’t make desserts on account that we aren't very good bakers, and Miss Bonbon won't let us near the candy making room again after the last time, we don’t know how ta find gems and ah doubt yer sister will let us take anymore of her’s, and Pinkie Pie throws all parties, and ah ain't going to open that can of worms” Applebloom said sadly. “Well there has to be something we can do for him!” growled the frustrated pegasus. “Yeah and we better figure it out soon. your sister is expecting back to finish painting the south barn,” Sweetie Belle said. “Yeah and yer sis is expectin’ me back soon too,” Apple Bloom said. “Fluttershy gave me an hour break,” Scootaloo said proudly and quickly deflated “But that was at least fifty minutes ago.” The three fillies let out a deep exasperated sigh as they all laid their heads on the table. “How about we go back to that idea about getting him a present,?” Sweetie belle asked. “Do you have any bits because sure I as hay don’t,” Scootaloo said rolling her eyes.” I knew we should have kept at least one of those gems” Well we could always try and help him out at the library when he gets out of the hospital,” Apple Bloom suggested Sweetie Belle picked her head up and looked to her friend before saying “Well that could work, but its not enough he did save our lives” “And don’t forget that we’re probably the last ponies he wants to see even if he did say he forgave us,” Scootaloo reminded them. “Yeah yer right. Maybe-” Apple Bloom trailed off when the sound of her friend’s name was called from outside the clubhouse. All three fillies stuck their heads out the door to see a stern looking Applejack standing below. “SWEETIE BELLE TIME TO GET BACK TO WORK!” Applejack yelled up, and the look on her face left no room for negotiations. Sweetie Belle’s ears fell sadly as she got up and for the door. “I guess I have to get back to work now girls see you later” “Yeah ah should be going too, knowing how yer sis can be she’s going to have a new list of things for me to do” Apple Bloom said “So much for operation apologise.” said Scootaloo as she trudged out of the clubhouse. With that the three fillies said their goodbyes and went off to their own respective punishments. Ponyville Hospital I was happily sitting back into my bed, munching away on my gem covered treats. A quartz cupcake was currently on the menu. I was already feeling better for soon after my little episode nurse Redheart came in and gave me a shot of morphine, effectively relieving me of my misery. Putting on a small smile Twilight shook her head as she watched me savoring each and every bite of my cupcake. “Enjoying your cupcakes?” “You have no idea, these things are fantastic. the cakes really know how to bake.” I was about to grab for the Ruby cupcake into when something came to mind. “I wonder how the girls even got all these gems in the first place, its worth a small fortune.” “Maybe they just jacked them from Rarity or something?” Rainbow suggested as she leaned on the wall looking out the window. but a deep growl caught her and everyone else in the room in surprise and back form Spikes bedside I immediately stopped eating and growled at the prismatic pony as I let some smoke lofted out from my nose. “They are not thieves Rainbow, maybe Rarity gave them some, maybe they found some and been saving them, you don't know, but you can’t go and say they stole them,” I growled again, making Rainbow flinch. “Spike! What's gotten into you?!” Twilight shouted as she stepped in between me and Dash. I’ve taught you better than to threaten other ponies especially when they are your friends .” The look in the she gave me could rival those of a cockatrices. My eyes went wide with realization “What, Oh man, Rainbow I’m so sorry, I don't know what came over me, I just got really mad when you said that about them, I just find the thought of them stealing impossible.” PInkie was sitting off the the side watching the display when her eyelashes fluttered, her heart beat grew faster and she sneezed. Letting out a sharp gasp that pulled attention to her “Sorry just my Pinkie sense again,” she said while giggling . “Oh is my little angel of chaos predicting the future again?,” came a disembodied voice that eced throughout the room. ““Discord, what are doing here?”Twilight asked, looking nowhere in particular as if this was perfectly normal. Discord appeared in a flash right next to Twilight, dressed up in a doctor's coat. “What? Can't a friend wish another friend a speedy recovery? why Twilight I'm hurt.” With a grin he reached into Twilight’s mane and pulled out a clipboard messing up her mane in the process “Ohh but not as hurt as you Spike my boy.” I put my cupcake back in the box and rolled my eyes. “Gee, thanks for the diagnosis doctor and here I thought I was in tip top condition.” “No problem my fire breathing friend” Discord quipped “Dizzy, what are you doing here?,” Pinkie asked “shouldn't you be be watching Pumpkin and Pound Cake right now?” “Oh don’t worry Pinkie, they’re asleep. Well at least I think they are they were the last time I checked.” he muttered. “And when was that?” Discord scratched the side of his head in thought. “I think an hour ago.” “What!” Pinkie shouted and ran up to Discord and looked him square in the eye. “Relax, I’m sure they’re fine, see.” Discord snapped his fingers and a window appeared showing the cake twins playing with a giant spider. “DISCOOOORD!,” Pinkie tackled Discord out of his chair and on to the floor. She looked him dead in the eyes and with the most calm yet menacing voicing ever she said “Take us home now” “Alright fine” Discord said reluctantly before snapping his fingers and making the two disappear. “I still say those two were made for one another,” Dash said “And I still think Equestria doesn't need those two breeding,” Twilight spoke flatly. “Aren't you going to finish your cupcakes Spike?” “Nah, I’m going to save them for later, so what’s this about some dragon that’s suppose to be waking up a few months?” I said a little too excitedly. Twilight looked surprised for a moment and then turned her attention to Rainbow Dash who was now studying the reexamining the note with new found interest. Twilight sighed “Yes, there is a dragon sleeping in the old crystal caves underneath Canterlot, and Princess Celestia said he is waking up from his 100 year sleep in a few months. It’s not that important though,” Twilight said. without looking Spike in the eye, and it did not go unnoticed by Spike . “Well I was thinking if Princess Celestia needed to talk to you about it, it must be important in some way. and I thought I can help too. I am a dragon after all.” “No that won't be necessary, I mean it’s not that big of a deal,” she said trying to get Spike to drop the subject “If it isn't a big deal then why would the princess need to talk to you about it?” I pressed. “I don’t know. All she said was that we should be ready when he woke up and it’s a he by the way.” Twilight said continuing to try and get away from the topic I nodded, “Why would you need to be ready for him when he wakes up if he isn't evil or something, if that the case maybe I can talk to him.” “No he’s not bad or anything like that. It’s got something to do with his lineage or something. She didn't go into too much detail about it.” Her eyes still wouldn't meet my own, she was clearly hiding something from him, something that she clearly felt he was better off not knowing. “Well I still want to help” I started, sitting up “We won’t need it,” Twilight argued. “But-” I tried arguing but Twilight cut me off. “End of discussion Spike,” she said growing frustrated. “But-” “End. Of. Discussion.” She said each word with the force of a princess of Equestria. “But that’s not fair!” “Life isn't fair Spike. This is for your own good!” Twilight said, growing even more frustrated as the conversation continued. Meanwhile Rainbow dash seeing the argument taking a bad turn decided to just watch not wanting to get in the middle of an argument between a dragon and an alicorn. “For my own good? How is keeping me from meeting another dragon for my own good!” Twilight glared at spike so intensely it could even challenge Fluttershy’s infamous stare. I waved it off of course having been given the glare a million times already. “Remember those teenage dragons? If you would have left with them you would have turned into a thug!.” “That was years ago Twilight, and in case you haven’t noticed, I am a teenage dragon now. I’ve grown up since then, and now that I am bigger and older, I’m going to help.” I said crossing my arms across my chest. “It doesn't matter what you say Spike, I told you no,” Twilight said flatly trying to keep her frustration from boiling over “Yes.” That was it. Twilight had had it “I SAID NO!” The yell even made Dash jump and glance around in shock, and she was a neutral party in all this. She felt bad for even opening her mouth to begin with, but her heart hurt for Twilight as she watched her lie to her own adoptive son’s face. I flinched at the Twilight’s angered voice. She had never yelled at me like this. I really wanted to help and meet this dragon, whoever he was, but I wasn't sure if pushing Twilight was a good idea any more. It wasn't hard for me to come to a decision. “OK fine if you don't want me to go so bad, then I won’t go,” Spike said angrily. I laid back down facing away from the purple alicorn and covered his head in the lumpy pillow. “I’ll see you both later, I’m going to sleep,” I said through the pillow. Now it was Twilight's turn to realize what happened and how she just had yelled at him just to keep a secret. “Spike, I'm sorry. I didn't mean.. it’s only four o'clock you can’t be tired, I.. I I don’t want to just leave you here by yourself.” Twilight was on the verge of tears as she racked her brain for anything she could use to help. “Spike,” she said with a pleading voice. I didn't answer. “Come on spike, please don’t do this.” I laid there as still as a rock. Twilight sighed sadly wiping the tears from her eyes. “I... I’ll see you tomorrow Spike. I love you.” The two mares made their leave, neither seeing the tears in my own eyes as I stared blankly at the wall.