Am I dead? It can’t be. But darkness was all that I can see. My body felt like it was floating in space. At that moment, I was at peace but it did not last long. A sudden a shock of pain shot into my head and suddenly, I felt like I was crushed under a boulder. It became difficult to breathe, my heart was beating a mile a minute and my body was unresponsive. I panicked.
As I was in a panicked state, a voice echoed in the blackness. “Hello.” I tried to look around but it was too dark and my body was in paralysis. I wanted to speak but I can’t find my voice. I felt that I was lying on the ground, doing nothing. I felt… useless. “It’s your entire fault, you know?” the voice continued. What? I thought and the voice replied as if it knew what I was thinking.
“The filly got hurt because of your carelessness.” The voice spoke. No! I shouted in my mind. I did not meant it to be that way.
“Oh?” the voice replied in a questioning tone. “Well then, I suppose that you can do better to protect her?”
I... don’t know, I thought again. But… I know I can find a way to keep her safe.
“Is that so?” the voice asked in a challenging tone.
I know so, I replied in my own thought.
“Well then, we shall see,” the voice chuckled and the world was blinded by a flash of white light.
--oo--
I gasped a lungful of air and opened my eyes in shock. My body felt sticky under my coat as I realized that I was sweating heavily and I still felt a burning sensation in my chest every time I breathe. I noticed I was in a clinic of some sort as I looked on the right side of the bed I was occupying and saw bottles of pills on a tabletop nearby. I tried to sit up but my body still felt very weak and my head felt like it just had been stomped by an ox.
I tried to call to anypony that might be nearby but all I can elicit was a painful groan.
“Oh!” I heard a meek voice exclaimed from behind a closed curtain in front of me. Then a yellow coated Pegasus mare peeked behind it. She gave a relieved sigh as she noticed I was awake. “Thank Goddesses.” She softly said. “You have passed out for two days now.” She continued as she trotted next to me. “How are you feeling now?” she asked, putting a wet towel on my forehead.
“Useless… and weak.” I croaked out as clearly as I could.
“Now, now.” The Pegasus said softly as she waved a hoof. “Don’t say that. You passed out because you were experiencing over exhaustion. Also, if it weren’t for you, the filly might not make it.” She said, giving a friendly smile.
I quickly sat up, in which I regret as my head ached even more but I couldn’t careless, and hold the Pegasus mare on her shoulder. “How’s Pink Cotton?” I asked urgently, giving the Pegasus mare a small shake.
The Pegasus was not ready for my reaction and had a shocked look on her face. “Y-y-you mean the pink filly?” she asked, stammering a little bit. I answered with a vigorous nod, which I regretted as well. Her face softens. “Well, she is fine now, thanks to you. Without your help, she might not make it.” She said, smiling warmly at me.
I let her go and looked away. Actually, if I didn’t leave her alone in the tent, she wouldn’t be in this situation. I felt guilt was slowly creeping in me and I knew that I am. The yellow Pegasus mare noticed there was something wrong and she offered a hoof. I looked at her hoof and then at her. She smiled and said, “My name is Sunshine Drop but you can call me Patches.”
I slowly took her hoof and shook it. “I’m Quick Learner, but my family calls me Quickie.” I said as I felt my face flushed a bit. I never had a friend before, even in my childhood. This was certainly different and new to me. She put her hoof down and trotted to the tabletop.
“How’s your head now?” she asked me as she trotted next to me with a pill bottle in her hoof.
“Well…” I started and slowly shook my head. “It’s not as bad as before but it’s still hurts a little.” I answered, gently rubbing my head.
“Take this pill, it would help you.” She said as she offered me a pill. I took it and quickly swallowed it. The aftertaste of the medicine was extremely bitter but I tried to make a neutral face and not to grimace. It made my mouth taste like I just ate rotten hay but the medicine seemed to work, my headache slowly but surely starting to get better. “How’s your head now?” she asked again, offering me a lollipop.
“It’s getting better.” I answered and I looked at the lollipop with a questioning expression.
“It’s from that filly you brought. Who was it? Pink Cotton?” she asked.
I nodded and took the lollipop. I unwrapped the lollipop and gave it a test lick. The lollipop was very sweet. It felt like there was a party in my mouth as the sweetness of the lollipop countered the bitter aftertaste of the medicine.
“Are you well enough for a walk?” She asked as she pushed the curtain in front of me. From the bed I was occupying, I saw a bustling village through the window in front of me. The pegasi were pulling chariots of ponies, donkeys and ponies walking around while chatting idly and merchants calling for potential customers. “Well?” she asked again, smiling at me.
“Yes. Of course.” I answered, returning the smile. But for some reason it made my face flushed. I hope she couldn’t see it through my coat. I finished the lollipop as I crushed it in my mouth until it turned into tiny sugary lumps and sucked on them. I slowly got out of bed and stretched my limbs and then I trotted next to her. With a smile, she began escorting me to the front door.
~~oo~~
We were greeted by the sound of merchants calling to attract potential customer’s attention. Like Canterlot, the sky here also free from clouds as the Pegasi did a pretty good job making today a bright sunny day. There were a lot of ponies, zebras and donkeys walking in the village. I looked at Patches and asked, “How come this village could be so active? Even Canterlot is not this busy.” She chuckled.
“Well, you see… this village thrives on the trading business. So, there are a lot of ponies, zebras and even donkeys come here to trade or even sell stuff. Some say this village is the heart of the trading industry in all of Equestria.” She answered, giving a shrug. “Also,” she continued as she spread her fore hooves wide open and standing on her hind legs. With a smile, she said, “Welcome to Hoofington.”