“After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the things we need most in the world.”
― Philip Pullman
“Y’all set in here?”
The country drawl and opened door woke Rainbow out of her daze.
“S’all good in here, AJ. You go and take Flutters home. Nothing I can’t handle here.” Rainbow flashed a cocky smile at the farmer.
“Ya sure? Ya seemed mighty out of it just now,” Applejack questioned.
She knew of her friends lackadaisical tendencies. In fact, Applejack was surprised she volunteered to stay with the unknown pony. Being stuck inside a small hospital room didn’t qualify Dash’s usual requirements: speed, danger, and “radicalness”.
“I’m fine, AJ! You know I have Tuesdays off anyway. Besides! She’ll probably wake up to meet such an awesome pony!” Dash was referring to the hurt pony’s current state. After briefly waking after her surgery, the white pegasus had not regained consciousness.
Applejack rolled her eyes. Classic Dash.
“Well, the girls and I will swing back around near dinner time. Wouldn’t want you trying to survive on this fare.”
The two friends shared a look of horror.
“Now you sure you got this?”
Dash huffed. “Helllooo? Element of Loyalty, remember? This is like, what I do?”
Applejack blushed. “Alright, alright. Sorry, Rainbow. Just make sure ya tell somepony if she wakes up?”
Rainbow waved a mock salute with her wing. “No problem. And bring some cider with you later!”
Applejack laughed and opened the door. “I’ll see what I can do.” She winked and left with a neat click of the door closing behind her.
Rainbow settled in for the long haul. After pounding the lump of a couch into submission, she dug through her saddlebags. Carefully lifting with her teeth, Rainbow gently removed a couple of books. Rainbow fondly ran a hoof over their worn, dog-eared covers.
She would never be a Twilight-sized egghead, of course. However, Dash was okay with enjoying a few novels whenever she had the chance. Which wasn’t all that often. She just tried to have a book on her at all times. (Rainbow had one day pulled Pinkie aside. Dash asked her how she hid such a variety of items all around Ponyville or in her hair. Several Pinkie Promises, bananas, and hours later, Dash had gotten the hang of it. (1) ) Her books weren’t very well cared for, just being a pegasus forbade that, but they were well loved.
Rainbow Dash looked over at the limp pegasus.
Being ground-bound sucked. It was almost better that the pegasus was out cold while she was stuck here. No pegasus would choose not to fly. Well. Fluttershy. But she was different.
Anyways, Dash knew how the pony would feel, being cooped up with a broken wing. She could relate as a fellow, crash-prone pegasus. So Rainbow truly didn’t mind hanging out here for a spell. No big deal.
Rainbow chose a book at random and let the book fall open.
As their eyes met from across the room, an electric pulse raced through the air. The two ponies drew closer, and circled each other, their lust barely restrained. The two had hungered for one another and tonight was the night they would finally realize their passions.
Rainbow blushed and hastily shut the book. What in the hay!? She gingerly flipped the book over. Starlight’s Desire. With a picture of two star-crossed lovers smack dab on the front. Ugh! No! How did that get into her stash? She slid the book away with the tip of her hoof.
Rainbow carefully selected her next book. Daring Do and the Frozen Hourglass. Much better. Rainbow again let the book fall open to a random page. She had found that this was a better way of reading a book you knew by heart. More exciting.
Dash cleared her throat and began to read aloud. (2)
Daring looked frantically at the strange pony beside her and then up at the sewer grate.
“You can’t just expect us to escape this palace undetected! Your last, little plan alerted the entire guard! And gave me this!” Daring held up her busted left forehoof. “Granted, I can still give some ponies the what for, but this is definitely going to put me at risk.” The explorer gritted her teeth.
“You aren’t even listening to me, are you?
The pony in question glanced absentmindedly at his companion and answered simply, “No.”
Daring resisted the urge to scream. Years of tiptoeing the line between stealing and “preserving ancient cultural artifacts” prevented her from giving this idiot a piece of her mind and revealing their location. She settled for angrily whispering in the stallion’s ear.
“Look buddy. I left my dig for you. My beautiful, fully government funded dig. To be led off on some wild goose chase. And that was fine! I live for those. What I do have a problem with, is not being told that you are a crazy pony! Who “forgets” to inform me that there are vicious alien creatures hunting him. These “Day-licks”-?” Daring was interrupted by the stallion stifling her with a hoof.
He was smiling at her. The nerve of some ponies.
“Miss Do? Do you hear anything?”
The khaki pegasus spluttered. She bit back a sarcastic retort and then reconsidered. “No.”
“Exactly. We’re ready to go. Time is certainly of the essence.” The mysterious stallion held up their prize, the one that caused the previous commotion above them. The frozen hourglass. The azure glass should have been pockmarked and scratched. But here it was. Pristine. Even mud and other...debris from the sewer seemed to freeze and slide off the glass.
Daring gasped. “I didn’t think you had time to grab it before Isaz’s guards caught up to us!”
The stallion smiled, seeming amused at himself. “I do now.”
His demeanor changed abruptly. He fiercely faced Daring with a grim expression. “Are you ready, Miss Do? And by ready, I mean, do you trust me?”
Daring shook her head. “We’ll have to see about that last bit. But I am ready to get out of here, so I’ll stick with you for now.” The pegasus prepared to lift the sewer grate. “And did you do what I think you just did?”
“If you mean alter the flow of time using the hourglass? Perhaps.” The stallion tucked the priceless artifact back into his saddlebags.
“Just, one more thing. I really shouldn’t call you ‘Hey Crazy Pony’ for the rest of our little adventure here. What should I call you?” Daring turned an expectant head toward the stallion.
The stallion laughed. “Why just call me-“
“The Doctor,” a voice croaked from beside Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow shot into the air, books flying haphazardly about the room.
“Holy Celestia’s flank! You scared me! Wait. Are you alright?! Doctor!? You need one!? I’m on it-“
Shocked and filled with nervous energy, Dash prepared to crash though the wall to find somepony.
“Wait…” the voice called again. Dash froze in mid-air. “I meant, that’s his name. The Doctor.” Rainbow dropped to the floor.
“You know Daring Do?” the cyan pegasus asked incredulously, walking to the hurt pony’s side.
“Who doesn’t? That book is one of my favorites. Basically know it by heart.”
“Did that…my reading, wake you up?”
The white pegasus stared blankly at the wall. “Maybe. Sorry, where am I?”
Rainbow winced. “Right. Well, you’re in Ponyville General Hospital. You crashed not far from here? You’ve broken a wing pretty badly, not to mention some nasty bruised muscles and broken ribs.”
The mare stared at Rainbow.
“Ohand myname’s Rainbow Dash,” Dash finished quickly, her words sliding together. “What’s yours?”
The mare paused. “Sugar.”
This time Rainbow stared in anticipation at Sugar. “That’s it?”
Sugar nodded.
“…..Okayyy. I guess you’ll tell more to the doctor? Doctor!” Rainbow leapt for the second time into the air. “I’llberightbackdon’tfallasleepagainbye!” She quickly opened the door and sped through it.
Sugar sighed and sank back into the pillows. She listened to the urgent voice of her pegasus overseer call out to nearly everypony in hospital.
What a way to wake up.