//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Fragile Wings // by Crystal Moose //------------------------------// I’m cold. Why am I cold? Oh, I’m on the floor. Why am I on the floor? Well, I am kind of sleepy. But silly pony, I'm not supposed to sleep on the floor! That’s what beds are for. But I am sticky, so maybe it’s better to sleep on the floor. Icky sticky. Like that time I went to bed with taffy in my mane and Mrs Cake didn't know how to get taffy out of the bed sheets. Or my mane. Why is Mrs Cake screaming? Is it cause I hurt myself? Might be. Or she might be thinking of taffy. She certainly screamed when I showed her my sheets with the taffy on them. But I think this is a different kind of scream. And now Mr Cake is yelling too. I don't think he has a problem with taffy. Heehee, it would be nice if I was laying in pools of taffy right now. Instead of this icky-stickiness. Icky-sticky. It hurts. But I am still sleepy. Maybe if I go to sleep, the hurting will go away. Ж Cream coloured walls. Cold linoleum floor. Pale blue blanket draped across white sheets. Birds chirped merrily outside the window. The pink mare got off her bed, and made her way to the window. She looked out at the scenery: the bright green leaves of the trees, the blooming flowers, the bees buzzing about collecting pollen for their hives. Squirrels playing on the branches and birds singing. Pinkie Pie couldn't look at the birds. They filled her heart with sorrow. And the party pony didn't do sorrow. So she closed the curtains, her room now lit by the bulb above her bed. What this room needed was balloons. And candles. And streamers! Instead, Pinkie returned to her bed, and pulled out the latest Daring Do book: Daring Do and The Return of the Curse of the Creature's Ghost. Twilight had left it for her a week ago when she came to visit. The door to her room opened, and in strolled a pale yellow pony, wearing a small white nurses cap. “Good morning Pinkamena, it’s good to see you up and about.” The nurse trotted towards the closed curtains. “Why don't we get some light in here, hmm?” “No!” Pinkie shot forward. “I mean, no, please. I just closed them.” The nurse shook her head, her pale blue mane bobbing as she did. “Okay, deary. We can leave them closed. “Now let's have a look at those forearms of yours, hmm?” The mare moved towards the bed, and carefully unwrapped the bandages. A strained look crossed her features. “Pinkamena!” The nurse gave the pink mare a sharp gaze. “Have you been touching these again?” “It was itchy.” A sheepish look crossed Pinkie Pie’s face. “Pinkamena Diane Pie,” the nurse chastised the young mare, “your injuries won't get better if you don’t stop touching them.” “Sorry Nurse Coldheart,” Pinkie Pie replied, visibly deflating. “Sweetie, you just have to let them get better. Your skin will itch as they are healing. You just need to be a brave little pony. Can you do that for me?” “Yes, Nurse Coldheart.” “There’s a good girl. Now, lets get some clean bandages on those arms, and go have breakfast. The girls have even put a little cup of jello on your plate.” Nurse Coldheart gave Pinkie a playful wink. “Jello!” Pinkie Pie bounced, leaving it difficult for the nurse to rebandage Pinkie’s arms. With some difficulty the nurse managed to finish her job. “Okay, Pinkie. Lets get your gown on and go have some jello.” Ж Pinkie carried her tray to a table in the small dining area. Three other ponies were in the room, Sugar Forest, Brawny Charger and Meadow Peach. Brawny always sat by himself, he was a grumpy-grump saddy-mcsad-pants; he had made sure Pinkie was aware he didn’t want to be friends. If she had her welcome wagon she might have been able to make him smile… but she wasn’t allowed her wagon here, the nurses and doctors wouldn't let her. Sugar Forest and Meadow Peach were nice though. Sugar also liked cakes, and he’d spent a lot of time talking about cakes. And Pinkie also talked about the Cakes. Meadow knew Mr and Mrs Cake from her days in school. She always seemed sad, but the elder mare would brighten up any time Pinkie would talk to her about Sugarcube corner. Sugar laughed as Pinkie sat down; he’d eyed the large cup of green jello. Meadow joined with a week smile. “♪Gooooooood morning, everypony♫” Pinkie sung, followed by a snort as her jello wibble-wobbled in its cup. “G-Good morning, P-Pinkie!” Sugar beamed. “Good morning, Pinkie,” Meadow Peach whispered. “How are you this morning?” “Peeeachy keen!” Pinkie answered with another giggle. Meadow responded with a blush. Their conversation was interrupted by crying behind them; the three ponies turning around as one. Brawny was slumped, sobbing into his breakfast again. “I’ll g-go get one of the nurses,” Sugar pushed away from the table, trotting to the nurses station in a hurry. He returned to the table quietly as two nurses attended to Brawny. They struggled to help the stallion to his hooves; he was very aptly named. Pinkie thought he could have been a slightly shorter brown-coated Big Mac. The three ponies returned to their breakfast in silence. Pinkie prodded her jello with a spoon, watching the surface ripple. She didn’t like this place.