Twilight kept her promise; Pinkie was the happiest she had been in a long time when she and Spike came to visit the next day. Well, the happiest she had been since Twilight had visited her the night before, and that was the happiest she’d been since Rarity and Applejack had visited… and so on.
The girls visited her a lot; almost every day somepony came to see her. So did Mr. and Mrs. Cake, who brought along Pound and Pumpkin when they could; she was really happy to be able to play with them again.
But the most super-terrific-most-wonderful-amazingly-happiest she had been was when a few weeks later all of the girls and Spike came to see her. Well, everyone except Fluttershy. She was probably still mad, but when she comes to visit it would be even more super-terrific-most-wonderful-amazingly-happiest she’d ever been.
Pinkie gasped with excitement as they all walked through the front door, bouncing towards them in her excitement. “Everypony’s here! Well almost everypony is here… but this is so good— oooo you’ve brought a picnic basket and a blanket are we going for a picnic?”
“Yup! Ah brought apple pie,” Applejack laughed.
“And we have some daffodil sandwiches courtesy of moi,” Rarity chimed in.
“I got some cupcakes!” Rainbow Dash beamed with pride. “The ones with the awesome sprinkles.”
“And I brought something to drink,” Twilight said, holding up a bottle of soda.
Pinkie Pie turned to Spike with a questioning glance.
“Uhhh—” he stammered. “I brought... my appetite?”
“When don’t you bring that, Spike?” Twilight asked, which made everypony laugh.
Ж
Pinkie Pie leaned in close to Dash; she was happy to just listen to the girls talk about what had been happening out in the real world. Rainbow Dash was explaining to Pinkie the trick she was going to teach Twilight; whilst Twilight was adamantly arguing that she would not be doing any ‘tricks’. Rarity had received a big order from Hoity Toity, and Applejack was explaining a new apple cider recipe she was trying out. Spike was dozing lightly next to Twilight.
In all, it was a nice day. Pinkie hadn’t spent a lot of time outdoors since arriving here. To be surrounded by her friends was wonderfully liberating: she could almost pretend they were all out on a picnic, and she wasn’t stuck in this hospital.
Almost.
Her mind kept drifting to the scheduled counselling session with Doctor Wits that afternoon; he would want her to talk about the things that had happened again. She didn’t want to think about it, and she didn’t want to keep talking about it… but he always made her. Always! And it kept returning to the forefront of her mind.
The thought had left her in a slightly sullen mood, and the girls had made numerous attempts to press her on what was bothering her, she refused to talk about it. She wanted just a fun day with her friends; was that too much to ask?
Ж
“I think Spike’s got the right idea! I could use a nap about now.” Rainbow Dash looked around. “And what do you know, there’s a nice big oak tree over there—” Pinkie grasped tightly onto Rainbow Dash’s forearm. “What, I’m not going far, Pinkie. I’ll still be here.”
Pinkie shook her head with force; closing her eyes and holding Dash even tighter.
“Ah think you can go one afternoon without napping, RD.” Applejack shook her head, frowning. “Y'all get enough sleep as it is!”
“Hey! You have no idea how exhausting it is being awesome all the time,” Rainbow protested, “… and it’s so warm out here. Perfect weather for napping.”
Twilight frowned. Catching Rainbow Dash’s eyes, she looked to Pinkie, then shook her head. Rainbow Dash looked down at the pink mare beside her and sighed. “Fine, I guess I can take a nap later.”
Pinkie’s grip lightened, but not by much.
Ж
Rainbow Dash was snoozing on the blanket next to Pinkie by the time the nurse came to find her.
“Pinkamena. It’s time to say goodbye to your—” She stopped in her tracks. “Oh, Your Majesty! I’m sorry for interrupting, I hadn’t realized—”
“It’s okay, Nurse Tenderheart.” The reaction was starting to get on Twilights nerves.
“Perhaps we can reschedule Pinkamena’s session for—”
“No!” Twilight shouted, then smacked a hoof to her head, seeing the cowering nurse in front of her. “No,” She tried again, quieter this time, “Pinkie’s treatment has to come first.”
“Aww,” Pinkie moaned. “I don’t want you girls to leave.”
“Sorry, sugarcube,” Applejack interjected, “but we gotta go. Twilight’s right, your treatment comes first, and we’ll be back soon enough.”
“I don’t want to talk to Doctor Wits,” Pinkie whispered.
Twilight pulled Pinkie into a tight hug, which Rarity and Applejack joined. Rainbow Dash snorted in her sleep.
“Pinkie,” Rarity whispered, “you have to be strong. I know it is hard, but please.”
“We all want ta see ya come home soon. Life around Ponyville ain’t been the same without ya!”
“You have to try. Not just for us, but for yourself.” After a thought, Twilight added, “I’ve read some of Doctor Wits papers. I’ve also been to one of his lectures at Canterlot University. He’s a very good Doctor and he really knows what he is doing. Actually, his last research paper on the benefits of cognitive behavior therapy for victims of—”
“Princess… egghead,” Rainbow Dash snorted in her sleep, before rolling away from the sleep-interrupting sounds. Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rarity giggled at Dash’s outburst.
“Well, we must really be going dear.” Rarity pulled away from the hug. “Applejack, be a dear and wake that one up.”
Applejack nudged Rainbow Dash, only to be rewarded with a bat to the head.
“RD! Ah am not your alarm clock. Git up now, we gotta go!”
Rarity gasped at the unladylike mutterings Dash let out as she got up from her nap.
“Man, I only just got to sleep.” She stretched her back and wings. “I think I’d prefer a nice tree branch, or a cloud. I don’t know how you ponies can do it.”
Pinkie Pie flinched. Twilight maintained her hold on Pinkie. “It’ll be okay. Be brave, and you can come home soon, okay?”