//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: A Frying Pan and a Rolling Pin // Story: Spring's Song // by 71NYL-5CR4TCH //------------------------------// Pumpkin eyed Rainstorm with concern as a pink-maned earth pony examined his head. She continued twisting it around in her hooves, occasionally muttering something about a nasty bruise or stitches, all the while Rainstorm managed to produce occasional gurgles and moans. Pumpkin didn't like the sound of those gurgles...or needing stitches... "How did you say this happened again?" The pure white mare asked while continuing her examination. "Um, he stood up too fast and hit his head on a counter..." Pumpkin replied with a forced grin, "clumsy guy..." "urrghrgrle..." Rainstorm managed to add. The white mare raised a skeptical eyebrow and looked into Pumpkin's shifting gaze. "Three separate times?" "It um...knocked off a pan and a rolling pin. Also hit his head. Nasty luck." Pumpkin's eyes darted around the room. "blerghgrgh..." Rainstorm concurred. "Mmmhmm..." The white mare resumed examining Rainstorm before letting go of his head, allowing to flop loosely around his shoulders, "Well he may have a minor concussion, but other than that I don't see any serious damage. Just ice it to keep the swelling down and have him rest for a while. Also, he should take these every 4 hours, it'll keep the pain at bay. I already gave him his first dose and other than a few minor side effects, he should be fine." Pumpkin sighed, "Ok...Thank you nurse..?" "Redheart," the pale mare finished, "and you're welcome. Thanks for bringing him here. Come back if any of the symptoms worsen or continue for a few days." "Will do Miss Redheart..." Pumpkin began to exit the hospital before stopping and turning to face the nurse again, "What minor side effects?" "Oh...well, it is a mild anesthesia, so he may be a bit...loopy. Have you ever seen a drunk before?" The nurse asked. "Berry Punch comes into the shop every now and again...is that what he'll be like?" Nurse Redheart shrugged, "More or less..." "Great..." Pumpkin replied with a roll of her eyes. Pumpkin led Rainstorm outside of the hospital and down a narrow dirt path. A fresh, white bandage wrapped around Rainstorm's skull flattened his mane over his still-spinning eyes. The sun shone brilliantly in the sky, and all of ponyville bustled with activity around the hospital. "I guess I better get you back to Sugar Cube Corner you big lug..." Pumpkin sighed, now magically carrying Rainstorm above her head in a pale orange aura through the town, gathering a few stares from the townsponies. "I'm flying...I can fly!" Rainstorm hazily exclaimed. "You've always been able to fly Rainstorm." Pumpkin explained with a tired demeanor. "AH BELIEVE AH CAHN FLYYY!!!" Rainstorm wailed, flapping his wings inside the magical seal. "I know you do Rainstorm. Let's fly inside, now." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hey, Bon-Bon, you see those two over there?" A pale green unicorn motioned at a wailing, floating pegasus colt being carried by an annoyed looking orange unicorn. "Yeah?" A cream colored mare answered, "What about them?" "Isn't it nice when young mare's volunteer to help the mentally disabled?" The cyan mare asked. "Yeah...Look at how good a time he's having..." she replied with a warm smile. "I'm glad we live in such a nice community." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pumpkin slammed the door behind her with a hoof and set Rainstorm down carefully on the couch. After setting him down, Pumpkin turned and approached the kitchen, getting ready to prepare yet another ice pack. helping him really is the least I can do. I still can't believe I gave him a concussion. I really bucked this up. I'm sure I didn't sweeten my offer too...Celestia I'm such a screw up... Pumpkin trotted into the kitchen and levitated a bag over to the ice bin, filling it with a small amount of ice and then returning to the living room. Pumpkin returned from the kitchen and gingerly placed the bag on Rainstorm's head, before sitting next to him and petting the back of his head with her hoof. guess now's as good a time as any... "Guh...Pumpkin? Wha-what happened? Where am I?" "You're at sugar cube corner, you had a nasty hit on the head and I'm trying to help you get better. How are you feeling?" Rainstorm sat upright, immediately brining a hoof to the back of his head and scrunching one eye, "Well my head hurts like a motherbucker but I guess you just explained that...how long was I out?" "Only a couple hours. But you weren't really 'out' so much as 'out of it.' Do you remember any of what happened?" "Not...really. The last thing I remember was..." Rainstorm's faced morphed into a mixture of shock and anger, "You! You did this to me! You knocked me unconcious?! What the buck, dude?!" "Damn it I was really hoping you'd forget that part." "Well I didn't!" Rainstorms face scrunched in pain before beginning to loosen, " Celestia...you have a hell of a right hook, you know that?!" "Sorry..." Pumpkin managed. "You knocked me unconscious!!" "I said I was sorry..." "It...it's ok...I guess I was kind of being an ass..." Rainstorm allowed his voice to soften as he flopped back down on the couch and looked apologetically at Pumpkin, "Just...watch it ok?" "Ok...and yeah, you were! But, I guess you were kind of in a state of emotional shock, considering what happened." "Considering what? What happened?" Rainstorm raised an eyebrow. "You know...the whole...kiss...thing..." Pumpkin explained what she believed to be the painfully obvious with slow, enunciated words. "What kiss thing? Who kissed? What'd I miss?!" Rainstorm suddenly grew excited. "Oh for the love of all that is good and sun-shiney," Pumpkin facehoohed and allowed her hoof to slowly drag across her face, "...you really don't remember?" "No..." Rainstorm gave a look of pure ignorance before turning into a sly grin, "care to remind me?" he said with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Oh you human's ass!" Pumpkin exclaimed with a punch to the shoulder, which simply received laughter from Rainstorm. "Sorry, couldn't resist..." Rainstorm chuckled. "Guh...what am I going to do with you?" Pumpkin asked in mock frustration. Rainstorm shrugged, "You brought this on yourself..." "Would you rather I hadn't?" "No." "Good." Pumpkin replied and gave a quick peck to Rainstorm's cheek. "So...um...Pumpkin?" Rainstorm asked. "Yes?" she replied. "Does this mean we...are...dating?" he offered. "I...guess? We haven't really been on a date...I hardly think this constitutes as one..." Pumpkin grimaced. "Well...I know the order normally goes you ask somepony out on a date then kiss, but..." "But..?" "You wanna go out sometime? Like...on a date. Like dinner and a walk or something?" Rainstorm asked nervously. Pumpkin beamed, "Thats sounds awesome."