//------------------------------//
// Rainbow Dash -- Waking World 
// Story: Projected Nightmares 
// by bearcat 
//------------------------------//

 With a sudden snort, the blue mare yanked her eyes open, violet irises taking in the scene. Low cloud, barely above treetop height; predawn darkness showing hints of less-dark patches; and a carnation pink earth pony mare's face staring in consternation at Dash's still unmoving head.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash made eye contact for the briefest of moments before Dash zeroed in on the metal platter in Pinkie's mouth. On it, was a single cupcake, with a rainbow of colors in the frosting.

"Hey Dashie" the pink mare said around her cargo. "I brought you a present. I hope you like it." Rainbow Dash still didn't move her head, or even refold her wings that had been shot straight out during her recent dream time. Dash watched as the pink mare sank all the way to the cloud's surface, and set the platter on her forelegs. "I mixed some drugs in this one I'll just be frank, Dashie I'm worried about you but I don't know what's wrong since you won't tell your friend. But there's aspirin and prune juice in this one but don't worry you can't taste it I already ate the other one to make sure it would taste alright and I think you'll like it anyway so eat up, Dash!"

Finally Rainbow breathed deeply, slowly, once. Twice. Folding her wings she carefully pulled her right wing through the hole in the cloud she had punctured in her thrashing. Her eyes never leaving the drugged confection she asked Pinkie Pie "How are you standing on a cloud?"

"Twilight's worried too."

Dash finally lifted her eyes, let herself again look Pinkie in the eye, and said "So she put the cloud walking spell on you and teleported you up here?" 

"No Dash just the cloud spell. She's kinda busy so she didn't go looking for you but once I found you, your cloud is tied to the trees so I climbed up the rope. Won't you say what's wrong, Dashie?" The pink mare tipped her head, as if she had to look around the cupcake below her chin.

The blue mare finally sat up, carefully arranged herself on the very small cloud so she could pick up the proffered dose of drugs. "Aspirin, huh Pinkie?" She carefully nibbled at the frosting to expose the paper wrapping before continuing. "Nothing that's going to slow me down? I need to work on weather projects in a couple hours and I need to not oversleep." Finally making it to the bready part of the cupcake, Dash swallowed a tiny bite before adding "Or they'll come looking for me. You know how frustrated some ponies get when they see me napping." Another tiny bite.

Pinkie's ears twitched for a moment after her friend had spoken, then a look of enlightenment crossed her face. "Oooh! Do you want me to get you some sedati"

"NO."

Shocked into silence, Pinkie looked carefully at Rainbow Dash, no further words escaped her lips.

Rainbow's eyes were hot, threatening to spill tears. She wasn't looking at anything as she ate the cupcake. Mostly through it, she stopped and breathed deeply. "I'm sorry Pinkie I didn't mean to snap at you. I had a bad dream and I'm still sort of coming out of that." Dash hurriedly finished her treat, and wished it was her body that ached.

Actually, she thought silently with as little sleep as I've had this week my body is starting to feel the fatigue. Maybe if I slept on really high clouds. It works for a few hours. Sometimes.

Pinkie Pie tried to pick her platter back up, but it tipped over and fell through the water vapors she was sitting on. The pink mare frowned in the meager light. "I better get going, Dashie. That spell only lasts for three days and I've been looking for you for most of those three days, now." Looking up and offering the biggest smile to her friend that she could muster, Pinkie added "You come see one of us if you want our help, OK? I promise on every one else's behalf we won't laugh at what you're running from, OK Dash?"

Rainbow sat up to receive her friend's hug, except they missed each other, as now Pinkie was sinking into the cloud rapidly. Oops. Small cloud, too. Rainbow leapt into the air, and flew down to grab her friend by the belly as she sank through.

Earth ponies weighed just a little more than she was ever expecting. Denser, or maybe just magically pulled to the Earth they were named for. But the pair sank quickly through the trees and Rainbow Dash had to struggle to keep from crashing as branches smacked her wings aside, and her forelegs, still insistent they had been nailed, torn, and electrocuted mere moments ago, weren't willing to hang on to this pony even if she were to right herself, at her cargo's expense.

Least of all this pony, even if this actual pony in her hooves had nothing at all to do with her inability to finish a good night's sleep. But Pinkie thanked her friend for the ride down as if had been planned that way. Dash saluted her now-safe friend, and launched herself into the air. Dawn had arrived, and she dare not try going back to sleep now. Not for a few hours at least. So off to be extra-productive in weather patrol as if she was up as soon as Celestia was.