//------------------------------// // Moving Forward // Story: Wake Me Up // by Gumball2 //------------------------------// Dr. Goodtalk's door opened to reveal two pale ponies. Goodtalk had been going through some papers when she heard her oiled hinges swing. "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Pie," Goodtalk said as she placed down the document she was holding, "the two of you may sit down." Igneous slowly lifted his legs to walk across the fine carpet. Cloudly delayed for a moment as her eyes stared at the chair, but she found the ability to join her husband. The two ponies were now focused upon Goodtalk and the doctor returned the gesture. "After two sessions of talking with your daughter, I have found that she has had some sort of dream while she was comatose. She's in denial over the fact that what she saw as real was nothing more than her imagination." "What's makes you sure?" Igneous asked. His eyes-- while blank-- held a certain caliber of coldness. "Pinkamena has been able to piece together her memories and I am certain that they can only lead to this conclusion. According to her, her life turned around when an explosion happened at the rock farm. It was-- and I quote--," Goodtalk said as she grabbed out a piece of paper and read, ""a splotch of colors that [she] had never seen before. It was the most wonderful thing [she] had ever seen and it made her smile." Goodtalk turned her eyes from the paper and to the two ponies. "This sounds very similar to the Sonic Rainboom that happened on the day she became comatose." "So is that why Pinkamena is depressed?" Igneous asked. "It's very likely. Ponies that dream in a long coma begin to accept the world their in as reality. Pinkamena's "life" seems to have been pretty happy. So to be forced from that world and to deal with the truth can be difficult." Cloudy clenched her hooves and squeezed her strained eyes. "Will she ever be happy again?" Cloudy asked. Her voice was conspicuously breaking. "Pinkamena will continue to have therapy sessions every other day, however the two of you must play your part as well. Talk to her whenever possible to show that you care. Try to be warm and open so that she will be comfortable doing so." "Very well," Igneous said. The couple sat silently. Their eyes stared at Goodtalk, whom returned their look. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" "Yes. Is there anything else we should know?" Igneous asked. "Nothing much about Pinkamena's condition. If physical therapy continues as planned, she should be ready to leave in three weeks. But trust me when I say that you talking to your daughter will help her recover on an emotional level." "Alright," Igneous said as he got up from his seat. He looked down at Cloudy, whom was struggling to get up, "Do you need help?" Cloudy shook her head. "No thank you..." she said. Her gray hooves wrapped around the chair's handles as she gradually lifted her body to a standing position. The couple then walked side by side out the door. "They are real! I can see them, hear them, talk to them, hug them, and anything else you can do with a real pony!" "Pinkamena, it's alright," Goodtalk stated. "I don't know why I was put in here! You're all meanies for taking me away from my friends!" Goodtalk jumped from her chair and made the distant journey to the couch where Pinkamena was crying. "Why w-won't you let me l-leave?" Pinkamena struggled to make out, "W-what did I do?..." Goodtalk gently stroked Pinkamena's back with her smooth hoof, accompanied by a sympathetic look on her face. "Pinkamena, you have done nothing to deserve any sort of punishment. What you went through all those years shouldn't happen to anyone. But it's alright, because I— along with your family and the ponies here— want to help you move on. It may not be easy, but with tim-" "You're lying to me! All you want me to do is make me forget my friends!" Tears streamed down Pinkamena's face as she stared at Goodtalk. All the while, the counselor rubbed her patient's tight skin. "That's not true. I know that your 'friends' mean a lot to you, but they're not going to pop up in the real world." Goodtalk said. "No! I can...uh..." The mare sat silently as tears fell from her eyes. Her face then jerked up. "I can imagine them in my head!" Pinkamena squeezed her wet eyes shut. The tears halted before a feigned giggle was coughed from the mare's throat. "Oh, silly me! Why didn't I think of this earlier?" Pinkamena said as she perked a strained smile, "Hi, Twilight! I missed you so much!" There was a moment of silence. "I know! These silly ponies thought they could take me away from you! Hey! Since we're all back together, maybe we should have a 'Welcome Back To Ponyville' party! That's a great idea!" Goodtalk sat dumbfounded as Pinkamena went through her bizarre episode, but not surprised or unprepared. She sat beside her and let her patient continue— all the while waiting for an appropriate entrance. "Let's party!" Pinkamena cheered. Although it held the volume of an enthusiastic cheer, it lacked any verisimilitude. Accompanying it was forced laughter. "Oh Gummy! You shouldn't be in the punch! Silly gator!" Her face lost its fake smile. "Where did you go?...Why is there only bla- There you are!" Pinkamena giggled again, but Goodtalk could only pull her in. "Pinkamena," Goodtalk said. "I can't hear you! Not with all this music playing! Just keep it up Vinyl Scratch!" As those words escaped her mouth, the tears followed suit from her sealed eyelids. "Pinkamena," Goodtalk said. "That's a weird song that's playing, but I like it." "Pinkamena, please let me help you." But it was useless. The silly filly was back "home". "Nopony's gonna take away my friends." Pinkamena vowed to herself as more tears cascaded down her pale cheeks. "What if she never forgives me?" Cloudy asked softly. "You've asked me that before," Igneous said. Cloudy continued to watch her daughter as she slept. Pinkamena looked peaceful in her sleep; a tranquil stillness that wasn't present during her years in the coma. The sun was still too high to be seen by the window, which caused her body to be lit by the artificial beams above her. "I know...it's just that I still feel it..." "What will make you feel better?" Igneous asked. Each syllable had the same stress. "Again...if only I could talk to her...and say that I'm sorry..." "You could if you wanted. The doctor did say that we should talk to her." Cloudy took another look at her daughter as she drew in another breath. "I...will...hopefully..." Igneous turned back to her daughter and watched her some more. Cloudy was alone with Pinkamena, who was still resting. Igneous had gone out to the farm but she chose to stay. Her older eyes refused to leave Pinkamena. Her exposed face, gently moving chest, and frozen legs were all they could focus on. "Pinkamena...I'm terribly sorry... Why is that all I can say? It just isn't enough....it's never enough... I know you may not remember that day...And you may not have cared these past ten years... But...I'm sorry...for all the pain you're going through right now" A sound was made. Cloudy didn't bother to find its source, however she saw Smiley Bunch enter her vision. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Pie, " the nurse said warmly. "You too, nurse." "I'm just here to check on Pinkamena; making sure she's doing alright." Smiley Bunch then turned to face Cloudy. "Do you need anything?" Smiley Bunch asked. Cloudy shook her head. "Are you sure?" Cloudy replied with a simple nod. "Well...alright...if you do, just call," Smiley Bunch said before exiting. "Maybe I should talk to her like the nurse. She's seem nice." Cloudy grasped the handles of the chair and pushed herself up. It was a struggle, but the mare managed to get on her legs. She then turned to Pinkamena— her daughter— and opened her mouth. But nothing came out. "Maybe my voice is a little weak." Cloudy mustered the effort to clear her throat. "...Pinkamena..." Cloudy said. "...I know...you're sleeping...and you may not hear me... ...but..." Before another word was breathed, Cloudy found herself falling back into the chair. Nothing to say. Nothing that could be said. "Maybe I'll try again tomorrow."