SWEET APPLES EMERGENCY ROOM - 6:06 PM, SAME DAY
The mixture of uncouthness and overjoy filled between me and Apple Jack. I try not to let myself get carried away from the real reason why I came here for. I reinitialized with words, "I... Came as soon as I heard.. I'm very sorry..."
I could sense Apple Jack wanted to acknowledge of my being here, but only she couldn't at the moment. I set at ease to sit on an empty, vacant seat beside her, with both my palms on my lap. I obliquely faced and observed her. Apple Jack's face hasn't changed much, but I signify maturity from her gestures. I've always known Apple Jack as a strong and dependable woman, but when she heard the terrifying news about her grandmother, it brought her down to her knees.
"Howdy.. Sunset..." Apple Jack replied expressionlessly, "Sorry we had to meet again this way..."
"Hey... Never mind that, right now, we gotta keep our hopes up that she'll be ok."
"What if she's not?"
A blonde-haired man with a stetson, Braeburn, huffed and puffed as scurrying to an approach between Apple Jack and I. He tipped his stetson-hat briskly to both of us, "Hey con-madres, I got news." He continued huffing and puffing.
Apple Jack and I ascended from our seats, then looked at him with widened-eyes and waited for Braeburn to continue, hoping the news that he will convey isn't at all alarming.
"Granny Smith is ok." Braeburn's breathing gradually became normal, "But right now, she's connected to a heart monitor and an IV. Y'all can come see her, but just so you know, she's under sedated."
"Braeburn... Ah tried to com' sooner, but ah was too late.." Apple Jack closed in a hug to Braeburn, then began crying on his shoulder.
I stood and observed both cousins hugging each other for an extended time. Apple Jack hasn't seen Braeburn nor Granny Smith for a long time also. So they appreciated the closeness of the warmth from their own hug. They both finally parted from their hug, and looked at me.
"Sugarcube, shall we see Granny now?" Apple Jack had said, followed by a single nod while wiping the tears from her face.
I delayed a response, "...Yes... Let's go."
Apple Jack faintly reached her hand out to me, then gradually took it. She pulled me in close for a hug as well for an extended time. During our moment from our warmness of our hug, she contorted in words in my ear, "Sunset, I'm really sorry... It's bad timing." With that being said, I didn't think I needed to reply. I agreed with her wholeheartedly. It's bad timing. When things are rather looking up, I should know better that it also dragged along fumes of impediment. At this point, it's safe to say that it's like spitfire. As we parted from our hug, she held my hand, then the three of us walked towards the direction of the glass door exiting the waiting area.
We entered through the secured electronic doors that took us to a totally different area from where we came. There were corresponding ER rooms to both our sides, as we continued walking through the hallway. It came to my mind how this hospital was set up differently than I'm used to. When we finally approached Granny Smith's opened ER room door, slightly hearing the beep of an IV monitor from where we stood, Apple Jack dreadfully walked in, followed by Braeburn, then me. Granny Smith was currently being observed by a male nurse who stood beside her two monitors; IV Monitor, and a Heart Monitor. Apple Jack's sadden eyes began to gloss, which led her to drop her hat. Apple Jack wanted to hug her, but she couldn't. Instead, she stepped closely by her head side of the bed, and rested her hand on Granny Smith's.
Apple Jack muttered in words with a sniffle, "Granny... I'm sorry I wasn't there for you... It's my fault..."
Braeburn and I looked at each other dolefully, sensing each other's reaction to Apple Jack's comment that it really wasn't anybody's fault, and it wasn't anything we could've prevented from happening. It's a health issue, she's one-hundred and three years old, so it's a natural occurrence for her age.
"Ok guys, her blood flow seems to be normal for now, but we will continue to monitor her until the doctor comes in to give us the next plan of action." The male nurse had said in a standardized tone, "I'll leave you guys be, if you need anything, let me know, my name is Buddy."
"Thank you, kindly.." I retorted in a low voice.
The nurse bypassed through the floating wires from the monitors, and exited out the door.
I approached the other side of Granny Smith's head side of the bed, and rested my hand on her other hand. She felt warm. I sighed heavily, and reinitialized in words to Apple Jack in a low tone, "Apple Jack... Nothing we could've done can prevented this from happening. What she needs right now is you by her side."
Apple Jack leered at me and Braeburn with moistened face, noticing her beautiful, partly curled, long blonde hair, "Ah was gon' plan on visiting her this summer, along the invitation of the rest of the apple family..."
Braeburn, took his hat off, and contorted to Apple Jack's idea, "Apple Jack... You can still plan on that... Granny would love that, and she'd already be well by then.."
Apple Jack had no words of response. Her eyes remained on Granny Smith with a sullen expression.
A progressive sound of multiple flip flops were being heard from the outside of Granny's room. Pinkie, who held Lyra's hand, rushed in, as they tried to catch their breaths. We glanced to both Pinkie and Lyra, and they swiftly came in close.
Pinkie and Lyra scanned the monitors that were placed beside Granny, and the wires that connected her, "Oh my goodness!" Pinkie expressed loudly with a staggering emotion, "What the hell happened?! I was in the middle of work, but left as soon as I got your text!"
Lyra, also much to her puzzlement and surprise, needed to know Granny's current situation. Lyra gazed at me with a standardized tone, "I left the pizzeria as soon as I got your text."
My curiousness had taken over at this wrong moment of event to Lyra's words. She never goes to the Mulia Mild's pizzeria alone, without me and Pinkie for that matter. However, I delayed a response to both of the girls in a low tone, "Can you girls keep it quiet? She's okay... We gotta let her rest.... She had a heart attack..."
"A heart attack?!" Pinkie still in the same loud tone.
"Shhhhhhh!" With Braeburn's remark to Pinkie, protesting her to lower her tone.
Apple Jack turned her eyes to Pinkie Pie with her hand still rested on Granny's. Her eyes widened as observing how much Pinkie had changed in appearance. Apple Jack first noticed her long, straight pink hair then her face, and fortuitously gazed at her outfit. Pinkie scowled back at Apple Jack, followed by her sullen words, "Hey Apple Jack..."
"Hi Pinkie Pie... It's been a long time..."
"Indeed it has been.. Yet you dare show your face now?"
"Pinkie!" I quickly halted.
I glanced at Apple Jack, noticing her expression from a faint grin, that turned sour. I quickly took Pinkie's hands, and headed out the room. Lyra apologized to both Braeburn and Apple Jack, "Sorry... Pinkie hasn't been herself lately..." Then followed us both girls out the door.
The three of us stood just outside of Granny Smith's room to clear Pinkie's big ego.
"Pinkie... You're literally kicking her when she's down, what the hell is wrong with you, huh?!" I said firmly in a low voice.
"...Why is she here? She only came to visit when she found out about Granny.. If she was never going to visit at all, why even bother?.. Seriously..." Pinkie balanced her tone back at me.
"Pinkie, it's because she's her grandmother, no matter how you look at it, she always has the rights." With my aggressive expression.
Lyra stood in between Pinkie and I, and joined in, "Pinkie... Sunset is right... You have to calm down a little bit... Poor Apple Jack is feeling vulnerable right now, I think is fair to give her the comfort and treatment that she needs."
I nodded to Lyra, and turned to Pinkie again, "Look, Pinkie... I know how you feel, I totally do. But you gotta keep it together. It's the wrong time to be acting like this, so suck it up." I said firmly in a low voice to be wary of Apple Jack and Braeburn from hearing my words.
Pinkie folded her arms, letting out a sigh, and responded with a faint nod.
"Thank you." I concluded my tone.
I entered back in the room, but Pinkie and Lyra still remained outside of the room.
Lyra in a pleasant, low voice to Pinkie, "Pinkie, just look at it in the bright side. It's better for a loved one to visit than to not visit at all."
"...Lyra... I love you, but sometimes you can be a pain in my ass too... Don't think you can bypass your way through talking to Sunset about this new guy you're dating..." Pinkie reasserted.
Pinkie casually entered the room, then Lyra followed after, but muttered to herself in words so no one would hear, "... I love you too..."
"Are y'all ok?" Braeburn questioned
Pinkie scowled at Lyra as a cue to answer, "Yes, everything is ok."
Moment of silence had filled five people in the room. Apple Jack reinitialized, "Ummmm, Pinkie Pie, ah saw ya and Vinyl on the cover of a pet magazine. Y'all looked like y'all was havin' a good time."
Pinkie glanced at Apple Jack expressionlessly, "Thanks..."
Apple Jack turned her eyes to Lyra with words, "Lyra, you and ah never talked much before, but ah reckon' that you're a highly, respected music teacher at CHS."
Lyra in a pleasant voice, "Yes."
I let out a faint grin to both of the girls, then observed back at the monitors.
"So... How did it happen?" Lyra questioned to everyone in the room.
Braeburn replied, "Ah don't know, all of a sudden ah got a call from Granny Smith that she couldn't breathe and that her chest was in pain. Ah called emergency as soon as her speech became slurred over the telephone."
Pinkie looked over the monitor next to me with words, "Is she going to be ok?"
"Yeah. The nurses would have to monitor her twenty-four seven though. Heart is a sensitive part of human life."
Pinkie nodded and turned to Apple Jack to apologize, "Apple Jack... Sorry I reacted the way I did.."
"It's ok sugarcube, you were unsure how to react and went with your instincts. Ah understand that all of this is a lot to take in."
Pinkie crouched to pick up Apple Jack's hat, and gently handed it to her.
"...Thanks.." Apple Jack kindly accepted her hat, dusting the dirt off, and tossed it back on with a faint smile.
Pinkie gazed at her smile. As soon as Apple Jack put her hat on, rush of nostalgia came rushing within Pinkie. Though Apple Jack may have aged, but she still looked the same, but with slight change of her hairstyle and attire. I let out a grin to both Pinkie and Apple Jack, when the space between them two has become lighter.
Apple Jack continued with words, "Pinkie, you've changed a lot, ah mean, it's like you took a different turn within your life... Whatever happened to your crazy upbeat attitude, the cup cakes, the party canons." Apple Jack focused on her once again, "You look different... That urban fashion style of clothing, and that pretty, long straight-pink hair..."
Pinkie let out a faint grin, "That was thirteen years ago... People do change as they grow older..." Pinkie concluded conceitedly.
"I guess so." Apple Jack's hand still rested on Granny Smith's, she then gripped it lightly.
The Male ER Nurse entered to give us the hospital rules, "Sorry to interrupt you guys, but we only allow three visitors maximum in an ER room."
"Ok sir." I replied.
"Thank you for understanding." The male nurse made his exit.
As I turned away from the monitors, I looked at Apple Jack and Braeburn, "Well, I really wish I can tell you when the doctor will be in, I never rounded in this hospital before..."
Apple Jack nodded, "It's ok Sunset, I'd like to thank you all for being here."
"Yes, thanks again, Sunset for coming fast as you did." Braeburn added.
I took my cell phone out and asked, "Do you have a new phone number?"
"Yes, let me call you and let it go to voicemail, ah reckon you have the same number as it always have been?"
"Yep.."
Apple Jack pulled out her cell phone from her pocket, began placing a call to me, and letting it go to voicemail. As I updated Apple Jack's new phone number in my contacts, I slid the phone back into my pocket.
"Okay guys, We'll be on our way, call me if you need me."
Apple Jack and Braeburn nodded, then Apple Jack finalized with words, "Ya' girls take care now."
Pinkie and Lyra waved a goodbye to both of them, as us three girls walked out towards our exit of the ER room.
I've wondered if my curse has something to do with Granny's condition. I would like to think it was a natural occurrence, rather than a curse. Perhaps this curse thing is getting to me a tad too much, that is all I think about. I'm going to do more research, I'm hoping when the girls are asleep, I'll be able to find the time tonight.
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SWEET APPLES EXPRESS TRAIN TERMINAL - 7:30 PM, SAME EVENING
We decided to take a fast train home. It was more expensive, but it's the only way home within thirty minutes or less. I need to get home and fix a quick dinner for us. I can make the casserole another night. We sat by the bench and waited patiently in this mellow-crowded of an enclosed train terminal. When it comes to our seating position, I have always sat in between the girls, no matter how I try and manage to rearrange the seating pattern. Lyra always seems to close in to my left side of the seat, while she held into my arm and rested her head on my shoulder, humming a beautiful melody to herself that sounded vaguely familiar. Then Pinkie on my right, fiddling through her facebook news feed on her cell phone. The weather at this time of the evening, was breezy. I can still faintly smell the scent of the maple trees from the outskirt of this terminal. It was pleasant. I looked at the visible LED scrolling sign displayed on a train pillar in front of us that updates every so often when a new train is coming for an arrival on a certain time:
20TH AVENUE, HUMANEHATTAN [TRAIN ARRIVAL: 26 MINUTES]
Pinkie initiated while scrolling through her facebook app, "Sunset... I know you told me about the wrong things to say at the wrong time, but I can't help but worry about it the whole day... So I gotta ask... Can you give me a rundown of this curse?"
I turned to Pinkie and answered, "Of course. Eventually I was going to tell you anyway." Pinkie paused from scrolling through her facebook page, and looked at me, I then continued with words, "Thirteen years ago, before I was reformed, the curse was planted in me when I stole Princess Twilight's crown from Equestria. The curse grew when years passed by, until this thirteenth year, the curse has become more apparent. Back when Twilight and I met a couple of days ago, she explained how this curse can affect me, and around me."
"So.. What exactly does the curse do?.." Pinkie questioned.
"Eternal bad luck." I concluded.
"... And what do you mean this curse can affect around you... Are you trying to say it can affect me and Lyra?"
Lyra jumped in to the conversation, "I disagree with the curse myself. I believe were stronger to fight the curse when were together. Sunset thinks that there's still magic of friendship that's concealed within us. Only if we can make it happen, then we can lift the curse ourselves. With the help of me, you, and possibly Vinyl."
Pinkie let out a bark of laughter, followed by a doleful sigh, "Sunset, this curse is stupid. But I'm on board with Lyra, count me in... Lets take down this mofo of curse."
I raised my single eye brow at Pinkie with a faint grin, "...You've been hanging out with Vinyl a little too much, honey."
Lyra snorted with laughter.
Pinkie, with thoughtful expression, "Girls... I got something to tell you.."
"Sure, what's up?" I replied, as Lyra and I looked at Pinkie with an apprehending expression.
"This past saturday, Vinyl and I were working at the pet convention that day. I saw Flutter Shy."
Both me and Lyra's eyes had widened, and conducted her to continue on, "She has a daughter that goes by the name, Honey Bee. I guess she was there to take her daughter. I asked for her phone number, but she didn't give it to me..."
"Have you tried calling her old phone number?" I questioned.
"No."
"Honey, we should try calling, we already have her number in our contacts list, it may have been unchanged. We should give her a call sometime."
Pinkie didn't react much to my idea, but continued scrolling through her facebook page with her words, "Even if we did try calling, do you think she'll even answer?"
"We could keep trying, eventually she will answer..." Lyra concluded.
I took a curious glance at Lyra, and questioned, "...So who were you with at the Pizzeria? You never go there alone without me and Pinkie..."
Lyra withdrew her arms from mine, followed by a troubled expression, and delayed words with stutter, "I uhh..."
I interrupted with an increased tone, "Don't even think about lying, Lyra Heartstrings... Remember our talk this past Saturday at Phillyever 21?"
Lyra turned her head the opposite direction from me, and I continued with the same tone, "Lyra, look.. At.. Me.."
She slowly turned her head to my direction, with the same expression. I gently held her chin with slight force, "Is it that choir guy from your school?"
As Lyra nodded to my question, I slid my palms to my face, and muttered with words, "Oh.. My.. Celestia..."
"Sunset, he's a really sweet guy, I swear!" Lyra had said in an increased tone.
Pinkie grimaced at Lyra, then made lip movements. She visually worded out what pinkie was saying, while I was covering my face with my palms, "I told ya..."
Lyra balanced back with lip movements, "Shut up.."
After removing my palms from my face, I announced to both girls in a standardized tone, "Ok... I already told Lyra this, which I don't see the point, because she doesn't listen anyway, but I will repeat myself again..." Both the girls looked at me attentively, "From now on, you girls are not allowed to date, have sex, or anything that have to do with guys, without my consent. Is that understood?"
Pinkie interrupted, "Wait, how the hell did I get in this mess? School Lyra about that..."
"Pinkie, I know you, sometimes you can't control yourself when you see a hot guy at the bar..." I replied to Pinkie.
Lyra let out a chuckle that made me gawk at her with a single head shake, "It's not funny."
"Sorry."
I reasserted again to both girls, "Just until we figure out this curse, only then you girls can maybe go out on your own will. Right now it's too risky."
When the silence filled us, Pinkie reinitialized, "So what's the first step of solving the curse?"
I retorted in a standard tone, followed by a short sigh, "I really don't know, when we get home, I'm going to skim through the book of the curse."
"You mean the book with the number Thirteen on the front cover?"
"Yes."
"Well Sunset... You know about me and Rainbow Dash, we hated reading, so you do that... But throw us some of your ideas, and me and Lyra will throw some of ours."
"Mmhmm... Teamwork.." Lyra followed by a nod.
I unzipped my big purse, unveiling my journal book with my sunset cutie mark logo on the front. Lyra and Pinkie Pie examined the front cover of the book, and its thickness. I began grazing its front cover with words in a low tone, "...Just like ol' times..."
Pinkie balanced back in the same tone, "Not yet, but we will get there..."
I refreshed to my normal tone, and reasserted with a question, "So... What do you girls want for dinner? Please don't make me cook anything that requires an hour or so, because it's already late."
"We can just order Chinese Food for tonight.." Lyra responded.
"Yeah, same, I really don't care at this point.." Pinkie added.
"Alright... Chinese food it is, I didn't feel like cooking anyway right after today.."
The sound of a train squeak had approached near, realizing the arrival time displayed at the LED screen, is ten seconds counting down. We ascended from our bench seats, and waited for the ten seconds to lapse. Our train arrived on time for our departure. The train doors slid opened, and made our entrance.
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CLOUDSDALE NUCLEAR LABORATORY (TERMINAL ROOM#: M-7) - 2:33 PM, THURSDAY
There were eight corresponding large twenty-inch amoled display monitors that cycled around the terminal lab room. All displayed the same message on each: BIOLOGICAL ALERT. Which led the person, who wore a lab-coat, to be in state of awareness. She sat and focused in front the main computer at the center of the terminal room, troubleshooting that may have caused it. The message alert on the corresponding screens had finally disappeared, which then turned the screens to the normal windows desktop, with the company's logo.
She muttered to herself rapidly, "I don't understand... I thought I have achieved the positronic distillation of subatomic particles... Why is it that these error messages keep appearing?" She glide herself with her computer chair to another, and started swiping through the touch screen, to launch a company app. The company app prompted her to input her username and password:
Username: Sci-Twi7
Password: ***********
After inputting her information, a pop-up of message appeared: Log in successful. Welcome, Twilight Sparkle.