Married to Her Job, Single in Her Heart

by Revenant Wings

Chapter 33 - The Picnic

33.

“Are you sure this was a good idea, Twilight? I mean, Doctor Stable said from the reports that I should be staying with you one more week.”

“Oh, don’t worry too much about it, Redheart. It won’t be long before we get there anyway. Besides, I need to get out of the library and I’ll be able to rest when we get there. And you need to learn how to make some friends.”

“All well and good, but are you sure it couldn’t wait until you were fully recovered? There’s always the problem of something not turning out quite as expected. I mean, you could have some sort of strange blood clot and need to go to the hospital for that, or maybe your mu—”

“Oh, Redheart, you worry too much. Yet another reason that proves you need to get out more. And here we are anyways! Proof you didn’t need to worry so much.”

Redheart sighed and put the blanket down on the cool grass. The lake was a nice, bright blue and the day was bright and clear with moderate weather and a light breeze, perfect for the end of summer and a week away from the first day of autumn. The grass was a bright green and felt soft under Redheart’s hooves as she and Twilight laid out the blanket and their additions to the lunch; sandwiches cut in little triangles and arranged neatly (Twilight’s contribution) on a platter.

Redheart sighed and sat herself down. Her pink mane fell lightly at her shoulders, Twilight having convinced her not to put it in a bun. “When are the others supposed to be arriving?”

“Not too long. Applejack is bringing cider from her farm, Rainbow Dash stopped to pick up something from Sugarcube Corner.”

“That’s it? I’ve met Rainbow Dash and Applejack before,” Redheart said.

“You have?”

“On the day you went into a coma,” Redheart said. “They were the ones who explained how it happened, with Rainbow Dash crashing into you and all.”

“Yeah, but Rainbow Dash is still my friend and she’s still more level-headed than the others can be.”

“How are you not mad at her? You were in a coma for twelve weeks and are just getting back on your hooves after fourteen and you’re not mad at her?”

Twilight looked around as though to see if anyone was coming. When she was satisfied that there wasn’t anyone else nearby, she leaned towards Redheart and said in a hushed voice, “To be truthful, I am. I am mad that fourteen weeks of my life were disrupted by a stupid accident that Dash should have realized was going to happen. But Dash is still my friend. I’ve recovered and moved on and my life is getting back to normal again. Plus, it seems like Dash is really sorry and was really worried about me.”

Twilight looked around again and returned to Redheart with a grin. “Not that Dash would admit it.”

Redheart nodded and managed to smile, even giggling a little bit. The incident with the book was still strong in her mind, and Dash’s revelation of her enjoying reading had caused Redheart a decent laugh (even if she was still making trouble).

It wasn’t much longer after that when two ponies with saddlebags came across the hills; Applejack and Rainbow Dash were coming in side by side, Applejack carrying what looked like a small case of bottles filled with a bright yellow liquid, while Rainbow Dash carried a large box.

“Hey, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash called. “Glad to see the egghead’s out of her shell once again. And hey, Redheart!”

“Howdy, Twilight,” Applejack said. “You’re lookin’ like you’re back on the right track. Good to see you too, Redheart. Twi was worried you might back out.”

“Well, the doctor told me to stay with her one more week due to some blood tests,” Redheart said. Anyways, at the end of the week, she’s due for a checkup and she should be all clear.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said. “Not as heavy magic usage still, but it’s something.”

“I’d say that’s more than just somethin’,” Applejack replied. “Quite a fine job you’ve done takin’ care of our Twilight like that, Redheart.”

“It’s nothing,” Redheart said, feeling herself get red hot from the praise. “It’s just my job.”

“Yeah, but you’re probably, like, the best nurse in Ponyville if you managed to take care of Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said.

“It’s what my cutie mark says I’m good at. Just like yours says you’re good at being fast.”

Applejack cracked open a few ciders and passed them around. Rainbow Dash set her box down on the blanket but didn’t open it up right away. Twilight put the sandwich platter in the middle of the blanket and they began eating, drinking, and talking.

“Well, it’s certainly nice to be enjoyin’ a picnic without havin’ to worry about there being any surprise pony downpours in the forecast,” Applejack said.

“Certainly is,” Twilight said, ignoring Dash’s indignant look. “The weather team certainly did a fine job of keeping the temperatures nice and mild this summer.”

“I’ll say,” Applejack said. “It’s the first time not one of my apple trees looked brown from dryin’ out.”

“The weather team manager’s been going easy on us this year,” Rainbow Dash said. “More cloud cover means less direct sunlight, he says.”

“I’ve never had to worry about heat,” Redheart piped in. “I swear the hospital sometimes reverses the temperatures so much summer feels like winter and winter feels like summer in there.”

“If you didn’t it probably would change pretty quick, though,” Twilight replied. “Better to be able to go from one extreme to the other than having to keep finding ways to make yourself warmer or cooler.”

“I suppose so,” Redheart agreed.

For a long while, Redheart sat quietly and nibbled her sandwich. It was interesting to listen to the other ponies, but it was hard talking to them. Comments like the one she had made earlier were not going to be enough and she knew it. Sure, they asked her questions and she gave answers of yay or nay or some other little comment, but she was still hardly able to talk. Strangely enough, it irritated her.

Eventually, Twilight pulled Redheart aside. Or, rather, she asked Applejack and Rainbow Dash to move a short distance away for a minute. “Act natural,” she told Redheart.

“How am I to do that?” Redheart said. “I suppose I’ve been hiding it for so long I don’t know how to make it reveal itself again.”

“If a topic interests you, say something. If that interests someone else, they’ll make a comment on it. Then someone comments on that, and someone comments on that, and so on. A conversation is merely a string of comments on a topic of interest. You have the comment part down, but you’re not following through.”

Redheart nodded. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were summoned back over.

“So, Applejack, I heard you were heading off to another rodeo show again soon?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, there’s this event going on in Dodge Junction,” Applejack said. “I thought about not attendin’, but hey, I know I could place so I figured why not?”

“Do you think maybe we all could attend this time?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That way you won’t be running off again after the performance.”

Applejack laughed. “Maybe.”

“…the judges thought you were going to win for sure. You were a favorite from what I heard of their chatter.”

The others at the blanket froze and all turned to stare at the white pony with the pink mane.

“You were there?” Twilight asked Redheart incredulously.

“Twilight always talks of you like a neat freak,” Applejack said. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in that sort of thing.”

Redheart nodded. “My late father was fond of rodeos. Whenever one came around to Dodge Junction, he’d prepare the family, book a hotel, and we’d head off for a long weekend to watch. From a young age, rodeo has been one of my favorite sporting events.”

“How’d she do?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“The barrel weave was excellent form and the pony who beat her did it only by a few tenths of a second. The shot-buck* was good, but out came this big male who walloped everyone on the field. In the agility competition, she would have won but barely nicked an obstacle and was put back on time a few seconds. But I must say this: I’ve never been so excited at a rodeo before.”

“Really?” Applejack asked. “Been a while since I’ve heard someone say that. Usually it’s just counted as the same thing over and over and over again.”

“Isn’t any sporting event?” Redheart quipped. “The game’s the same; only the competitors are different.”

“Speaking of sports, what others do you like?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, I’ve always particularly been fond of lacrosse and my mother’s current fiancée is a semi-professional golfer.”

“Wait, what’s his name?”

“Double Eagle.”

“…your mom is going to get married to Double Eagle?” Applejack asked, awed.

“Yeah.” To Redheart, this was normal.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Rainbow Dash suddenly burst out squealing. “He took down the pegasus contender from Cloudsdale last year, but that match was epic! First time I didn’t mind Cloudsdale being beaten in an event just because it was so close. You’ve got to let us meet him sometime!”

Redheart laughed, but she wasn’t the only one; Rainbow Dash squeeing over her soon-to-be step-father was adorable and was making Twilight and Applejack laugh. “I suppose I could arrange a meeting with a few friends.”

As the day wore on, Redheart became more comfortable with Rainbow Dash and Applejack. It was actually a pleasure to be around them, and was sad though satisfying when they finally had to leave. Not to mention the food had been delicious; Rainbow Dash had even brought a ‘Welcome Back, Egghead’ cake for Twilight, and Redheart and Twilight were currently taking a quarter of it home with them; Rainbow Dash and Applejack split the rest.

“You know,” Twilight said as they walked along the path home, “you need to smile more. You look cute when you’re happy.”

Redheart looked at Twilight, a grin across her face. “I am happy,” she said. And she was. She was happier, lighter, freer than she had ever felt before.

Perhaps staying in Ponyville wasn’t such a bad decision after all.

Author's Note:

*In human sports, this would be the shot-put

Additionally, I think I'm about three chapters away from finishing.

Comments

[Flint Sparks]

A Nurse Redheart fic I haven't read yet? Excellent...

[NightDancer]

If there is only going to be three more chapters, and the past four chapters have been about redheart making friends... then why is there a romance tag? Sure there was romance but then caramel (supposingly) cheated on her halfway through the book and so far the rest has been redheart making friends. Does this mean there is going to be a sequel and this story is just about friends or what? I would love a sequel.

[khatre]

I am a bit sad that the story is so near to being done but I also cant help but squee a little at how well Redheart's life has turned around for the better

oh .. and was Twilight brazenly hitting on Redheart?
More!

[Revenant Wings]

3321691
I have ideas. I might extend it up to 10 chapters, but I don't think I have enough for a sequel.

3331743
Maybe...

[NightDancer]

3332422.