"Spike?" Twilight Sparkle called, worried sick. She ran past some Ponies eating brunch, then doubled back and stopped at their outdoor table. "Have any of you seen Spike?"
They all shook their heads.
Twilight groaned with worrying as she ran down the street. "Spike! Spike?" It seemed as if she had searched everywhere!
Then something caught her eye: a little boy with a purple hoodie stood several yards ahead, gazing into a shop window. He had the hood on and his back to her, so it could've been anyone—except that he had a scaly purple and green tail!
"Spike!" A wave of relief washed over her. She ran up behind him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I'm so glad I—"
He rotated in her arms and shoved her back. "Stop!"
It felt like he had punctured her heart with one of his claws. Twilight stood staring at him, dumbfounded. She brushed it off and tried again. "I was looking all over for you! Are you okay?" She pulled his hood off and combed his green hair with her fingers, making it look like he had actually brushed it after waking up.
Looking irritated, he batted her hands away. "I said 'Stop!' Ponies are watching!"
Twilight's eyebrows pressed together. "But Spike, you really had me worried! I was about to call the police!" She took his face in her hands and examined it.
He jerked away, frowning. "Stop coddling me!"
"Spike, you know you're not supposed to leave without my permission! I didn't even know where you were! Who knows what could've happened to you?"
"Stop worrying about me! I can take care of myself!" He put his hood back on and turned to walk away.
"No, you can't!" Twilight caught him by the arm. "I have to take care of you!"
"No, you don't!" He wrenched his arm out of her grip.
"Yes, I do! And you need to respect me and follow my rules!"
"No, I don't! You're not my mom!" he yelled, blowing smoke out his nostrils.
Twilight gasped. She knew everyone's eyes were on them, but she felt so numb. Even though tears blurred her vision, she could see Spike walking away. Her stomach tied itself in knots and she just stood there, staring at the ground. She didn't know what to do with herself, and she didn't care if anyone was looking. It didn't matter.
"Ms. Twilight Sparkle?" A hand touched her shoulder.
Twilight looked up and wiped her eyes.
The Pegasus stallion looked embarrassed. "Um… I'm sorry. Um…" He seemed to suddenly remember why he'd disturbed her sulking. "The Cakes sent me to find you! Pinkie Pie's in the hospital. They want you there immediately."
Twilight was astonished. "W-what? What happened?"
"No time to explain, miss! Do you want me to carry you? I can fly fast!"
"No need!" Her hands began glowing, increasing in brightness, until she and the stallion disappeared.
The stallion looked surprised to see the hospital walls around him, and a little dizzy. "Oh. Wow! Thank you!" He turned to her and extended a hand. "By the way, I'm—"
Twilight cut him off. "What room is Pinkie staying in?"
"Um, I'm not sure! She was still in Urgent Care when I was here earlier."
Twilight Sparkle growled in frustration. "You could've told me that before I teleported us here!" In a flash of light, she teleported herself to Ponyville Urgent Care, leaving the stallion behind. "Is Pinkie Pie here?"
A nurse, shocked to see someone appear in front of her, stammered that Pinkie had just been moved to the hospital.
Twilight growled again and teleported back to the stallion.
"Oh, good, you're back! This nurse was just telling me where Pinkie Pie is staying." The Pegasus stallion gave a little smile, but Twilight was not amused. Nervously, he continued, "Um, anyway, she's right down this hall! Just follow me."
They jogged down a few hallways until they found the Cakes sitting in chairs in a waiting room. Each of them held one of their babies and a bottle. They looked up and offered weak smiles. Mr. Cake spoke. "Pinkie Pie asked us to wait out here. Your friends are in the room with her, number 205."
Twilight swallowed as she approached the room alone. What had happened to Pinkie? Was it a gash or a broken bone? Did she suddenly fall ill with hay fever or the Pony pox?
It felt so surreal entering a dim hospital room and seeing one of her best friends on the bed with an IV. Besides that, Pinkie looked pale and sickly, and not at all her cheery self.
Twilight scanned the room. The walls were blank and the curtains ugly, but she hardly noticed. Mostly she noticed her friends. Applejack was sober, standing at the foot of the bed as if she were keeping watch over Pinkie. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, usually side-by-side, were sitting in opposite corners of the room, not making eye contact with anyone. And Rarity was sitting quietly, reading a magazine.
What had happened?