"You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not."
The Trials we Face
Chapter 3
"Please be alright, Pinkie. Okay? I'll come back and…and see you."
It was early in the morning when Dash stirred in her fluffy cloud bed; the sun just barely peeking out from the houses of Ponyville. She awoke with that same thought crossing her mind for the last few days; ever since she was released from the hospital.
The cyan pegasus had been going to see Pinkie Pie ever since that day. The day she almost left without seeing the one pony she wanted to talk to and meet.
She didn't know why though. Dash's memory still seemed to be recovering, but she had no recollection of ever meeting the bouncy pink earth pony. It was something the high-speed flier wondered about a lot; something she couldn't get off her mind except for when she flew through the skies.
Dash rubbed her sleep heavy eyes, groaned softly, and sat up in her bed.
Looking over at the clock, she groaned again. This was beginning to get ridiculous. "Can't you let me sleep in just once this week?"
The clock only stared back silently at the troubled and grumpy cerulean mare. After a moment, Dash lowered her head and gave up. It was way too early for this. "I guess not," Dash sighed. She flopped back in bed and stared up at the cloud ceiling.
After a much needed cloud shower and some breakfast, Dash took to the air to have some time to train before her flight duties. She had recently accepted a job as cloud clearer for Ponyville; a much more easy going job than the one in Cloudsdale, but it still left Dash with little time for training to be a Wonderbolt.
The wind rushed through the pegasi's mane, blowing with all its might to keep Dash from moving forward; however as the breeze grew stronger, so did Dash's need to speed through the open air.
Dash dove and spun through the skies at top speed, not even feeling the effects of the air currents surrounding and trying to counter act her flight pattern. She was in her element.
"Woohoo!"
"Huh?!" Dash looked around, trying to figure out who was suddenly flying with her, but there wasn't anypony around that she could see. The cyan pegasus thought for sure it had come from behind her; right by her ears.
Shaking that strange feeling off her wings, Dash cruised down to a small river on the border of the Everfree forest. She felt drawn to it somehow, like she had been around here before. The cyan mare didn't really try to take any notice however.
Dash caught glimpses of the overgrown woods each night before her eyes closed. She remembered some of the visions as she slept, but when Dash woke and she opened her eyes, the visions faded to the back of her mind.
Dash took another look about the clearing to see if anypony had followed her, there was still nothing in sight. There were only trees and shrubs around to greet her.
"Great, now I'm hearing things," Dash rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly, "Forget it, I'll just get a drink before I practice some more."
"Ooh, hey Dash, can I watch you practice sometime? When I'm out of here of course heh."
A small smile worked its way onto the cyan pegasi's face as she remembered what the pink mare had asked one day.
"Heh sure Pinks. I've never had anypony wanting to watch me train before, but I don't mind."
Dash ruffled her feathers slightly in the breeze. She leaned forward and took a big gulp from the slow moving creek, letting her thoughts wander.
"What?! You mean you've never had ponies 'ooh'ing and 'ahh'ing about your amazing tricks?"
Dash blushed softly at Pinkie's echoing complements in her mind. She sat down at the edge of the riverbank and gazed absently into the clear blue water.
"Nope. I usually practice alone. It's less distracting that way, I guess." Dash scratched the back of her mane, chuckling nervously.
"Oh…well you don't have to say I can come if I'll be a distraction to you." Pinkie smiled sweetly as she sat upright in her hospital bed. Somehow Dash remembered that small expression. It seemed like the pink pony used it a lot before, but Dash didn't know her long enough for her to think that smile had any meaning to it.
Dash shook her head gently as she sat next to the bed. "It's alright Pinkie. You can come if you want, I'd…like you to see some of my tricks. I just hope they're any good…"
Dash blinked at the flowing stream and stood up, snapping out of her trance. The blush was still present on her cheeks, but she fought it off. The cyan mare shook her head again, berating herself. "Why did I say that? I barely know her…why am I blushing?"
She groaned at not knowing anything about the situation. Dash turned to her reflection in the river for those answers, but the same confused face stared back up at her. Dash sighed and hung her head.
"Wait, what's that?" Dash opened her eyes, catching a glimmer in the water. She leaned in closer, intent on seeing what the odd shape at the bottom was, but the sun shone down on the clearing preventing Dash from distinguishing it.
As she crouched down to see if she could get a better look through the water, the ground began to collapse under the cyan pegasus. "I can't, whoa-!"
Dash lost her hoofing and slid into the cold shimmering stream. She sat up, drenched, and spit the water out of her mouth. Stupid sun, The cerulean mare grumbled to herself. She glared up at the burning orb in the sky and shook her mane out.
Looking back down in the river, Dash pulled the object out of the water and held it between her hooves. She sat at the bottom, trying to figure out what this strange shape could be, but the rock just stayed a rock.
Dash climbed out of the water and shook herself off, still carrying the object in her hoof. "I wonder what this thing is." Dash mused to no one in particular. She placed the rock on the ground and sat down in front of it. She lifted up a hoof and poked it slightly, humming to herself as the object started to rock back and forth.
The white stone shook again and Dash saw a crack form. She stood up and backed away slightly, still keeping her magenta eyes trained on the suspicious looking object. The cyan pegasus tilted her head to the side and the rock broke open.
Dash turned away covering her eyes with her wing as shards flew in all directions, but when Dash turned back something had replaced it. It looked like a tiny alligator baby. "What the?"
As if the creature heard Dash's question, the alligator looked up at the pony with its big purple eyes. It seemed a little big for a new born alligator, but then again Dash hadn't seen that many this week so she decided it was the right size.
Dash began to walk around the small reptile, interested in where it could have come from and why it was in the river. The little alligator followed her every move with those large eyes, but it made no sounds as to what it was.
The pegasus made a full round of the baby and crouched down at the front of the creature. Dash squinted and poked the alligator again and before she knew it, the reptile had latched itself onto the pony's muzzle.
This came as quite the shock to the blue mare. It all happened in the blink of an eye, but Dash recoiled back and yelped loudly. She quickly and easily shook the alligator from her face and rubbed her nose afterwards, but nothing actually hurt.
Dash was surprised for a moment, unsure of what to think; an alligator had bitten her and there were no actual bite marks anywhere. She touched her nose again before looking down at where the reptile had landed. He was already standing back up as if he hadn't just been flung a few hooves backwards.
As the situation calmed down, Dash's expression changed from shock to annoyance. "What the hay was that for? You coulda really hurt me. I don't even know how you didn't, but that's not gonna get you off the hook."
The alligator blinked its eyes independently in response and opened its maw again, but he didn't move. Dash looked closely. He had no teeth, only gums where the teeth should have grown from. This only succeeded in confusing the pegasus more.
"Oh, I guess that's how…but that doesn't mean it's okay for you to go around biting ponies." Dash tried to seem strict, as if teaching a very important lesson, but the alligator only blinked back at her. Dash raised an eyebrow and glanced up at the sun, realisation striking her. "Oh horseapples, I gotta get to work."
The pegasus started out of the clearing, trotting briskly to pick up speed, but a soft squeaking noise caught Dash's interest. She turned back around to see the small alligator crawling up to her.
Dash lifted a hoof slightly in confusion at seeing the reptile so eager to follow her. "Uhhh…" The alligator stared up at the pegasus, waiting and listening to Dash in silence. The cyan mare stepped back unsure of the situation, but she eventually shrugged. "Well, okay, you can come with me I suppose."
At this the alligator wagged his tail ever so slightly. It made Dash smile softly and trot forward.
"You seem cool enough, although I'm not sure about that blank stare you have. I've got flight duties right now, but you could fly on my back." Dash crouched down to allow the small reptile to jump on her back, but instead the alligator jumped and chomped, or gumbed, down on the pegasi's mane. Dash sighed quietly, but didn't fight it. She was already late for work.
As the cyan mare soared through the air towards the clouds she needed to clear for the day, her thoughts wandered around in her mind. I wonder what Pinkie's doing right now. She's probably bored out of her mind with having to stay in that small bed. "What do you think little guy?"
Dash glanced back at the alligator and saw him blink his eyes independently again. That look gave Dash a sudden idea as she dove through a few clouds above Ponyville.
"Hey, what if I take you to see her? I'm sure she'd get a kick out of you." Dash turned back around and focussed on clearing the storm of clouds ahead of her, bucking the rain clouds into nothing as her thoughts continued to buzz around in her head. Nah, I'm sure she'd probably just be asleep or something. She wouldn't be interested in this little guy.
With those imaginings out of the way, Dash allowed herself to focus completely on the task she was given.
"Wham! Another one…and another!" Dash zoomed through the skies at lightning fast speeds, kicking out the clouds above the small village. The baby alligator didn't seemed to be having any problems keeping a hold of Dash's mane though, surprising because he really had no teeth to cling with.
As the day drew on, the skies quickly became cloudless, letting the sun shine through and grace the fields and pastures with a good ray of light. Dash still rocketed by and took out any clouds in the area, but soon enough there weren't any more clouds to clear.
So when the sun reached its peak in the sky, the blue pegasus soared down to the ground in Ponyville and let out a heavy sigh. "Phew, that was some flight huh little guy?" Dash glanced back at her flying companion and saw him blink slowly, just as usual. It seemed like the speed hadn't affected the creature at all; she thought that was pretty cool. She smiled and trotted through the town eager for a meal before she went to the hospital.
Spotting Sugarcube Corner on her left, Dash made her way into the sweets shop with the thought of a delicious cupcake in her mind. She trotted up to the counter and sat herself down to wait for Mr. or Mrs. Cake to take her order.
On record time, Mrs. Cake appeared at the desk and smiled back at Rainbow Dash. "Oh, hello there Rainbow Dash, nice to see you today. What can I get you?"
Dash licked her lips and placed two bits on the counter as payment. "I'll have one of your best cupcakes of the day Mrs. Cake. Just got back from a little training so I'm ready for a quick snack."
Mrs. Cake stared down at the bits on the table for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, I can't accept this." The older mare pushed the bits back over to the puzzled pegasus.
Dash tilted her head to the side questioningly. "What? Why not, is it three bits now?"
Mrs. Cake chuckled and shook her head again. "Oh no nothing like that. We'd never do something like that. It's just that friends of staff never pay, it's on the house." The mare winked quickly at Dash and began trotting to the back to get the pony's cupcake.
"Really? Sweet, thanks Mrs. Cake. Who do I know that works here?" Dash searched her mind for somepony that she knew, but she couldn't think of anypony that worked at Sugarcube Corner besides the owners. Of course the only pony I could imagine working here would be-
"Why, Pinkie Pie of course." Mrs. Cake replied, interrupting Dash's thought and getting her attention. "She started a few weeks ago, didn't she tell you?"
Dash looked startled at the teal mare's question. She hadn't thought of it before, but now that she did it made sense. She suddenly remembered baking with the pink mare in the back. Dash shook her head to rid herself of that image. "O-oh yeah, I guess I forgot."
Mrs. Cake came back to the front and hoofed the tasty treat over to Dash as the pegasus began to salivate over the delectable looking sweet. "Here you go Rainbow Dash, and could you give our best to Pinkie at the hospital? I hope the poor dear gets better soon."
Dash nodded softly at the older mare and took the cupcake in her hoof. "Don't worry Mrs. Cake. I'm sure Pinkie will be fine." The two ponies exchanged small smiles and Mrs. Cake walked to the back of the store.
As the reptile still clung happily to Rainbow Dash's mane, the cyan mare stared at the sweet shop owners working in the back. She smiled at the couple and left them in silence.
Dash stepped out of the shop and took a bite of the cupcake, immediately being enveloped in deliciousness and a perfect sweetness. So the Cakes seem to remember Pinkie just fine. Why can't I…and how did she know Pinkie was even in the hospital?
Quickly finishing off the cupcake, Dash took one look around at the ponies walking about the town center and flew back into the air. She spun like a cork and did a loop in the sky before coming to a stop in mid-air.
"Still clinging on little guy?" Dash asked with smirk as she glanced over her shoulder at the little alligator. He still hung on to the pegasi's hair, quite content to stay like that it would seem. "You are one crazy toothless alligator. Well, I'd say it's time to go see a pink pony at the hospital."
Not waiting for the reptile's response, Dash flapped her wings and soared towards Ponyville hospital. The wind howled passed her ears, but the cyan mare didn't mind. It wasn't something she was unfamiliar with. When she flew this fast Dash had to rely completely on sight, not being able to smell or hear anything around her; just the wind howling in her ears.
As Dash flew, she remembered the week's visits to the bouncy pony. Some had been extremely fun. Dash would tell Pinkie a high-speed story of her dazzling tricks and the earth mare would eat it up, being all ears to the pegasus. She didn't know why, but it felt good to have Pinkie's full attention.
However, some of the trips involved comforting a miserable pink pony that had woken from a nightmare after she arrived. Dash didn't know what to do exactly, but she felt a pang in her heart at seeing the mare so sad. It didn't take a reason or a meaning to what had upset Pinkie for Dash to calm the little pony as best she could.
It must have been really horrible being cooped up in the hospital room for not only a week, but two. Dash honestly didn't know how she managed to stand, or sit it. After all Pinkie was just about as energetic as Rainbow Dash, perhaps more so.
Dash never asked what had upset her on any of those visits, but it was always on her mind since the day when Pinkie's stomach began to hurt. Dash really wanted to know what was bothering the pink mare, but she was afraid if she mentioned it Pinkie would become upset again; for some reason that was something that she really didn't want to be the cause of.
It felt like Dash was the cause of it already, but she had no recollection of doing something hurtful to the earth pony before. For once, the cyan mare was happy that she didn't remember why.
When the building came into sight, Dash looked back at her flight companion and smiled softly. "Maybe it's good you came along after all."
The small alligator tilted his head slightly and blinked quizzically, but he still held a firm grip on the pegasi's colorful mane. They landed at the front door and Dash trotted briskly inside. She came to a halt at the front desk where a mare with a red cross cutie-mark was presently seated at.
"Welcome back Rainbow Dash. Are you here to see Pinkie Pie again?" The pony asked Dash with a smile.
"You bet Nurse Redheart. I, uh…actually brought a pet in for her to see. I hope that's okay." Dash gestured to the toothless alligator currently chewing, or trying to, on her mane.
Redheart shook her head good-naturedly, "Not a problem, just make sure he doesn't get away from you at all."
Dash smirked and held back a quick chuckle. "I don't think we have to worry about that too much." Fixing her wings slightly to sit easier at her sides, the cyan mare made her way through the hallway until she came upon the familiar door at the end of the hospital wing.
Dash pushed the door open with her muzzle and strolled in quietly. Pinkie lay back in her bed, looking curiously up at the ceiling. At first Dash just stood there with a confused expression on her face. She had never seen a more focussed and calm Pinkie in her life.
The cyan pegasus suddenly cleared her throat and smirked, "Well, if you're busy I suppose I can come back a little later."
Pinkie shot up from her position in the bed and positively glowed at Dash. Her blankets quickly fell from her and landed on the covers of the bed. "Dashie!" She shouted happily. Pinkie began to bounce slightly in her seat as a smirk grew on Dash's face.
The sight of Pinkie being so happy just by Dash being there made the pegasus blush slightly, but not enough for her to not make a comment to save herself the embarrassment. "Hey, didn't the doctor tell you not to bounce until you're all better?"
Pinkie giggled softly, "I know, but I can't help it. Whenever you come by it's always more bearable being here."
Dash raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the excited pony. "Really? I didn't think I had that effect on ponies."
"Well you just make the day go by faster…especially when you tell me about one of your training sessions. I wish I could fly like you can." Pinkie lowered her head slightly, her expression failing. This is just what Dash had feared would happen.
Time to play my secret weapon, Dash chuckled lightly to herself. "Yeah, that would be cool, but today I've got something else for ya."
At this Pinkie perked up again. "Really? What are we going to do today? I can't get out of my bed remember?" Her attention was once again trained on Dash, something the cyan mare was strangely thankful for.
Dash's smirk widened as she reached behind her and detached the little alligator from her mane to show Pinkie Pie. "Well I brought you this little guy to keep you company when I'm not here; if the nurses are also okay with having him here."
Pinkie's eyes lit up at the sight of the gum-filled reptile, "Aww, he's so cute. Where did you find him?"
Dash walked over and placed the alligator in the earth pony's hooves. She sat down and rubbed a fore-hoof against her chest. "Oh, it's nothing. He's been flying along with me all day; quite the grip for a fella with no teeth." Dash flapped her wings at a job well done, but her celebration and cool mood were cut short by a quick but strong hug by the pink pony.
Pinkie hugged the pegasus tightly as she also held onto the alligator in a vice-like group hug. "Ohhh! Thank you Rainbow Dash, this is waaay better than stories. I mean, not that your stories aren't good, but you actually went and got me a cute little alligator to keep me happy and laughing. Thank you Dash."
"No problem Pinks." Dash slipped out of the hug and sat down at the edge of the bed. "So what are you gonna call him?"
Pinkie placed a hoof to her chin in thought. Suddenly the alligator leapt from Pinkie's other hoof and chomped down on her mane. Dash winced a little at the memory of him doing that to her, but the pink mare didn't even seem to notice. "I was thinking of calling him…Gummy."
Dash chuckled at the obvious name. "That's perfect for him. He's been doing that to me all day."
As the day turned into afternoon and afternoon turned into evening, visiting hours ended and Dash had to say goodbye to Pinkie and Gummy. They hugged once more and Dash was allowed to leave, still with a little bit of disappointment on the pink mare's face.
Dash placed a hoof under the pony's chin and lifted Pinkie's head up to stare into those cyan eyes. "It's okay Pinks. I'll be back as soon as I can okay? Besides you've got Gummy to keep you company now right?" Dash smiled softly at the pink pony and Pinkie managed to smile back.
Pinkie Pie wiped a tear from her eye and nodded silently. Dash chuckled softly at the earth mare and turned to the door.
"Say bye to Dashie, Gummy." Pinkie said as the cyan pegasus reached the doorway.
Dash turned around in time to see the small alligator blink at her, like always. It brought a smile to Dash's face as she walked out of the hospital.
The next few days went by quickly, but happily as Dash went about her duties and took short visits to see if Pinkie was doing any better. With Gummy always at her side, it seemed like Dash's plan had worked.
The doctors said Pinkie could be released the day of the Summer Sun Celebration and that was just two days away. The pink pony could also walk around the hospital and the doctors even said Dash could take Pinkie for a short flight in the air.
It was an idea they both accepted immediately and the two spent the entire morning soaring amongst the clouds, with Gummy of course, clinging to Pinkie's mane.
As they made their way back into the hospital, Dash stopped at the entrance of the building. "Hey, uh, Pinkie…about being released in two days…I kinda have to clear the clouds over Ponyville that day. You know, for the celebration. So I won't be able to come pick you up."
Pinkie looked sad for a moment, but then she smiled. "It's okay Dashie, I understand. Your cloud clearing duties come first; I wouldn't want you to get in trouble. And besides, we can hang out later that week anyway. Hehe, I mean we live in the same town now right?"
Dash smiled back at Pinkie, mentally sighing in relief. "Heh, yeah I guess you're right. So I'll see ya tomorrow and everything."
"You will, bye Dash." Pinkie waved goodbye to the cyan pegasus as she walked into the room of the hospital and shut the door.