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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
A Healthy Obsession
Twilight Sparkle lay in bed as her father held a hoof to her cheek. “Might be a fever,” Night Light said. “Let’s see.”
He shook the thermometer in his magical grip, then placed it under Twilight’s tongue. “Just hold it there a moment, and we’ll check your temperature.” While he waited, he hummed a little tune and pulled back the blinds from the window to gaze out at the weather.
Twilight just let her head sink further into the pillow and allowed herself a little groan. She blinked, but her eyes didn’t pop open again as quickly as usual. She could hear all the commotion downstairs.
“Mom, do you know where I left my Power Ponies hat?” Shining Armor shouted, his voice cracking.
“No,” their mother replied. “Here, you make the sandwiches, and I’ll look for it. You probably buried it in your toy chest or something.”
Night Light let the blinds swing back, and the drawstring scuffed rhythmically as it swung past the sill, back and forth, back and forth. “Shame if you don’t get to go,” he said, “but I’ll stay home to watch you if you feel too bad. Don’t worry about it. Just an amusement park. Your big brother will have the time of his life, but to tell you the truth—” he leaned in and shielded his mouth with the back of a hoof “—I’m not too keen on going myself.”
With another groan, Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Don’t let me keep you. I know you like time with the family,” she said, the thermometer clicking against her teeth.
“Shh. Keep your mouth closed, or it will read cold,” he answered, giving her mane a tousle. “We go to the trouble of getting you excused from school, and then you might not even get to go? I feel sorry for you, lying in bed all day. I know you have your books to read, but you can’t enjoy them as much if you feel bad.”
Not the best of circumstances, but she didn’t need them treating her like a foal anymore. She’d turn nine years old in just a few more months!
His eyes locked on the wall clock, Night Light finally pulled the thermometer out and peered at it. “One hundred two. Slight fever, alright.” He ruffled her mane again. “What else you got? Sore throat, cough, chest congestion, anything?”
She nodded slowly and added a cough. “Not the chest, I guess. But the rest of it. And a little stuffed up.”
“Okay.” Night Light returned the thermometer to its case and set it on the desk. “I’ll stay with you today. Gives them a chance to do a little mother-son bonding.”
And right on cue, Shining piped up. “Moooom, don’t bring that stupid camera with you. Nopony wants to see those pictures.”
“Go with them, Dad. You took the day off work and everything. No reason for you to be cooped up around the house, too. Besides, I’m a big girl now”—she snapped as sharp a nod as she dared for somepony with throbbing sinuses—“and I’m responsible enough to stay home alone.”
He sighed and watched her for a long while, his eyes searching her face. “You sure?” he finally said.
“Yes. Just leave me some crackers, vegetable broth, and water where I can reach them, and I’ll have everything I need.” Twilight waved a hoof at the stack of books and box of tissues on her nightstand, then gave Smarty Pants a squeeze.
Night Light raised an eyebrow. “The soup will get cold.”
“I can heat it myself. I’ve been practicing. Please?” He didn’t seem convinced, so she added a smile.
He kept watching, and his eyes narrowed. “Okay.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She pulled up the quilt and nestled into the mattress. Staying in bed did feel pretty good. So she closed her eyes and listened as all the noise downstairs came to a stop, and her father returned with a nice lunch for later..
“Take it easy,” he said as he kissed her cheek. “We’ll be back just before dinner.”
“You too. And ride the roller coaster for me.” He chuckled, and then all of their sounds faded, down the stairs, out the door, into the street, and gone. Just silence. She took a deep breath. Yes, her bed was very comfortable.
Then she tossed the covers aside, canceled the warming spell on her face, grabbed her saddlebags, and dashed off to school. They were going to start on quadratic equations today!
He shook the thermometer in his magical grip, then placed it under Twilight’s tongue. “Just hold it there a moment, and we’ll check your temperature.” While he waited, he hummed a little tune and pulled back the blinds from the window to gaze out at the weather.
Twilight just let her head sink further into the pillow and allowed herself a little groan. She blinked, but her eyes didn’t pop open again as quickly as usual. She could hear all the commotion downstairs.
“Mom, do you know where I left my Power Ponies hat?” Shining Armor shouted, his voice cracking.
“No,” their mother replied. “Here, you make the sandwiches, and I’ll look for it. You probably buried it in your toy chest or something.”
Night Light let the blinds swing back, and the drawstring scuffed rhythmically as it swung past the sill, back and forth, back and forth. “Shame if you don’t get to go,” he said, “but I’ll stay home to watch you if you feel too bad. Don’t worry about it. Just an amusement park. Your big brother will have the time of his life, but to tell you the truth—” he leaned in and shielded his mouth with the back of a hoof “—I’m not too keen on going myself.”
With another groan, Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Don’t let me keep you. I know you like time with the family,” she said, the thermometer clicking against her teeth.
“Shh. Keep your mouth closed, or it will read cold,” he answered, giving her mane a tousle. “We go to the trouble of getting you excused from school, and then you might not even get to go? I feel sorry for you, lying in bed all day. I know you have your books to read, but you can’t enjoy them as much if you feel bad.”
Not the best of circumstances, but she didn’t need them treating her like a foal anymore. She’d turn nine years old in just a few more months!
His eyes locked on the wall clock, Night Light finally pulled the thermometer out and peered at it. “One hundred two. Slight fever, alright.” He ruffled her mane again. “What else you got? Sore throat, cough, chest congestion, anything?”
She nodded slowly and added a cough. “Not the chest, I guess. But the rest of it. And a little stuffed up.”
“Okay.” Night Light returned the thermometer to its case and set it on the desk. “I’ll stay with you today. Gives them a chance to do a little mother-son bonding.”
And right on cue, Shining piped up. “Moooom, don’t bring that stupid camera with you. Nopony wants to see those pictures.”
“Go with them, Dad. You took the day off work and everything. No reason for you to be cooped up around the house, too. Besides, I’m a big girl now”—she snapped as sharp a nod as she dared for somepony with throbbing sinuses—“and I’m responsible enough to stay home alone.”
He sighed and watched her for a long while, his eyes searching her face. “You sure?” he finally said.
“Yes. Just leave me some crackers, vegetable broth, and water where I can reach them, and I’ll have everything I need.” Twilight waved a hoof at the stack of books and box of tissues on her nightstand, then gave Smarty Pants a squeeze.
Night Light raised an eyebrow. “The soup will get cold.”
“I can heat it myself. I’ve been practicing. Please?” He didn’t seem convinced, so she added a smile.
He kept watching, and his eyes narrowed. “Okay.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She pulled up the quilt and nestled into the mattress. Staying in bed did feel pretty good. So she closed her eyes and listened as all the noise downstairs came to a stop, and her father returned with a nice lunch for later..
“Take it easy,” he said as he kissed her cheek. “We’ll be back just before dinner.”
“You too. And ride the roller coaster for me.” He chuckled, and then all of their sounds faded, down the stairs, out the door, into the street, and gone. Just silence. She took a deep breath. Yes, her bed was very comfortable.
Then she tossed the covers aside, canceled the warming spell on her face, grabbed her saddlebags, and dashed off to school. They were going to start on quadratic equations today!