New Moon (My Little Pony)

03 (2/7) Vivid Dream

Bud shuffled about in her bed before her eyes opened upon another. A pair of gold glistening eyes gazed her. Bud furrowed at its owner, who was leaning on a side of her bed. "Stop that Lazuli," Bud grumbled.

"Stop what," Lazuli asked with a smile. "Watching you speak gibberish in your sleep?"

Bud raised from her pillow and stretched her forehooves. Her bones felt worn and the beaming light through her blinds did nothing to alleviate it, prompting her to mask her face. She then asked her Pegasus friend, "What time is it?"

"Mmm," Lazuli tapped her chin. "Close enough for us to be late I guess."

"What!?" Bud stomped her hooves on her bed. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Well," Lazuli rubbed the back of her neck. "I was going to. But then I kind of got distracted."

"By what?"

"That's not important," Lazuli turned away from Bud. She could see a tinge of red on Lazuli's cheeks. "Anyways, you need hurry and get your plot off that bed and get dressed already. I have foals to discipline too you know."

"Right," Bud sighed. She stepped out from her bed on the other end from Lazuli, but instead she fell sideways on the tan carpet. Thankfully it cushioned her fall with the extra layer of foam she had implemented to the flooring of the room. Her body quickly nestled so comfortably on the carpet that she nearly drew back to sleep.

"Hey," Lazuli rushed to her side. "You okay?"

Bud managed to pick herself up, but she felt an annoying ache on her backside that made her want to quit. Her legs wobbled a bit before she could find her balance.

"What time is it," Bud asked again.

"It's only half an hour past six," Lazuli spoke in a gentle tone. "We still have an hour and a half before classes start. So just relax, okay."

"Oh, thank goodness," Bud breathed and then rubbed her temple. Her head received a sudden headache that was making it a challenge to relax her nerves. She then felt nausea building up from her stomach. Bud rushed to a bathroom connected to her room and lurched her face above a toilet seat.

She vomited green bile of digested vegetables she had last night for dinner. Her stomach contracted violently as she continuously coughed and choked.

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital," Lazuli entered the bathroom. She covered her nose with a hoof to block out the stench her friend made.

"No," Bud gurgled. She spat the remaining bile hidden in her mouth. "No. I can still go."

"It'll be fine," Lazuli sat next to her friend and rubbed her back. "I'm sure we can find a substitute for you."

"In an hour before school starts?"

"Look, if it comes down to it, I'll take your place."

"I don't know. I don't like the idea of leaving my foals unattended."

"Your students," Lazuli corrected. The two gazed at each other for a short moment. Lazuli sighed at her friend's saddened face. "Fine, but you better not push yourself too hard."

"Thank you," Bud smiled.

"So how long did you get to sleep anyways?" Lazuli rubbed down Bud's frazzled pink mane. "Not be a jerk, but you look awful."

"A-a good while," Bud stuttered. "I was only up for a bit to grade my student's worksheets." That was a lie. In truth, she was performing another of her nightly wishes upon the stars. But if her friend found out about it, she would most likely stop her.

"Sure doesn't seem like a good while," Lazuli looked unconvinced.

"I was kind of scared last night. After, you know, grading my student's work, I started to hear this weird crackling noise."

"Spooky," Lazuli commented. "Did you find out what it was?"

"No. I turned the lights on and checked my room at least twice, I think. Maybe I was just tired and was hearing things."

"Hmm. Think this place may be haunted? I did hear an old stallion died in this very apartment."

Bud gaped her mouth. "Somepony died here!?"

"Oh yeah. The landowner told me that it was some cranky stallion that made a fuss over neighbors over the most menial things. But then a week went by with no pony hearing from him, so our landowner checked on him and found his body lying cold in this very room you're living in."

"That's so sad."

"He probably became a ghost and decided to haunt you since you didn't go sleep like you were supposed to."

"You made that last part up," Bud stared unamused by her friend.

"Maybe," Lazuli grinned. "Guess you'll have to find out the next time you choose to stay up during a school's week."