Post by waxworks on Apr 21, 2013 22:16:31 GMT
Three back-to-back shifts, for eight days straight. As soon as one patient went out, two more came in. The waiting room had been so jam-packed that anypony that had come in just worried they'd gotten sick wound up catching it from the genuine cases, and so everypony had gotten a little taste of bucking bronchitis, or by its scientific name valde miserum equus. But Ponyville General Hospital was top-notch, and so within two weeks everypony who was sick, was thoroughly medicated. Everypony who'd been working there, meanwhile, was ragged and exhausted, and Rivet Stitch was no exception.
Her boss had learned to keep an eye on her when they were working long shifts, as she was the sort of pony to look perfectly alert and fine for four days straight, then pass out from exhaustion on the fifth day. So in order to keep his staff perky and healthy, half of the staff of the hospital was given two days off in addition to the weekend, the senior medics covering the overflow for them.
First, was sleep. Rivet Stitch, despite her general appearance and reserved personality, slept like a tranquilized bear while snoring like a ripsaw sorting horseshoes. So the first day of vacation was spent entirely unconscious, and it was time well spent.
But now Rivet felt mentally refreshed, although still a little wonky from spending an entire day sleeping. Now it was time to get herself back into her happy place, and that meant spending the weekend subjecting herself to her own favorite past time, and that meant preparations.
First stop, the Ponyville Marketplace Chocolatier. Sure, Sugarcube Corner had some of the best baked goods and sweets, as well a type of cherry turnover Riv was very partial to, but when you wanted a certain kind of collection of tiny, cream filled chocolates, you had to look elsewhere for the good stuff. Here it was, being tended to by a squat, fat little pony who seemed to be floating around behind the counter like a cloud, cooing to his customers.
"Aaaah! Madame, hello! Might I tempt you today with one of our assorted creams? The raspberry, the caramel, the maple, they're all verrrry nice!"
Rivet stared at the case. Each different chocolate was piled in its own separate group, so you could have a box made up of whatever you wanted. "Oh sweet maple," her mind gushed, "where have you been... cherry cordial, cashew clusters, teeny caramel turtles... I... I have to have all of you! Every last one of you!"
"I'll have five of each of these," she said mechanically, pointing to several different piles.
The vendor drooped a little, slightly disappointed his pitch hadn't made more of an impact. Still, it was a good sale. "Eh, and would madame care to try our newest creations, a crunchy mint truffle?"
Her head nonchalantly turned so she could focus on the newest sweet. "Oh ecstasy, oh decadence! Oh minty goodness, sweep me away in your river of flavor!" Her brain was reeling, already indulging in all that awaited it later.
"Yes, three..." She paused as though her plug had been abruptly pulled, and then continued, "four of those as well."
The vendor raised an eyebrow and nodded, feeling slightly inadequate at the carefully measured response. "Eh... er, I hope madame will enjoy her purchases!"
Her saddlebags now listing to one side with the ornate chocolate box inside, she continued her trot until she came to a small tent where one of the many book vendors had set up shop. She was matronly, with her hair wrapped up in the same sort of bun Rivet normally kept hers in while working. "Hello dearie, may I help you find something?"
Mentally, Rivet was blushing. Help her find what she was looking for? Oh no no no, she simply couldn't ask such a nice looking mare for help looking for that. How would she even begin to describe it? "But..." her brain continued thinking, "if she sells such things then surely she must be aware of them... right?"
"No, thank you," said Riv calmly. Calm actually wasn't even the word for it, as calm itself would need a week's respite to achieve the lifeless relaxation in Rivet Stitch's voice. "I believe I can find it myself."
And find it she did, as she soon trotted up towards the tent's small counter with a fairly thick paperback. The cover showed a mare in a billowing dress with a hoof to her forehead in a swoon, while a large stallion in a pirate outfit stood behind her, roses clutched in his teeth. The mare running the tent rose her eyebrows and pursed her lips slightly. Internally, Rivet was blushing to the point that there was a threat of tomatoes spontaneously coming into existence. "Thank you," she said flatly, bits ringing out on the counter.
This was going well so far, she thought to herself. A book, sweets, just a few more things to put together the perfect weekend, and certainly they'd all be for sale somewhere in the marketplace.
Her boss had learned to keep an eye on her when they were working long shifts, as she was the sort of pony to look perfectly alert and fine for four days straight, then pass out from exhaustion on the fifth day. So in order to keep his staff perky and healthy, half of the staff of the hospital was given two days off in addition to the weekend, the senior medics covering the overflow for them.
First, was sleep. Rivet Stitch, despite her general appearance and reserved personality, slept like a tranquilized bear while snoring like a ripsaw sorting horseshoes. So the first day of vacation was spent entirely unconscious, and it was time well spent.
But now Rivet felt mentally refreshed, although still a little wonky from spending an entire day sleeping. Now it was time to get herself back into her happy place, and that meant spending the weekend subjecting herself to her own favorite past time, and that meant preparations.
First stop, the Ponyville Marketplace Chocolatier. Sure, Sugarcube Corner had some of the best baked goods and sweets, as well a type of cherry turnover Riv was very partial to, but when you wanted a certain kind of collection of tiny, cream filled chocolates, you had to look elsewhere for the good stuff. Here it was, being tended to by a squat, fat little pony who seemed to be floating around behind the counter like a cloud, cooing to his customers.
"Aaaah! Madame, hello! Might I tempt you today with one of our assorted creams? The raspberry, the caramel, the maple, they're all verrrry nice!"
Rivet stared at the case. Each different chocolate was piled in its own separate group, so you could have a box made up of whatever you wanted. "Oh sweet maple," her mind gushed, "where have you been... cherry cordial, cashew clusters, teeny caramel turtles... I... I have to have all of you! Every last one of you!"
"I'll have five of each of these," she said mechanically, pointing to several different piles.
The vendor drooped a little, slightly disappointed his pitch hadn't made more of an impact. Still, it was a good sale. "Eh, and would madame care to try our newest creations, a crunchy mint truffle?"
Her head nonchalantly turned so she could focus on the newest sweet. "Oh ecstasy, oh decadence! Oh minty goodness, sweep me away in your river of flavor!" Her brain was reeling, already indulging in all that awaited it later.
"Yes, three..." She paused as though her plug had been abruptly pulled, and then continued, "four of those as well."
The vendor raised an eyebrow and nodded, feeling slightly inadequate at the carefully measured response. "Eh... er, I hope madame will enjoy her purchases!"
Her saddlebags now listing to one side with the ornate chocolate box inside, she continued her trot until she came to a small tent where one of the many book vendors had set up shop. She was matronly, with her hair wrapped up in the same sort of bun Rivet normally kept hers in while working. "Hello dearie, may I help you find something?"
Mentally, Rivet was blushing. Help her find what she was looking for? Oh no no no, she simply couldn't ask such a nice looking mare for help looking for that. How would she even begin to describe it? "But..." her brain continued thinking, "if she sells such things then surely she must be aware of them... right?"
"No, thank you," said Riv calmly. Calm actually wasn't even the word for it, as calm itself would need a week's respite to achieve the lifeless relaxation in Rivet Stitch's voice. "I believe I can find it myself."
And find it she did, as she soon trotted up towards the tent's small counter with a fairly thick paperback. The cover showed a mare in a billowing dress with a hoof to her forehead in a swoon, while a large stallion in a pirate outfit stood behind her, roses clutched in his teeth. The mare running the tent rose her eyebrows and pursed her lips slightly. Internally, Rivet was blushing to the point that there was a threat of tomatoes spontaneously coming into existence. "Thank you," she said flatly, bits ringing out on the counter.
This was going well so far, she thought to herself. A book, sweets, just a few more things to put together the perfect weekend, and certainly they'd all be for sale somewhere in the marketplace.