Cherry's hospital visit


                                            >While hanging out and enjoying lunch together, Cherry Berry is invited to read to sick foals at Ponyville Hospital by Nurse Redheart

                                            >She begrudgingly accepts, because who rejects helping out sick kids?

                                            >She would, but since Redheart asked while they were having lunch outside with many ponies in earshot, it wasn’t in her best interest to decline

                                            >They travel to the hospital, entering the room where the sick foals eagerly anticipate a story

                                            >Redheart provides a story for Cherry to read, a children’s book about a unicorn battling a goat, or something

                                            >She proceeds to read the book, but peppers it with comments about her disbelief at its contents, and notices the children aren’t engaged in the story either

                                            >Eventually, she grows frustrated with reading it and tosses the book aside

                                            >Instead, she proceeds to tell her small audience about her day instead

                                            >It’s a surprisingly poignant story, detailing the daily minute frustrations a pony like her has to endure

                                            >She explains her frustration with always getting her lunch interrupted, her hot-air balloon often being messed with, and being forced to participate in spontaneous impromptu musicals

                                            >She also explains how these minor frustrations gradually escalate into forming the perpetual grumpy mood she’s famous for

                                            >Just as she’s about to boil from being known for being a grump without anypony understanding why, she pauses and realizes the effects she may be having on the foals

                                            >They had been paying very close attention, engrossed in the tale Cherry was telling them, as she told it with such passion and vigor

                                            >Instead, she relates the frustrations the foals are probably having with being stuck in the hospital with her own

                                            >The struggle of not being able to control how you want your life to go, the little things that get you down, and being with ponies who don’t understand what a pony can go through

                                            >She concludes with telling them how even though she might get frustrated often, she finds the strength to keep going by holding on to hope for a better tomorrow, and that it’s okay to let your feelings out and share them with others

                                            >Her story finally concluded, she’s rewarded with a resounding applause from the foals and Redheart

                                            >Cherry looks away and blushes, not expecting the positive reception

                                            >After the children thank her, the two mares leave the room while the foals are given their daily check-up

                                            >Redheart thanks Cherry for stopping by, and asks if she would be willing to come back next week to tell the foals another story

                                            >Cherry sighs, then gives a warm smile, wondering what story she could tell to amuse them next time