“I don’t care!” Pinkie screamed.
Twilight’s face grew hot with anger. “That’s exactly the problem! You don’t care! You never do! It’s not about me or us, it’s about you! You always want to go out, or you always want me to drop whatever I’m doing to go appease you, and when I don’t, you throw a fit! I’m sick of it!” Twilight yelled back.
“You’re not nearly as sick of it as I am! You said you loved me and that you loved being with me! Now it feels like you’re just making up excuses night after night to stay away!”
“Thats a lie,” Twilight retorted. “I go to bed with you every night!”
“But I never wake up next to you! You’re always passed out on the table, or asleep at the desk. I don’t even know what you feel like anymore,” Pinkie ranted, her breath finally starting to wear thin.
Twilight’s horn illuminated in its red glow, levitating a book that had been callously thrown on the floor. The force of the throw had damaged the spine, causing half of the book to shift independently of the other half. It made Twilight all the angrier.
“Pinkie, this book is irreplaceable! You can’t just throw things when you lose your temper like a needy foal!” the unicorn shouted. “If you can’t respect me or my property, you should get out!”
Pinkie’s eyes momentarily widened. However, they soon shrank back into an angry glare.
Twilight could barely register what happened as the pink pony disappeared in a cloud of dust. Moments later, she came bounding down the stairs with a suitcase in her mouth walking for the door. She stopped along the way and stared at Twilight with a solemn expression.
“You told me I was irreplaceable, once.”
Without another word, Pinkie dragged herself and her suitcase to the door. Twilight stared in disbelief as the door opened and slammed shut, causing her to flinch.
The quiet of the library chilled the unicorn. It had all been so sudden, like a rapids ride gone out of control, and somehow she ended up sending away the only pony she truly loved. Twilight clutched the book to her chest as tears started streaming from her eyes.
Every night before they started living together, Pinkie used to walk home from the library to Sugarcube Corner. Each time, she felt joy in her heart, tempered by a twinge of disappointment that she had to leave the library in the first place. The day’s events would replay through her mind, keeping her occupied until she got home and collapsed into bed.
Tonight, the trek felt like an execution.
Her hooves felt heavy and shackled, her head weighed down by the sorrow packed inside. Her heart pounded like a prisoner protesting its sentence. For a moment, she considered running back and just apologizing to Twilight.
It wouldn’t change, though. She would continue waking up alone, and spending her days by herself, even though she shared a home with the pony she loved the most.
Loved the most...
Pinkie finally reached her destination and pitifully knocked three times. She wondered for a moment if she should knock again when she heard hoofsteps coming towards the door.
"I’m sorry, but we’re closed for the night. If you-" Mrs. Cake cut her spiel off when the door was fully opened.
No words were needed. Mrs. Cake reached forward through Pinkie's long, flowing mane and wrapped her hooves around the pink mare's neck.
The tears Pinkie had fought so hard to hold back forward at last. Her sobbing intensified as she melted into the motherly pony's embrace.
"I’m so sorry, dear."
That was all Mrs. Cake could offer for comfort.
The pink pony’s quick packing belied just what she had accomplished. Several of Pinkie’s prized items had apparently disappeared, including her favorite blanket, several outfits, a picture of Twilight and Pinkie together, and, inexplicably, the party canon.
Twilight slinked into bed for the night, despite not really being tired. She had too many worries rattling around in her head, and not enough justifications for her actions. She stared at the window, trying to pierce the moon with her gaze, trying to keep her mind on anything but what had happened that night.
It always went back to the fight. She had never seen Pinkie so furious. The anger in the pink pony's eyes seemed supernatural, if only because it had been so uncharacteristic. The pain in Pinkie’s eyes when Twilight said the book was irreplaceable had cut like a knife. The image haunted her, even when her eyes were open.
Twilight silently ponder the pink pony’s words, trying to determine if Pinkie’s rage was justified. The soft click and creak of her bedroom door caused Twilight’s breath to hitch. She relaxed immediately when she recognized the soft patter on her floor.
“Spike.... was she right? Did I really neglect her?”
The baby dragon climbed onto the bed and scooted close to her.
“Look at your calendar, Twilight.”
The unicorn did so reluctantly. Pinkie had come up with a system to schedule special days and times with Twilight. On days they were supposed to spend together, Pinkie would affix a balloon sticker, and on the occasions they would just spend the night out, she would place a smiley face sticker. If Twilight needed to reschedule a special day or time, she would place a cloud, which they had taken to calling their "rain check".
A rotten feeling made itself known in Twilight’s gut as she scanned the calendar. Not a single day had been scheduled for them to spend together. Nervously, she flipped back to the previous month. Halfway through the month, the stickers stopped. The ones that were there each had a cloud next to them. She now knew what to expect when she flipped to the next month. Every single day Pinkie had placed a sticker, Twilight had placed a cloud as well. She realized now why the stickers had stopped.
“She... she gave up on me,” Twilight choked out. Even as she said it though, she knew the truth.
She had given up on Pinkie.
“Spike... how could I let this happen?”
Spike replied in the only way he knew how. He hugged the unicorn tightly while Twilight sobbed.
Two years had passed since Pinkie last lived in her room. Placing her hoof on the door, she felt the weight of such a long time resist her. She tried not to think too hard about all that had happened and what it meant and slowly opened the door and entered her room.
Looking around she saw a mirror image of her own heart.
Emptiness.
Sure, her wardrobe was still there, but bereft of its contents, it just seemed to be a hollow shell. Her nightstand table was also clean. No pictures or personal items, just a lamp.
Any other time, she would unpack and spruce everything up, but she somehow felt it fitting that her environment matched her mood.
Pinkie hopped onto her bed and slipped beneath the sheets, anxious to put this night behind her. Out of habit, she turned to her right in bed and reached for Twilight without thinking. A stab of pain shot through her when she realized that tonight, for the first time in years, she was truly alone. Her forelegs felt restless and awkward not wrapped around the one she loved.
Out of desperation, she reached down to the suitcase and popped it open. After a few moments of digging, she pulled out a large, deflated balloon. Eyeing it in the dark light of the room, she realized she somehow grabbed a purple one, too. In one quick instant, she inhaled and blew up the balloon until it was larger than her head. Satisfied it would do the job, she put a quick knot in it and wrapped her forelegs around it.
Looking back on those nights she spent here alone, it seemed impossible now. How could somepony spend night after night by themselves? Tears came back to her eyes as she cried into the sheets, gripping the balloon for all she was worth, and wishing desperately it was the pony she fell in love with two years ago.
Crisp morning dew soaked Applejack’s hooves as she made her way through town. The large sack of apples weighing her saddlebags down were reserved for her finest customers. The cowpony pushed open the door to Sugarcube Corner, only to stop dead in her tracks. A pink pony with a straight mane and distant look in her eye sat on the other side of the counter.
“Pinkie Pie? It’s awful early for you to be here, isn- oh boy. It’s finally happened, hasn't it?”
Pinkie didn't even bother to return the farmer’s gaze. She just nodded sadly.
Applejack walked behind the counter and dropped her saddlebags. Disregarding Pinkie completely, she stuck her head inside the kitchen and saw the Cakes, hard at work preparing the first batch of the day.
“Iff’n its alright with y’all, I’m gonna take Pinks here for a walk.”
Both ponies nodded.
“But I can't!” Pinkie protested. “They need me here!”
An orange foreleg wrapped around her shoulder and pulled at her.
“Not today, they don’t,” The cowpony stated flatly.
Pinkie had little choice but to follow along. If Applejack really wanted to, she could easily drag Pinkie away.
“C’mon, Twilight. You really should eat something.”
The baby dragon’s plea fell on deaf ears. Twilight simply stared at the plate of pancakes drowned in syrup set before her.
So much sugar, so sweet... just like her...
The unicorn pushed the plate away and grabbed her beverage; a cup of pink lemonade. She started to take a sip before setting the glass down, much to Spike’s dismay. It seemed like everything was taunting her today.
“I’m sorry, Spike. I’m just not very hungry,” she lied.
Twilight’s ears perked up at the sound of someone knocking on the library door.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it!” Spike said as he scrambled into the next room.
The unicorn left her chair and carried the glass of lemonade to the sink with her. She tilted the glass over and watched as the pink liquid spilled into the drain. She heard the door open in the library, followed by muffled voices in the next room as she filled her glass with regular tap water. Just as she took a drink, the kitchen door slammed open. A white unicorn stood in the doorway, panic clear on her face.
“I was just coming to return this book for my newest line of fashion inspired by animals, and then Spikey answered the door but he didn’t seem like his usual self and then I saw the mess in the living room and he wouldn’t tell me so i ran here and...” the white unicorn gasped, clearly out of breath. “Twilight, darling, what happened?”
The glass fell into the sink with a clatter. “I... I messed up Rarity,” she uttered without looking at her friend.
Rarity cleared her throat with an air of authority. “Spike, do be a dear and make us some tea. Earl grey, light sugar.”
The baby dragon nodded and set to work while Rarity grabbed the distant unicorn and seated her in a chair next to the table.
“Tell me everything that happened.”
Twilight let her head droop. “I don’t even know where to start.”
The white mare lifted Twilight’s chin with a gentle hoof. “The best place to start is usually the beginning.”
Pinkie sat on her belly next to the farm pony. She poured her heart out about the fight, the frustration leading up to it, and all the doubt that swam through her head. Applejack had dragged her to a glade, which is where she took many ponies who needed a strong shoulder and a patient ear. Pinkie had never walked there by herself; she only knew it was somewhere deep within the apple orchard, where a small river ran through.
“So that’s it then, isn’t it?”
“Huh?”
“I asked if that was it. It’s over between you two?”
Pinkie only sighed in reply.
Silence ruled again. The pink mare felt a warm ray of sunshine pierce through the swaying trees. She moved away from the light until she no longer felt its warmth. She wanted to stay in the shadows and slink away from the world.
“Have you ever been to the end of this here river, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.
Pinkie shook her head.
“Yer not ever likely to. This river goes all the way from a giant lake outside of Equestria’s borders. She runs more’n two thousand miles all the way through this here farm before she empties into tha ocean.”
Pinkie’s eyes widened. “Two thousand miles?”
Applejack nodded. “That’s right. You think every lick of that journey is as calm as this stretch of water?”
“Um, I dunno.” Pinkie shrugged.
“Well, it ain’t. There’s many patches in this here river where it’s rougher than dragon hide. There’s rapids and waterfalls, and in some spots an undercurrent that can even drag a full-grown bear under. Just like a relationship.”
“What do you mean?” Pinkie asked.
“Relationships ain’t always easy. In fact, they can get real rough at times. If a couple is strong enough, though, there ain’t no stoppin’ them. Don’t you think you could’ve handled that a little bit better than you did, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.
Pinkie nodded sadly. She had only thrown the book because she knew how rare it was, and that such an action would grab Twilight’s attention. She knew it was a stupid and foalish thing to do, but she did it anyway. She felt so small and tiny, like a lost sapling in a forest of trees. In the heat of the moment, she felt it was the only way to make Twilight see her pain.
“I should have just talked to her, but... but it hurt so much. I wanted her to see me again, and not just have me around like a decoration to brighten the place up. I wanted us to spend time with each other, not just live with each other.”
Pinkie flinched slightly as a soft hoof ran through her hair.
“I know, Party Girl. I had a feelin' this would happen soon. Twilight should have paid more attention to ya, but ah think you have a little ta learn from this, too.”
“Wh-what should I do then?” Pinkie choked out.
“If ya really think she’s serious about this, and ya really wanna make this thing work, ya gotta talk to her.”
“But... what if she doesn’t wanna try again. What if she doesn’t want to see me again? What if she’s throwing out all our pictures and those mushy love letters we wrote for each other as we speak?”
"Don’t you worry, hun. I don’t think Twilight enjoyed spending the night alone, either," Applejack assured. "She’s a smart pony, I’m sure she’ll listen to ya.”
Pinkie grabbed Applejack’s hoof and pulled her in for a hug.
“Thanks, Applejack,” Pinkie squeaked out as a few stray tears fell from her eyes.
Rarity gently returned her now-empty cup of tea to its saucer, making a soft clink.
"I must admit, I think the way you’ve handled this situation is appalling, Twilight. A relationship is much like a flower. Without the proper water and sunlight, it certainly won’t last very long. I can safely say you’ve stood idly by and let this flower wilt through inattention.”
Twilight could only nod in agreement. She scarcely had time to react as Rarity slammed her hoof onto the table, causing all of the dishware to clatter.
“But that’s exactly what makes a relationship stronger!” the white mare exclaimed with fire in her eyes.
“It... it is?” Twilight asked.
“Of course it is, my dear! We all make mistakes, especially in a relationship. What matters is that we weather the storm, pick up the pieces and move forward into a bright new day,” Rarity explained.
“Um, I don’t think I follow...”
“Making up,” Rarity simply stated. “When a couple has a fight, they spend some time alone to think to themselves, figure out what went wrong. Then, and only then, do they make amends. Oh, it’s so romantic!” Rarity swooned.
Twilight’s head hit the table dejectedly. “But that’s just it. I don’t know if Pinkie will even want to make up.”
“Of course she will, dear. If you think you're the only one hurting from this ordeal, then I assure you, you're quite mistaken. Pinkie might be hurt, but she’s an earth pony, and they’re as stubborn as they come. Why, I bet she’ll be ready to put it all behind her tonight.”
Twilight raised her head hopefully. “Really?”
“You never know unless you try,” Rarity said with a wink.
Night had fallen across Equestria. Twilight walked through Whitetail Woods down a path barely tread upon by anypony. Though it was easy to miss if you were just passing through, this side path was one burned forever in her memory. Lost in this forest to many other ponies was a secret place few others knew of. Twilight stepped into a clearing where a small pond sat still. next to the waters edge and strange mushrooms grew wild in a patch. The unicorn looked all over but saw no sign of the pink pony.
I thought for sure she would be here...
Twilight sat down on the grass beside the pond and let her mind wander to when she and Pinkie first made their relationship official.
Twilight looked at her map again to make sure she took the right path. It didn’t help that the map was written by Pinkie Pie. It really only consisted of two lines and a smiley face.
Ugh, this is hopeless.
Twilight turned to head back when a familiar humming caught her ear. She followed the gentle sound down the path until it ended in a clearing. In a spot obviously untouched by few other ponies, Pinkie lay on her belly next to a river. Next to her were multicolored mushrooms. Twilight stared in wonder as they shifted colors along to Pinkie’s humming. The pink pony apparently noticed her arrival as she turned and giggled, causing a wave of pink to cascade through the mushrooms.
“Hey Twilight, come on over.”
The unicorn obliged and joined her friend on the ground.
“Aren’t they pretty?” Pinkie whispered, pointing to the mushrooms.
“They're beautiful, but... what are they?” Twilight asked.
Pinkie shrugged. “Dunno. All I do know is they like it when you sing to them.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Pinkie, they’re mushrooms. How could they possibly-”
“Watch!”
The earth pony slammed her hoof down. An explosion of angry red went through the mushrooms.
“Sorry about that,” Pinkie apologized to the mushrooms. “Now watch.”
The pink pony resumed her humming. They lit up again, but this time, shades of blue and purple slowly cascaded across the patch of mushrooms.
“That's amazing... it’s like they can sense the difference between anger and happiness,” Twilight pointed out.
“That’s because they can, silly.”
Twilight wanted to step in and say that the mushrooms might react to a subject’s natural electrical field, or that steady sound might have a more gentle effect on the mushroom coloration than, say, an angry one.
However, she decided to hold her tongue. Arguing with Pinkie Pie had a way of blowing up in her face. No matter what she did to explain or disprove the crazy mare's theories, Twilight always fell short.
Besides, even if the mushrooms were reacting to an electrical field or a certain type of sound, wouldn’t Pinkie still be right? Wouldn’t they still be sensing the difference between anger and happiness?
“Twilight, I-I have to tell you something, but you have to promise not to get mad... or laugh.”
Uh oh, what did she do this time?
“You didn’t lose one of the ultra rare books I keep locked in the safe, did you?”
“No, nothing like that.”
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, what is it then?”
“When I'm near you, I get this tingly feeling all over. Even when the party is over and I go home, it still follows me. I think about you even when you aren't there, and I can’t wait to see you again.”
Twilight held her breath when she realized where the pink pony's explanation was heading.
“Twilight, I think I love you.”
The world skidded to a halt. It was one thing to hear Pinkie dance around the word, but for her to just come out and say it was something else entirely.
“Pinkie...”
“I know, I know, its kind of silly. You’re so super smart and I’m just a stupid pony that throws parties. I just had to say it. It was like a balloon trapped in my heart and somepony just kept blowing it up and blowing it up until it was so tight I-"
Twilight placed her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth.
A pink enigma. A living puzzle. A full size party favor. There were a million different ways Twilight could classify Pinkie. Stupid would never have been one of them. She often dismissed the way she felt around the eccentric mare. It was fairly easy to lie to herself and say the feelings were just an anomaly, until Pinkie had to go and use the "L word".
“Pinkie, I don’t know if I love you, but I definitely feel something when you’re around. Starting a relationship, especially with one of my best friends sounds... scary.”
“I know, right? Its like an upside down roller coaster! It can be super duper scary and fun all at the same time!”
“I don’t even know how to start a relationship,” The unicorn admitted.
Twilight barely finished her sentence before Pinkie locked lips with her. A slight taste of cinnamon spread through her mouth. Her conscious mind let go of its thoughts and simply surrendered herself to the moment.
It was a milestone she had avoided - no, dreaded - for the longest time. Every time she thought about it logically, it seemed disgusting sharing your saliva and Celestia knows what else with another pony.
At last, Twilight understood what Pinkie had been trying to explain to her from day one. She finally understood what she truly meant when they were arguing about her Pinkie sense. Kissing had nothing to do with lips, or saliva, or germs. It was all about the moment where two ponies connected as one. Even as they slowly pulled their lips apart, the electricity still lingered.
“I think I was supposed to wait until after we go on a date for that,” Pinkie said sheepishly.
Twilight moved closer to the pink pony until they were so close she could feel the pony’s body heat.
“I’m fine with calling this a date if you are.”
Pinkie grinned at the unicorn with a face-splitting smile.
Memories of their first night truly together brought a smile back to Twilight’s face, even if it was fleeting.
The unicorn realized that if Pinkie wasn’t waiting for her here, she had probably already given up on her. Why shouldn’t she? There were plenty of other ponies in Ponyville who could give Pinkie the love and attention she deserved. With a heavy heart, she reluctantly rose to her hooves and turned to leave.
At the entrance to the clearing stood a pink pony with a long flowing mane and pain in her eyes.
"Pinkie Pie?"
The pink mare stepped forward slowly. “Twilight, we need to talk.”
“Pinkie, I know I’m the one to blame he-”
“No Twilight! You've ignored me for too long. It’s my turn to talk now!” The pink mare said with anger in her eyes. However, the fury passed immediately as her gaze fell to the ground.
“I’m sorry.”
Twilight could hardly believe her ears.
"I shouldn’t have thrown your book like that. I should have talked with you instead. I was just so angry that I didn’t know of any other way to get your attention. I... I hope you can forgive me," Pinkie pleaded with her ears flat on her head.
Twilight was taken aback by Pinkie’s apology. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have done that, but I shouldn’t have let it get that far. I should have spent more time with you instead of letting you feel alone. I’m sorry, Pinkie. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Does this mean you won’t keep putting clouds on the days I choose for us?” Pinkie asked hopefully.
“No, it means no more having to schedule time for each other at all. Spending time with you shouldn’t be something we have to plan. You’re not some item on a checklist, You’re Pinkie Pie; the only pony I’ve ever loved. You're irreplaceable.”
Twilight had no time to react as a pink projectile crashed into her, pinning the unicorn to the ground. She was assaulted with a series of sloppy, giggle-inducing kisses before she could gather the strength to ask for mercy.
“P-Pinkie! Heh heh, at least give me a chance to fight back!”
Her attacker stepped off to one side allowing her to finally look up. Pinkie's mane once again bounced with its usual fullness and crazy curls.
“Well? Aren’t you going to do anything?” Pinkie asked.
A smile crept over Twilight's face as magic engulfed them both.
Pinkie and Twilight appeared over their bed in a flash of magic.
“Whee!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hit the bed.
Twilight was sure she heard a couple of the springs in the mattress pop as their full body weight fell into it at once, but she couldn’t really care less at the moment. As soon as Twilight found the edge of the blanket, she wrapped it around both of them until they were snuggled up together nice and tight.
"You took us away from our secret spot just to go to bed?" Pinkie asked disappointingly.
Twilight wrapped her forelegs around the pink pony's head and pulled her in for a deep, passionate kiss. Nothing else in the world mattered to either pony as they connected on a level one could never hope to explain. Twilight drew back after a few more moments leaving Pinkie's eyes half lidded in bliss.
“On second thought, I like your plan better too,” Pinkie said, planting a kiss on the unicorn’s neck.
“I thought you might.”
Both ponies squeezed each other tightly, anxious to spend as much precious time together as they could before sleep overtook them.
“Twilight, you are much better to sleep with than a balloon,” Pinkie stated with an air of finality.
"...What?"
