Proving Your Worth
By: carnivale
: : : :
Boredom had never really agreed with Rainbow Dash. To her, it felt like a thousand dull, stabbing knives were conjoining together in her skull, nagging at her to pick up her lazy self and do something productive. Yet, she couldn’t. She never felt the need to. What had there been to do?
On the other hand, the only things that were there to do were to either practice her flying tricks or take a long, well-needed nap on her favorite fluffy cloud that floated nonchalantly over Ponyville. And, on this specific day, she had chosen the latter.
She had been laying on the cloud for a while, now, but couldn’t seem to be able to fall asleep. Her eyes were closed, but her brain was on high alert. It was bugging her to no end, and she couldn’t figure out what was causing her mind to be of uneasiness. Eventually, she caved in, and rolled over on her back to gaze up at the myriad of white clouds passing through the atmosphere. They seemed to be so at peace that it would be easy for them to fall asleep, and Dash felt a trickle of envy glide through her stomach.
Grudgingly, she ran two blue hooves down the lengths of her face. Her eyelids felt heavy, and they could have fallen shut any moment. But they didn’t. Her mind wasn’t letting them.
Sighing in exasperation, the cyan pegasus rolled over on her side and found herself gazing down into the hustle and bustle of Ponyville below. She saw the usual: Daisy, Roseluck, and Lily tending to their beautifully-colored flowers, Big Macintosh lugging a heavy cartful of ripe apples ready for selling, Scootaloo buzzing around town with her scooter (Rainbow Dash chuckled at that), Lyra and Bon Bon chatting idly over their usual pastries, and the manager of Quills and Sofas fixing the sign that hung lopsided on the post. Rainbow Dash sighed as the usual things went on in the town, but she furrowed her eyebrows when she found something mysteriously tugging at her heart.
She felt that something was missing.
No, somepony was missing.
Rainbow Dash squinted her ruby eyes as she scanned the streets again, looking for the specific thing that made her brow crease with worry.
Then, she got it. The missing pieces of her brain lodged together, and on that moment, she realized exactly why she couldn’t fall asleep in the first place.
Studying the town again just to make sure her hunch was right, she realized that there was no crazy song that was being belted out for no reason at all; there was no confetti or streamers being launched everywhere; there was no giggle or guffaw that made you smile no matter how annoying it may sound; and there was no super-hyper pink pony parading through town with a ginormous grin plastered to her face.
There was no Pinkie Pie.
Rainbow Dash gazed on, her eyebrows furrowing again. Weird, she thought to herself. It isn’t like her. She’s usually out-and-about, doing her normal, crazy Pinkie Pie antics… right?
Rainbow Dash suddenly felt empty. And now, by looking more closely at the scene, she could plainly see that the other ponies felt the same way. She noticed that Lyra and Bon Bon’s conversation seemed to be more hushed, there was less spring in everypony’s step (some even looked angered), and there was a more sullen atmosphere overall. Dash bit the inside of her cheek thoughtfully.
She decided that if she was going to find out exactly why no pink party pony was parading around the town, she was going to do it right away.
Rainbow Dash flared her wings and dove to the grounds below, in which she landed gracefully and folded her wings back against her sides. She decided to look for Pinkie with her hooves on the ground, just in case she missed her while flying. That pony could be anywhere, and she wouldn’t even know it.
Somepony seemed to accidentally shoulder her, but didn’t apologize. Rainbow Dash figured the source of everypony’s bad attitude was because Pinkie Pie wasn’t there to cheer them up. She scowled, and pressed on.
Looking around town from the ground, she realized that mostly everypony had a dour look on their face. How much had she missed? She chewed her lip thoughtfully. She had given her leisure to the sky most of the day, but that was it.
Suddenly, she was shoved hard by a large stallion, and almost collapsed to the ground. On a spur of the moment, she opened her wings and beat them strongly, preventing her from falling onto the cobblestoned path. She whipped her head around, glaring daggers at the pony who had pushed her.
“Hey, what was that for?!” she demanded, flaring her wings intimidatingly.
He just stared at her, his eyes sullen and cold. He merely answered, gruffly, “Didn’t see you there, maggot.”
Rainbow Dash shook a fisted hoof at the lumbering stallion who was beginning to turn away. “Even if you’re grumpy, doesn’t mean you have to make everypony else grumpy!” she snarled. He didn’t answer to that, as he was being swept away by the sea of disgruntled ponies.
Rainbow Dash growled under her breath, lashing her tail, and whipped around – haphazardly stumbling into Mr. Cake, who was busy pushing the twins around in a stroller.
“Oh, sorry there, Miss Dash,” he said apologetically. He smiled benevolently at her, his orange freckles spreading more distinctly across his face. The twins babbled in their stroller. “Where are you heading this afternoon?”
“I’m looking for Pinkie Pie. Have you seen her?”
Mr. Cake’s smile faded slowly. His expression then turned grave and solemn, but he nodded all the same. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ve seen her. She’s back at the shop.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, her eyebrows creasing at Mr. Cake’s sudden change in mood. “Thanks.”
Then, he smiled at her again, yet it was timid and fleeting. “I’m sure she would love to see you. She needs a friend right about now.”
And, with that, they parted ways.
Rainbow Dash’s heart began to thud with worry. She gnawed on her bottom lip. Was Pinkie Pie hurt? What happened to her? Was she ill, broken, sad? The questions paraded around her head like a deafening mantra, but she couldn’t afford to waste time. Her friend needed her. She flapped her wings, leaped into the air, and high-tailed it towards Sugarcube Corner.
: : : :
The bell above the door jangled boisterously when Rainbow Dash sauntered into the shop. Immediately, the warm, heavenly aroma of freshly baked goods and pastries hit her right in the nostrils, and she nearly closed her eyes in pleasure as she took it all in. It felt homey, as it always did when she walked in, and she stood for a couple seconds to bask in its appeal.
The delicate pastel colors of the shop graced the walls. Rainbow Dash walked up to the front counter, only to confront the plump, friendly face of Mrs. Cake. She smiled warmly at the cyan mare, and the compassionate expression automatically made Dash smile back.
“Hello, there, Miss Rainbow Dash. What can I do for you today?” she asked, looking about ready to take her order.
“Well, actually, I’m looking for Pinkie Pie. Is she here?”
Just then, Mrs. Cake’s face took on the expression her husband had flashed before, but it seemed more nurturing and sad. Her rosette eyes seemed moist and dejected.
“Oh, the poor dear’s been locked in her room ever since the wee hours of last night,” she explained solemnly. “Carrot Cake and I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn’t let us in. It’s not like her at all, and we’re extremely worried.” Then, her face gave off the littlest amount of hope. “I’m so glad one of her friends is here, though. Maybe you could figure out what’s making our little gingersnap feel so blue?”
She had such a hopeful look in her eye that Dash couldn’t possibly turn down, and she didn’t intend to, either. She smiled determinedly, her eyes twinkling. “Of course, Mrs. Cake. I’ll do what I can!” And, with that, she turned around and began to tread up the stairs towards Pinkie’s room.
“Oh, thank you so much, dearie,” she heard Mrs. Cake call as she disappeared around a bend.
Rainbow Dash flicked her tail and approached the door to Pinkie’s room. Luckily, she had been here more than once, and didn’t intend on accidentally walking in on anypony else who could possibly be in any of the other rooms. She exhaled slowly, and raised her hoof to knock on the door.
There was nothing but a lengthy pause. Rainbow Dash bit the inside of her cheek. A dejected voice suddenly filled the gap, and it sounded so monotonously somber that it caused Dash’s heart to drop into her stomach. “Pinkie Pie is not here at the moment,” the voice droned. “Please leave a message after the beep. Beeeeep.”
Rainbow Dash cringed. “Pinkie Pie, it’s me. It’s Rainbow Dash.”
Another silence hung in the ranks of the air, and it was so long that it made Dash feel anxious and awkward at the same time. She scuffed a hoof against the floor and gazed pleadingly at the door. “Pinkie, please open up. I want to – no, I need to talk to you. Please, come out.” Rainbow Dash didn’t want to convert to begging, but she desired heavily to talk to Pinkie and find out what has made her pink friend so blue.
There was another pause, yet it was shorter than the first bouts of silence. The sound of scuffling hooves played from behind the door, and Dash felt the knots in her stomach loosen. The lock clicked, and the door creaked open.
The cyan pegasus hesitantly traipsed into the room, and the scout of the area looked incredibly disheveled. There were fragments of popped balloons scattered everywhere, the party cannon had been abruptly shoved against the wall with several marks across it, the rug and the curtains were heavily rumpled along with the bedspread and pillows, and the entire atmosphere of the room just looked solemn and gray overall.
Rainbow Dash winced. She then focused her eyes on the middle of the room – and there held the most devastating thing Rainbow Dash probably didn’t want to see ever again, even though it has been twice already.
There, curled up like a skinny ball on the rug, sat Pinkie Pie. She was staring straight at Dash, and her eyes were dim and distraught. Dried tear-streaks lined her fur, which seemed to have a gray tinge to the pink. Her usually puffy hair was pin-straight, hanging like a still curtain and obscuring half of her face. Her mouth was a thin line, her whole body still and desolate. Dash couldn’t help but cringe at the defeated image that was her friend.
“Pinkie?” she croaked out.
Pinkie didn’t move, merely blinked as sudden tears threatened to spill over her cheeks. “Hi, Dashie,” she managed to utter fleetingly.
Gummy began to gnaw on Dash’s hoof. Grimacing, she gently shoved him away, and made to sit by Pinkie on the carpet. Pinkie moved to make room, and Dash could tell it hurt her to do even such a small gesture. She rested her hindquarters next to her friend, swishing her tail on the ground as silence gripped them once again.
“Mr. and Mrs. Cake have been trying to get me to clean up this room for years, but I always forget,” Pinkie finally began, making small banter. “They are going to have a fit once they figure out what a state it’s in now.” A small chuckle radiated from her mouth, yet it was raspy and bleak.
Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. “Pinkie, everypony out there is freaking disgruntled without you. I came in here to figure out why you locked yourself in your room. It isn’t like you.” She looked her in her dim blue eyes. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Pinkie suddenly scowled, causing Dash to slightly reel back in surprise. “Pinkie? I’m your friend. I need you to tell me why you’re so sad, because I care about you.”
Pinkie’s scowl vanished, and her eyes grew softer. She swivelled her head around slowly, to look Rainbow Dash dead in the eye. And, just then, her entire façade collapsed.
Tears began to stream from her cerulean eyes, and she crumpled in Rainbow Dash’ arms. She buried her face in Dash’s blue chest, wrapping her forelegs tightly around her middle, violent sobs wracking her body. Rainbow Dash’s stomach flipped, and she held on to her pink friend tightly. She felt awkward – but she knew her friend needed some solace. Hesitantly, she rested her chin on Pinkie’s head and gently rocked her back and forth until the sobs died down to mere whimpers. She rubbed her back soothingly.
Pinkie swallowed down some more tears, and spoke words, as insufficient as they were, “I’m s-sad because… today is the day my parents died.”
Rainbow Dash gasped. She didn’t mean to do it so loudly – it just slipped out. Pinkie sat up and sniffled, Rainbow Dash wrapping a comforting wing around her shoulders. The pink pony leaned into her embrace. Dash was still trying to register it all, nearly oblivious to her actions. “Your parents… they died today?”
“Well, not exactly,” Pinkie said. “They died three years ago. Today is the day I like to pay my respects.”
“Oh. Did they die together?” Rainbow Dash asked gently.
“Yeah, something like that. They left me at home, and then… just didn’t come back. Before my birthday, too.” Her ears drooped against the sides of her head, and she convulsed into shivers.
Rainbow Dash gripped her friend tighter. Your parents dying the day before your birthday? Jeez, that must be harsh. And the burden of remembering them, paying respects? Oh, Celestia… She couldn’t imagine it.
“Haven’t you told Mr. and Mrs. Cake? They’re like your foster parents, aren’t they?”
Pinkie chewed her lip. “No. I feel like I can't talk to them, and I just don’t want them to feel bad for me. They’re like my parents, sure, but…” she trailed off.
“Pinkie, for over a year we’ve been your friends, and you haven’t even told us?”
Pinkie sighed, pulling Gummy onto her lap and stroking him lovingly. “I didn’t feel the need to. I didn’t want you girls to worry about me on this day, especially the day before I celebrate being alive.” She sniffled again, more tears threatening to fall. “Oh, Dashie…” Pinkie lamented, burying her nose into her friend’s chest. “I just miss them s-so much.”
“I know. I just wish there was a way – “ Before Dash could finish her sentence, a bright idea popped into her head. She began to beam, and Pinkie pulled away, confused.
“Dashie?”
Rainbow Dash turned to face her friend, her ruby eyes sparking with giddiness. “Pinkie Pie, what you need is some cheering up. And who else could do that – but me!” She pressed a hoof against her chest, still grinning like a goof.
Pinkie cocked her head. “You are going to cheer me up?”
“Exactly, my little pink friend!” she exclaimed. She squashed her muzzle against Pinkie’s and grabbed her pink hooves in her blue ones, the smile never leaving her lips. “It’s time to dry your tears, and let go all your problems!”
“Rainbow Dash, I don’t think – “
“Come on, I have the perfect place to start!” Rainbow Dash swept her friend up on all fours, clutched her tight, and dragged her out the door towards her ideas of fun.
: : : :
Rainbow Dash led the way to the kitchen first. Luckily, the shop was just closing for the rest of the day, and the Cakes weren’t baking in there, so it was just going to be the two of them. Rainbow Dash grinned excitedly, tugging her pink friend so she stood next to the counter.
“Um, Dashie? What are we doing in here?” she questioned, watching as Rainbow Dash pulled out a bunch of baking supplies and a cookbook with peaked interest. She was blank on how the cyan mare knew where to locate all the stuff.
“Well, I know how much you love to bake, so we are going to be making – “ she paused for dramatic effect, “ – cupcakes!”
Pinkie brushed her curtain of hair away from her face, growing frustrated when it slithered back over her shoulder in a brisk movement. She chewed her lip. “Listen, Dash, I’m not feeling that up to it…”
“Sure you are!” Rainbow Dash said. Her bout of sheer happiness that she was displaying like a theater performance was really working for her.
“But – “
“No buts! So, should we make chocolate cupcakes, or vanilla?” she asked, leafing through the recipe book in order to find a page with a picture of cupcakes on it.
“Rainbow Dash – “
“Chocolate or vanilla?”
Pinkie sighed. “Vanilla.”
Rainbow Dash smiled broadly. “Then let’s get to it, I’m sure this will cheer you up.”
Pinkie tried to copy her smile, but failed uselessly. Her mind still felt solemn and shut-down. Rainbow Dash realized this with an urgent pang in her chest, and immediately, with the image of her friend happy again spurring her on, she pulled her friend into her cupcake-making clutches.
: : : :
“Rainbow Dash, I’m not sure that’s how you use an egg beater…” Pinkie said.
During the past hour, they had been struggling to make the perfect batch of cupcakes – but Rainbow Dash had never been that keen on baking, and Pinkie was still feeling quite bereaved to do much. Yet, she had been quite useful in helping pick up all the cupcake cups off the floor when Rainbow Dash accidentally spilled them all. Other than that, she hadn’t been that enthusiastic on doing anything at all.
All that the both of them were really worrying about was the mess they had to clean up after they were finished. The tiled walls were coated with a massive amount of flour and bits of the batter, while water trickled like rivulets across the floor (Rainbow Dash has slipped enough on it to turn her flanks red, mind you), and dirty supplies littered the counter. Right at the present moment, Rainbow Dash was using the whirring egg beater to savagely crush a couple of eggs.
“Well, how else am I supposed to use it?” Rainbow Dash said, clearly frustrated with how everything’s been going so far. She slammed the beater down. “I thought it was called egg beater for a reason!”
Pinkie Pie shook her head in faint amusement, and disjointedly retrieved fresh eggs from the refrigerator. She set them on the table, taking one in her hoof. Timidly, she tapped the egg against the rim of the bowl until cracks webbed themselves on its hard exterior. The insides slid into the bowl, and Pinkie repeated the action with the rest.
“Oh.” Rainbow Dash blushed an embarrassing shade of red. But, she managed to forget her stupidity as the gazed at her friend with a capacious grin. “See? Now, we’re getting somewhere! Don’t you feel better, now that we baked – erm, tried baking cupcakes?” She fluttered her eyelashes hopefully.
Pinkie merely shrugged, her whole physique still looking limp and as lifeless as ever. Her lips were still locked in a thin, straight position, and Rainbow Dash felt her own droop into a slow frown. She shook her head, clearing it away, and raised a hoof to her chin, scratching it thoughtfully. She must think of something else to do. What else was there to do in Ponyville?
“Dashie?” Pinkie voiced skeptically.
Just then, Dash’s brain lit up with a fantastic idea. Her eyes grew wide, and she glanced at Pinkie with a devilish expression. The pink pony glanced around uncomfortably, tucking her hair behind her ear again.
“The next thing we are going to do is sure to make your pants fly off with laughter!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She gripped Pinkie Pie’s face between her hooves and shook her ever so lightly, grinning so broadly her face might as well have split in two.
“Um. Rainbow Dash?” the pink pony said uneasily. “You’re starting to scare me just a teensy-weensy little bit.”
“No excuses!” Dash exclaimed. Then, on that moment, she remembered to finish her sentence from before. “We are going to pull a prank!”
“On who?” Pinkie asked curiously.
Rainbow Dash pondered for a few moments before her mind finally came to a conclusion. She grinned corruptly, again, and rubbed her hooves together, still deep in thought. “We are going to prank Twilight. And I know just what to do!” she exclaimed giddily. “Luckily, earlier today I saw her go out for lunch with Spike. But we have no time to lose! We need to stop at the Joke Shop beforehoof, and we can’t afford to waste time!”
“Okay, but – gah!” Pinkie Pie’s sentence was cut off as the rainbow-maned pegasus whisked her out of the kitchen in a prismatic-blue-and-pink-blur.
: : : :
Celestia’s sun beat down warmly on the Joke Shop as Rainbow Dash slunk out of its entrance, gripping a fresh can of Prankster’s Invisible Spray, Pinkie Pie closely in tow behind her. Dash began to stroke the spray can like it was her precious pet, chuckling oh-so-creepily, and Pinkie uncomfortably slid a ways from her friend without her noticing.
“So… what now?” Pinkie asked, shattering the uncomfortable atmosphere. She blew some hair away from her face, a timid gesture.
Rainbow Dash snapped immediately out of her reverie. Her magenta eyes were wide and frantic, as if she had just remembered to do something, and they only had a couple minutes to do it. “Right! Come on!” She suddenly took off with a faint rainbow trail streaming out behind her, Pinkie Pie struggling to catch up as they both raced towards the library in a frenzied blur.
If this doesn’t cheer Pinkie up, I don’t know what will, Rainbow Dash thought to herself as her hooves continued to strike the ground in lithe motions. She caught sight of her pink friend out of the corner of her eye, still looking as somber as she did when Dash first found her. Pinkie loves pulling pranks as well as the next pony!
Soon enough, they approached the library. The sun was beating down heavily through the clouds, and Dash felt little globules of sweat bead on her forehead and neck. She turned to Pinkie Pie, placed a hoof to her lips, and cautiously advanced towards the nearest window. She planted her front hooves below the sill and ever-so-slowly advanced her eyes an inch above the scaffolding. Her gaze swept about the room, and when she was sure nopony was inside, she turned towards Pinkie and motioned for her to come closer.
Rainbow Dash ordered her friend to be quiet, just in case, and gently shoved her through the window. When she was in, she hoisted herself inside, and landed ungracefully on the wooden floor below.
Pinkie helped her up. She stood, groaning, and shook herself off. “What are we doing here?” she asked.
A sly grin crossed Rainbow Dash’s lips. “Watch and learn, my fine pink friend,” she said before turning towards the bookshelves.
She uncapped the lid and turned the nozzle towards a book for testing. She pressed the nozzle, and the can hissed as the spray coated the novel, immediately causing it to disappear. Pinkie gasped in surprise, and Dash grinned devilishly as she turned towards the rest of the books.
In the next swiftest moments, all the books were completely invisible, and Rainbow Dash stood back to admire her handiwork. She smiled in satisfaction, capping the spray can and tossing it into the nearest garbage bin.
Oh boy, Twilight is sure to freak!
Just then, the two of them heard the lock to the front door click. Rainbow Dash whipped around, her heart hammering in her chest as nervous sweat appeared on her brow. The door began to slowly creak open, and she turned to Pinkie, who was anxiously beginning to back away.
“Crap, she’s home!” Dash whispered harshly. Frantically, she located the nearest potted plant and shoved her friend behind it, following closely behind. They packed themselves tightly together, and held hooves against each other’s lips when the sounds of clopping hooves on wooden floorboards filled the room.
Rainbow Dash cautiously peeked from between the leaves of the plant. She saw Twilight Sparkle and Spike lazily sauntering into their home, totally unbeknownst to Dash’s master plan. She had to hold in a giggle of mirth.
“Thanks for picking the spot for lunch, Spike,” Twilight said to her assistant. “It was delicious!”
Spike nodded in favor. “No problem. I’m definitely glad that place has gemstones. Why wouldn't I have picked it?” he said, patting his round belly. Twilight giggled.
“I’m just going to finish up some work in here, so you can – “ The alicorn suddenly gasped. It was a loud, astounded gasp that made Dash wriggle with anticipation in her seat.
Here comes the snap, she thought mirthfully. She fought hard to suppress a giggle, absent-mindedly driving her hoof harder against Pinkie’s mouth. The pink pony made a muffled sound.
Twilight threw her head back in rage. “Where in the name of sweet Celestia did all my books go?!” she screeched gratingly.
Spike clambered down the stairs boisterously. He shuffled into the room, looking quite bewildered. “Twilight? What’s wro – huh?” He gasped, too.
“This isn’t going to end well,” Pinkie whispered obviously to her friend. Dash nodded and nearly snorted, tears of laughter rolling down her face in salty rivulets.
Twilight leered over Spike, eyes burning with fury, and Dash could tell he was trying hard to make himself smaller. “Did you do this?!” she shrieked. “If this is your idea of funny, then how come I’m not laughing?!”
Pinkie stared in disbelief, but at the same time, ever-so-faintly, a small smirk began to upturn her lips. Rainbow Dash felt pride flutter in her stomach, but she didn’t want to say anything in case laughter slipped out and blew their cover.
“Twilight…I… I didn’t – “ Spike stammered, his green eyes wide in shock and fright.
Sorely then, Rainbow Dash couldn’t take it anymore. She pried Pinkie Pie’s hoof from her mouth and burst into clamorous, irrepressible laughter, voice cracking like fireworks. Tears continued to stream down her blue cheeks, and Twilight and Spike’s heads snapped in her direction.
“Who goes there?” Twilight demanded, flaring her wings.
Rainbow Dash half-fell, half-leapt out from behind the potted plant, dragging Pinkie Pie out with her. Her ribs were on fire, but it was worth every second of pain.
Twilight flashed them confused, angry looks. “Rainbow? Pinkie? I… what the hell?!” She stomped her hoof on the ground, the sound thundering about the room. “Did you two do this?!”
“Yes!” Rainbow Dash cried, throwing up her hooves. “Yes! Yes, we did! Didn’t we, Pinks?”
Pinkie nodded, the beautiful smirk that Rainbow Dash was so proud to see still showing on her lips.
Twilight seemed to be at a loss for words. Her mouth formed disconcerting shapes. “How… what… just… just get out!” she finally screamed, brutally throwing open the door with her magic.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie didn’t have the chance to apologize (it’s not like they wanted to, anyway) before a glowing magenta aura surrounded them and tossed them like ragdolls out onto the street. The door slammed shut behind them, and an enraged snarl followed.
Rainbow Dash had troubles picking herself up from the street, on account of she was still laughing uncontrollably, so Pinkie had to do it for her.
“That. Was. Awesome!” Dash exclaimed, throwing her hooves into the air. “Did you see the look on her face? Priceless!” After another giddy guffaw, she glanced at her friend, hope springing in her eyes. “It was enough to cheer you right up… right?”
“It… was pretty funny,” Pinkie admitted. Her smile had grown a bit larger, and Rainbow Dash felt anticipation swelling in her stomach.
But, something wasn’t right. Pinkie Pie wasn’t back to her old self. Her hair was still hanging limp across her face, and her coat still had that somber gray tinge. Her blue eyes weren’t as dim, but… still solemn. Rainbow Dash’s heart faltered in her chest.
Um… no problem. We just gotta figure out something else to do, yes?
She wracked her brain for something – anything – to do, to make her friend feel more like her old self again. But what if nothing worked? A deep, sharp pang shot through her chest at the thought of her friend never being able to be herself again – never able to be Pinkie Pie again. And, if that somehow happened, it would feel as if a destructive, gray cloud had passed over Ponyville, sealing the fate and opening up a gaping hole in everypony’s hearts. Rainbow Dash shuddered at the thought.
They all needed Pinkie Pie. And, just as sure as she was from the beginning – no, maybe even surer – Rainbow Dash was as determined as ever to bring her back.
Come on, Dash. Think, think. She knocked a hoof against her skull a few times. What does Pinkie Pie love doing?
Just then, it hit her. As forcefully as a brick would hit her in the skull.
A party!
How come she didn’t think of that before?
“Yes, yes!” she said to herself – maybe too loudly. “I’m so stupid. Jeez, Rainbow Dash!”
Pinkie Pie looked at her, quite concerned. “Uh, are you okay?”
The color drained from Rainbow Dash’s face, and she grinned bashfully. “Er… heh heh. Yes.”
“Oh, okay. Because you’ve seemed a bit… weird the whole time we’ve been together. No offense, right?”
It took most of the patience in her system to ignore her friend’s remark. She just smiled at her friend submissively, though her teeth were clenched behind her lips. “Don’t worry, Pinks. I know exactly how to cheer you up!”
She heard Pinkie Pie sigh. Her ears perked up, and she looked at her friend, baffled. “Pinkie? What’s the matter?”
Her friend flashed a teensy smile – as teensy as they come. Though, her eyes were solemn, and were beginning to moisten. “Oh, Rainbow Dash… I just don’t think this is working. I don’t think I can be cheered up, not today. You see, this happens every single time, on this day of every year after my parents passed. I isolate myself until I feel well enough to walk out into the world, and this isn’t helping anything… I just need time to think, Rainbow Dash. I need to think.” She smiled sadly.
Rainbow Dash felt her ears droop against the sides of her head. “Wh-what? No, Pinkie, don’t say things like that.”
Pinkie sighed again. “I’m glad you girls didn’t have to see me like this last year. It’s just… j-just so hard.” Tears began to well, like clear gleaming crystals, in her eyes. “I decided to make myself f-feel better by throwing two parties at once. And it worked, for the time being… before I thought you girls abandoned me, then it all came crashing down. It felt exactly like how it did when my parents l-left me.” She sniffled, and wiped away the drops of tears that cascaded haphazardly down her cheeks.
Dash reached out towards her friend. Her heart ached, like a thousand stabbing knives were imprinting themselves there. “Pinkie – “
Pinkie Pie closed her eyes, as if to stop the flow of tears. But they managed to squirm out from beneath her eyelids. “I’m so sorry, Dashie. I just need to go home, and think. To let it all out. This isn’t – “
“But, you were so close to being cheered up!” Rainbow Dash said. She felt like mewling and wailing like a tiny kitten, but she wasn’t about to let her harrowed heart shoot that far out of her chest. “Come on, I know just the way to – “
“I just need time to think!” Pinkie suddenly screamed. Her voice was full of such sorrow and devastation that it drilled a new, gaping hole in Dash’s heart and caused her to flinch. Tears were flowing in fast streams down her pink face, like a river racing through a bank.
Rainbow Dash had never heard her friend scream like that, and she was sure she never wanted to again. It felt as if a boulder had seated itself in her stomach, and it took all her strength not to collapse – but, like bodies in gravity, that strength shattered.
Hot tears began to prod her eyes, and no resistance held them back. Her friend was merely three hoofsteps away, but she didn’t care. The dams behind her eyes broke, and salty tears rolled down her cheeks. Her prismatic tail wrapped around her haunches, and she finally fractured.
She let no sounds escape her, just silent tears as they ran down her face and created pools on the hard ground. She grit her teeth, her ruby eyes drowning in her sorrow.
“I knew it,” she whispered.
Pinkie was shaking. Her eyebrows were still furrowed like they were when she screamed, but they began to unfurl, slowly but surely. The flow of tears began to slow down, but she was at a loss for words as she looked upon her pegasus friend, sobbing in front of her, looking as dejected and crushed as she felt. Her heart seemed to pound everywhere; in her ears, her skull, her throat. She couldn’t swallow, her mouth was too dry.
She willed words to spill out. “Knew what?”
Dash chuckled. But it wasn’t a hearty chuckle, it was a low, dry chuckle. Pinkie winced. “I knew I couldn’t do it… cheer you up, I mean. But, after seeing you, I - I was so determined.” She hollowly blew out air. “I’m not the ‘cheering up’ type, y’know? I expect ponies to do that for me. I just expect everything in the universe to go through its course, and everything will get better while I lazily lie on a Celestia-forsaken cloud and do absolutely nothing,” she finished bitterly. “That’s all I ever do.”
Pinkie shook her head, straight hair whipping across her face. “No. No, Rainbow Dash. That is not true.” She walked over to her friend and sat down beside her, wrapping a foreleg around her cyan neck and wiping away her tears. “You are a wonderful pony. You’re an amazing flier, a remarkable athlete, and your loyalty as a friend is super-duper reliable.”
Rainbow Dash sniffled, smiling at her friend through her tears.
Pinkie grinned back. “You’re the best pony in the universe, Rainbow Dash. And I’m proud to call you my best friend.”
“I guess... I am pretty awesome,” Rainbow Dash said, smirking.
“See?” Pinkie shook her lightly, knowingly. “You know, I’ve always looked up to you, kind of like Scootaloo looks up to you.”
Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows, surprised. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I used to watch you fly. A lot. I always thought to myself, ‘Wow. She’s so super-duper amazing. It must be nice to soar through the sky like her, and forget about the world. Just soar.’” She sighed wistfully. “It must feel nice. I’ve always wanted to fly.” Pinkie began to draw random lines on the ground with her hoof. “Too bad my wings went to somepony else.”
Rainbow Dash laughed. She sniffled again, before drying the rest of her tears. “You really want to know what flying is like?” she asked her softly.
“Well, yeah,” Pinkie said, looking at her. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, now.”
And then, it hit Rainbow Dash.
She knew exactly how to cheer her friend up.
She smiled, forgetting her sorrow. Her heart was thrilled. She stood up on all fours, her grin shining down on Pinkie Pie like a thousand rays of Celestia’s sun. “How about I take you flying, then.”
Pinkie Pie’s cerulean eyes widened, her final tears completely diminished. They glimmered like a million shining stars – and it was beautiful. “What? Just like that?”
“Yeah, why not?” Dash said, flexing her legs and flaring her wings. “Besides, it’ll be fun.”
Pinkie felt new tears well in her eyes – tears of joy. She threw her front legs around Dash’s neck in a jovial embrace, and the cyan mare returned the gesture graciously. “Oh, Rainbow Dash! Thank you thank you thank you!” She squeezed her tighter.
“Uhm n-no problem, Pinkie Pie,” she managed to breath out, face beginning to turn bluer than it already was. “Sorry… but… can’t… breathe…! Ugh.”
“Oops, sorry, Dashie!” she instantly said, pulling away quickly.
Dash merely chuckled. “That’s quite alright.” Her magenta eyes twinkled in the glare of the sun. “Now, the fun shall begin.”
Pinkie Pie’s heart thudded with nervous excitement. She closed her eyes as Rainbow Dash wrapped her forelegs around her midriff, fastened her against her chest, and took off into the sky.
Pinkie barely had the oxygen to shriek as she felt her hooves leave the ground, and the fresh air whip against her face and buffet her hair in a whirling pink tornado. She dared to squint open her eyes and glance down – then wished she hadn’t. The world seemed to shrink beneath her as they gained altitude. Her stomach lurched as if it was a hot air balloon. She squeezed her eyes shut again, blood roaring in her ears.
“You okay down there?” Rainbow Dash called to her over the howl of the wind. Her prismatic hair flew in the wind, wings flapping eagerly on either side of her.
Pinkie nodded. Her heart and throat soared. “Yeah, I – whoa!” Her stomach turned again when she felt the both of them make a sharp turn. They seemed to be avoiding clouds – or Rainbow Dash wanted a little spin to their adventure.
When the winds began to die town to a lower degree and they were gliding easily through the air, Pinkie decided to focus on the scenery rather than the flying. She slowly opened her eyes and looked down on the world. She gasped in awe as she took it all in.
The world was beautiful! Patches of green, brown, and yellow land stood out like different colored puzzle pieces. Clumps of forests stood out on the landscape, and the buildings tied to the ground stood out in vibrant colors against the plain grassy hills. The dots that were milling about looked to be other ponies to Pinkie Pie, and she felt a giggle rise in her throat at how tiny they looked.
“Since when did you get so high up?” she asked her flying captain with curiosity.
“Just trying to make the best of it for you,” Dash said with a smile. “And also, I like to fly up here and just think and soar with the soft wind currents. It really helps the mind, you know.”
“What are you, my psychologist?” Pinkie said.
Rainbow Dash laughed, voice cracking at her friend’s humor. She was mostly happy about how her friend was slowly gaining her old self back.
“We’re up really high, though,” Pinkie remarked uneasily. “You won’t drop me, right?” She glanced up at her friend, who reassuringly smiled back.
“There’s no way in Tartarus I’d ever let you fall.”
Pinkie Pie felt her heart jump into her throat at her friend’s words. She immediately felt safer – happier, even. It was as if part of her heart was finally being pieced back together. She smiled against the cool breeze.
She felt more at ease up here. Like her problems weren’t even with her anymore, like they were just fragments caught up with the wind currents, flowing off away to Nowhere Land. She felt relaxed at the thought, closing her eyes. Then, without really meaning to, she extended her arms out to the sides, like they were wings of her own. Her lips fell open just slightly, facial muscles merely stirring. She felt good. She felt alive.
Rainbow Dash looked down at her passenger. She breathed at what she saw. Her friend just looked to peaceful, and soothed, and calm. She swore she saw the tiniest curls flip out of her straight mane. “Pinkie, you’re okay, right?”
“Yes,” she replied calmly. “I’m terrific.”
The sky began to grow darker, and Rainbow Dash decided it was time to let their flying journeys come to an end. Exhaling lazily, she angled her wings and began to set down just as they came back over Ponyville. The wind rushed in their ears and hummed their systems to settle tranquil.
They glided through the town, and landed just in front of Sugarcube Corner. Everypony was starting to clear the streets, traipsing tiredly back into their homes for a good night’s sleep. Luna’s moon was just beginning to come above the horizon and Celestia’s sun was dipping below it, causing the sky to blend in beautiful sunset colors.
Pinkie Pie sighed. She was sad that the flying had to end, but she was glad she got to experience it once and for all. Her wish had become true, all because of her best friend.
Rainbow Dash blinked her eyes and set down in front of Pinkie. Her wings folded neatly against her sides. She looked up – only to make a shocking discovery.
She gasped. “Pinkie Pie! You… you are…” The words came spilling out all at once, and it took a few moments for her to collect herself. “…back,” she finally whispered.
And indeed, she was. Her pink hair was back to the way it was – curly and lively. It stood, puffed-up, on her head, resembling a delicious piece of cotton candy. The gray tinge was completely gone in her coat, and her blue eyes shone like a never-ending ocean that sparkled as the sun attacked its surface.
Rainbow Dash failed to hold back a squeal of excitement. She gathered her friend up in a loving, tight embrace, so tight it could choke the both of them. When she pulled back, she saw tears in the pink pony’s eyes.
“Pinkie? What’s wrong?”
Pinkie smiled. And it was one of the biggest, warmest smiles she had ever seen come from her. It hurt not to smile back, so she did. “I just had so much fun today, Rainbow Dash. Thank you for being there, right by my side through this hard time.
Thank you for proving my worth.”
