Immortality: Pinkie Pie's Search

Pinkie opened her eyes one morning six moons later. She had had only bits of luck; sometimes she would talk to ponies that had glimpsed Vinyl or Lyra. But for the past six moons, Pinkie hadn't physically seen either of them.

"Manehattan!" she exclaimed, sitting up. "I'm sure I'll find them here!" She hopped off the sugar bag she had been sleeping on and walked into the busy streets.

"Did you hear?" One pony asked her friend as they trotted past Pinkie.

"I know!" Her friend replied. "I can't believe she's dead!" Pinkie was interested now. She felt sorry for the friends of the pony that had passed on.

"Excuse me-" she began, but then cut herself off. She didn't have time to chat when she could find an immortal pony!

"Oh my gosh," a stallion nearby exclaimed as he read a newspaper. "How could she be dead? She was so young!"

"And lively," the newspaper pony added. He lowered his hat to his chest. "I'll miss her, and her music." Pinkie cocked her head to the side.

"Who died?" She asked.

"Vinyl Scratch," the stallion replied. "You know," he added, "she was my celebrity marefriend." Pinkie didn't listen to the last part. She snatched up the newspaper and held it close.

"'Vinyl Scratch, perhaps the icon for rock music, passed away last Tuesday,'" Pinkie read. "'Vinyl was upbeat, and she landed some of the most incredible jobs, like being DJ at the marriage of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor. She will be missed by all her fans. The cause of her death is not clear, but Vinyl's body was found in Rainbow Falls, and police say she was definitely not murdered. May the musician rest in peace.'"

Pinkie only believed it for a split second. Then she said aloud, "It's a ruse." The stallion glared at her and grabbed the paper back.

"They would never print lies about Vinyl! We just have to accept the fact," he snapped. Pinkie turned away.

"Rainbow Falls, huh?" She murmured to herself. "Well, it's time I revisited that old place."

The ferry rides between Manehattan and mainland Equestria were free, so it was easy to get through that. From there, it was a day's treck to Rainbow Falls. Or half a day by train.

"Excuse me!" Pinkie called to a pale yellow stallion selling train tickets. He looked up, surprised.

"What do you want?" He asked, but not in a hostile way.

"I need to get to Rainbow Falls, as soon as possible," Pinkie exclaimed. "But I don't have any money, so could you please help me out and give me a ticket? Please?" The stallion tapped his hoof on his chin.

"I can't just give it to you," -Pinkie's tail drooped- "but I can give one to you as a gift." Pinkie lifted her tail. The stallion pulled a ticket out and hoofed it to Pinkie.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Pinkie exclaimed, giving him a hug. "You're the nicest stallion I've ever known- except for my husband, of course."

"No problem," he replied with a small blush. "The next train to Rainbow Falls leaves in ten minutes. My name's Fourteen. What's yours?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie," Pinkie replied. She and Fourteen talked until Pinkie's train pulled in.

"Thanks again for the ticket, Fourteen," Pinkie said.

"Anytime," Fourteen replied. Pinkie smiled.

"Bye!" She called as she boarded the train.

"Bye!" Fourteen shouted in response.

From the window, Pinkie watched Fourteen fade into the distance.

"He's nice," Pinkie told herself.

"Don't be silly, Pinkie!" She added. "You're married- you're married." Pinkie's pupils dilated. She hadn't seen her husband or daughter in over six months.

"I'll see them soon." Pinkie tried to reassure herself. "I'm so close to finding them." But as Pinkie looked at the landscape moving around her, she felt alone.

~

When the train reached Rainbow Falls, Pinkie was the first one out.

"Now, where to start?" She asked herself. Pinkie trotted through the small town, admiring the scenery. In the corner of her eye, she was watching everything. Except for a group of fillies and colts.

"Watch out!" A young blue colt shouted, running from a group of friends. He pushed past Pinkie.

"Whoa!" Pinkie cried as she fell back into a trashcan. The contents spilled out, and a piece of paper fluttered onto Pinkie Pie's muzzle. Pinkie picked it up.

"3446 Sparkle Road, Neighgra Falls," she read. "Lyra Heartstrings."