Shadows of the Past

Under the full moon, the Pie family rock farm looked like a ghostly and barren landscape.  The cold and biting wind howled through the drafty farmhouse that lay on the north-western side of the property.  The structure was almost as barren as the landscape—painted in grays and blacks that the moon-light accentuated.  The Pie family believed in a plain life—and it showed in their landscaping outside, and their décor inside.  No fancy ornamentation graced the walls.   No exotic patterns on the furniture or rugs.  If it was not practical, it was not necessary.  The furniture, the rugs, the linens, the décor, was plain and simple.  That was good enough for the Pie family as it had been for generations.

The bright moon poured its light through every window on the western side of the abode—casting ethereal shadows throughout the homestead.  In a small room on the top floor, a young pink filly lay in her bed, quietly sobbing.

"...why does this always happen...to me*sniff*...I try so hard...*sniff*"

Memories of the day flooded her mind as she tried to sleep.  She struggled to regain her composure.  She didn’t want her family to hear her—especially her sister.  She was still bruised and sore from their confrontation earlier that day.  She rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to massage away the pain.  She wondered why her mother and her other sister never intervened—why they just stood by and let things happen to her. Why her father blamed her for what she did.

"...I just wish I could get out of this place...*sob*..."

She put her hooves up to her face and began to pray that something would change...that something would break and she could be free of this life of drudgery and hard, physical labor—broken up only by the fits of insanity that her sister caused.  Her straight pink hair fell around her face as she tried hard to focus and control her emotions.

Then she heard it.

CLINK!

"What was that!?" she said in a half whisper.  Her eyes darted around the room searching for the source.

Again...CLINK-CLANK.

Something was hitting the window.

Pinkamena got out of her bed, her curiosity staying her emotion for the time being.  She carefully moved toward the window.  She peered out into the moon bathed rock fields searching for whatever it was hitting her window.  The light gave the dreary fields an almost mystical quality...

CLINK!

"AH!" she gasped.   She looked out again and found the source. A handsome young earth colt with a dark blue coat and white mane gazed up at her window with a hoof-full of rocks—the source of all of the racket.  Her only friend in the community—Blue Waters—had come to pay her another visit.  As their eyes connected, a small smile began to form across Pinkamena's face.  She opened the window.

"HEY PIN--" he began to shout

"SHHHHH!" Pinkamena chastised.  "They'll hear you!  I'm already in enough trouble as it is tonight!" she stated in a hushed tone.

"Oh...” said Blue, “…well, can I come up anyway?" He asked in a barely audible whisper.

"Only if you're quiet about it..."

"Okay."

He began to climb the trellis next to the porch roof that was just under her window--just as he had done so many times before.  He came by about once or twice a week would stay up talking with Pinkamena, or showing her how to draw the most beautiful pictures.  She kept these sketches under a loose floorboard by the window—a secret talisman to guard against the world outside her house—as well as the one within.

As he climbed, Pinkamena thought about how much his friendship meant to her.  She found it fascinating that he always knew when to come by--whenever she was sad or lonely--it was like he knew that she needed a friend at that moment.  Blue would always come by and cheer her up.  Maybe he heard from his father—who was close friends with her father—that she was feeling sad, lonely, or afraid.

He was finally at the window

"Quiet enough for ya’?" he whispered as he climbed through the portal into her room.

"Perfect." She whispered as she began to give the smallest of smiles. "What are we doing tonight?"

She always asked this.  Every time the answer was different.  Sometimes they drew pictures or put puzzles together.  Sometimes they would make a fort out of blankets and pillows and read books he would bring by.  Sometimes they snuck out and played tag or hide and seek in the rock fields.

But tonight would be different.

“Well, Pink,” he said, “my dad and I were talking tonight about your…uh, troubles with your sister, Isabelle…and uh…” He wasn’t looking at her.  It was almost as if he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

“Blue, are you okay?” she asked.  A look of concern began to grow over your face.  “Did Isabelle say something...Or do something?  Don’t worry about her; she’s just not right in the he—”

"Pink," Blue Waters cut her off, "I got something I gotta' tell ya', but it won't be easy."  He was beginning to choke up.  A tear began to form at the corner of his eye.

"Blue, it's okay. No matter what it is, you know you can tell me anything.  What's going on?"  A sliver of fear began to pierce her heart.  Something was very wrong with her dearest friend.

"I don't know how to tell you this, Pink, but I...uh...that is..."

"Go on..."

"Pink, I can't come by here anymore.  Your mom and dad had a long talk with my dad this afternoon, and told me I wasn't welcome here—‘specially after what happened this afternoon. What’s more is that my dad has also told me never to come here again…said something was very wrong with Isabelle and for my own safety, I was to stay away from here.”

Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.  "But...I don't... *sniff*...understand.....why..." she sputtered as fresh, hot tears began to fill her eyes.

"Pink, I'm not finished yet.  There's something else."

"What?" She sniffled.  She felt as if she had been punched in the gut.  She couldn’t catch her breath.

"Pink, I want you to come with me and get out of this place."

"I...wait, what?" she questioned with a surprised tone.

"I'm getting out of here and I want you to come with me…we got to get away from here before she does anymore harm to us."

"I....but, I..."she stammered

"Pinkamena, this might be our last chance to get out of here before something really bad happens and..."

"Something bad already has happened!" she chanced at raising her voice a bit.  "Don’t you get it?!  I'm the one who has to live here in this nightmare!"

"Then come with me.  You may be living in this nightmare, but you’re not the only one affected by it. Get some things you'll need and we can leave tonight.”

“Blue, I can’t just leave the rest of my family because of my little sister’s…episodes.”

“Those aren’t just ‘episodes’ as you call them.  Someday, somepony is going to get hurt…and I can’t bear to think that it could be you.  Please come with me.”

“And where would we go?” she badgered, “We don’t have any money and we don’t know anyone outside of the community…for Celestia’s sake, we’re just kids!”

“I know some folks in Ponyville—good people…run a bakery.  There’s also my cousin in Canterlot, friends in Fillydelphia, and of course my brother in Seaddle.”

“...like we could make it to Seaddle!” She retorted. “This is crazy, Blue!  It’s not practical—you don’t even have a real plan!”

“Well, Pink, sometimes you gotta’ be a little spontaneous,” he said with a grin and a wink.  That same grin and wink had usually convinced her to go with his hair-brained schemes…

Usually, but this was asking too much.

“Blue,” she looked down at the moon-lit floorboards, “I…just…*sniff*…can’t…”  Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

She wanted to go…desperately wanted to escape this life and begin anew.  But she couldn’t.  She couldn’t just leave her family behind to deal with her sister’s ‘condition.’

“Alright then,” he replied in a resigned tone, “but, I can’t stay around here and watch this continue.”  He was trying to contain his own tears.  “I’m leaving for Ponyville tonight to meet up with my friends there. I’ll be there for about two weeks working on a farm to raise money to catch the train to Appleoosa.  If you change your mind, I will wait for you there.”

Blue made his way back to the window.  He looked back at Pinkamena, and saw the stresses of the world weighing her down.  He walked back to her and hugged her tightly.  She could feel his tears mingling with hers.

And then, he was gone.  Out the window and fading into the shadows of the moon-lit night.

One week later, Pinkamena saw the most spectacular rainbow exploding through the sky…

…

“Whaddaya mean, denied?!?!” Rainbow Dash’s voice erupted throughout the office.  “Did you not see that sonic rainboom last week?  Everypony has been talking about it—heck, you not only should let me in, you should make me Captain!!!”

“As I have explained, Ms. Dash,” the clerk—dressed in a drab outfit that matched the drab interior of the government office explained, “There are strict and strenuous requirements for becoming a member of the Wonderbolts.  They are Equestria’s most elite Pegasus Ponies and only after years of grueling military training are a small few hand picked by Princess Celestia herself.  Your application has been denied based upon the fact that you are too young for active service in the Equestrian Royal Air Force, and your flight record is…uh…‘questionable’ at best.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?!?!”  Dash’s voice rang out through the countless rows of standardized government cubicles.  Quite a few heads popped out from behind their drab-gray cubicle walls to see what the commotion was about.

“According to your instructors and other references you put down on your application, you are hot-tempered, lazy, self-centered, undisciplined, and very reckless—traits that are not becoming of a future member of the Equestrian military, much less the Wonderbolts.”

Dash was fuming.  She could feel her blood-pressure rising and pulsating in her ears.  She had done what so many said was impossible—A sonic rainboom!  She was sure it was her ticket in with the Wonderbolts.  What other pony in all of Equestria could fly faster than the speed of sound?  Surely the Equestrian military had a use for that!  And now, all her hopes of glory were being trampled by some government bureaucrat at the Cloudsdale Office of Career Development!!!  There had to be some other way.

“There’s got to be some way in for such a gifted pony as myself!!!  Isn’t there some kind of loophole or something for highly talented Pegasus Ponies?”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Dash, but we do have to abide within the confines of this policy.  You need more flight time, and you need more positive references that will speak to your own personal integrity.”

“…how many more?”

“Five to be exact.  But the more the better.  You need to look at this as building a case as to why the Royal Air Force should let you in and put you into tryouts for the Wonderbolts.”

“So, what do I do now?” She asked.

“Well,” started the clerk, “We just had a new position open up in Ponyville for weather-ponies.  I think it might be a great fit for you, and might just be your ticket to bigger things.” The clerk attempted a small smile as she slid a yellow sheet of paper with the title “Ponyville Meteorological Department of Weather Control”…

“Seriously?” an unenthusiastic Rainbow Dash stated.

“Yes…is there something wrong?” said the clerk, still trying to fake a grin.

“You want me to go to some back-woods, middle of nowhere town like Ponyville and be their sky janitor?”

“It is a good position that will build some discipline into you,” she said curtly.  “Listen, I don’t have to help you, you know.  I could give you an assignment cleaning sewers in Manehatten.  But along with the disparaging marks on your record, there is also a great deal of comments such as, ‘has great potential,’ and ‘could be top of her class…if she applied herself.’ ” These ponies believe in you, they just seem to wish you would take yourself more seriously.  And honestly, I like your spunk.  You got spirit, kid, and I think that if you do this and give it time, it really will take you places.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Fine…but I need to know two things, when can I re-apply and what do you need from me when I do?”

“Give it a few years.  At that time I will need all the information you provided me today, plus the five references detailing why you should be accepted.  If you are selected into the Air Force and are found to be eligible to try out for the Wonderbolts, you will be put through the most demanding training regimen ever required of a Pegasus Pony.  Even then, few make the cut.  You have to be the best of the best.”

“Well, I’m 20% better than that!!!  I’ll take this position in Ponyville, and I’ll show you all!  When I come back in a few years, I’m going to be an aviation rock-star! You haven’t heard the last of Rainbow Dash!”

With that, Dash took the paper detailing the assignment and flew out the door, back home to pack her things.

…

The brakes of the train screeched in protest as the steam engine came to a slow stop at the Ponyville station early that spring morning.  Steam filled the platform, giving an ominous glow to the travelers waiting for their turn to board the express to its next stop in Canterlot.  Feeling extremely excited and nervous at the same time, Pinkamena stepped off the train.  It was the first step into a new life for her.

“Excuse me,” she asked a porter, “I need to find a farm that is somewhere around this town—a friend of mine is waiting for me there.”

“…plenty of farms ‘round these parts, ma’am.” The porter was friendly, but answered in a sleepy voice that indicated he had just started his shift.  “…there’s the Sunshine Honey Ranch, the Burst Blueberry Farm, Sweet Apple Acres, Cherry Berry’s Cherry Orchard…probably ten or twelve more…know which one your looking for?”

“Wow...heh…” she said with a nervous smile, “that’s a lot of farms.”  She paused. She had never been outside of the community before.  She hadn’t planned on finding Blue Waters to be so difficult.  And then, she remembered…

“Hey!  Is there a super-amazing bakery in town?” Super-amazing? She thought… Where did that come from?

“Well, there’s Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s place—Sugarcube Corner…”

“Can you tell me how to get there?”

As the porter pony began to describe how to get to the bakery, she noticed through the fog and haze a pony with a blue coat having a very animated conversation with the porter at the Visitor Information Kiosk.

Could it be?  Blue?

She started walking toward the Kiosk—oblivious to the fact that she had left the porter spouting off directions to the air.  She was walking faster now—so happy that she had found him so quickly.  She couldn’t wait to tell him everything that had happened in the past few weeks.  All the changes she needed to tell him about—her mane being the least of them.

She was within mere feet when all of the sudden, the blue pony’s wings shot out as the conversation became more intense.  It was then she realized her mistake—a filly, not a colt—and a Pegasus Pony—was carrying on this excited exchange with the bored porter behind the counter.

“…and I could feel the air bending around me, like the sky was electrified, and then it happened…a SONIC RAINBOOM!”  The filly’s multi-colored mane and tail were swishing around with her hoof gestures of her pulling out of a dive and a whooshing back into the atmosphere.

“Uh-huh,” said the clerk.

“So, surely you could point such an awesome aviation rock-star such as myself to the best lodgings in town and hook me up with a discount or something?” She grinned as she concluded her story to the less-than-impressed porter who was now flipping through the want ads in the Ponyville Daily Report.

“Don’t know about that.  I do know Mr. and Mrs. Cake are renting some rooms in their bakery.  Might be a good place to crash ‘til you get a place of your own.”  He held up the paper to show her the ad.

“Hey, that’s perfect!  Listen, when I’m famous and soaring with the Wonderbolts, I’ll hook you up with some free tickets whenever we’re in town!”

“Uh-huh…” the porter said as he went back to his paper.

“Hey! Did he say Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s?”  Pinkamena excitedly asked the stranger, “‘cause, that’s where I’m headed too!”

“Yeah…need a place to stay until I get settled here and find something more permanent…just came in from Cloudsdale.  Name’s Rainbow Dash—perhaps you’ve heard of me…”she said with an overconfident smile.

“Uh…no.  But, I’m new here too and need a place to stay.  It just so happens I’m looking for Sugarcube corner.  Maybe we can room together!”

“Sounds like a plan.  By the way, what’s your name?”

“Pinka….” Something stalled in her.  Her name was a connection to the boring former life that was interrupted with moments of unspeakable terrors she had fought so hard to leave.

“Pinkie.  Pinkie Pie.” She liked the sound of that.  It sounded fun.  Spontaneous.

Well Pink, sometimes you gotta be a little spontaneous…she could hear Blue say.

“Well Pinkie, let’s go find this bakery and get settled into this town.”

“You know what we should do?”

“What’s that?”

“Once we’re settled in, let’s throw a SUPERAMAZINGFANTASTIC PAAARTY!!!!”

“Hey that sounds great.  Maybe in a few weeks, once we meet some other ponies we can have a small get together…”

That night, over one-hundred ponies packed Sugarcube Corner for Pinkie’s first party in Ponyville.

…

To be continued…