Shadows of the Past

A few days later, Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie Pie sat in the Mutual of Equestria offices discussing the details of the damages to Sweet Apple Acres.  The office was filled with leather bound and dusty books detailing policies and procedures, and file cabinets that had little office knick-knacks, curiosities and gifts from happy customers to the adjustor for all his hard work.  In other words, the office was interesting.

The adjustor was not.

And Pinkie Pie was bored out of her skull.

It wouldn’t have been so bad, except for the fact that Twilight insisted that Applejack and Pinkie stay together for safety, even going so far as having them stay at the library with her after she got out of the hospital.  They had done everything the past few days together…and it was really starting to get on Pinkie’s nerves.

“Now, Miss Applejack, let us continue to the damage assessed to the residential structures on the property…” the adjustor said in a low, monotone voice.

This is sooooo boring! Pinkie thought as she stared at the drop ceiling, trying to count the black marks that patterned each tile.

“Yes,” Applejack said nervously, “with tha’ smoke damage, Big Mac n’ I reckon that, after the deductable, our total damage estimate is 30,000 bits.”

Boring, boring, boring! Pinkie thought as she looked at a plant in the corner that was in dire need of some water. It’s as dry as he is… she thought.

“Can I add something?” a still bandaged and bruised Twilight said, “If you take into account the worker housing that was totally destroyed by the fire, and damage caused to the landscape around the residential structures, estimates could be as high as 90,000 bits.”

Oh dear Celestia! This is soooooooooo…

“Well, Miss Sparkle, the landscape is not normally covered other than basic turf in these situations, unless the Apple family can produce receipts that indicate…”

”BORING!!!”

All eyes stared at Pinkie in disbelief as she realized that the thought had escaped her lips.  In the awkwardness of the moment, she attempted a nervous laugh to break the mood.

“Well,” said the somewhat offended adjuster, who got up and began moving towards the door, “perhaps it’s time for a break.”

“Yeah, Ah was just thinkin’ the same thing…” said Applejack as she glared at Pinkie.

After the adjuster left the room, Twilight turned to Pinkie and said in a hushed tone, “What do you think you’re doing? Don’t you realize how important this is to Applejack and her family?”

“Pinkie,” Applejack said, gritting her teeth and trying to control her temper, “please tell me what’s goin’ on inside that thar pink head of yours that would cause you ta’ burst out like that.”

“I-I’m sorry girls, it’s just that…well… these past few days we’ve stuck really close together—and I appreciate it, really.  I know you both are concerned for my safety, but, I really want to get out on my own for just a while.  I feel kinda’ boxed in, like I can’t breathe.  I want to run through the town and say ‘hi’ to all my friends in the market and laugh with them and see them smile.”

“Out of the question,” Twilight retorted sharply, “there is always safety in numbers.  Besides, we don’t know what Inkie’s next move is.  She could be just waiting to get you alone.”

“But Twilight, what if this is Inkie’s next move—to get us to be so afraid that we can’t live our normal, everyday lives?” Pinkie asked in a pleading voice.

Twilight began to say something, but Applejack chimed in first, saying with an introspective look in her eye, “You know, Twi, she’s got a point.  We can’t go on livin’ like Inkie’s around every corner.  And we can’t keep stickin’ together 24/7.  You both are some of the best friends I’ve ever had…but dang it all if y’all ain’t startin’ to grate my nerves too!” She said in a joking tone.

Pinkie giggled as Twilight was taken aback and said, “But, I thought we were protecting Pinkie and having fun…like the slumber party we had last night.”

Applejack responded “Twi, no offense, but your dramatic readin’ of  String Theory for Eggheads, 3rd Edition and The Prophecies of Starswirll the Bearded at 2:00 in the mornin’ ain’t necessarily my idea of fun.”

Pinkie giggled even more at this as Applejack looked at her and said, “Look, sugarcube, Ah know this has been hard on you.  It’s about 10:00am now.  Ponyville’s marketplace is probably packed with ponies right.  Why don’t you get out of here and say hi to everyone, and maybe even sing a song or two on the way?  I hear Donut Joe opened a new shop right in the marketplace.  We can meet you there after we’re done here.”

“Really?!” Pinkie replied, “That would be amazingly fabulous!! Or would that be fabulously amazing? Or maybe amazinglyfabulouslyamazing!! Or even…”

“Pinkie!” Applejack said with a chuckle, “just get outta’ here already, before Twilight comes up with a reason why you shouldn’t.”

Pinkie grinned and hoofed it to the door.  As Pinkie bounced out of the office and happily made her way toward the marketplace, Twilight looked to Applejack and said, “I don’t know, A.J.  I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

Applejack responded, “I wouldn’t worry, Twi.  Pinkie needs to be around a lot of folks.  It’s where she does her best.  Listen, thar’s some birds in this world you can put in a cage and they’re fine, and thar’s some you put in a cage and they never sing again.  Pinkie’s like that.  Keepin’ her tied at the flank to us and not lettin’ her be around all of her friends is just gonna’ kill her spirit.”

“But, what about Inkie?”

“Twi, thar’s probably over a hundred ponies in the market at this time of day.  Inkie would have ta’ be a complete idiot ta’ try somethin’ now.”

“I guess you’re right…” Twilight conceded. “So…my reading wasn’t much fun, huh?”

“Nope.” Applejack said bluntly, and after a slight pause, added “Besides, your book’s biggest problem is that it totally ignores the fact that string theory doesn’t provide novel experimental predictions at currently accessible energy scales.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too…wait, what?”

………………..

Pinkie bounced gleefully toward the marketplace.  The thought of seeing all of her friends—because everypony in Ponyville was her friend—filled her heart with a sense of warmth that she had not felt since before Rainbow Dash had left.  It would be good to see everypony and to see the smiles on their faces as she mingled with them.

As she was bounding down a side street toward the market, she began to feel something was amiss.  A pinching sensation began to affect her knee and caused her to remember a conversation with Twilight, where she had said, “When my back is itchy, it means it’s my lucky day.  And, when my knee gets pinchy, that means something scary is about to happen.” She went from a bounce to a slow trot as she sensed she was not completely alone.

She looked behind her and saw nothing but a few business stallions and mares walking up and down the street—absorbed in their own conversations and newspapers.  She also saw some carriages delivering posts to the offices she just left.  She looked to her left and right and saw the single story office buildings in the Ponyville business district.

They sure look boring and dull to me… she thought.

She nervously smiled with thankfulness for the fun and exciting job she had at Sugarcube Corner.  The days went by so fast when she was running the Cake’s bakery, or delivering various baked goods to her friends around town.  The nights were even more fun as the Cakes allowed her more and more to take care of their twins.  They would play until well past the babies’ bed time and the three of them would all fall asleep in the middle of the room.

Over the buildings she saw the banners and flags of the central marketplace.  The pinchy feeling in her knee started to grow.  She hurried her pace toward the market as the feeling of being followed began to increase, even though there was no one around.

Or was there…

As she trotted down the side-street, she swore she heard something like hoof-steps behind her.  She turned around suddenly and saw nothing.

Okay, Pinkie… she thought to herself, don’t lose it now…it’s probably just the wind or…something.

As she began to turn around, she heard a trash can knock over behind her.  She immediately bolted as fast as she could toward the market.  She could hear galloping hoof-steps behind her drawing closer.  Pinkie pushed herself to run as fast as she could toward the market.  The side-street curved around and then, she saw it.  The entry to the marketplace had been blocked off by a construction crew repairing the street.  Her eyes darted around the scene to find a way through, but there was no way out.  A voice cried out to her from behind, “PINKIE, STOP!!!” Seeing she was trapped she turned to face her pursuer…a pursuer who turned out to be a white filly unicorn with a purple mane.

“Sw…Sweetie Belle?”

“Pinkie...*pant*…why did you…*gasp*… run away like that?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Why were you stalking me?” asked Pinkie in a highly irritated tone.

“I wasn’t stalking you…per se…” Sweetie said with a blush and a grin.

“Then what were you doing?”

“Well, since the incident with the balloon, I’ve decided that I am going to do my part in protecting my dear Sister’s friend and to make sure that no harm befalls you in any way.”

“Out of the kindness of your heart?” said a less than convinced Pinkie.

“Of course!” said Sweetie Belle.

Pinkie just stared at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh FINE!” Sweetie Belle said, “I was just trying to see if I could get a cutie mark for being your body guard.”  She slumped to the ground, forelegs crossed.

Pinkie started to giggle and before she knew it, Sweetie Belle was giggling too.  “I guess it is a bit pathetic, isn’t it?”  Sweetie Belle questioned.

“No, not at all!” Pinkie replied.  “I think it’s totally normal to wonder about who you are, and who you’re going to be.  And someday, you’ll find your special place in this world.”

Sweetie Belle smiled…the smile that Pinkie lived to see on all her friends.  It was the smile that showed that no matter what could be wrong; everything was going to work out alright.  She could feel her own heart filling with warmth and light.

“Until then,” said Pinkie, “why don’t you walk with me through the marketplace while I say hi to all my friends?”

“I’d like that, Pinkie” Sweetie Belle said.

………………..

After they made it to the market going another way, Pinkie and Sweetie Belle had a wonderful time visiting the different booths and stalls, sampling the vendor’s wares and chatting with old friends. They made their way around the market until they came to Donut Joe’s new donut shop.  As Pinkie motioned to go inside, Sweetie Belle looked up at the clock tower.

“It’s 10:45.” She said. “I’m late to meet Rarity at the boutique.  I’ve got to help her get her next order ready to ship to Canterlot.”

“Oh,” said Pinkie, “…you sure you won’t have a donut with me?”

“No, I got to run.  Thanks, Pinkie, this was a great morning.”  She turned to canter off, but then turned back, rushed up to Pinkie and embraced her, burying her head in Pinkie’s cotton-candy mane.  “It will be alright, Pinkie.  We all love you and are going to protect you…” she stepped back a bit and wiped a tear from her eye, “…even if I don’t get my cutie mark for it.” She said with a chuckle and a wink.

“Be careful getting back home.” Pinkie said

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.  See you later.” She said.  And with that, she trotted off toward the Carousel Boutique.

Pinkie watched her go until she disappeared down a side street.  What a great sister she must be to Rarity.  Not like some ponies I know… she thought with a shudder I really hope Rarity appreciates what she has…

Pinkie pushed open the large glass double doors to be greeted by the smells of fresh donuts, coffee, and hot cocoa.  The comforting smells that wafted out seemed to draw her into the store.  The store walls were painted in bright blues and greens and had pictures of famous ponies who had frequented Donut Joe’s shop in Canterlot, such as Hoity-Toity, Spitfire and the Wonderbolts, and of course, Princess Celestia herself.  The high backed booths and tables had a few patrons enjoying some of the sweet confections from the kitchen while a white furred mare with a red mane and rose for a cutie mark ran around with a coffee pot, taking orders and delivering food.

“Well if it isn’t the one and only Pinkie Pie!” she heard a familiar voice from behind the counter proclaim.

Pinkie smiled as she walked toward the counter. “Wow, Joe!  The new store looks really great!”

“Yeah, it took a lot of hard work, but now I’m finally expanding…heck, maybe I’ll even start franchising this place out to other towns, ya’ know?” Donut Joe said with a hint of pride in his voice.

“Sounds like a great plan!”

“Listen, while you’re here, I wanted to thank you.  You really saved my tail at the National Desert Competition.  With my part of the winnings, I was able to get out the debt I had tied up in my Canterlot store and branch out.  Thanks to you, Pinkie, my business is booming!”

“Aw, it was nothing, Joe…” Pinkie said as she blushed.

“Listen, Pinkie, anything you want is on the house.  Have a seat and I’ll have Rosa get your order.”

“Really! Wow, thanks Joe!”  She looked around the shop and walked over to a high backed booth.  As she slid into the booth, she regretted that Sweetie Belle had to leave even more now.  She would have really liked the donuts.

She looked through the menu, mouth watering at all the delectable treats.  Somewhere between the powdered and the filled donuts, she heard the bell on the door ring as it swung open.  She glanced up and then back at her menu, then did a double take to the door.  There, standing in the entry-way, was a blue stallion with a white mane and a cutie mark of three musical notes.  She looked at him curiously, eyes widening.

It couldn’t be…could it?

The stallion glanced her way and the same curious look crossed his face. “Pink?” he asked.  “Is that you?” he questioned with a growing smile.

“Blue?!” she replied.

He nodded.

She gasped and then screamed with glee, jumped out of the booth, and tackled him in the middle of the shop—much to the annoyance of some of the customers.  “Blue Waters, where in Equestria have you been,” she asked, embracing her long lost friend.

As Blue got to his hooves, he replied, “Pink, it’s been too long.”  He looked at her for a moment with and said, “…you look amazing.”

Pinkie blushed and led him back to the booth where the two sat and stared at each other for a while, neither really knowing what to say or where to begin.  Finally, Blue broke the silent tension in the air.

“So, how long have you been in Ponyville?” he asked.

“I came here about a week after you left the community.  I came looking for you, but no one knew who you were or where you were.  I really wanted to keep looking for you, but I made so many amazing friends here in Ponyville, that I couldn’t leave.” She replied. “By the way, where did you go anyway?”

“I did come to Ponyville, but I didn’t stay long.  My first night here, I stayed at the Ponyville Inn and was playing a tune on the Piano in the lobby.  Soon, some other colts that were staying there brought out their instruments and started playing with me.  Before I knew it, we were jamming into the early morning and had drawn quite a crowd.  As we were wrapping up the last set, my cutie mark appeared!  Three notes…pretty nice, huh?”  She giggled as he pretended to play an imaginary piano on the table and shook his flank to show off his cutie mark.

“After we finished, one of the colts named Theponius Monk offered me a job in his band.  Since then, we’ve been travelling all over Equestria playing in Jazz clubs and bars.  And now, I’m back in Ponyville today to meet a certain DJ who has some connections to larger venues.”

“That’s so super-de-duper incredible, Blue!  I’m so proud of you!” She began to ask more, but was cut off by the waitress, Rosa.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Rosa said, “but can I get your order…Joe says anything you want is on him.”

“Right,” said Pinkie, “I’ll have two strawberry frosted donuts…ooh with sprinkles, please! And some chocolate milk…Blue, what do you want?”

“Just some coffee thanks.”

The waitress gave Blue a peculiar look and then directed her attention back to Pinkie.  “Okay, two strawberry frosted and chocolate milk, coming up.” She said.

“Don’t forget Blue’s coffee!” replied Pinkie.

“Right...” said the waitress as she walked off.

“That was kind of weird, don’t you think?” Blue stated.

“Maybe she’s seen you at one of your clubs.” Pinkie said.

“Maybe…anyway, how are you? What’s been going on in your world since I left?”

“Well,” Pinkie started, “like I said, when I came here and I couldn’t find you at first—I almost decided to get back on the train and head back to the community.  But I met someone who became an amazing friend to me…Rainbow Dash!”

“You mean THE Rainbow Dash…”  Blue asked, “…the same one that’s going to be the next Wonderbolt?”

“You know her?”

“No, no, but all of Equestria is talking about her.  Everyone says she’s a horseshoe in with her sonic rainboom and all!”

“She was the very first friend I made in Ponyville! She really helped me get on my feet while we boarded together at the Cakes for a few months until she got her own place…and we had sooo much fun!  Parties every night, new friends every day!  It was exactly what I needed!  And even though everyone in Ponyville is a friend of mine, I met four other ponies who—along with Rainbow Dash—have become like …like… sisters… to… me…” she trailed off.  Her countenance changed and tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Pink, what is it?”

“Blue, it…it…” she choked back the tears… “It’s Inkie…she’s found me…she’s trying to…she…”

“Inkie’s here?!” said Blue, shock and fear spreading across his face.

Pinkie nodded.

“Where is she?”

“We don’t know.  She’s hiding and trying to terrorize us…maybe even kill us.  She destroyed my friend’s balloon, burned down half of another friend’s farm.  She leaves these little notes lying around threatening us...”

“What are you going to do?”

Pinkie looked up at the ceiling and said, “…I don’t know…stop her, I guess, but I don’t know how.”

Blue thought for a minute, and then said, “Pink, I might have an idea of how to stop her.  I have to go talk to somepony, but I’ll get back in touch with you before the day is out.”

He started to get up from the booth, when Pinkie grabbed his hoof with hers, “…you…you promise?” she asked, looking pleadingly into his eyes.

“I promise…” he said as he leaned over and kissed his dear friend on the forehead.

As he turned to walk toward the door, Pinkie said, “…oh, and Blue?”

“Yeah, Pink?”

“It’s Pinkie now.  Not Pink, not Pinkamena, just Pinkie.  Those other names are a part of my past.  That past is gone now.”

“Pinkie?” he said contemplatively, “…Pinkie…hmm.  I like it.  It sounds…fun and spontaneous.”

Pinkie smiled as he walked out the door.  She watched out the window as he walked down the town street toward the town hall.

Blue, I never thought I would see you again.  She gently brushed the place on her forehead where he kissed her and her heart swelled with warmth.

I’ve missed you so much…

As she pondered her long-lost friend, the waitress brought the donuts, coffee, and milk.  A few minutes later, the glass door swung open again and in galloped Twilight and Applejack followed by a very distraught Rarity.

“Pinkie…" Applejack asked, “Have y’all been here this whole time?”

“Well, duh, silly.” Pinkie replied.  “It’s like, what, 11:00?”

“Pinkie,” Twilight panted, “You’ve been gone for nearly three hours!”

“What!?” Pinkie replied.  “I…I’m sorry guys, I ran into an old friend and we must of lost track of…”

“No time for that now…” Twilight interrupted, “have you seen Sweetie Belle?”

“Well, yeah…….what’s wrong?” She said.  Her knee started pinching again and she looked to Rarity who looked as though she had been crying for a long time.

“Rarity, what happened?” Pinkie reiterated.

Rarity was so upset she was shaking.  All she could bring herself to say was, “Found…*sniff*…this…on the…*sob*…door…” She gave a crumpled paper to Pinkie who had a sinking feeling in her gut.  “Stuck…to…*sob*…door…knife” Rarity blurted and then broke down completely on the shop’s floor.  Applejack was trying to comfort her friend as Joe appeared from behind the counter, bringing Rarity some cold water.

Pinkie gasped as she opened the crumpled paper.  Red drops and streaks dripped down the paper from a hole that was left in the top.  Apparently, the hole was left by the knife that had stuck the paper to the door of Rarity’s Carousel Boutique.  The letter read:

“To my darling friend Rarity,

I can call you friend, can’t I?  After all, any friend of my dear sister Pinkamena is surely a friend of mine.  I’ve met a new friend today too:  your dear sister, Sweetie Belle.  We are going to have so much fun playing so many games together.  Maybe, someday, you can join us, and we will all have so much fun.  Don’t expect her home tonight.

Don’t expect her at all.

All my love

Your Very Best Friend, Isabelle.”

Pinkie let the paper fall to the floor.  “I just…I just saw her…” she muttered.

“Pinkie,” said Twilight, “this is very important.  When was the last time you saw her?”

“She walked me here.  I saw her leave and go down the street toward Rarity’s.  That was around a quarter to eleven.”

“You’re sure about the time?”

“Yes, I remember looking up at the clock tower.”

Twilight shook her head and sighed.  “Okay, it’s a start.  Pinkie, come with me.  Applejack, take Rarity to Sweet Apple Acres and make sure she’s in a secure place.  I don’t want her going back to the boutique.”

“But…Twilight,” Rarity protested, “I must find Sweetie Belle, I must help…”

“No, Rarity.  Inkie’s targeted you in her letter.  It would be exactly what she wants.  You’ll be safer on the farm.  Big Mac is there along with plenty of ponies who are investigating the fire.  It’s probably the safest place in Ponyville for you right now.”

Rarity began to protest again, but Applejack cut her off. “Twi’s right, Rar.  I’ll get ya' some of Granny Smith’s special reserve cider fer yer nerves, and you’ll be fine.  Just leave findin’ Sweetie Belle to us.”

Rarity sadly conceded and allowed Applejack to walk her out.  Twilight said to Applejack as she was leaving, “Once she’s safe, get Fluttershy and meet us at the boutique.  We’ll start our search there.”

Twilight looked to her pink friend.  “Are you ready?”

Pinkie nodded, and the two left the shop, both mentally preparing themselves for what they might find.