Pinkie sat below a solitary oak. She kept herself occupied by drinking mint chocolate chip shakes and nibbling on some cake with a long name. She lacked the necessary brainpower to remember all of it. When somepony trotted over, Pinkie didn't even notice. All her attention sunk in laying motionless under the sunset. Even the familiar sound of a high-grade chainsaw drowned out in her restless dreams of what could've been. Thankfully, whoever owned said chainsaw powered it down and sat beside her. Their shoulder cape had a silky texture to it. And the eyepatch over her eye hid a wound nopony could heal. Cozy cancerous scents drowned the air as Twilight set her leather case against the tree. Her college-aged, nasally voice crept out first.

"You know, usually, when somepony hears a chainsaw that close, they run away." Twilight stated, blowing a breath of smoke.

"...O-ooh, hey there Twilight. I didn't even notice you. Why are you up here, too? "

Her icy, blue eyes met a hoof scratching at the tree bark. For what reason, she wouldn't know. The angle associated gave her a broad mystery to sift through.

"This tree brings back a lot of memories. So I'm gonna cut it down and burn the rest."

"What?! Why would you even do that?!" Pinkie objected, blocking Twilight and pressing her back against it.

A warm pyre lit her heart as Pinkie stood tall against her friend. The wind blew her mane back and undid the uniform chaos of their mane, shaping each curl more disheveled and wiry at the edges. That same breeze drew water from her sensitive optic nerves. Even so weak when it came to unrequited love, she had to stand up for what was right.

"This tree is... more than just a tree. There's so much it's done. It's been through so much. So many ponies sit here and watch the sunset. So many of them kiss here or come here to relax. You can't ruin it for everyone...!" Pinkie shook, then wide-eyed at the alicorn's chuckle.

"Do you still feel depressed?"

Something clicked among the madness in her head.

"...No. I, I guess I don't anymore. It's not just me anymore. I can't be depressed when everyone else is hurting themselves. Even though I can't be with Rainbow, I don't think it matters. She's happy. And I can be happy, too. I just have to stay strong. Happiness... happiness..."

The words finally surfaced.

"Happiness is earned. Not given."

"Ah~ So you really aren't depressed. Not now, anyway. Glad I could help. Come back to my house for some tea. We're just having tea cakes. None of that special brownie stuff Rarity likes to make." Twilight finished, taking off and letting the mare sort out her thoughts.

They smiled at one another, bittersweet and taking steps forward, even if in the opposite directions. Intuition. Emotion. Intellect. Judgement. These were the hoof prints of their souls. And each step away only brought them closer. Pinkie collapsed to her knees and examined the words now etched into her oaken memorial. From the hoof of a long-time friend and an amazing mare, she read the words.

"Don't let love fool you, it's like life. Get there at your own pace and settle down when you're safe from yourself. Remember all the good times and keep them with you; they'll keep you walking. Keep the bad times too, because they'll keep you from drifting away."

Behind her set the lowering sun. It entered phases of cool blue and violets strung together by grandma's yarn. Every hue and every ray dissipated into the world below. With them they carried dreams that never were and lands the lost never reached. She knew their sorrow. And that was why she let it go. She loved Rainbow Dash, her sweetest Dashie. And that was why Pinkie had to go.

Where, she'd never know. But here it wasn't. Over her was ice and snow. It felt unpleasant. So cold and cruel. So she trotted away and packed for one, fading into the horizon.

Author's Note

Rainbow didn't deserve her, anyway.