Chapters The mail-pony arrived at the Cake's residence not knowing what to expect. Every time he opened the mailbox, out would come a spring-trapped pie, or a water balloon, or a blast of confetti. On the rare chance it was empty he'd turn around and step on an expertly placed whoopee cushion. He gulped. Sure it was all in good fun and it usually gave him a good laugh, but after last week's prank, in which Pinkie mistakenly left her pet alligator in the mailbox rather than a pie, he was hesitant to even approach it.
"You okay there, Mr. Mail-pony?"
He turned around to find Applejack, carrying a basket full of apples on her back.
"Afraid a' the mailbox, huh? Don't worry, I'm headin' into Sugarcube corner to deliver these here apples. I can take whatever you got in to 'em."
The mail-pony nodded thankfully and pulled a rather heavy looking envelope out of his bag. On it, written in elegant, gray font, was the name 'Pinkie Pie'. He tucked it into the side of Applejack's basket and continued on his route. Applejack ascended the light-purple steps and knocked on the door. It immediately flung open.
"Aw... No mail-pony today?" Pinkie whined, peering out the door to the mailbox.
"'Fraid not," Applejack responded. "But ya do have mail! And I got those apples ya wanted!"
"Thanks Applejack!" Pinkie replied enthusiastically. She lifted the basket off Applejack's back and looked through it, examining each apple with intense scrutiny.
"Perfect!" She declared. "Now I can bake that humongo-double-decker-apple-cake! It'll be perfect for the twins' birthday next week!"
"Let me know how that goes," Applejack said, turning to walk away. "I gotta finish ma chores back home, so I'll--"
"HAAUUUGH!?" Pinkie's dramatic inhale sounded from behind her. Applejack shot back around.
"What's the matter?" Applejack asked, running to her side. Pinkie had opened the letter and was now scanning through its contents.
"Dear Pinkie Pie," Pinkie read aloud. "Mom and Dad say we're leaving tomorrow to keep up with the rock migration, so we'll probably be down south for the next few months. Just wanted to give you a heads-up. Also, here's a rock. Love, Maud."
Pinkie turned the envelope over and dropped the rock inside into her open hoof. She gripped it and held it to her heart. Her eyes shot open wide.
"That's right!" She shouted, suddenly perking up. "I forgot! Every couple seasons, us Pies move south for the rock migration!"
"Rock... migration?" Applejack couldn't help but ask, a perplexed look on her face. Pinkie nodded with a wide, nostalgic grin.
"Yeah! My family's followed the rocks for hundreds of years. Its all in that dusty old book in the basement. What's it called? Oh, yeah! 'The Pie Family History'! That was it! Of course, I never actually read it myself, but mom and dad used to tell me about it and--HAAUUUGH!"
Pinkie took in another dramatic rasp of air. She wrapped her arms around Applejack's shoulders and gave her a tight embrace.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!" she shouted excitedly, shaking Applejack back and forth. "IT MEANS WE CAN FIND OUT IF WE'RE RELATED! FOR REALS THIS TIME!"
She put Applejack down, but still held her in a close hug. Applejack shook her head a bit to regain her bearings.
"That's great, sugarcube!" Applejack resounded, returning Pinkie's hug. She pulled back a bit to properly look at Pinkie. "You wanna try writin' your parents to see if they remember anythin' about that?"
"Yeah! But... they don't have a new address yet. We'd usually just have to build a new house every time we moved because of the rock-alanches crushing the southern house between each migration, so it'll be a quite a while before we can write them at all." Pinkie's ecstatic expression faded away. She let go of Applejack, and turned her gaze down.
"Don't look like that, sugarplumb," said Applejack, putting a reassuring hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. She put her head down as well in a moment of deep thought. "Hey! I got an idea! You and me should go down to your family's farm! Have a look through that book ourselves!"
Pinkie's energy re-surged.
"Applejack that's a great idea!" Pinkie shouted. "We'll take the Ponyville Express! Its only about, say... half a day's ride! We'd find out lickety-split! And I could show you around the farm too! Oh, oh! This is so exciting! I have to pack. Cupcakes, pies... What else do I need? Oh! Applejack, you able to leave tomorrow?"
"Yep, I can have all ma chores done by the afternoon!"
"GREAT!" She grabbed Applejack in another titanic hug. Then, she put her down and headed back inside. "I need to finish that cake, and start packing too, so I'll you catch tomorrow. Kay, sis?"
"You got it, sister!"
Applejack returned to Apple Acres later that morning. After finishing her day's worth of chores, she called her family to a pre-dinner meeting around the kitchen table.
"Apples, as ya'll know, my good friend Pinkie Pie has wanted to know for a while whether or not us Pies and Apples are related. Today, she and I discovered a way we can find out. By headin' up to the Pie family's rock farm and finding a history book in her basement, we can finally know for certain. This means a lot to her, so I'd like to leave tomorrow, if that's okay with ya'll."
"Of course!" said Granny smith, in her slightly raspy voice.
"Eeyup," agreed Big McIntosh.
"I wanna go too!" Apple Bloom added. "Maybe if I find what we're lookin' for in that book, I can get ma cutie mark in historical accuracy! Or, ya know, somethin' like that!"
"Not after what happened last time, Apple Bloom," said Applejack, remembering their trip down-river. "This time, I think it'd be best if just me and her went. We can tell ya all about it when we get back."
"Aww-shucks!" Apple Bloom cursed.
Applejack smiled comfortingly, then turned her thoughts to tomorrow. Whatever happens tomorrow, she thought, I'll be there for her. She's ma sister, and nothin's gonna change that.
Author's Note
Thought it'd be good to give them a bit more interaction. And elaborate on that crazy plotline in "Pinkie Apple Pie".
Pinkie bounced up and down as she waited for Applejack at the top of station platform. Her mind rushed with anticipation. When would the train get here? When would they arrive at the farm? What would they find in the book? Would they find the book? What if it said they weren't related? These questions, among others far less relevant, echoed throughout her head. Applejack approached from the station steps. Upon reaching the top, she let go of the small suitcase she carried to free her mouth.
"All set, Pinkie Pie?" asked Applejack. Pinkie broke free from the questions and cartwheeled her way over to her.
"Yoouu , betcha!" she responded, finishing with an Olympic worthy landing. She showed Applejack to the nearby bench where she was keeping her own suitcase and the two sat down together. They waited only a minute or so before the train sped its way into the station, letting out a high pitch whir as it quickly decelerated to a stop. The intercom system kicked in.
"All departing for East Nowheres, the train is in the station. All departing for East Nowheres, the train is in the station."
Pinkie clapped her hooves excitedly.
"That's us! That's us!" she exclaimed. Applejack responded with a content smile and boarded alongside her friend. Finding an empty pair of seats didn't take long. In fact, nearly the entire train was empty, save for a few plain-looking earth ponies and the ticket-checker. They presented their tickets and sat at opposite ends of a table in pair of window seats. There, they both stared out the window as the train left the platform. They continued to stare at the passing scenery in silence, a strange occurrence, Applejack noted, for Pinkie Pie. Applejack turned to face her friend.
"You okay, Pinkie?" she questioned. Pinkie kept her gaze fixated on the window.
"I haven't visited home in years," she spoke, seemingly to herself. "I keep telling myself I'll visit, but I keep forgetting, or putting it off. Last time I was even near that house was when we dropped Maud off. I'm... I'm not sure I deserve to go back. Not after all this time..."
Pinkie's hair deflated like a poorly constructed balloon. Applejack shifted her gaze awkwardly about, trying to come up with a way to comfort her. Nothing good came.
"Uh..." started Applejack, hoping to find the answer in improvisation. "Well, um... H-How'd that cake turn out yesterday?"
"Good..." Pinkie sighed. "It came out great... The Cakes said it looked delicious... And that they hoped I'd have a good trip... And that I'd enjoy seeing my old house again... And..."
Pinkie's voice descended into a quiet series of mumbles. Applejack searched again, and returned with a gaze resolute.
"Pinkie Pie!" Applejack slammed her hoof atop the table between them, catching Pinkie off guard. Taking on a decisive tone, Applejack continued. "You, are an Apple. You are a part of my family. And, under no circumstances, should my family ever be afraid to return home."
Pinkie Pie raised her head slightly with a small, forced smile. Applejack put her hoof under Pinkie's chin and propped it up so that they were staring eye-to-eye.
"You deserve this, Pinkie Pie," she stated. She removed her hoof from beneath Pinkie's chin and placed it reassuringly on her shoulder. Pinkie's smile remained small, but grew genuine.
"Thanks, Applejack," said Pinkie. The two embraced in a light hug across the table. Though Pinkie felt reassured, she couldn't stop asking herself the same question over and over again: Do I deserve this? Well, that and Did I forget to pack my cucumber sandwich? She checked inside her suitcase. Nope! she thought, and took an enormous bite of the cucumber-y goodness.
The train rode on for some miles before finally arriving at their stop. The afternoon had given way to an early sunset upon their arrival. Pinkie's energy levels had risen to their usual, soaring selves thanks to her mid-ride food binge. Applejack had grown a bit sleepy after sitting in one place for such a long period of time, but stretching her hooves out off the train managed to revitalize her somewhat. She placed her suitcase down on the dirt laden platform.
"So, what direction are we headin'?" asked Applejack. Pinkie pivoted her head upwards and sniffed madly into the open air.
"That way!" Pinkie declared, extending a hoof towards the eastern path. "Race ya there!"
Snatching up her suitcase in her mouth, Pinkie took off down the path. Applejack forgot her fatigue and, after grabbing her own suitcase, dashed after her. About fifteen miles down the road the race's victor was decided.
"I WIN!" Pinkie declared, throwing her arms up as she crossed the imaginary finish line. Applejack trotted up from behind her, sweat rolling down her face.
"Shoulda, eaten, some apples, 'fore we left," she said, breathing heavily. The two stood between two canyon walls just outside the expansive brown emptiness of the farm. Pinkie bounced in.
"OH! Applejack!" she cried as she leaped to and fro. "Look at this! This is the pebble lil' Limestone and I found together when we were fillies! And this! This well is where Marble first discovered that she loved fishing! You know, since she had to fish me out after I fell in. And these steps! It was on these steps that Maud announced that she wanted to study abroad for her Rocktorate! Boy, did that throw mom and dad for a loop! And here, here on this porch..."
Pinkie stopped just before the top step, with Applejack climbing up to her from the bottom.
"This is where I watched my first sunset, in my dad's arms, with Maud huddled next to me and mom leaning in over his shoulder. It was one of the most gorgeous things I'd ever seen. All the orange and yellow and pink, strewn across all the clouds in the sky..."
Pinkie looked back to the horizon, but the sun had already lowered itself from view. The frown returned to her face as she solemnly sat down on the top step. Having just reached the top, Applejack looked back to the horizon as well. She sat down beside Pinkie.
"Well, the sunset may be outta sight," Applejack began. "But I think the clouds still got plenty of color in 'em. All those oranges and yellows and pinks."
She turned her head to Pinkie Pie.
"Especially pink ," she added. The small, genuine smile returned, and Pinkie quickly bounced back into top gear.
"Now I have to show you around inside!" Pinkie exuberated. "I got waayy more wonderfully sad memories in there !"
Author's Note
*Exuberated = Exuberance + Stated; Pinkie's main form of communicating
Also, I called the location "East Nowheres" because I have no idea where the farm actually is. I picked East because Rambling Rock Ridge is in that direction, so it seemed a safe bet.
Nostalgia washed over Pinkie Pie as she entered her old home. The gray drapes lining the closed windows, the decrepit wood flooring, the black and white family photos hanging on the walls; all of it came sweeping back to her. She breathed in some of the dust which caked the floor. It would always get like this, Pinkie recalled, after just a day without cleaning. Applejack nearly coughed up a lung, but held tight behind her friend. She dropped her suitcase near Pinkie's at the left corner beside the entrance.
"Let me show you around," Pinkie said, then proceeded through a rectangular hallway into the living room. The light filtering through the gray curtains cast the whole room in a drab, yet comforting monotone. Pinkie threw her arms up in a celebratory pose as Applejack entered.
"Welcome to the living room!" she announced. "We never got to spend much time in here, but when we did, ah! It was fun!"
Pinkie flung herself onto the quartz sofa, landing in a manner that would likely have broken any normal pony's spine. Applejack walked over and sat down next to her. It was as comfortable as a sofa made of minerals could be; which is to say, not at all.
"Maud and I used to sit here and watch the puppet shows mom would put on." Pinkie giggled at the plain wall in front of them. "The shows were always just about mineral composition or Equestrian history. How Celestia and Luna defeated Discord, Celestia banning Luna to the moon, stuff like that. But she would always do the funniest voices!"
Pinkie giggled again. Then, raising her hooves, moved them about as if they were attached to the strings of invisible puppets.
"Playtime is over for you, Discord!" she said, replicating her mother's high pitch Celestia.
"Oh , I doubt that," retorted a gravelly Discord. "What are those?"
"The Elements, of Harmony," answered a surprisingly low pitch Luna. Pinkie burst out laughing.
"Oh," Pinkie breathed, catching her breath. "That Luna was always the best!"
After her laughter faded, Pinkie put down her imaginary players and trotted to the stairway.
"C'mon!" shouted Pinkie, already a quarter of the way up. "I gotta show you my room!"
Applejack stood up from the couch and made her way over to the stairs, her eyes managing to see well despite the fading light. As she ascended the steps, her thoughts returned to the book. They had plenty of time to look for it, and Pinkie was beyond ecstatic about showing her around, but a small pool of anxiety built in her regardless. Upon reaching the top, Applejack found Pinkie at the end of a long hallway, resting her hoof on the handle of a door coated in decaying pink paint.
"Ready to see my old room?" questioned Pinkie. Applejack nodded with a smile, and Pinkie turned the knob.
The room proved as dull and sterile as the rest of the house, save for the light pink paint on the walls and ceiling. The majority of it remained the same tepid color. Her bed, her closet, her nightstand and the curtains covering the window; all gray. A wide smile overcame Pinkie's face.
"It's just as I left it!" she squealed. She hopped onto her bed and began bouncing up and down. Despite its age, the bed somehow did not collapse, probably owing to its sturdy material (granite). Applejack eyed the place, a bit confused by the simplicity of design and color.
"Its great, Pinkie Pie," commented Applejack, still inspecting the room for some trace of Pinkie's kookiness. "Its very, what's a fancy word for it... elegant! Elegant, in its, ya know... simpleness."
Now standing next to the curtained window, Applejack began to wonder how Pinkie ever tolerated living here. Nothing, save for a light bit of pink paintwork, reflected on Pinkie at all. Pinkie laughed as she dismounted the bed.
"Simple?" she questioned, trotting over to Applejack. "There's plenty of crazy complexity in this room! You just have to know where to look for it!"
Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"Like where?"
"Like that wall over there!" Pinkie pointed her hoof to the wall at the opposite end of the room. Applejack centered her gaze, examining it scrupulously for any missed details.
"Are you looking?" questioned Pinkie, her hooves now gripping the drapes.
"Ah'm lookin', but I don't see a--"
Pinkie pulled the drapes apart and starlight beamed in through the window. The small cracks in the glass refracted the light into a series of rainbow streaks which engulfed the room. Applejack's jaw hung wide as the colors danced along the plain, pink walls like performers on a stage. Pinkie reached under Applejack's chin and pulled her jaw up.
"I accidentally cracked it when I was playing catch with my first rock, Sir Rockington." Pinkie fixated her gaze on the small, pebble sized hole at the bottom right of the window. "He was supposed to land in Maud's hooves, but the rebellious little rascal went through the window instead! But, on the plus side, we ended up having the most intense game of 'Camouflage' ever!"
Applejack laughed. She didn't really understand why, but for just a second she felt as though she could relate to Pinkie and her story, however odd it was. Pinkie formed a large smile on her face, then unlatched and opened the window.
"We found him hiding behind a boulder where that pile of weeds is now," she said, pointing to an incredibly specific spot of ground. "That little rock could get into so much trouble. Last time I saw him, he had gotten himself caught up in a sandstorm heading west. I tried to go after him, but mom and dad wouldn't let me. They held me down inside my room, telling me he needed to move on. That he wanted to leave. And that someday, I'd see him again, as a new, twinkling rock in the sky."
Pinkie turned her head from the ground and positioned it upwards to face the stars. She squinted tightly.
"OH! There he is!" Pinkie shouted, flailing an extended arm. "That's him! That's him for sure! Or maybe... That's him! Or that one! No, no, too bulbous. Maybe that one?"
Applejack smiled at her friend. Maybe, she remarked internally, there are still a few things she can't relate to just yet.
A sudden, tremendous rumbling overcame the house, shaking the girls inside. Pinkie nearly fell out the window, just barely being saved by Applejack. She'd managed to grab Pinkie's hind legs, leaving her hanging halfway out. From that dangling position, Pinkie could view the source of the rumbling, now speeding down the cliff-side directly toward them! As Applejack clutched her legs, trying to stay balanced herself, Pinkie let out a harrowing scream.
"ROCKALANCHE!"
Author's Note
R.I.P. - Sir Rockington
Applejack fastened her grip around Pinkie's legs and shifted her weight back, yanking Pinkie from the window. The two toppled backwards before slamming into the far wall of the room. Where they once stood, a massive boulder crashed through and planted itself in the living room below. Applejack was the first to move.
"Snap to, Pinkie!" she cried, picking her friend up and planting her on her hooves. "This place is comin' apart! We need to get movin'!"
Pinkie looked at the gaping hole enveloping the center of what had once been her room. The only parts of her closet which remained were strewn about in tattered pieces. The glass shards of her window had scattered all around her hooves. The floor beneath her nightstand and bed caved under the pressure, the hole swallowing them both without pause. Applejack shook her friend fiercely.
"We're goin' now !" she shouted. Pinkie returned to her, tears swelling beneath her eyes. She wiped them clear, then nodded.
The two darted for the door, but were intersected by another boulder, taking out their path. Applejack turned her back to the wall beside them.
"Here's hopin' the walls aren't made outta rocks too!" Rearing up her back legs, she sprung out and delivered a powerful kick. The wall, made from the same decrepit and aged material as the floor, yielded to the force and collapsed into the next area. They hopped through the makeshift exit to find themselves in a room nearly identical to Pinkie's, save for the purple paint covering the walls and ceiling rather than pink. Applejack quickly located and slammed open the door before dashing out into the hallway, closely followed by Pinkie. Pinkie looked back at the room as she ran.
"Maud... I'm sorry, " whispered Pinkie, as she watched the flurry of rocks destroy her sister's bedroom. She bit her bottom lip and turned her head forwards. Fortunately, the stairwell had remained in tact, allowing the duo to sprint down them and towards the entrance door. Pinkie's tear filled eyes shot open.
"The book!" she shouted, skidding to a halt. The book had been on Applejack's mind as well, but they hadn't any time to spare. The house would be gone soon and, if they didn't leave now, them along with it. Applejack slowed her pace.
"Pinkie!" she pleaded, stopping near the door. "We need to leave!"
"But..."
A boulder crashed down between them, busting the wooden floor into splintered bits which sprayed into the air. The dust that once coated them rained down like ashes onto the two ponies. Pinkie sat herself upright, the impact having knocked her to the ground. The colossal rock completely blocked the entrance, and Applejack.
"APPLEJACK!" Pinkie cried out. She slammed her ear against the rock's surface and repeatedly shouted the name.
"I'm alright, Pinkie!" Applejack responded. Pinkie sighed in relief, then tensed again as another rock fell close behind. On the other side, Applejack kicked and kicked at the boulder, but to no avail. It would neither budge nor break.
"Pinkie!" she called. "Can you find another way around?"
"N-No! The rocks are destroying everything!" Pinkie cried back. "I can't get out!"
Applejack stared at the boulder in horror. The sound of rocks crashing mixed with her friend's frightened yells filled her ears. Applejack thought back. The last time Pinkie was trapped in a situation like this, Maud saved her by drilling a falling boulder to dust with her bare hooves. The boulder in front of her seemed to be of the same make and size, so, maybe...
Applejack stamped her hoof down with resolve. Pinkie is an Apple, thought Applejack. Therefore, that makes me a Pie!
She raised her front hooves and rapidly drilled them into the bottom left corner of the boulder, mimicking Maud's technique to a tee. Strong though she was, her front legs lacked the power of her hind, and she could feel her strength waning.
Almost... Jus' a little more...
The last bit of sediment between the boulder and the wall gave way, creating small space between them. Applejack quickly pivoted herself against the boulder to prevent it from rolling and blocking the gap. The boulder's massive weight pushed against her, and she could feel every muscle in her body struggling as it did. She craned her head down.
"Pinkie!" she yelled through the hole. "Can you climb through here?"
Pinkie ran to the site of Applejack's voice, then inspected the narrow passage she'd created.
"Yeah! I think so!" Pinkie declared, ducking her head into the hole. It was a tight fit, but with a bit of effort she managed to squeeze through, crawling out from beneath Applejack's legs.
"Thank you Applejack!" exclaimed Pinkie, hurriedly climbing to a stand.
"Hah, don't, hah, mention it, sister," responded Applejack, attempting to catch her breath. Her head was sweaty. Her hooves felt like they were on fire. Her body became heavy as lead. Everything spun together into a dizzying blur. Exhaustion had overcome her, dragging her down to the floor. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but they kept closing faster and faster every time she tried reopening them. The last form she could make out was Pinkie Pie, now a pink, blurry mass, shouting over her. Applejack couldn't hear though. The sounds of rocks crashing all around them drowned out her voice. Everything went black.
"Applejack!"
Applejack awoke with a gasp. Pinkie was standing over her. The night sky was visible now, starlight shining down from above them. She rubbed the back of her throbbing head with one of her painfully sore hooves. Pinkie wrapped her arms around her, her face soaked in tears. Over Pinkie's shoulder, Applejack could view what had become of Pinkie's home, now just bits of wood and rubble crushed beneath a horrid mass of rocks.
"Ah, Ah'm so sorry Pinkie..." apologized Applejack. Pinkie clutched Applejack tighter.
"So am I," she said.
Pinkie gently let go of Applejack and turned to face the destruction.
"I never should have come back here," Pinkie decided, pain flowing in her voice. "I didn't deserve it. And because of that, this happened."
One of the smaller rocks at the top of the pile rolled down, splashing around dirt as it landed.
"This wasn't your fault," said Applejack, pulling herself to a stand on her sore legs. "Those rocks woulda fallen regardless a' whether or not we'd come."
Pinkie lowered her head, her hair deflated. She heard Applejack's words, but none of it stuck. Nothing would change her mind. She turned back around towards Applejack and the direction of the train station.
"I shouldn't have dragged you all the way out here," she said, walking dejectedly into the canyon they'd entered from. "We can go back home now."
Applejack followed her, unsure of what to say or do. She was too tired and pained to think; it took all she could to walk. Pinkie's pace was slow enough for Applejack to remain directly behind her, but never at her side. They made there way to the station platform in silence and took the first train that arrived. Pinkie stared out the window the whole way back, not able to muster even a fake smile for her friend.
Applejack descended the station steps behind Pinkie Pie. They'd arrived, tired and aching, into Ponyville by the early morning. They carried no luggage with them, since both their suitcases remained buried beneath a torrent of rocks along with the rest of the Pie home. Pinkie held her head low as she navigated the stone roads and bridges back to Sugarcube Corner. Upon arriving, she stood back from it for a few moments, hesitant to enter. Finally catching up next to her, Applejack seized the opportunity and sat down to rest her aching hooves. She glanced at Pinkie for the first time since they disembarked. Nothing had changed. The frown only seemed to solidify itself further like drying concrete.
"Ya know," said Applejack, attempting to put on a playful grin. "They say if you make a face for too long, it ends up gettin' stuck that way. You should try somethin' different. Maybe somethin' like this!" Applejack awkwardly pulled down her bottom eyelids and stuck her tongue out. She leaned forward to show Pinkie, but Pinkie remained focused on the house in front of her. In her eyes, she could only see Sugarcube Corner, the Cake's beloved home, crushed under a massive pile of rocks. The purple door opened.
"Pinkie! You're back!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed, waving a hoof. "Come on in, dear! You can tell us all about your trip over a plate of cupcakes."
"Thanks Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie shouted back, her trademark grin plastered across her face. Applejack regarded it with caution. "I'll be there in a sec! Just need to say goodbye to my friend first!" Mrs. Cake nodded, leaving the door open as she returned inside. When she fully left their sight, Pinkie's glum resurfaced.
"Applejack," she began, head facing down. "I'm so sorry about all this. Everything that happened... It was a mistake to go back there." She met Applejack's eyes. "I don't deserve to be in anyone's family. And I'm not. Not the Pies, not the Cakes, and not the Apples." Applejack recoiled at the last name. Pinkie shook her head. "Don't worry, Applejack," she said, donning her usual grin. "No more crazy boulder-house-smashing parties for me! That was strictly the only one!" Turning her gaze back over the house, a determined, yet melancholic look formed across her face. "You can count on it."
Before Applejack could respond, Pinkie ascended the steps and entered through the open door, closing it behind her. Applejack stared at the door for a few moments before being accosted by Twilight Sparkle, with Spike resting atop her back.
"Hey Applejack," she greeted, levitating the book she'd been reading back into her pouch. After removing the book from her vision, she noticed Applejack's stare, still unwavering from the door of Sugarcube Corner. She briefly observed the door herself, then turned back to Applejack. "Need help with something?"
Applejack shook her head. "Nope. Not this time," she responded. "This is something between sisters."
Twilight looked curiously at Applejack, and motioned to question further, but was cut short by Spike tugging at her mane. "This is between sisters," he said, his eyes closed confidently as he lectured. "We shouldn't interfere."
"And what would you know about sisters?" Twilight asked.
"Quite a lot, actually." He thought back to the Sisterhooves Social and the letter he wrote to Princess Celestia for Rarity and Sweetie Bell, as well as the various times he had to deal with Twilight's neuroses. "Trust me," he said.
Twilight looked at Applejack once more, then continued walking to her castle.
The next morning, Pinkie hurried out of bed and quietly descended the steps outside her bedroom, her luggage (including Gummy inside his glass cage) in tow. It was still early; at least, earlier than the Cakes tend to wake up, that she knew for certain. After transcribing a farewell note into a cupcake's frosting with a mixing spoon, she silently exited the bakery. As she descended the steps, one of the suitcases slipped forward from her back and tripped her, sending her flying down the rest of the way. She landed on her haunches, rubbing her head and trying to get her eyes to focus properly. When they did, she found the daily mail pony standing in front of her, an envelope in his mouth.
"Mhmmm, hmmhm, hmmmhm," he said through the paper. Pinkie giggled and removed the envelope.
"Mail pony special delivery!" he shouted. "Express mail expressly delivered, as per instruction of the sender. Now, you have yourself a nice day Pinkie."
"Um, thank you," Pinkie replied. The mail pony tipped his hat, then, after shuddering at the sight of Gummy, hurriedly continued on his route. Pinkie opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. She read it confusedly, her face changing expression with each sentence. Turning the envelope upside down, a single, tiny rock dropped out of it and into her hoof. She looked at the rock, then the letter, then her luggage. She repeatedly alternated between the three, before settling on the letter with an intrigued half-smile. Quickly returning her luggage inside, she sprinted down the road to Ponyville station.
Pinkie approached the end of the canyon walls. It was late afternoon by the time she'd arrived, with the sun resting low on the horizon. As she broached the exit, the nostalgia of the rock farm was upon her again. She made her way past Limestone's pebble, around the old stone well, and up to the splintered remains of her old home's wooden steps, looking up to where the porch once was. There sat Applejack, a pickaxe resting at her side. Rooted to the ground beneath her was the boulder that had separated them prior. Bits of cracked rock and rubble surrounded it, scattered about the brown field. Applejack was coated in sweat and dirt.
"Hey sister," said Applejack, reaching a hoof down to Pinkie. "Need a hand up?"
Pinkie nodded tearfully. She grabbed Applejack's hoof and ran her back hooves against the surface of the boulder until Applejack could pull her the rest of the way. Upon reaching the top, she noticed a rustic book laying in front of her. She picked it up and sat down beside Applejack, facing the coming sunset.
"I didn't want to open it till you got here," said Applejack. "I figured whatever is in that book, it'd be best if we read it together, as sisters."
Pinkie ran her hoof across the dusty cover, revealing the title: "Pie Family History". It was printed in orange font against a dull, gray background. Applejack placed a comforting hoof on Pinkie's shoulder, and Pinkie opened the book. She speed-read through most of it, keeping an eye out for a few keywords: 'removed', 'Applesauce', and 'Apple'. She was practically flipping through the pages, when finally she came to an abrupt stop on page three-hundred fifty-five, paragraph seven, line six-and-a-half. She read aloud.
"An excerpt from Auntie Applesauce:
"I suppose I should preface all this by saying that I never enjoyed rock farming. Rocks are hard and cold, much like how I initially thought of family. As soon as I could I left them and that life behind, hoping to find some grand situation in which I could earn my cutie-mark. That was when I stumbled into Ponyville, tired and starving. I'd run out of food, and for a hungry pony, Apple Acres is a sight to behold! Needless to say, I hopped the fence, and tried to climb up one of the trees to steal some apples.
"However, I kept falling down. Again and again I fell until I was so frustrated I reared up and kicked the tree. An apple fell from above, and I felt so proud of myself I gave it another kick. Another apple fell. Once more, and I'd have enough. I kicked it again with the full force of my enthusiasm, and was crushed beneath a red avalanche. I lay there unconscious for quite some time I imagine, before awakening to find myself laying in a rather comfortable bed with an orange earth pony sitting beside me. I thought she was going to yell at me, or kick me off her farm, but she just smiled and told me: 'You gotta watch out for d'em apples. Otherwise, you're gonna end up more squished than my ma's homemade applesauce!'
"She fed me and let me hang around doing work on the farm until I felt ready to leave. She called herself 'Paula', short for 'Paula Red'. Overtime, I came to regard her as family and, after receiving my cutie-mark for applesauce production, decided to stay on the farm with her. I even changed my name to Applesauce to make it official. I'd become a full-fledged Apple.
"I write in this book now with the benefit of hindsight. I'd wanted to denounce the Pie name and cut them out of my life. I'd wanted to leave and never see them again. I'd assumed they felt the same way. I was wrong. I write this now with tears in my eyes, so forgive me if this gets a little smudged, but sitting inside my old home right now, filling out this book with everyone--I don't think I've ever been happier. To you, our descendents, be you Apple or Pie, just know this: We love you. We always will."
Applejack regarded Pinkie with a cautious smile, uncertain of what her response would be. Pinkie shut the book in her lap before calmly placing it at her side. Then, she wrapped Applejack in a titanic embrace.
"We're technically related!" shouted Pinkie, shaking Applejack back and forth. "It counts! It totally counts!" As she throttled her friend-sister, a crack began to form beneath their feet and quickly extended itself to the bottom of the boulder. "It counts! It--Uh-oh." The boulder split into pieces and the two fell forward onto the dirt below. After the dust around them settled, Pinkie sat herself upright. The last boulder atop her home had crumbled, and she couldn't help but laugh. Applejack continued laying where she was, watching her sister-by-technicality finally express some genuine happiness. She looked a bit farther past her and noticed the book just a few feet away. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she exhaled in relief.
Once Pinkie had finished her maniacal laughter, she fell back down beside Applejack. "Okay, I swear this is the last boulder-house-smashing party for me. Pinkie-Promise!" Applejack chuckled, and together they laid, watching the colorful clouds roll over them and toward the sunset.
After the sun fully submerged itself beneath the horizon and the moon and stars began to soar overhead, they agreed to head back to the train station. As they boarded their departing train, Pinkie waved out the door. "Goodbye old home!" she cried, the book gripped tightly in her other hoof. "I'll be back sometime soon to help mom and dad rebuild you!" With that, she fully entered made her way down the train's hall. She sat herself down in the isle seat to the left of a now sleeping Applejack. As the train departed, Applejack's head fell on Pinkie's shoulder, and rested there until Ponyville.
Applejack should really lay off the cider , Pinkie commented to herself as she carried Applejack back to Sweet Apple Acres. The moon hung low in the sky as Pinkie passed under the gate and headed up to the doorway. She knocked on it and, after the clatter of many tiny hoofsteps coming down hardwood stairs, was greeted by Apple Bloom. The filly rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn.
"Pinkie Pie? What are you doin' here at--Is that ma sister sleepin' on your back?"
"Yep!" Pinkie sounded, followed by a snore from Applejack.
"......Well, guess we better take her upstairs then."
Apple Bloom pulled back the covers and watched as Pinkie gently placed her older sister onto the bed. After Apple Bloom removed Applejack's hat and rested it on the appropriate wall-mount, Pinkie took the top of the red bedsheets and tucked her friend in to a well-deserved sleep. Apple Bloom looked up at Pinkie. "Yesterday, she just outright skipped all her chores and took a pickaxe from the shed. Said she had a sister that needed savin', and that she'd be back tomorrow. Wasn't sure what she meant by that, but it kinda makes sense now. So, did you get your tail caught under a rock or somethin'?"
"Sort-of," said Pinkie. "It was more like an entire house under a massive pile of boulders, but same gist."
"Wow," breathed Apple Bloom, observing her slumbering sister with a mix of awe and pride. She remembered Pinkie. "Oh! You wanna spend the night, Pinkie Pie? I know the night's almost up, but you must be awful tired as well."
Pinkie shook her head. "Maybe tomorrow. I need to get back home myself. Everyone there is probably really worried about me right now, and I need to let them know they don't have to anymore." She leaned down and kissed Applejack's forehead. "Thank you, sister." Apple Bloom blushed as she kissed her forehead as well. "And you too, little sis'."
Light emanated out the windows of Sugarcube Corner and onto the surrounding road. Pinkie regarded the tall, sugar-rush of a building from the base of its purple steps. She saw only it, and she smiled. The door flung open.
"Pinkie!" exclaimed Mrs. Cake, face full of sudden relief. "You're home! We were so worried! We found that cupcake note you left and you weren't here this morning and the neighbors didn't know where you were and--"
She stopped herself and slowed her breathing to a calmer level. "Just... We're just so happy you're home, dear. All of us."
"Thank you," Pinkie tearfully replied, hopping up the steps and giving Mrs. Cake a hug. "I'm sorry I scared all of you. I won't ever do it again! Well, unless I'm pulling a prank on you or end up getting caught up in a dangerous adventure or something like that. But every other time, I swear I won't ever worry you, Pinkie-Promise!" Mrs. Cake nodded, and reciprocated Pinkie's hug.
"Oh! By the way," Pinkie said from over Mrs. Cake's shoulder. "Do you still have that cupcake? I haven't eaten all day and I am starving !"
Author's Note
Boulder separates Pinkie and Applejack and is catalyst for conflict. Boulder crumbles as they reunite.
