Gloomy Skies and Melodrama
The skies over Ponyville were gray and cloudy. Applejack wasn't sure if Rainbow Dash didn't feel like clearing them, or if she just wanted it that way right now. Applejack liked it anyway, it matched her gray, dreary mood.
It had been a week since that sad day, and at first everypony on Sweet Apple Acres had been busy as bees. There was family to see to and feed, friends to talk to, and, of course, a grave to dig. But now the funeral was over, and the farm was back to normal. Except that Granny Smith wasn't there.
That hole filled Applejack's whole heart. Everywhere she looked reminded her of Granny, every minute she listened for Granny's creaky old gait. She could see Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom listening just as hard as she was, but they all knew Granny was gone forever.
Things weren't much better in the rest of Ponyville. Ponies didn't die often, so Granny's death hit everypony hard, especially ponies that were close to the Apple family. At first the whole town closed up for the funeral, but shops had begun to open. Carousel Boutique was still closed, and Rarity had drawn all of the curtains. The Cakes had reopened Sugarcube Corner, but Pinkie Pie was noticeably absent from the counter and everywhere else in town. The library had remained open the whole time, though Spike made sure that everyone who came in was extra, extra quiet, and Twilight Sparkle was no where to be seen.
At Fluttershy's cottage the birds had been kindly asked not to sing and most of the animals were tending themselves as well as they could without bothering her. She would never turn away an animal in need, but any animal who went to her left crying, unable to stand seeing her big eyes well up with tears constantly.
And of course as life began to go on, it did so under the thick gray rainclouds which Rainbow Dash hoped were sending the message to Stay Away. She really didn't feel like talking to anypony right now.
Rainbow Dash laid on top of a cloud, trying to think of something to do. She didn't feel like flying, and she didn't feel like going to town. She didn't even want to read. She pulled Tank up onto her stomach and cuddled him. Well, she cuddled him as well as a pony could cuddle a tortoise.
She didn't even notice the pegasus who landed next to her until she heard a friendly voice say, “Hello.”
She turned to glare at the intruder, a pony she had never seen before. The strange pegasus had a bright white coat, with black hooves and a black mane and tail in a spiky style resembling her own. Black eyes lined with very thick black lashes stared at her, and the new pony smiled, and said again, “Hi.”
“Hi. What do you want?” Rainbow Dash huffed. She knew this was no way to greet a new pony, but this was no time for a new pony to come to town. The sooner she figured that out, the better.
“Well, I wanted to find out about this weather. Are you in charge?” The pony said, looking at the field of gloom they were standing on. As she turned around, Dash saw her cutie mark, some kind of black symbol like an upside down teardrop connected to two crossed sticks.
“Yeah. Gotta problem with it?” Dash said, trying to sound tough, but her heart wasn't even in that.
“Not really. I mean, it has to rain sometimes. But I'm new here, and I was hoping for a sunnier day.”
“You came at the wrong time,” Dash sighed.
“I don't think so. My name is Greener Pastures.” She said, smiling gently and sitting next to Rainbow Dash.
Dash looked her up and down. “Isn't that kind of a weird name for you?”
“Think so? What's your name, then?”
“Rainbow Dash.” She said, tossing her multicolored mane.
Greener Pastures laughed, “It suits you. . . these clouds don't, though.”
Dash frowned. “Look, you're new here, so you don't know. We had- there's been- somepony-”
“Died?” Greener Pastures said, easily saying the word that Dash couldn't spit out.
The word made Dash cringe. “Yeah.”
“I know. Granny Smith. That's why I'm here.”
Dash's mouth dropped open, and she hopped up. “You knew Granny Smith, and you know she's gone, and you want a sunny day?”
The idea seemed like an insult to Granny, and to the Apple family, and to Rainbow Dash herself. She was suddenly furious with this new pony butting in without caring about anyponies feelings.
Greener Pastures was calm. “I met Granny once. But she didn't seem like the kind of pony who'd like a gray sky.”
“She wasn't.” Dash agreed, the anger quickly replaced by that awful sad feeling. “But I do, right now. It just doesn't seem right for the stupid sun to be all bright and the stupid sky to be all blue when Granny's not here.”
“Then how will the apples grow?”
Dash frowned. She knew it was selfish to keep the skies gray, but she wasn't about to admit that to this pony she barely knew. “Apples need rain, too.”
Greener Pastures nodded. “Yes, they do. Everything needs rain. Just like everypony needs to be sad sometimes. And everypony dies someday. But too much of any of those things is bad, for apples and ponies and everything else.”
“Look, there can't be too much sad when somepony-” Dash still couldn't say that word. She looked to Greener Pastures, hoping she'd say it again.
Greener Pastures just looked at her expectantly. After a minute she prompted, “When somepony. . .?”
“Dies,” Dash whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She threw herself on the raincloud to hide her face, and Tank gently nudged her mane.
Then she felt a front leg around her shoulders, and Greener Pastures said, “It hurts when somepony dies, but if it hurts so much that the sun can't shine, and the apples can't grow, and ponies hide themselves away from each other, then it goes on hurting forever. No pony wants that to happen when they die.”
“It won't be like this forever!” Dash said, looking up and sniffing, “At least, I hope it won't be like this forever.”
“It's not going to stop hurting right away. I don't know how long it'll take, Rainbow Dash. But if you clear the clouds so that the sun can shine, that'll make it less sad. And every day after that, things will hurt a little less.”
Dash sniffed. “I can do that.” She pushed herself up, and nodded, “I can clear the sky, if that'll make it less sad.”
“I think that it will. Would you like some help?”
Dash laughed a little, “I do not need help clearing the sky. I'll have it done in no time. No, half of no time. 3/8ths of no time, really.”
“Okay then, I'll leave you to it.” Greener Pastures said, smiling as she lifted off and hovered a few feet above the clouds. “I'll see you later.”
“Seeya around.” Rainbow Dash said. She smiled and shook her head at the crazy pony who thought she might need help clearing the sky. She was still smiling as she took off, cutting a line through the clouds, the wind in her hair and the sun on her back. Celestia's sun shone down on Ponyville for the first time all week.
The sunshine made everypony in town smile a little, except for Rarity. Rarity didn't notice, she was in her dark room laying in her bed. Every time she tried to move she felt the absolute anguish of her emotions flood back. It was all just too much for her, she couldn't imagine how Applejack endured it.
She heard a knock on the door and ignored it. There was a closed sign up, after all. Some ponies were so rude.
The knocking continued. Rarity sighed, and called out, “We are closed. Please go away.”
But whatever pony was on the other side of the door couldn't take the hint. They just kept knocking.
Finally, Rarity pulled herself up and nearly started to cry at the thought that some pony was worried about a new dress at a time like this. She put one hoof in front of the other all the way to the door, and threw it open. “I said: We. Are. Closed!”
A unicorn she had never seen smiled at her gently. “I'm sorry. Is there a better clothing store in town?”
Rarity's eyes flashed. “No. There is not. But as I said, we're closed. I am the owner and I am in mourning.”
“Hello, In Mourning. I'm Greener Pastures.”
Rarity's mouth dropped open. Then she shut it firmly, and said through gritted teeth, “My name is Rarity, and what I meant was that a very dear friend has passed away.”
“I know that. I was just trying for a little humor,” said Greener Pastures, as she calmly walked past Rarity into the shop.
Rarity stomped her hoof. “Well it isn't funny! Nothing is funny right now!”
The new unicorn paused in front of a rack of dresses. She cocked her head to one side. “Nothing is funny? Anywhere?”
“Nothing is funny here. Making fun of a pony who's upset at a loved ones death certainly isn't.”
“You're right, that wasn't funny. I'm sorry,” Greener Pastures said. “But I'm sure there are funny things happening somewhere. Do you have anything in black?”
“I am completely sold out of everything in black. Everypony in town bought something for the funeral.” She looked the white unicorn with the black hair and hooves up and down. “Besides, black will make you look absolutely pallid.”
Greener Pastures smiled. “I'm sure I'll find something. You know, I know of a place where no pony wears black to funerals, they wear lime green with pink polka dots. Whole crowds of mourners in polka dots.”
She casually used her magic to flip through the racks. “And they sometimes whisper, if someone shows up in the wrong outfit, 'can you believe she couldn't be bothered to wear polka dots to Uncle Joe's funeral?' You can't tell me that's not a little bit funny.”
At the thought of a crowd of crying ponies dressed so garishly, Rarity unwillingly gave a little snort of laughter. She quickly composed herself. “Everypony does things differently. Where did you say you were from, Ms. Pastures?”
Green Pastures glanced at Rarity. “I didn't. And everypony doesn't really do things differently. Mostly they do them the same. Wear something you'd never usually wear to prove to every other pony how very much you miss the pony who died.”
A simple black vest floated off the rack and Greener Pastures tried it on. Then she looked right at Rarity. “But the thing is, everypony knows that you're sad. Everypony knows how much it hurts to lose somepony. You don't have to prove it.”
“Of course you don't,” Rarity huffed. That annoying pony had the vest laying wrong, so she magically adjusted it. “But if you are sad, there's no point in hiding it.”
“Thank you.” She smiled. “And you're right, there's no reason to hide it, or to prove it. Like, if you opened your shop then everypony would still know that you're sad, and you know that they're sad, and maybe it would make you feel a little better that you're all sad and no one has to do anything silly to show it. Like wearing polka dots.”
Rarity was surprised that she found the tiniest bit of relief in the idea. Of course everypony knew that she was sad. They would still know that if she opened her shop. There really was no reason for silly dramatics unless she was trying to show off, and there was nothing less sophisticated than being noticed trying to be noticed.
“That doesn't look as bad on you as I thought it would.” Rarity said gently.
“I love it. You're very talented.” Greener Pastures responded with a smile. She floated a small pile of bits through the air to a small table.
Rarity tossed her mane and smiled a little. “Yes, I know.”
Greener Pastures laughed, and nodded as she walked out of the shop. “I'll see you later.”
“Please, stop back again.” Rarity called after her. It suddenly hit her that she had no idea where Pastures had found that vest. She was sure she had nothing left in black.
Rarity stepped outside and magically flipped the sign around to open. She smiled as she noticed that the gray clouds were gone and the sun was shining down.
“Rarity opened her shop. And Rainbow Dash has the skies all cleared up.” Spike reported as he set a pile of books next to Twilight Sparkle's bed.
Twilight was sitting on the bed in a field of scrolls and open books. She would have been more comfortable down in the library, but she didn't want to be disturbed by anypony. Of course, Spike didn't count as anypony. “That's good. I was just reading that locking yourself away can extend the grieving process and even make a pony go a little crazy.”
“So. . . ?”
“What?” Twilight asked.
“Are you coming downstairs? Ever?”
“Oh, Spike. I'm not locked away like that. I just have to concentrate. I just have to understand what happened, and then I'll feel better. But I can't do that if ponies are always coming in to get books or ask questions.”
Spike didn't seem to believe her. He picked up one of the books he'd brought up for her, and held it up. “Did you know you asked for this one yesterday? And two days before that. The one you're reading now I just re-shelved last night. You've read every one of these books ten times this week.”
Twilight looked a little embarrassed. “Sometimes study takes. . . persistence?”
“And sometimes understanding something takes leaving your bedroom once in a while.”
Twilight looked down at her books. She had been reading them a lot. Everything to do with death, from pony physiology to stories of the deaths of famous ponies, to magic related to death. She felt like she knew more about death then anypony alive, but she still didn't understand why Granny Smith had to leave them.
There was a knock on the door, and Twilight was a little relieved. Now Spike would leave her to her books. Spike looked at her for a moment, then sighed and rolled his eyes, “Don't get up. I'll get that.”
“Thanks, Spike.” She said as he made his way down the stairs.
She tried to go back to her book, but Spike was right. She had read it before. She had read all of these books. She looked at her notes, cross referenced and color coded, feeling like there had to be something here that she was missing.
“Twilight?”
She nearly jumped at Spike's voice. She wasn't expecting him to be back so soon.
“Twilight, there's a new pony down here.” Spike said, hopefully. “I mean, I know you're really busy but you wouldn't pass up the chance to meet a new pony in town, right?”
Twilight searched for an excuse, but she couldn't think of one. And her studies were going nowhere, anyway. She put down her notes, “You're right. I should at least go down and say hello.”
Spike's face lit up, “Great!”
She got out of bed, glanced in the mirror to make sure she looked presentable, then made her way downstairs. As she got to the library, she saw the back of a white pony with a black mane and tail. She was wearing a black vest, and her cutie mark was a black symbol that Twilight recognized from her recent studies, called an ankh.
“Um, hello.” Twlight said, as the new pony turned around. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. What's yours?”
“Greener Pastures.” She said. Twilight noticed that her eyes were a dark black, and that the new pony was a unicorn like herself. Greener Pastures went on, “I like your library.”
Twilight smiled, “Thank you. It's not mine, really, but I live here, and I love it.”
“Living in a library sounds cool. Everything you could want to know, right here at your hooves.”
“Yeah. Everything.” Twilight said with a sigh. “I. . . think maybe I should be getting back upstairs. I'm kind of working on something.”
Greener Pastures smiled, “That was a short break, wasn't it?”
“I'm sorry. I'm being awfully rude. It's just, somepony died, and I'm trying to understand why. It's very important.”
“What are you trying to understand about it?”
Twilight sighed, “I mean, I know why. If ponies lived forever, there would be too many ponies in the world, there's simply not enough food to feed every pony who ever lived. And Granny Smith was very old, bodies can only last for so long, so it all makes sense. I just don't feel like I understand it. I wasn't ready. None of us were.”
“When would you have been ready?”
“I don't know, but not now.”
“I think I get it. Do you mind if I tell you a story? I think it might help you understand.”
“Sure, I guess.” Twilight said, uncertainly. She had been reading all week, and she doubted there was any story that could teach her more then everything she had studied.
“Story time? Awesome!” Spike said, pulling his basket over and hopping in, pulling his blanket up to his chin. “I'm ready.”
Twilight giggled, “It's not that kind of story, Spike.”
Greener Pastures smiled, “It can be. Now, here goes. Once upon a time. . .”
The story Greener Pastures told was fascinating, but it didn't seem to have to do with death. It started with a baby pony, and told of her travels all over Equestria, as she grew and changed and met new ponies. Twilight listened for hours. And hours. And hours.
It was late at night when Twilight finally interrupted. Her stomach was growling, and she could barely keep her eyes open. Spike was asleep and snoring loudly.
“Um, excuse me, Greener Pastures? Is this story going to be over anytime soon?”
Greener Pastures seemed wide awake, “Why, don't you like it?”
“Oh, um, it's great! But it's. . . well, a tiny bit long.”
Greener Pastures smiled, “You're right, it is. And even a really good story should end sometime, right?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, you have to sleep and eat sometime.” As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
“And there are a lot of great stories in the world. We can love so many of them while we hear them, but they all have to end.”
Twilight frowned. She'd forgotten her grief while listening to the story, but now it was coming back. For some reason, it didn't feel as bad as before. Twilight thought she understood why.
“Granny Smith was very old.”
“Yes she was.” Agreed Greener Pastures.
“You're saying, metaphorically, that it was time for her story to end.”
Greener Pastures nodded, solemnly.
“I understand.” Twilight said, looking down sadly.
She felt a hoof on hers, “But hey, there are a lot of stories that you still love. You should enjoy them, and the ponies who are telling them.”
Twilight looked up, and smiled a little, “Yeah, I guess I should.”
Greener Pastures stood up and stretched. “I guess I should get going. You look like you need some sleep.”
“Yeah. But, thanks for talking to me. And thanks for the story. . . um, how does it end?”
Pastures smiled sadly as she walked towards the door. “The same way everypony's story ends. But a lot more happens before that. I'll tell you the rest one day.”
Twilight frowned, but somehow the idea that the pony in the story, and Granny Smith, and everypony got nice long stories before they died seemed right. And she liked the idea that there was still more of the story to hear someday.
“Seeya later!” Pastures called as she walked out the door.
“Bye! And thanks!” Twilight called after her.
She caught sight of Spike, still snoring, and lifted his basket up to the bedroom. She was right behind and cleared off her bed, climbing in and snuggling deep under the covers. She still felt sad any time she thought of Granny, but at least things finally made some sense.
It was early the next morning when Pinkie Pie opened her door and peeked out. She was hoping nopony was there, because she really wanted to hop around and enjoy the sunshine, and but she knew that other ponies in town weren't in the mood for a happy, bouncing Pinkie Pie. She cared about her friends more then her fun, and would never make them feel bad, so she had been having fun by herself for the past few days. But that was getting really really boring.
The street wasn't empty, but what she saw was even better: A NEW PONY!
Her eyes went wide and a smile flashed across her face. She threw the door open and started to bounce up and down towards the new pony, “Who are you?”
She suddenly stopped in mid bounce. What if the new pony had heard about Granny Smith? By the time she hit the ground, her face was sad and she looked down. “I mean, who are you?” She said softly.
“My name is Greener Pastures. I'm new here.” The white earth pony with the black mane said with a friendly smile.
“I know! Did you know Granny Smith?” Pinkie said cautiously.
“Well, I know that she died, and that's always sad. But I know that Granny Smith wouldn't want everypony to be too sad to make new friends. So I'm not too sad to make friends.”
Pinkies eyes lit up, and she couldn't have grinned any bigger. She pulled her new friend into her house and slammed the door behind them.
“My name is Pinkie Pie, and I'm so so glad you're here, because I loooove new friends! And I love my old friends too, but they're all very sad right now and even I know better then to try to cheer up ponies who are sad because somepony died, but I wish I could cheer them up because I hate to see everypony so sad and I really don't know what to do, but I know what to do with a new friend!”
“What's that?” Greener Pastures said, smiling.
“Have a party!” Pinkie was suddenly shooting around the room, putting up balloons, pulling out a table of goodies, putting a record on, and slapping pin the tail on the pony up on the wall.
Pinkie pulled out the tub for bobbing for apples, then she suddenly stopped. She looked at the apples in the tub, and frowned in confusion.
“Something wrong?”
“No. And yes. But the yes is because of the no. I- I'm supposed to be sad.”
“You aren't sad?”
“I miss Granny Smith, and that makes me sad.” she said with a huge frown. “She was fun! And it's always sad when someone who was fun goes away. But I think that Granny is someplace else having fun,”
The frown gave way to a big grin, and Pinkie started bouncing, “So I'm not sad, because I want Granny to be having fun. Then I see Applejack, and everypony else being all sad, and I'm sad again.” The grin was replaced by a quivering lip and eyes filling with tears. “But then I see pie! And I love pie! And I'm happy again!” The grin came right back.
“But then it's apple pie, and that makes me think of Granny Smith, and that she's not here to make apple pie and I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM!” Pinkie finished with a loud yell, and a panicked expression.
“A pony.”
“Oh.” Pinkie stopped and blinked. "You're good."
“You should see my card tricks." Greener Pastures said with a grin. "But that's what you are, a pony. And ponies have a lot of different emotions. You can be happy and sad at the same time. You can miss Granny Smith and still have a party.”
“But none of my friends want to have a party.” Pinkie said sadly.
“Have you asked them?”
Pinkie's face snapped into a grin. “I have a great idea! I'll ask my friends if they want to come to your party!”
“Sounds like a good idea to me. But, don't be upset if they don't want to come. Everypony is ready for parties at different times.” Pinkie started to look worried again, until Greener Pastures went on, “I bet some of them are ready, though. And the rest will like to know there are parties to go to when they're ready.”
“That's right, they will. But. . . you can't help me plan your own party!”
“Then why don't I make myself scarce for right now?”
“Okay! But you'll be back later?”
“Yeah. I can promise that.” Greener Pastures said as she opened the door.
“Then hurry up and go! I have a party planning song to start singing!”
Greener Pastures laughed a little as she closed the door behind her. Pinkie started singing her song and dancing around the room.
