Red Crimsonby BoxenMyBootChaptersThe BeginningThe New AcquaintanceThe Pie FamilyThe Map of EquestriaThe BeginningSomewhere in Equestria lays a small eerie town called Ebony Streets. It is in this town that the little filly, Red Crimson, has been born and raised like every other filly, but here in Ebony Streets, every other filly is taught that life has no meaning, no destiny, and there's no reason to be happy. The ground is dry with no sign of life other than a few worms inside the dirt here and there. The ponies of Ebony Streets do not speak, nor even ask for a measly cup of sugar, but that is understandable in a town like this one. There is no sugar to be asked for, and there is no real streets either. There are only cracks in the ground to signify any evidence of a street. It is sad enough, but in this town, under the gloomily clouded sky, Red Crimson awakes for the morning to the sound of pecking at her room's window. Even though she is awake, Red does not uncover herself from her swampy-green blanket and hears the pecking, so she turns over to her right and covers her left ear to muffle out the sound with her pillow, which feels more like a white brick than a soft delicate pillow, but to no avail. After a few more pecks at the window, Red grudgingly takes her pillow from her ear and looks to the window at the head of her dark wooden bed frame. Instead of seeming infuriated, Red's demeanor turns joyful as she recognizes the bird on the window's sill. It's Jezebel, Red's pet crow she's raised from an egg, and Red slides the window open upwards and lets her in. "Jezebel," Red says, holding out her right hoof as a perch, a smile gleaming under her snout, "I missed you." Indeed she had, for Jezebel had been gone for almost a week now since Red last let her out. Red's happy again. Red places Jezebel on the bed as she steps off to her closet and grabs a bag of bird seeds her mother had bought for Jezebel and sprinkles some on the bed in front of Jezebel. Jezebel is Red's closest thing to a pet and a dear friend. As Jezebel begins eating the seeds one by one, Red hears hoof steps in the hallway outside her bedroom door. Red's smile quickly falls and turns to a frightened manner. "Father," She whispers, anxiety in her voice. She grabs Jezebel before the door creaks open. It certainly is her father. Bloody Crimson is his name and he walks in, seeing that Red has her crow perched on her back innocently. She looks up at him, forcing a smile only to get a hoof smack to the face sending her flailing to the floor. "What do you have to smile for?" Her father asks sternly cold. "N-Nothing, father," She stutters, softly rubbing her cheek as a tear falls from her eye to the cold floor leaving a darkened spot. She looks up to her father who scolds, showing no remorse. "That's what I thought," He says, "Now, I want you to get ready for school." "Y-Yes, father," Red gets back up on shaky hooves and waits for her father to leave. As he walks away, she sees his blood drop cutie mark, which she never was told how he got it, but doesn't wish to know based on his abusive behavior. She realizes she had dropped Jezebel when she fell and sees her standing in the middle of the floor. Red picks her up and sets her in the open windowsill. Jezebel looks at Red confusedly. "Go ahead," Red says, "Fly off." Jezebel gives a chirp and does so, leaving Red behind to live her life. Once she's gone, Red opens her closet again and grabs a black and worn drape to wear over her. She heads out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen. There, her mother stands by the stove cooking breakfast and wearing her pink rose cutie mark. This is Faint Crimson. She's the complete opposite of Red's father. She's caring, kind, and generous. "Hey, mom," Red says with a smile. Faint looks over to Red and takes notice of the hoof mark her father left on her cheek. "Oh, dear," She says as she trots over to Red concernedly, "He's really rough with you, isn't he?" "It's fine," Red insists. "It's not fine," Her mother disagrees, "You know I love you." "I love you, too." "Now hurry for school," Mother says, "You shouldn't be late." "I loathe school." A caring smile grows across Faint's face, "I know, but you should be fine. Okay?" Red does dislike school, but somehow her mom's persuasion always prevails. She looks up to her mom with a hopeful smile and answers, "Okay." ____ Her mother had walked her to school, and now they were both looking at each other in the eyes. Red never enjoys school, especially since she's made fun of for her unseemly long tooth, and does not ever regret wishing she never knew the ponies here. Red's mother eventually kisses her on the forehead and tells her goodbye, saying, "Love you," and leaving the school grounds afterward. It is a school, but Red didn't think it could be called that properly. The school's a big building three floors high with iron-barred windows in every classroom, including the cafeteria. The red bricks that make up the structure have faded into a grayish pink and the white paste holding them together has been chipping. As her mother leaves, Red hears a feminine, yet cocky, voice call for her, or rather her "nickname", "Hey, Toothy! What are you doing showing your muzzle around here?" Red dares to not answer and continues to look away from the certain filly. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" The voice yells. Still no answer. "Hey!" "I just want to go to class," Red finally answers. "Fine," The pony says, "but you need to watch your hoof steps. I don't want you touching me," and trots off. This particular filly is Hurled Coal. It's a strange name for a filly, but her family's a coal mining family and she's the only pony that teases Red, often pushing her into mud puddles chuckling at her, finding some sort of delight out of the situation. Red does nothing, but simply turn around to the school and begin walking in. ____ Classes are grueling with their teachers. Red took the teachers' teachings as though she were being yelled at to do something. It's not a very good way to learn. She often told this to herself, but of course in her mind. The day brings Red a cascade of problems and names to be called from other foals, some not meaning a bit to her and others breaking her into tears, but soon it was recess. Oh, Red loves recess. Not for fun, but the peaceful solitude she gets while the other foals are occupied by their fun times. The only bench in the playground was a rickety, old, wooden one that was near the edge of a cliff looking away from it. As the recess bell rings, Red runs straight to her bench, glee twinkling in her eyes by the thought of finally having some time alone. She begins to sit down, and as she does... The bench breaks, sending her flying back. She falls down the cliff. Tumbling through the air, screaming and crying, until eventually there was silence. The New AcquaintanceEverything comes back in a blurry state at first. Red realizes she's on the ground. Then, her sight begins to focus on a pink blob of color hovering over her. Her sight struggles to focus, though. "Hey, are you okay?" The pink blob asks in a high tone. Red's sight finally locks on to a clear vision of the pink blob, only it's not a pink blob. It's a pink filly with cotton candy-like hair. "Are you alright," The pink filly asks again, cranking her head to the left slightly while raising an eyebrow. Red sits up and darts her head in each and every direction, getting a look at her surroundings, "Where am I?" "You're a couple of miles away from my rock farm. That's what I know," The pink filly smiles. "Rock farm?" Red wonders. Then a twinge of pain feels on her head. She places a hoof on the spot and groans, "Ow." "Yeah," The pink filly begins, "You fell off the cliff up there and hit your head preeeetty hard, but you're lucky there was a bush or you would have been done for." Red is still processing the sentence when the filly introduces herself. "I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but my family just call me Pinkie Pie or Pinkie. What's your name?" "Uh," Red thinks for a moment to gather her thoughts, "Red Crimson. Wait, you said I fell from a cliff?" "Yeah, it's right there," Pinkie points toward the cliff behind Red. Red turns around and looks up to the cliff and Pinkie continues, "It's the only cliff around in the forest." "Forest?" Indeed Red is in a forest. She looks around herself to see that she's surrounded by trees. "Yeah, my dad calls this forest Jet Black Forest. But anyway, we need to get you to my home and heal you up." "What?" Red was confused, dumbfounded, by what she'd just heard. Another filly wants to help Red? When? Why? How? Red looks at Pinkie with a complexion of pure disbelief mixed with confusion. "I said we need to get you to my house and heal you up." "But... Why do you want to help?" Red asks sincerely curious, but nervous. "Cause I want to be your friend!" Pinkie blows up with joy. Somehow when she does, colored confetti comes out from nowhere with the sound of a rubber duck's squeak. Once Pinkie lands onto the ground from her jump of joy, she looks to Red expecting a smile but is met with a look of caution and fear. Pinkie's joyful persona switches to concerned, "Are you okay?" "Um," Red calms down, "I have a question." "Sure, what is it?" Red rubs her right foreleg with her left one and asks, "What's a 'friend'?" Pinkie is shocked and she gasps loudly into her lungs, "You don't know what a friend is?" "Not really." "Oh my Celestia," Pinkie exclaims, "You have a lot to learn. You've never had a friend?" "I don't know." "Come on. I'll tell you on the way," Pinkie begins trotting and Red follows. "She said I'm lucky to be alive?" Red thinks, "I don't feel lucky." "So a friend," Pinkie starts, "A friend is a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection." "Huh?" Red asks. "Basically, a friend can be a pony, or another animal, that you like or love and this pony or animal likes or loves you back." "Like my pet bird?" "You have a pet bird?" Pinkie asks impulsively. "Uh, yeah. Her name is... I mean, was Jezebel." "Oh, did something happen to her?" Pinkie asks. "Well, something happened to me." "What?" "I fell down a cliff." "Well, that doesn't mean she's gone forever. She could still find you," Pinkie assures. "Really," Red asks hopefully with a smile. "Of course, but it probably won't be today. She's possibly looking for you all over where you came from, so it might take a day or two until she finds you," Pinkie gasps happily, "Unless you have a special bird call." Excitement and joy refill her eyes along with a smile across her face. Red is stunned in her thoughts for a moment but soon answers sadly, "No. I don't." "Oh," Pinkie replies, slightly disappointed, "Sorry I asked." Red simply says, "Okay." They continue trotting through the forest and every once in a while an owl sounds somewhere nearby. Eventually, Red starts to feel like the two fillies are being followed, but Pinkie just verbally waves away that idea, "Nah, there's no pony out here except us. It used to be just me who went out in the forest, and I was never followed." After a few more minutes, the two fillies reach the opening end of the forest as Red sees a blue sky and white clouds. "The sky's... blue?" Red asks. "Of course it is, silly," Pinkie laughs, "Don't tell me you didn't know that." Red just looks sadly toward the ground. "What?" She shrieks, "You didn't know that? How?" "Well, where I lived the sky was always grey and clouded." "Really?" Pinkie asks. "Yeah, this sky is strange to me. I'm only used to dark colors. Not bright blue and white." "Okay. Well, my home is up ahead of us." "Okay," Red replies as they begin trotting, "I had a question." "Sure, what is it?" "You live at a rock farm?" "Oh, yeah," Pinkie says. "I've heard in books that normal farms grow plants that hold fruits and vegetables, but what do you do at a rock farm." "Well, we collect rocks for rock soup and other reasons, but rock soup's the main reason. We find gems sometimes, but my oldest sister, Maud, doesn't like them as much as rocks." "You have a sister?" "Yeah," Pinkie begins, "actually three of them, and they're all a funny sight to see. Full of their own personality. Besides Maud, there's my older sister, Limestone, and my little sister, Marble." They continue walking and soon Pinkie sings to Red, "We're here~!" Red sees the farm, accompanied by a huge boulder a few feet away. The boulder is so tall and wide, and yet it's near a cliff. "That's a big boulder," Red notes. "Oh yeah, that's Holder's Boulder," Pinkie explains cheerfully, "but don't touch it... and maybe you shouldn't even get close to it." "Okay," Red replies. Being used to taking orders without question. The two fillies walk up to the home's door and that's when Red takes notice of how plain and old the house looks. It has brown hay for roofing and wood planks to support the home, not that it needed support though because the walls are made of hard rocky material. It reminds her of her home, and she likes it, but it's a big contrast from Pinkie's colorful tone. Pinkie opens the door and walks in while gesturing Red inside. The house is silent and seems vacant, but Pinkie shuts the door behind them and calls for, "Dad! Mom! I'm back, and I brought someone who's hurt!" "Confound it," A stallion's voice comes from the kitchen. The owner of the voice walks into the room. He has a brown beard on his face in the midst of turning grey and he continues speaking, "We told you not to bring animals and whatnot in-," He stops in mid-sentence and notices Red who stares gloomily at the floor with a pinkish red bump on her forehead. "Who... Who's this, Pinkie?" The stallion asks, his tone soft now. "This is Red, dad," Pinkie says cheerfully, "Red Crimson." Red simply waves without looking away from the floor, "Hello." "Well, lead her in the kitchen and I'll get her some ice." "Okay," Pinkie replies. She turns to Red as her father walks into the kitchen, "Come on, Red." Red only follows without a word. "What's wrong?" "I don't want to disrespect your father," Red says. "How could you?" "He might get mad if I speak without being spoken to." Pinkie laughs, "Don't be silly. He may be strict, but he's not that strict." They make it into the kitchen and Pinkie's father instructs Red, "Sit on the stool by the sink and place this bag of ice on your head." He hands her the bag and once she takes it she positions the bag on top of her bump while sitting over on the stool. "Pinkie," Pinkie's father asks, "Stay with her for now. I'm going to go tell your mother." "Yes, sir," Pinkie salutes comically and her father leaves the kitchen. She walks over to Red and stares at her. "What?" Red asks. "Are you okay?" "Not really." "Oh, sorry." "Hey, Pinkie?" Red asks. "Yeah?" "Are we friends?" Red's voice is questioning and Pinkie's frown turns upside-down. "Of course we are." The Pie FamilyAs Pinkie hugs Red, a voice familiar to Pinkie speaks timidly from behind her, "Um, who's this, Pinkie?" Red looks over Pinkie's shoulder and sees a grey filly with one big eye and the other covered by her dark green mane. "Oh, hey, Marble," Pinkie screams with joy, "This is Red!" "Oh," Marble hesitates quietly, "Is she a friend of yours?" Pinkie comes out of the hug and replies, "She is now." The room's silent for a moment. "Hi," Red greets, "You're Pinkie's little sister?" "Mhm." "I met Red after she fell off of a tall cliff," Pinkie interrupts, speaking at practically the speed of light, "It was quite a fall, but a bush softened her landing. All that she got from it is a bump on the head. Also, do you know where the other sisters are?" "Um, Maud and Limestone are looking for more rocks," Marble flicks her mane, "They should be back soon," Marble is startled by the slam of the front door opening. "That must be them!" Pinkie cheers excitedly. She gallops to the front door, leaving Red behind with Marble, and Red hears her say, "Limestone, Maud, I have a new friend!" Red gets up off of the stool and trots over to the kitchen's doorway that connects to the room with the front door and takes notice of two new fillies: one a dark shade of purple, and the other seems disinterested and is a color of grey. The grey one speaks to Pinkie first, but in a monotonous voice, "I found a new friend, too. Look," The filly shows Pinkie a rock, which makes Red confused, "I call him Boulder." "That's awesome, Maud!" Pinkie exclaims. "You have a new friend?" The purple one asks with a cocked neck and a critical tone, but without a smirk, as if the thought is unbelievable. "Yeah, Limestone come on!" "This I have to see," She says. Pinkie turns around and sees Red, "Oh, there she is." Red just waves. "Does she even speak, Pinkie?" "S-Sorry," Red answers. "Well, what's your name?" "Red Crimson." "That's a strange name," Maud notes, "but it's not bad." Pinkie looks to Maud and her grin widens, "Maud, are you happy for me? You seem very happy." Maud continues her unvaried tone, "Yes, I'm very happy," She blinks slowly and Pinkie looks back to Red. "Isn't this fun?" Pinkie asks no pony, in particular, hopping up and down. Limestone begins to ask Pinkie something, but Maud stops her to ask Pinkie herself, "Pinkie?" Pinkie finishes her hopping and turns to Maud, "Yeah?" "Where's Mother and Father?" "Oh, they're upstairs. Or at least I know dad is." "Okay, I'll talk to your new friend, Red, later." "Same," Limestone adds. Maud slowly moves toward the stairs and up them, with Limestone behind her, leaving the two other fillies downstairs. "So those are your sisters?" Red eventually asks. "Yeah," Pinkie beams, "what do you think of them?" Red thinks for a moment, "Well, they are full of their own personality." Pinkie snorts a laugh, "I know, right? They're the best. Though, I wonder what dad's doing. Mom could be cleaning the house." "Oh," Red replies. "That reminds me, I never asked where you live. Is it nearby?" Red then realizes she has nowhere to go or live. Her facial expression succumbs to fear, "I lived passed the cliff. I don't have anywhere to live now." "Well..." Pinkie's face contorts and she thinks for a moment, "Are you fine sharing a bunk bed with me?" "I-I don't want to bother you." "It's fine," Pinkie assures. Red hesitates for another moment, "You... You mean it?" "What are friends for." "Th... Thank you." "No problem. You stay here. I'm going to tell dad," and Pinkie zips up the stairs. "She's so nice," Red thinks. Red goes back into the kitchen, the bag of ice still atop her head, and sits back down on the stool by the sink. She wonders where Jezebel might be. She could be in Red's bedroom window pecking at the glass or flying around the local school looking for her. After a moment, Pinkie zips into the kitchen with a gleaming smile, "Dad says that it's alright." "Okay," Red says glumly. "Why so sad?" "I'm thinking about Jezebel." "Oh, she'll find you. I'm sure of it." Red's frown lightens into a smile just slightly to the words. "We'll be having dinner soon," Pinkie says, "but dad told me I should show you around the rock orchard." ____ Once they exit the home, Pinkie gestures Red to follow. They start trotting their way straight ahead and after a while of silence Pinkie breaks it, "Do you like rocks?" "I don't hate them, so I guess." "Good, because I wanted to show you our rock mine," Pinkie begins hopping as she trots. "Your family's a bit odd," Red changes the subject. "You think that?" Pinkie honestly wonders. "Yeah." Pinkie stops hopping and turns to Red, giving her a raised eyebrow, "Why is that? Do you not like them?" "No, they're interesting. They're just... Not a lot like you." "What do you mean?" "They look different from you." "Well, doesn't anypony's siblings look different from them?" Red ponders how to say something, placing a hoof on her chin. Then, "They're all greyish colors, and you're bright pink." "Well, yeah. So?" Red realizes she can't be more detailed than that and gives up, "Nevermind." Pinkie goes back to her cheerful state, "Okay, well we're here." Pinkie points to a cave supported by wooden beams leading inside a mountain. Scattered outside the cave are fragments of rock and rubble, probably caused by the previous prospecting. Pinkie speaks up again, "This is our family mine. It's been here before I was born." "Oh," Red says, "is that all you wanted to show me?" "Nope, I wanted to bring you inside it and take you somewhere amazing," Pinkie drags the last word with emphasis, "Come on!" Pinkie walks ahead inside leaving Red Crimson. Red looks around for a moment and thinks, "Well, it has to be better than anything out here." She begins making her way into the cave and it becomes dark. "Pinkie?" Red calls, her voice echoing through the cave of darkness. She stands in the dark for a moment, blind, and a bright light in front of her with heat emanating from it spooks her, "Ah!" She covers her eyes with a foreleg and waits for something bad to happen, but nothing does. She takes her foreleg from her eyes and looks back toward the light, noticing that it's Pinkie with a torch and a wondering look. "What's wrong?" She asks. Red sighs, "I thought something bad was going to happen." "Like what?" "I thought the fire was going to attack me." Pinkie giggles and assures her, "It's alright, silly. Come on, the place is this way." Red follows Pinkie through the mine as she looks around the lit area around them. The walls are stone and crumbly, looking like they could give away anytime soon. She thinks to herself that nothing is keeping the ceiling up beside the wooden pillars that are at least 15 feet apart. The ground has pebbles on it and the air is cold. So cold that it gives Red a chill up her spine. She shivers unintentionally and Pinkie notices. "Come over to me if you're cold," She tells Red. Red doesn't hesitate and follows beside Pinkie who holds the torch closer to Red to keep her warm. "So where is this 'somewhere amazing'?" Red asks. "Ah," Pinkie sounds, "are you curious?" "I am a little," Red admits but doesn't smile. "Well, it's a surprise." Pinkie giggles again. "Can you tell me if we're close or not?" Red asks impatiently. "Sure," She tells her, "it's up ahead." "That doesn't tell me much." "Just follow me," Pinkie tells her. Red reluctantly continues with Pinkie through the mine's tunnels. After a few minutes, the two reach a fork and Red looks to Pinkie expecting her to know where they're going. "This way," She tells Red as she takes the right path surely. "Are there any bats or other creatures in here?" "Not that I know of," Pinkie places a hoof to her chin, "Though, I haven't been in here for a month or so." Pinkie continues going, but Red halts her hoofsteps to that unsure note. Pinkie turns around and begins to worry about her, "Are you alright?" "I... I'm afraid," Red tells her. "It's okay," Pinkie trots over to her and boops her snout, "you're with me. And nothing gets past me." Red thinks for a moment, "O... Okay... But I don't know what that means for me." "It means I can keep you safe." "How?" Pinkie winks an eye, "I have my ways." Red simply complies with following Pinkie and soon they reach a wooden door blocking the end of the path. It's a huge dark door with binding chains that towers over the two fillies but is only intimidating to Red. Red stutters, "W-w-what is this door for?" "The surprise is behind it!" Pinkie cheers. The Map of EquestriaRed huddles behind Pinkie who warps her face into a thoughtful complexion and rubs her chin, "There was a way through here, but where..." Pinkie looks up and down the door bound by chains and smiles, "There it is!" Red sees nothing at the bottom of the door where Pinkie looks, but Pinkie just comes over to the door and pushes, revealing a secret smaller door within. A bright light comes from the other side. "Come on," Pinkie says to Red. Red trails behind her into the room ahead, and when her eyes adjust Red sees that she is in a room made of wood walls filled with furniture, board games, toys, and a table at the center covered by a large tan piece of paper. There's a lamp beside the paper as well. "What is this place?" Red asks in wonder. "This is me and my sisters' playhouse!" Pinkie cheers to her, "It was our parents' before, but they gave it to us." Red walks through the room and instantly notices the paper on the table. There are two chairs by the table and Red hops up on one. Seeing her friend being curious, Pinkie hops onto the other one. "What's... What's this?" Red asks looking at the paper. The paper shows places and cities and landmarks. "Oh, this? This is the map of Equestria." "Equestria?" "Yeah, that's the world we live in." "I've never seen this before," Red's eyes scan over the map's plains, mountains, and valleys. Pinkie notices a place on the map and points at it, "This is Ponyville." "Ponyville?" Red asks looking back to Pinkie. "Yeah," She begins, "Ponyville is a great place." "You've been there?" "Yep, and I've seen all the smiles there. I still remember every single one." "How long ago did you go?" "Not too long ago. I went there a few weeks back to learn a little from a certain baker." "You mean like making cakes and stuff?" "Yeah," Pinkie replies surprised, "I didn't think you'd know about that." "My mom made me a cake once every year for my birthday." "That's nice," Pinkie says. A small nostalgic smile grows under Red's snout, "Yeah, I miss her." "That's okay." Red's smile gives, "How will I get back home?" Pinkie's smile doesn't, "I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find a way. By the way, we should get back home. Dinner will be ready by the time we get there." "Can I take the map with us?" Red asks. Pinkie looks to the map, then back to her, "Sure. You can keep it if you want. Dad has another in his and mom's room." ____ When they reach back home, Pinkie asks her, "You should clean yourself in the bathroom upstairs. Dad might think you're a little dirty." When Red heads into the bathroom, she looks to the mirror and realizes she'd forgotten about her tooth. Her sharp and irregularly long tooth. Did Pinkie not notice? If she did see it, why didn't she run away or make fun of Red? Red has to find out. "Pinkie?" She calls, and as soon as she calls Pinkie appears with a wide smile. "Yeah?" Red is startled by how soon that was and the brush of wind Pinkie brought with her, but she says, "I have a long tooth." "Oh," Pinkie simply puts, "okay." "Isn't that... Don't you find that strange or even scary?" Pinkie gives a confused expression, "No. Why?" "Have you seen ponies with long teeth before?" "No." "What about my red eyes?" "No," Pinkie says. "Why do you ask?" Red looks away from her and bows her head, "Because every pony I've ever met thinks it is strange. All except my parents, you, and your family. In fact, ever since I fell from the cliff, the only thing anyone I've met has thought is strange about me is my name. That's it." Pinkie's smile disappears and her mane droops down over an eye. She stands there, unsure how to react to this... She's never encountered such a self-loathing or depressive pony, "Well, you aren't like any pony I've ever met. I can say that, but it's not because of what's on the outside." "Then why is it?" "You get sad a lot. And I understand why you get so sad. Look at me, please." Red turns back around. "I help people be happy, but I don't know how to help you. You're the first pony I don't know how to help." Red wipes a tear from her eye, "To be honest, I know you've been trying to help me, but I haven't been letting it affect me." "Why not?" "Because I have to be serious. It's what I was taught." "Oh, I didn't know." "That's all I needed, can you let me clean?" Pinkie walks back to the doorway to leave and says glumly, "Yeah, I'll see you at dinner." Once Pinkie leaves, Red trots over to the mirror and sees a washrag on the sink's counter and picks it up between her hooves. She flips it over her right one and presses a button to the side that turns on the faucet water when held down. She gets the rag wet and rubs it over her muzzle and forehead. Then, rinses the rag again to get out the dirt so she can place it back on the counter. After another look in the mirror, she hears a knock at the doorway and sees Maud there with a neutral stare. "Dinner is ready, Red," she tells her. "Alright, I'll be right down." She blinks then replies,"Okay." With Red following behind her, Maud heads down the stairs and to the dining room to sit down in her seat. In the dining room stands a long wooden table with the father and mother sitting at both ends. Pinkie and her sisters sit at the sides with an extra chair seeming old and used reminding Red of the bench that broke beneath her before she fell off the cliff. Strangely though, the seat stands beside the sisters' father. The sisters' father sees Red and tells her softly, but firmly, "Have a seat next to me. I need to speak with you." Red does as she is asked and sits in her seat beside him. After a moment, the sisters and mother start slurping their rock soup. There's a bowl in front of Red, but she isn't feeling too hungry for rocks. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about, sir?" "Please, just call me Igneous Rock." "Sorry, okay." "I wanted to speak to you about where Pinkie told me you came from. She said you fell from a cliff into the Jet Black Forest." "Uh, yes," Red senses in his tone that Igneous is leading to something. "Well, I've explored the forest as well as Pinkie, but unlike her, I've been over that cliff." Red feels a little interested now, "You... You have? When?" "When I was a younger stallion," he tells her, "the cliff's side wasn't as smooth at the time, I could climb it. When I reached the top, I saw a seemingly rundown town and met some of its civilians. They told me about the town and its name, it's beliefs, and I left immediately because I was afraid of what they might've done to me," he looks to his soup bowl and sees his reflection, "It's not a town for anyone of Equestria. No pony anywhere else in Equestria acts and thinks the way they do. The way they think just doesn't seem prosperous." He looks back to Red, "I don't want to come across rude to you." Red looks at him strangely, "Why would you mind it?" "Because I don't want to hurt your feelings." "Why do you care about a pony's feelings, and why mine?" "I care about every pony's feelings. I don't want others to think badly of me." "That's strange. My dad never cares much about what others think of him." "Every pony else in Equestria cares about feelings. That's where you see just how different your hometown is from us." Red thinks for a moment. "What is it?" Igneous asks. "So you're saying that ponies outside of Ebony Streets care about feelings so much, but ponies in my town don't really care about anything?" "Well, you could take it that way. Yes." "But that's not true about my mother. She loves me." "She really does?" He asks, now intrigued. "Yeah, she always helped me through hard times." Pinkie then tells her father cheerfully, "And she bakes her cakes on her birthday!" "Pinkie," Igneous firmly asks her, "what have I said about eavesdropping?" "You said it's rude. I'm sorry." Pinkie goes back to slurping her soup. "Anyways," he goes back to Red, "your mother must have come from somewhere else, then. I never encountered a polite and gentle mare or filly in Ebony Streets." "Okay," Red replies, slightly confused. "Just don't worry about it. Also, you will be staying in the girls' bedroom. You will be sleeping in a bed their mother made for you." "Okay, thank you."
The BeginningSomewhere in Equestria lays a small eerie town called Ebony Streets. It is in this town that the little filly, Red Crimson, has been born and raised like every other filly, but here in Ebony Streets, every other filly is taught that life has no meaning, no destiny, and there's no reason to be happy. The ground is dry with no sign of life other than a few worms inside the dirt here and there. The ponies of Ebony Streets do not speak, nor even ask for a measly cup of sugar, but that is understandable in a town like this one. There is no sugar to be asked for, and there is no real streets either. There are only cracks in the ground to signify any evidence of a street. It is sad enough, but in this town, under the gloomily clouded sky, Red Crimson awakes for the morning to the sound of pecking at her room's window. Even though she is awake, Red does not uncover herself from her swampy-green blanket and hears the pecking, so she turns over to her right and covers her left ear to muffle out the sound with her pillow, which feels more like a white brick than a soft delicate pillow, but to no avail. After a few more pecks at the window, Red grudgingly takes her pillow from her ear and looks to the window at the head of her dark wooden bed frame. Instead of seeming infuriated, Red's demeanor turns joyful as she recognizes the bird on the window's sill. It's Jezebel, Red's pet crow she's raised from an egg, and Red slides the window open upwards and lets her in. "Jezebel," Red says, holding out her right hoof as a perch, a smile gleaming under her snout, "I missed you." Indeed she had, for Jezebel had been gone for almost a week now since Red last let her out. Red's happy again. Red places Jezebel on the bed as she steps off to her closet and grabs a bag of bird seeds her mother had bought for Jezebel and sprinkles some on the bed in front of Jezebel. Jezebel is Red's closest thing to a pet and a dear friend. As Jezebel begins eating the seeds one by one, Red hears hoof steps in the hallway outside her bedroom door. Red's smile quickly falls and turns to a frightened manner. "Father," She whispers, anxiety in her voice. She grabs Jezebel before the door creaks open. It certainly is her father. Bloody Crimson is his name and he walks in, seeing that Red has her crow perched on her back innocently. She looks up at him, forcing a smile only to get a hoof smack to the face sending her flailing to the floor. "What do you have to smile for?" Her father asks sternly cold. "N-Nothing, father," She stutters, softly rubbing her cheek as a tear falls from her eye to the cold floor leaving a darkened spot. She looks up to her father who scolds, showing no remorse. "That's what I thought," He says, "Now, I want you to get ready for school." "Y-Yes, father," Red gets back up on shaky hooves and waits for her father to leave. As he walks away, she sees his blood drop cutie mark, which she never was told how he got it, but doesn't wish to know based on his abusive behavior. She realizes she had dropped Jezebel when she fell and sees her standing in the middle of the floor. Red picks her up and sets her in the open windowsill. Jezebel looks at Red confusedly. "Go ahead," Red says, "Fly off." Jezebel gives a chirp and does so, leaving Red behind to live her life. Once she's gone, Red opens her closet again and grabs a black and worn drape to wear over her. She heads out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen. There, her mother stands by the stove cooking breakfast and wearing her pink rose cutie mark. This is Faint Crimson. She's the complete opposite of Red's father. She's caring, kind, and generous. "Hey, mom," Red says with a smile. Faint looks over to Red and takes notice of the hoof mark her father left on her cheek. "Oh, dear," She says as she trots over to Red concernedly, "He's really rough with you, isn't he?" "It's fine," Red insists. "It's not fine," Her mother disagrees, "You know I love you." "I love you, too." "Now hurry for school," Mother says, "You shouldn't be late." "I loathe school." A caring smile grows across Faint's face, "I know, but you should be fine. Okay?" Red does dislike school, but somehow her mom's persuasion always prevails. She looks up to her mom with a hopeful smile and answers, "Okay." ____ Her mother had walked her to school, and now they were both looking at each other in the eyes. Red never enjoys school, especially since she's made fun of for her unseemly long tooth, and does not ever regret wishing she never knew the ponies here. Red's mother eventually kisses her on the forehead and tells her goodbye, saying, "Love you," and leaving the school grounds afterward. It is a school, but Red didn't think it could be called that properly. The school's a big building three floors high with iron-barred windows in every classroom, including the cafeteria. The red bricks that make up the structure have faded into a grayish pink and the white paste holding them together has been chipping. As her mother leaves, Red hears a feminine, yet cocky, voice call for her, or rather her "nickname", "Hey, Toothy! What are you doing showing your muzzle around here?" Red dares to not answer and continues to look away from the certain filly. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" The voice yells. Still no answer. "Hey!" "I just want to go to class," Red finally answers. "Fine," The pony says, "but you need to watch your hoof steps. I don't want you touching me," and trots off. This particular filly is Hurled Coal. It's a strange name for a filly, but her family's a coal mining family and she's the only pony that teases Red, often pushing her into mud puddles chuckling at her, finding some sort of delight out of the situation. Red does nothing, but simply turn around to the school and begin walking in. ____ Classes are grueling with their teachers. Red took the teachers' teachings as though she were being yelled at to do something. It's not a very good way to learn. She often told this to herself, but of course in her mind. The day brings Red a cascade of problems and names to be called from other foals, some not meaning a bit to her and others breaking her into tears, but soon it was recess. Oh, Red loves recess. Not for fun, but the peaceful solitude she gets while the other foals are occupied by their fun times. The only bench in the playground was a rickety, old, wooden one that was near the edge of a cliff looking away from it. As the recess bell rings, Red runs straight to her bench, glee twinkling in her eyes by the thought of finally having some time alone. She begins to sit down, and as she does... The bench breaks, sending her flying back. She falls down the cliff. Tumbling through the air, screaming and crying, until eventually there was silence.
The New AcquaintanceEverything comes back in a blurry state at first. Red realizes she's on the ground. Then, her sight begins to focus on a pink blob of color hovering over her. Her sight struggles to focus, though. "Hey, are you okay?" The pink blob asks in a high tone. Red's sight finally locks on to a clear vision of the pink blob, only it's not a pink blob. It's a pink filly with cotton candy-like hair. "Are you alright," The pink filly asks again, cranking her head to the left slightly while raising an eyebrow. Red sits up and darts her head in each and every direction, getting a look at her surroundings, "Where am I?" "You're a couple of miles away from my rock farm. That's what I know," The pink filly smiles. "Rock farm?" Red wonders. Then a twinge of pain feels on her head. She places a hoof on the spot and groans, "Ow." "Yeah," The pink filly begins, "You fell off the cliff up there and hit your head preeeetty hard, but you're lucky there was a bush or you would have been done for." Red is still processing the sentence when the filly introduces herself. "I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but my family just call me Pinkie Pie or Pinkie. What's your name?" "Uh," Red thinks for a moment to gather her thoughts, "Red Crimson. Wait, you said I fell from a cliff?" "Yeah, it's right there," Pinkie points toward the cliff behind Red. Red turns around and looks up to the cliff and Pinkie continues, "It's the only cliff around in the forest." "Forest?" Indeed Red is in a forest. She looks around herself to see that she's surrounded by trees. "Yeah, my dad calls this forest Jet Black Forest. But anyway, we need to get you to my home and heal you up." "What?" Red was confused, dumbfounded, by what she'd just heard. Another filly wants to help Red? When? Why? How? Red looks at Pinkie with a complexion of pure disbelief mixed with confusion. "I said we need to get you to my house and heal you up." "But... Why do you want to help?" Red asks sincerely curious, but nervous. "Cause I want to be your friend!" Pinkie blows up with joy. Somehow when she does, colored confetti comes out from nowhere with the sound of a rubber duck's squeak. Once Pinkie lands onto the ground from her jump of joy, she looks to Red expecting a smile but is met with a look of caution and fear. Pinkie's joyful persona switches to concerned, "Are you okay?" "Um," Red calms down, "I have a question." "Sure, what is it?" Red rubs her right foreleg with her left one and asks, "What's a 'friend'?" Pinkie is shocked and she gasps loudly into her lungs, "You don't know what a friend is?" "Not really." "Oh my Celestia," Pinkie exclaims, "You have a lot to learn. You've never had a friend?" "I don't know." "Come on. I'll tell you on the way," Pinkie begins trotting and Red follows. "She said I'm lucky to be alive?" Red thinks, "I don't feel lucky." "So a friend," Pinkie starts, "A friend is a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection." "Huh?" Red asks. "Basically, a friend can be a pony, or another animal, that you like or love and this pony or animal likes or loves you back." "Like my pet bird?" "You have a pet bird?" Pinkie asks impulsively. "Uh, yeah. Her name is... I mean, was Jezebel." "Oh, did something happen to her?" Pinkie asks. "Well, something happened to me." "What?" "I fell down a cliff." "Well, that doesn't mean she's gone forever. She could still find you," Pinkie assures. "Really," Red asks hopefully with a smile. "Of course, but it probably won't be today. She's possibly looking for you all over where you came from, so it might take a day or two until she finds you," Pinkie gasps happily, "Unless you have a special bird call." Excitement and joy refill her eyes along with a smile across her face. Red is stunned in her thoughts for a moment but soon answers sadly, "No. I don't." "Oh," Pinkie replies, slightly disappointed, "Sorry I asked." Red simply says, "Okay." They continue trotting through the forest and every once in a while an owl sounds somewhere nearby. Eventually, Red starts to feel like the two fillies are being followed, but Pinkie just verbally waves away that idea, "Nah, there's no pony out here except us. It used to be just me who went out in the forest, and I was never followed." After a few more minutes, the two fillies reach the opening end of the forest as Red sees a blue sky and white clouds. "The sky's... blue?" Red asks. "Of course it is, silly," Pinkie laughs, "Don't tell me you didn't know that." Red just looks sadly toward the ground. "What?" She shrieks, "You didn't know that? How?" "Well, where I lived the sky was always grey and clouded." "Really?" Pinkie asks. "Yeah, this sky is strange to me. I'm only used to dark colors. Not bright blue and white." "Okay. Well, my home is up ahead of us." "Okay," Red replies as they begin trotting, "I had a question." "Sure, what is it?" "You live at a rock farm?" "Oh, yeah," Pinkie says. "I've heard in books that normal farms grow plants that hold fruits and vegetables, but what do you do at a rock farm." "Well, we collect rocks for rock soup and other reasons, but rock soup's the main reason. We find gems sometimes, but my oldest sister, Maud, doesn't like them as much as rocks." "You have a sister?" "Yeah," Pinkie begins, "actually three of them, and they're all a funny sight to see. Full of their own personality. Besides Maud, there's my older sister, Limestone, and my little sister, Marble." They continue walking and soon Pinkie sings to Red, "We're here~!" Red sees the farm, accompanied by a huge boulder a few feet away. The boulder is so tall and wide, and yet it's near a cliff. "That's a big boulder," Red notes. "Oh yeah, that's Holder's Boulder," Pinkie explains cheerfully, "but don't touch it... and maybe you shouldn't even get close to it." "Okay," Red replies. Being used to taking orders without question. The two fillies walk up to the home's door and that's when Red takes notice of how plain and old the house looks. It has brown hay for roofing and wood planks to support the home, not that it needed support though because the walls are made of hard rocky material. It reminds her of her home, and she likes it, but it's a big contrast from Pinkie's colorful tone. Pinkie opens the door and walks in while gesturing Red inside. The house is silent and seems vacant, but Pinkie shuts the door behind them and calls for, "Dad! Mom! I'm back, and I brought someone who's hurt!" "Confound it," A stallion's voice comes from the kitchen. The owner of the voice walks into the room. He has a brown beard on his face in the midst of turning grey and he continues speaking, "We told you not to bring animals and whatnot in-," He stops in mid-sentence and notices Red who stares gloomily at the floor with a pinkish red bump on her forehead. "Who... Who's this, Pinkie?" The stallion asks, his tone soft now. "This is Red, dad," Pinkie says cheerfully, "Red Crimson." Red simply waves without looking away from the floor, "Hello." "Well, lead her in the kitchen and I'll get her some ice." "Okay," Pinkie replies. She turns to Red as her father walks into the kitchen, "Come on, Red." Red only follows without a word. "What's wrong?" "I don't want to disrespect your father," Red says. "How could you?" "He might get mad if I speak without being spoken to." Pinkie laughs, "Don't be silly. He may be strict, but he's not that strict." They make it into the kitchen and Pinkie's father instructs Red, "Sit on the stool by the sink and place this bag of ice on your head." He hands her the bag and once she takes it she positions the bag on top of her bump while sitting over on the stool. "Pinkie," Pinkie's father asks, "Stay with her for now. I'm going to go tell your mother." "Yes, sir," Pinkie salutes comically and her father leaves the kitchen. She walks over to Red and stares at her. "What?" Red asks. "Are you okay?" "Not really." "Oh, sorry." "Hey, Pinkie?" Red asks. "Yeah?" "Are we friends?" Red's voice is questioning and Pinkie's frown turns upside-down. "Of course we are."
The Pie FamilyAs Pinkie hugs Red, a voice familiar to Pinkie speaks timidly from behind her, "Um, who's this, Pinkie?" Red looks over Pinkie's shoulder and sees a grey filly with one big eye and the other covered by her dark green mane. "Oh, hey, Marble," Pinkie screams with joy, "This is Red!" "Oh," Marble hesitates quietly, "Is she a friend of yours?" Pinkie comes out of the hug and replies, "She is now." The room's silent for a moment. "Hi," Red greets, "You're Pinkie's little sister?" "Mhm." "I met Red after she fell off of a tall cliff," Pinkie interrupts, speaking at practically the speed of light, "It was quite a fall, but a bush softened her landing. All that she got from it is a bump on the head. Also, do you know where the other sisters are?" "Um, Maud and Limestone are looking for more rocks," Marble flicks her mane, "They should be back soon," Marble is startled by the slam of the front door opening. "That must be them!" Pinkie cheers excitedly. She gallops to the front door, leaving Red behind with Marble, and Red hears her say, "Limestone, Maud, I have a new friend!" Red gets up off of the stool and trots over to the kitchen's doorway that connects to the room with the front door and takes notice of two new fillies: one a dark shade of purple, and the other seems disinterested and is a color of grey. The grey one speaks to Pinkie first, but in a monotonous voice, "I found a new friend, too. Look," The filly shows Pinkie a rock, which makes Red confused, "I call him Boulder." "That's awesome, Maud!" Pinkie exclaims. "You have a new friend?" The purple one asks with a cocked neck and a critical tone, but without a smirk, as if the thought is unbelievable. "Yeah, Limestone come on!" "This I have to see," She says. Pinkie turns around and sees Red, "Oh, there she is." Red just waves. "Does she even speak, Pinkie?" "S-Sorry," Red answers. "Well, what's your name?" "Red Crimson." "That's a strange name," Maud notes, "but it's not bad." Pinkie looks to Maud and her grin widens, "Maud, are you happy for me? You seem very happy." Maud continues her unvaried tone, "Yes, I'm very happy," She blinks slowly and Pinkie looks back to Red. "Isn't this fun?" Pinkie asks no pony, in particular, hopping up and down. Limestone begins to ask Pinkie something, but Maud stops her to ask Pinkie herself, "Pinkie?" Pinkie finishes her hopping and turns to Maud, "Yeah?" "Where's Mother and Father?" "Oh, they're upstairs. Or at least I know dad is." "Okay, I'll talk to your new friend, Red, later." "Same," Limestone adds. Maud slowly moves toward the stairs and up them, with Limestone behind her, leaving the two other fillies downstairs. "So those are your sisters?" Red eventually asks. "Yeah," Pinkie beams, "what do you think of them?" Red thinks for a moment, "Well, they are full of their own personality." Pinkie snorts a laugh, "I know, right? They're the best. Though, I wonder what dad's doing. Mom could be cleaning the house." "Oh," Red replies. "That reminds me, I never asked where you live. Is it nearby?" Red then realizes she has nowhere to go or live. Her facial expression succumbs to fear, "I lived passed the cliff. I don't have anywhere to live now." "Well..." Pinkie's face contorts and she thinks for a moment, "Are you fine sharing a bunk bed with me?" "I-I don't want to bother you." "It's fine," Pinkie assures. Red hesitates for another moment, "You... You mean it?" "What are friends for." "Th... Thank you." "No problem. You stay here. I'm going to tell dad," and Pinkie zips up the stairs. "She's so nice," Red thinks. Red goes back into the kitchen, the bag of ice still atop her head, and sits back down on the stool by the sink. She wonders where Jezebel might be. She could be in Red's bedroom window pecking at the glass or flying around the local school looking for her. After a moment, Pinkie zips into the kitchen with a gleaming smile, "Dad says that it's alright." "Okay," Red says glumly. "Why so sad?" "I'm thinking about Jezebel." "Oh, she'll find you. I'm sure of it." Red's frown lightens into a smile just slightly to the words. "We'll be having dinner soon," Pinkie says, "but dad told me I should show you around the rock orchard." ____ Once they exit the home, Pinkie gestures Red to follow. They start trotting their way straight ahead and after a while of silence Pinkie breaks it, "Do you like rocks?" "I don't hate them, so I guess." "Good, because I wanted to show you our rock mine," Pinkie begins hopping as she trots. "Your family's a bit odd," Red changes the subject. "You think that?" Pinkie honestly wonders. "Yeah." Pinkie stops hopping and turns to Red, giving her a raised eyebrow, "Why is that? Do you not like them?" "No, they're interesting. They're just... Not a lot like you." "What do you mean?" "They look different from you." "Well, doesn't anypony's siblings look different from them?" Red ponders how to say something, placing a hoof on her chin. Then, "They're all greyish colors, and you're bright pink." "Well, yeah. So?" Red realizes she can't be more detailed than that and gives up, "Nevermind." Pinkie goes back to her cheerful state, "Okay, well we're here." Pinkie points to a cave supported by wooden beams leading inside a mountain. Scattered outside the cave are fragments of rock and rubble, probably caused by the previous prospecting. Pinkie speaks up again, "This is our family mine. It's been here before I was born." "Oh," Red says, "is that all you wanted to show me?" "Nope, I wanted to bring you inside it and take you somewhere amazing," Pinkie drags the last word with emphasis, "Come on!" Pinkie walks ahead inside leaving Red Crimson. Red looks around for a moment and thinks, "Well, it has to be better than anything out here." She begins making her way into the cave and it becomes dark. "Pinkie?" Red calls, her voice echoing through the cave of darkness. She stands in the dark for a moment, blind, and a bright light in front of her with heat emanating from it spooks her, "Ah!" She covers her eyes with a foreleg and waits for something bad to happen, but nothing does. She takes her foreleg from her eyes and looks back toward the light, noticing that it's Pinkie with a torch and a wondering look. "What's wrong?" She asks. Red sighs, "I thought something bad was going to happen." "Like what?" "I thought the fire was going to attack me." Pinkie giggles and assures her, "It's alright, silly. Come on, the place is this way." Red follows Pinkie through the mine as she looks around the lit area around them. The walls are stone and crumbly, looking like they could give away anytime soon. She thinks to herself that nothing is keeping the ceiling up beside the wooden pillars that are at least 15 feet apart. The ground has pebbles on it and the air is cold. So cold that it gives Red a chill up her spine. She shivers unintentionally and Pinkie notices. "Come over to me if you're cold," She tells Red. Red doesn't hesitate and follows beside Pinkie who holds the torch closer to Red to keep her warm. "So where is this 'somewhere amazing'?" Red asks. "Ah," Pinkie sounds, "are you curious?" "I am a little," Red admits but doesn't smile. "Well, it's a surprise." Pinkie giggles again. "Can you tell me if we're close or not?" Red asks impatiently. "Sure," She tells her, "it's up ahead." "That doesn't tell me much." "Just follow me," Pinkie tells her. Red reluctantly continues with Pinkie through the mine's tunnels. After a few minutes, the two reach a fork and Red looks to Pinkie expecting her to know where they're going. "This way," She tells Red as she takes the right path surely. "Are there any bats or other creatures in here?" "Not that I know of," Pinkie places a hoof to her chin, "Though, I haven't been in here for a month or so." Pinkie continues going, but Red halts her hoofsteps to that unsure note. Pinkie turns around and begins to worry about her, "Are you alright?" "I... I'm afraid," Red tells her. "It's okay," Pinkie trots over to her and boops her snout, "you're with me. And nothing gets past me." Red thinks for a moment, "O... Okay... But I don't know what that means for me." "It means I can keep you safe." "How?" Pinkie winks an eye, "I have my ways." Red simply complies with following Pinkie and soon they reach a wooden door blocking the end of the path. It's a huge dark door with binding chains that towers over the two fillies but is only intimidating to Red. Red stutters, "W-w-what is this door for?" "The surprise is behind it!" Pinkie cheers.
The Map of EquestriaRed huddles behind Pinkie who warps her face into a thoughtful complexion and rubs her chin, "There was a way through here, but where..." Pinkie looks up and down the door bound by chains and smiles, "There it is!" Red sees nothing at the bottom of the door where Pinkie looks, but Pinkie just comes over to the door and pushes, revealing a secret smaller door within. A bright light comes from the other side. "Come on," Pinkie says to Red. Red trails behind her into the room ahead, and when her eyes adjust Red sees that she is in a room made of wood walls filled with furniture, board games, toys, and a table at the center covered by a large tan piece of paper. There's a lamp beside the paper as well. "What is this place?" Red asks in wonder. "This is me and my sisters' playhouse!" Pinkie cheers to her, "It was our parents' before, but they gave it to us." Red walks through the room and instantly notices the paper on the table. There are two chairs by the table and Red hops up on one. Seeing her friend being curious, Pinkie hops onto the other one. "What's... What's this?" Red asks looking at the paper. The paper shows places and cities and landmarks. "Oh, this? This is the map of Equestria." "Equestria?" "Yeah, that's the world we live in." "I've never seen this before," Red's eyes scan over the map's plains, mountains, and valleys. Pinkie notices a place on the map and points at it, "This is Ponyville." "Ponyville?" Red asks looking back to Pinkie. "Yeah," She begins, "Ponyville is a great place." "You've been there?" "Yep, and I've seen all the smiles there. I still remember every single one." "How long ago did you go?" "Not too long ago. I went there a few weeks back to learn a little from a certain baker." "You mean like making cakes and stuff?" "Yeah," Pinkie replies surprised, "I didn't think you'd know about that." "My mom made me a cake once every year for my birthday." "That's nice," Pinkie says. A small nostalgic smile grows under Red's snout, "Yeah, I miss her." "That's okay." Red's smile gives, "How will I get back home?" Pinkie's smile doesn't, "I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find a way. By the way, we should get back home. Dinner will be ready by the time we get there." "Can I take the map with us?" Red asks. Pinkie looks to the map, then back to her, "Sure. You can keep it if you want. Dad has another in his and mom's room." ____ When they reach back home, Pinkie asks her, "You should clean yourself in the bathroom upstairs. Dad might think you're a little dirty." When Red heads into the bathroom, she looks to the mirror and realizes she'd forgotten about her tooth. Her sharp and irregularly long tooth. Did Pinkie not notice? If she did see it, why didn't she run away or make fun of Red? Red has to find out. "Pinkie?" She calls, and as soon as she calls Pinkie appears with a wide smile. "Yeah?" Red is startled by how soon that was and the brush of wind Pinkie brought with her, but she says, "I have a long tooth." "Oh," Pinkie simply puts, "okay." "Isn't that... Don't you find that strange or even scary?" Pinkie gives a confused expression, "No. Why?" "Have you seen ponies with long teeth before?" "No." "What about my red eyes?" "No," Pinkie says. "Why do you ask?" Red looks away from her and bows her head, "Because every pony I've ever met thinks it is strange. All except my parents, you, and your family. In fact, ever since I fell from the cliff, the only thing anyone I've met has thought is strange about me is my name. That's it." Pinkie's smile disappears and her mane droops down over an eye. She stands there, unsure how to react to this... She's never encountered such a self-loathing or depressive pony, "Well, you aren't like any pony I've ever met. I can say that, but it's not because of what's on the outside." "Then why is it?" "You get sad a lot. And I understand why you get so sad. Look at me, please." Red turns back around. "I help people be happy, but I don't know how to help you. You're the first pony I don't know how to help." Red wipes a tear from her eye, "To be honest, I know you've been trying to help me, but I haven't been letting it affect me." "Why not?" "Because I have to be serious. It's what I was taught." "Oh, I didn't know." "That's all I needed, can you let me clean?" Pinkie walks back to the doorway to leave and says glumly, "Yeah, I'll see you at dinner." Once Pinkie leaves, Red trots over to the mirror and sees a washrag on the sink's counter and picks it up between her hooves. She flips it over her right one and presses a button to the side that turns on the faucet water when held down. She gets the rag wet and rubs it over her muzzle and forehead. Then, rinses the rag again to get out the dirt so she can place it back on the counter. After another look in the mirror, she hears a knock at the doorway and sees Maud there with a neutral stare. "Dinner is ready, Red," she tells her. "Alright, I'll be right down." She blinks then replies,"Okay." With Red following behind her, Maud heads down the stairs and to the dining room to sit down in her seat. In the dining room stands a long wooden table with the father and mother sitting at both ends. Pinkie and her sisters sit at the sides with an extra chair seeming old and used reminding Red of the bench that broke beneath her before she fell off the cliff. Strangely though, the seat stands beside the sisters' father. The sisters' father sees Red and tells her softly, but firmly, "Have a seat next to me. I need to speak with you." Red does as she is asked and sits in her seat beside him. After a moment, the sisters and mother start slurping their rock soup. There's a bowl in front of Red, but she isn't feeling too hungry for rocks. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about, sir?" "Please, just call me Igneous Rock." "Sorry, okay." "I wanted to speak to you about where Pinkie told me you came from. She said you fell from a cliff into the Jet Black Forest." "Uh, yes," Red senses in his tone that Igneous is leading to something. "Well, I've explored the forest as well as Pinkie, but unlike her, I've been over that cliff." Red feels a little interested now, "You... You have? When?" "When I was a younger stallion," he tells her, "the cliff's side wasn't as smooth at the time, I could climb it. When I reached the top, I saw a seemingly rundown town and met some of its civilians. They told me about the town and its name, it's beliefs, and I left immediately because I was afraid of what they might've done to me," he looks to his soup bowl and sees his reflection, "It's not a town for anyone of Equestria. No pony anywhere else in Equestria acts and thinks the way they do. The way they think just doesn't seem prosperous." He looks back to Red, "I don't want to come across rude to you." Red looks at him strangely, "Why would you mind it?" "Because I don't want to hurt your feelings." "Why do you care about a pony's feelings, and why mine?" "I care about every pony's feelings. I don't want others to think badly of me." "That's strange. My dad never cares much about what others think of him." "Every pony else in Equestria cares about feelings. That's where you see just how different your hometown is from us." Red thinks for a moment. "What is it?" Igneous asks. "So you're saying that ponies outside of Ebony Streets care about feelings so much, but ponies in my town don't really care about anything?" "Well, you could take it that way. Yes." "But that's not true about my mother. She loves me." "She really does?" He asks, now intrigued. "Yeah, she always helped me through hard times." Pinkie then tells her father cheerfully, "And she bakes her cakes on her birthday!" "Pinkie," Igneous firmly asks her, "what have I said about eavesdropping?" "You said it's rude. I'm sorry." Pinkie goes back to slurping her soup. "Anyways," he goes back to Red, "your mother must have come from somewhere else, then. I never encountered a polite and gentle mare or filly in Ebony Streets." "Okay," Red replies, slightly confused. "Just don't worry about it. Also, you will be staying in the girls' bedroom. You will be sleeping in a bed their mother made for you." "Okay, thank you."
