Pinkie Pie was bouncing along through as she often did, when she came to a sudden stop freezing on the spot. She turned and looked slowly up and to her right. There were no ponies on her right, nor anything that should have captured her interest, but she was definitely looking at that one particular direction. Her tail twitched, even as the rest of her stood still. Her head shook, as she made a visible effort not to turn around, like she was fighting herself, or something she knew to be true.
“A-are you really going away!? But we've had so much fun together! This can't be the end!”
Pinkie ran so fast she created a dust cloud behind her, and reached Twilight's table. The purple Princess was engrossed in a book, and didn't notice her friend appear right behind her
“TWILIGHT! TWILIGHT!”
The purple Princess leapt out of her seat.
“Ah!” She landed back in her and spun round to face her guest. What is it Pinkie?”
“The end is nigh!”
Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Seriously Pinkie Pie?”
Pinkie leaned forward, stretching her neck further than anypony should have been able to, until her head touched Twilight's..
“My tail twitched! A really big twitch.”
Twilight's face fell. She sat up, her full attention focused on Pinkie Pie, leaning closer to her as she spoke.
“What is it? Some great disaster? A monster attack? Another villain trying to take over Equestria? Are you sure this really is the end?” Twilight spoke so fast it barely gave Pinkie a chance to respond.
Pinkie leaned back, trying to get a little distance.
“No uh.... I don't think it's anything like that. I think it's just the end."
“What do you mean JUST the end?” Twilight pulled Pinkie closer. “Are you saying the world is just going to end and there's nothing we can do about it? There's always something we can do! We've overcome half a dozen world ending threats, if something is threatening Equestria we can deal with this one as well.” Twilight relaxed as she said this, each word making her visibly more confident.
Pinkie pulled herself away.
“I said it's not like that! It's not a disaster, it's not a monster and it's not a villain! The world isn't ending!”
“But you said-” Twilight took several deep, calming breaths, as Cadance had once instructed her. “Or maybe I misunderstood you. What did you mean when you said it was the end?”
“There's going to be no more stories about us!” Pinkie shouted in that same apocalyptic tone. Twilight merely stared back blankly, blinking.
“Stories? What are you talking about?”
“Think about it!” Pinkie yelled, as though this was something obvious. “You're an alicorn Princess, but you're like the reserve princess and most of your duties are off screen.”
Twilight placed her front hooves on her hips.
“Hey! I have a part to!”
Pinkie Pie went on as though she hadn't been interrupted.
“Applejack has her Apple farm and her relationship with Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh isn't going to change, they've worked through pretty much every issue they've had with each other.”
Twilight frowned.
“I don't see where your going with this....”
“I've got my job at the cake shop, which I like but it isn't really that interesting, and I still throw parties, which is great but their pretty much the same parties we've seen.”
Twilight's frown deepened.
“I thought you liked your job and I thought you liked throwing parties for other ponies? Do you want to take a break or something? We can talk about it.”
Pinkie made a frustrated noise and pulled her hoof away.
“No! This isn't what I'm talking about!” Pinkie spoke faster now. “Rainbow Dash is on the Wonderbolt's reserves, and its only a matter of time before she's in for real, Rarity has her boutiques and has learned a bunch of stuff about generosity, I mean what else can she learn?! And Fluttershy is still shy but basically has it under control.”
Twilight blinked.
“So what's the problem?”
Pinkie made another, louder frustrated moan. Then she was in Twilight's face again..
“There is no problem! And that's the problem!”
Twilight leaned back and tilted her head. After a second in thought her expression changed to one of concern for her friend.
“Huh? Are you bothered that we all have a stable daily routine and keep doing the same kind of things? I guess I can see why you might find that monotonous. We could always do something different together, like a visit another town or go on a picnic together or something.”
“Gah! You don't understand! That means there are no more stories for us! Unless another villain attacks, but they can only do that so many times before it gets old!”
Twilight looked into her friends eyes, trying to understand her.
“So... you are worried about life getting boring or repetitive? Or do you mean something else?”
“If exciting things stop happening THEY'LL stop following us.” Pinkie glanced to the right.
Twilight looked to where Pinkie was pointing, then around the castle, seeing if there was someone in or near the castle, but nopony was there. At least no one she could see.
“Who?“
Pinkie placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder and pointed to the right.
“THEM!”
“Huh?”
Twilight turned to look, but couldn't see it. Pinkie gestured to the presumed audience.
“How are we going to keep them entertained?”
Twilight blinked several more times before suddenly wearing her confident “I'm going to fix it!” smile.
“I think I get it.”
Pinkie sighed loudly.
“Finally!”
“You're getting bored and restless because there hasn't been any great upheaval in our lives lately. We've all settled into a stable routine.”
“That's not it!” Seeing Twilight's frown, Pinkie cut herself off, deciding to humor Twilight. “I mean that's totally it! Go on.”
“You crave change and excitement, and our lives used to be filled with so much of it that you'd easily find it on a weekly basis.”
Pinkie Pie nodded.
“But as we get older, we have come to grips with the things that challenge us, and our own personal flaws, weaknesses and insecurities. We've all gotten better at dealing problems inside and outside us, leading to increased stability in our lives.”
Pinkie Pie nodded with increased vigor.
“Yeah like how you don't freak out about getting a letter to the Princess unlike the time you made everyone in Ponyville fight over a doll!”
Twilight cringed and looked away from Pinkie Pie.
“Please don't bring that up again...”
“Sorry, I just meant to say how you went from a nervous wreck unicorn to a super composed Princess Alicorn!”
Twilight face struggled between pride and modesty, settling on a humble smile.
“Well I still have my moments, but I have made progress. We all have.”
Pinkie pumped a hoof into the air.
“Whoo hoo! Go team us!”
Twilight's smile widened.
“As I was saying, apart from managing our own problems, we've gotten better at dealing with other problems outside ourselves or in our daily lives, be it a monster attack, a friendship problem or some pony getting stuck in a tree again. And I suppose as a result it seems less.... exciting? Though I'm not sure that's the right word for this occasion.”
Pinkie nodded again.
“It will do.”
“You want a life of storybook excitement, I think I can relate. I mean I had a happy childhood, but I still wondered about going on adventures, like any filly would. Even now, small changes to our routines can be nice.”
“Mmm hmm.”
Twilight suddenly became serious.
“But Pinkie, you can't expect a life of storybook excitement all the time. Even the greatest heroes of fiction settle down and have normal lives. Or if the story is about characters with mostly normal lives, well they eventually settle into routines. The story ends, but their lives keep going and happily so.”
Pinkie folded her front hooves and slumped down, placing her head into them. As she thought about Twilight's words she pursed her lips together.
“I guess I get what you mean....”
Twilight tried to brighten the mood, pushing a hoof through the air.
“But a routine doesn't have to be boring. We can find joy in mundane things, we can find joy and deep satisfaction doing something we like while helping other ponies and spreading some happiness. And of course, we have each other and any other friends we meet.”
As she lectured, Twilight looked at Pinkie hoping to see signs of inspiration. To her disappointment, Pinkie Pie was still slumped there.
“But we don't have to be slaves to our routines.” She winked at Pinkie Pie. “You of all ponies should know that.”
Pinkie shrugged, but lay there, looking up just a little.
“I guess. I mean I can always find different places to be and different ponies to meet but...”
Twilight sensed her dissatisfaction.
“What about Discord? I'm sure he'd liven things up if you asked.”
Pinkie shrugged.
“Eh, he's gotten to nice lately.” Twilight blinked again, though as Pinkie Pie thought it through she smiled. “I guess he could make things a little exciting.”
Twilight's eyes widened.
“Just make sure he doesn't make things too exciting....”
“Eh, like I said, he's gotten too nice to really mess things up again.”
“Yeah, but that's a good thing, right?”
Pinkie did not move, and went back to stare straight ahead.
“I guess...”
Twilight drooped a little, but did not let herself despair. She knew she could do this! She pumped on hoof through the air and offered another to Pinkie.
“Come on Pinkie, let's go do something random!”
“I've already done a bunch of random things.”
Twilight thought about it further.
“Hmm.. I guess if you keep doing random things it becomes routine....”
Pinkie Pie sat up.
“I know right?”
Twilight placed a hoof to her cheek.
“Hmm.. maybe a game would help take your mind off this?”
Pinkie Pie sighed
“It's not that I'm feeling sad, I mean it's not just that I'm feeling sad, but what are we going to do when our story ends and THEY stop watching?” She looked to the right again.
“I don't really know what you mean Pinkie... If this is about wanting your life to be some constantly exciting story then remember this: Every story comes to an end sometime. Characters can't keep going forever without getting stale. I mean look at Daring Doo, she hasn't changed at all since Daring Doo and the Nuclear Repelling Fridge!”
“I guess....”
“Though if people really like a story, it will stay In their hearts, and who knows? Maybe others will write stories about those stories! Wait I think I'm drifting off point.”
Pinkie Pie sprang up, her face covered in a grin.
“Nah, I completely get it! I just need to live my life the way I want and if I find the story gets repetitive, I write my own exciting chapters with really cool stuff! And even if I'm stuck doing the same old stuff, I'm going to make it as cool and exciting as I can! Or I'll do whatever I want cause my life is mine! HAHAHAH!” Pinkie sped away, leaving standing there blinking. She stooped and stretchered her neck through the door frame. “Oh and thanks Twilight!”
Twilight titled her head.
“Uhh.. no problem? Hmmm.. what did she mean when she said this was the end?”
