Ch.1 The Tragedy
It was just another day in Ponyville,or more accurately,just outside of town,in the illusive Everfree Forest. Seven friends had decided to take a hike on the biggest mountain in the wood.
It was Pinkie Pie's idea.
"Whee! You can see my families rock farm from here!" The excitable pink mare hopped from rock to rock,pointing her forehoof to the direction the quaint little farm would be.
"Pinkie,be careful! It's a hundred hoof drop from here!" The somewhat neorotic alicorn called,see her friend wobble slightly on her perch.
Rainbow rolled her dark magenta eyes "oh,stop worrying Twilight! It's Pinkie! She's always fine,don't be such a worry Wort!" Twilight sighed; the fact it was Pinkie was what worried her.
And it would appear she was right to worry.
"GET DOWN!" Starlight's cry caught the group off guard,Pinkie didn't seem to have even heard her; just as a section of rock began to crumble. Pinkie's ears twitched slightly as she looked overhead too late.
The expert party pony let out a frightened sqeak as she attempted to hop away, but the rock she had stood perched on faltered from under her,causing her to fall straight down.
"PINKIE PIE!!!"
The two unicorns and alicorn tried to use they're magic to grab onto her, but a rockslide that went hurling towards them,making them lose focus on they're attempt to get away. Pinkie was not so lucky.
The blue eyed pony went tumbling down,sharp rocks scratching against her body, her left foreleg caught a particular rock,a loud snap was heard,making the optimistic mare to Yelp in pain.
The rocks had given a slight comfort though,making her fall not as deadly as it would've been.
But the danger was not gone.
With but one foreleg supporting her,Pinkie just managed to look up to see the remains of the top of the mountain crashing towards her.
The sight was horrifying.
The six friends pushed away the ruble fast they could, but when they finally saw the state the party pony was in. It was nothing short of gratifying.
Pinkie barely looked alive,there were deep cuts covering nearly every part of her body,her foreleg was in a very wrong position,Pinkie had a large,gaping wound on her skull,you could've sworn there was bone.
Her breathing was large and labored, but it was at least a thankful sign she was alive.
Fluttershy let out a small,horrified gasp,she looked close to throwing up. But Twilight wasted no time in carefully bringing the wounded mare onto her back,a small whimper escaped Pinkie,even in her unconscious state.
"I'm teleporting us all there,no pony is gonna die today." Sheer determination flashed in the lavender alicorn's eyes.
The moment they appeared in a bright purple flash in Ponyville's hospital,everything seemed to be a blur,Pinkie was immediately taken into the emergency room,confirmed to be in critical condition.
The six waited just outside the operating room just as they heard a single,familiar scream.
"AHHHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!" Almost in unison, the mares faces turned pale,not one of them ever heard Pinkie scream like that,it was filled with pure pain and agony.
What felt like hours, the screams stopped, and Dr. Red Heart stepped out,a solemn look on his face.
"Well? How is she? Is she going to be alright?" The look in they're eyes made the doctoral stallion sigh heavily "she will be fine,yes..."
Applejack prodded "but...?" Dr. Red Heart gave another sigh "she's received heavy brain damage, and I'm sorry to say,mostly in the membrane,in other words,her memory." Rarity asked "w-what ever do you mean? Does she...not remember anything?"
"...I'm afraid it's abit more complicated than that." With a slight adjustment to his glasses,he continued "while it's a miracle she's survived,I'm afraid,she has gained a horrible case of...anterograde amnesia."
Twilight and Starlight gasped horrified,though the others looked confused to what it was; so the doctor explained "it's what you would call Short-Term Memory Loss. I'm afraid,it may be impossible for her to be cured, and on further inspection,she's lost some...current memory."
With a dry gulp,Twilight asked "h-how much?" Red Heart heaved a large sigh before he responded "from what I can tell,ten years,four months, and two days." Fluttershy quivered "s-so...she thinks she-she's eight years old now?"
The doctor only nodded "I will need to do some extensive surgery on her skull,to ensure no more extensive damage,we'll implant a metal plate."
There was a moment of silence before Twilight said "I'll...I'll have Spike send a letter to Pinkie's family to let them know what happened."
Twilight teleported away with a heavy heart.
It hadn't been long before Twilight retuned in a literal flash,now with Pinkie's family. They looked absolutely frantic,even Maud,usually expressionless and monotone,now looking worried and anxious.
Limestone struggled to keep her tough exterior as she commanded "where's Pinkie?!" Starlight sighed heavily "they put into surgery about half an hour ago,I-I don't know how long it is till we can see her though..."
Marble looked to be on the brink of tears "is...is it true? About her...head?" Applejack nodded sadly "I'm 'fraid so...they...they said it might be...permanent." Quartz gasped horrified,leaning into her husband for support "oh,my poor baby!"
Just then, the doctor came out,the six friends and Pie family rushed forward,Maud asked anxiously "is Pinkie going to be okay? Is she-" Dr. Red Heart stopped her with a hoof "not to worry,the operation was successful, but she's still asleep, but if you want to see her,be my guest."
The Pie family walked in anxiously, the six friends following suit,they let out a silent gasp at the sight.
Pinkie lay there in the bed,nearly every inch of her body was in bandages,her foreleg in a sling, and her mane had been shaved clean due to the surgery. Her eyes,though closed,had most clearly been crying.
The small family stepped forward,each hoof that stepped,felt heavier and heavier. They could just make out her tail,it was straight. That was never a good sign.
"p-Pinkie?" The usual,bright pink face of the excitable mare looked so pale,one would've mistook it for belonging to a ghost. Even under the covers,they saw her shivering at an alarming rate.
Ignious brushed a hoof against her cheek in a comforting manner,just like when she was a little filly,struggling with nightmares.
At her father's gentle, and caring touch,she relaxed,if only a little "there,there, everything's gonna be okay,little Sweet Pie..."
Deciding the small family needed some time with the pink mare, the six of them stepped out.
"What do you thinks gonna happen to her now?" Rainbow's question made Twilight sigh "I-I wish I knew that...this'll be something that won't go away now,I'm...I'm not sure if she'll be able to stay in Ponyville anymore."
"w-why?" Fluttershy timidly asked,it just wouldn't seem like Ponyville without Pinkie, she was practically it's very heart and soul.
"w-well,it's like what the doctor said,her mind has backtracked ten years! She won't remember Ponyville,she won't remember the Cakes or Sugercube Courner,she..." Twilight swallowed a large lump in her throat "she won't remember us. A-and since she won't remember anything new for long,there's no telling if she ever will."
Five heads lowered in response to this. Whether they liked it or not,Pinkie would be leaving with her parents to the rock farm,it seemed only natural,it was what she could last remember, and it was the only option to help her.
They would need to say goodbye to Pinkie.
But Pinkie wouldn't say goodbye to them.
Ch.2 Bringing Pinkie Home
It was at least half an hour before Pinkie's family walked out,from how red and tired they're eyes looked,they'd diffidently been crying for the recovering pink mare.
Cloudy Quartz gave a heavy sigh "Pinkie...s-she's still asleep, and,according to the doctor,she might not wake up for a few days..." Twilight looked at the Pie family sadly.
"Mr. And Mrs. Pie? We...we've been talking, and...we think,you should take Pinkie home with you." This shocked them,Marble inquiring "are...are you sure? This..Ponyville is her home!"
Limestone nodded as she added "yeah,when she moved here,years ago,it was the happiest we've ever seen her!"
Twilight nodded "that...may be true, but she won't remember Ponyville,or us for that matter; the last thing she remembers,is being with her family,ten years,four months, and two days ago."
Igneous muttered "that's...that's the day after she got cutie mark..." Applejack nodded "an' that's exactly why it'd be better for 'er to stay with y'all,we'll miss 'er,but this is what's best for 'er, and if what's best for Pinkie is possibly never seeing 'er again,then we'll do it."
It was hard, but the family of earth ponies nodded,Maud speaking up "your right. We have to do what's best for Pinkie." It wasn't her usual monotone voice,there was a hint of sadness and concern in it.
Limestone gulped "you sure you don't want to say goodbye to her? Your her best friends,afterall." Twilight nodded "we're sure. I-it's better this way, but can you promise something? Please make sure Pinkie stays happy."
Cloudy nodded "of course. She's our daughter,afterall."
"Thank you."
Pinkie opened her eyes groggily before opening her mouth wide as she yawned "Mommy? Daddy? Marble?Limestone? Maud?" She looked around blearily.
She suddenly noticed she layed in a hospital bed,she wasn't hooked up to anything, but when she felt her head,where a large puffball like mane would be,there was nothing. Pinkie's mane was gone, but what was there,was a big knotty thing on the side of her skull.
It felt like the seams of one of the dresses she made with her sisters to give they're mom for Mothers Day.
Oddly,her tail was mostly straight,which was rare since she saw that rainbow. Only a single curl could be seen in her long,magenta tail.
Pinkie started getting up,feeling a little scared now "m-mom? Dad? Hello? Anypony?"
The door suddenly opened to her sisters walking in "PINKIE!" They all ran over,helping the third youngest out of bed,the pink mare looked surprised when her hooves touch the cold floor.
Why was she suddenly so tall?
Limestone helped steady her sister "Easy sis,are you alright?" Pinkie smiled brightly "yeah! Why wouldn't I be?" She didn't know why she'd been frantic only minutes before. Wait,was she?
The three sisters looked to eachother before Marble spoke up "wel-well,um, mom and dad are just outside,we're-we're going home now."
Pinkie tilted her head "oh? Where are we,then?" Maud gulped,her usually stoic expression faultering "well,we're,we're at a hospital,Pinkie."
Hospital? That didn't sit right with Pinkie..
"W-why? Is something wrong?" Limestone lowered her head "Pinkie,you were the one in the hospital."
"w-what? Why what,did-did something happen to me?" Marble sighed "we-we'll tell you l-later." Maud agreed "yes. Let's go home."
On the way to the train station,Pinkie noticed a few ponies looking at her...sadly.
"Mom? Dad? Why are those ponies looking at me like that?" The mare's mother looked to where she had noticed them, and looked down sadly.
"They..just feel bad for you. Just keep walking,okay sweetie?" With another unsure glance,Pinkie nodded and continued walking happily with her family.
She didn't know why they'd feel sorry for her,maybe she should let them know she was alright?
So,Pinkie waved with a beaming smile "bye-bye! Don't worry! You don't have to feel bad for me,I'm okay!"
Pinkie didn't notice the ponies,including a orange earth pony cover her eyes with her hat,hiding her tears.
Pinkie hopped a little as she and her family traveled the short distance from the train station and the quaint little rock farm.
Despite the excitable mare's joyful hop,it still shook them all.
Pinkie would never be the same. Every few minutes,she'd forget what'd she'd been doing,or what she'd been saying,making her confused.
What if Pinkie never got better? What would they do when they couldn't be there? When they're gone..where would Pinkie go?
What was going to happen to her?
"hey mommy? Can we have rock soup tonight?" Cloudy looked down before smiling at her baby girl. It was like she really was eight years old again.
"Sure sweetie,I'll get it started,why don't you..go with your sisters and freshen up?" Pinkie smiled cheerfully "okay mommy!"
With that,she hopped off...for a few minutes.
Pinkie just came over to her sisters when the reason she came slipped her..what was it again?
"Pinkie? You okay?" Limestone had asked,said pink mare looked up "oh! I thought mom said...something. And I should come over to you for...something.." Pinkie felt frustrated at her newfound lack of constant memory.
Marble asked "was it to freshen up for dinner?" Pinkie's face lit up "yes! Yes! I think so at least,come on! Let's go!" As Pinkie happily trotted off,Marble whispered "Do you think she'll ever be the same?"
Limestone wanted to be the leader figure she believed herself to be, but her ears layed flat against her head "I don't know. But we-we have to be there for Pinkie when she needs us."
The two younger mares nodded
"Right. For Pinkie."
Pinkie curled herself between her sisters in their shared bed,a content smile on her face.
Not having the foggiest indication of her eldest sister looking at her worryingly.
Limestone couldn't shake off her worry,when Twilight teleported to the farm,telling the family what happened to her little sister,her whole world shattered.
Pinkie had always been described by others as the black sheep of the family,or rather,pink sheep. The things others said,it always made her protective of her little sister,it was no secret Pinkie was no doubt closer to Maud then her.
But when they were younger,all four of them were remarkably close.
Limestone still remembered,to this day,when she saw Pinkie for the first time.
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A small pink filly limped in the pouring rain. No older than five,it looked like,her bright,periwinkle eyes looked around fearfully.
"H-hello? HELLOOOO?! Is-is anyp-powney there?" The small filly looked around frantically.
"AAHH!!!" The poor girl suddenly tripped over a rock,making her roll downhill until she hit a large boulder at the bottom.
At impact,she groaned and held herself tearfully,small whimpers and sobs coming from the poor lost filly.
Until...
"Hey. You okay?" The bruised and cut up filly looked up fearfully "I..I..." The little one couldn't quite think of any words to say to the older filly.
"Hey,your hurt! Come on, I can get you help,my family's rock farm is nearby." The grey coated filly helped the poor,scared girl up to her hooves,a small hiss of pain escaping the younger filly.
"Don't worry,you'll be okay,my mom has a first aid kit, and my sister Maud can stitch up pretty good if you need it." There was a rasply cough from the magenta maned filly "th..thank you."
"no problem,you got a name,or what?" The filly looked down "I.. I..." She didn't know,she'd been wandering for God knows how long..
"Oh. Sorry. Guess we'll have to think of one! Um.." She thought about it "You got a name you'd like?"
The filly shrugged "I-I don't know.. But I do know one part..Diane.." The older thought about it for second,it was an awfully odd name for a pony..
"Hmm..that sounds more like a middle name. I'm sure we'll think of something,oh. By the way" the green eyed filly looked at the younger "I'm Limestone Pie."
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it had been that day,that the Pie family grew, and Limestone gained another sister.
And the day she promised nothing bad will ever happen to her.
But,she failed.