It was a calm, relaxing day in Ponyville, the sun high in the sky and a few clouds lazily drifting about overhead, pushed along slowly by a soft breeze. As the town’s population went about their business, going from one place to another for one reason or another, one stallion in particular was hard at work in the comfort of his home.
Not that he minded, of course.
With practiced ease and steady hooves, Quiver Quill opened up the last of a number of boxes in his living room. He looked to the raven perched nearby with a smile and declared, “Almost done.” He was then interrupted as a knock sounded at his door, and Quiver walked over in surprise to answer it. “Yes?”
“Almost done with what, silly?”
He blinked at the familiar pink mare before him, the surprise still present. “Pinkie?”
“Yepperoonies!” beamed the party pony with a grin. “Hiya Quiver! Can I come in?”
“Uh, sure.” Quiver recovered himself as well as he could as the mare entered with her familiar bouncy gait, though he was still confused. “How did you know that I was almost done with something?”
“You have a window open.” With one pink hoof pointed at the window in question, Pinkie elaborated, “Plus your voice carries.”
He took a second to process that bit of information, and then gave a brief shrug. “Fair enough.” He then closed the door and asked, “So what brings you pronking my way?”
She tilted her head at him curiously. “Pronking?”
He picked up a dictionary from his desk and opened it, going over its entries as he explained his word choice. “That’s the proper name for that hopping walk of yours.” He found the word and pointed at it with a hoof. “See?”
“Oooh!” Pinkie studied the definition and declared, “Neat!” She then proceeded to sing-song, “I learned a new word! I pronk, you pronk, he pronks, she pronks, we pronk, they pronk, everypony pronk-pronk!” A giggle finished that train of thought before she switched gears. “And I came by to see you, silly! I haven’t seen you much since you got all moved in and we all had dinner at Piedmont’s, so I thought that I’d come by and check on you!”
“Aw, thanks Pinkie.” He smiled and moved back to the freshly opened box and its kin and explained, “Anyway, I’m good, just finishing up the last of my unpacking.” He gestured to them and explained, “My parents mailed over the last of my stuff from Indianapoloosa, and I’ve been getting it organized when I can for the last couple days, work permitting. Lots more space now that Luster’s things are out of here and in storage.”
“Mystery solved!” Edgar cawed from his perch.
“Oooh, also neat!” Pinkie began looking through the assorted odds and ends, gleefully inspecting them as if they were candy. “What all did they send you? Anything neat and cool and shiny and stuff?”
“Mostly books and things like that. I’ve built up quite the little reference library for myself.” He gestured to a nearly-filled bookcase placed next to his desk and explained proudly, “Any author worth their quills does research for their stories, if only to avoid complaints about getting basic facts wrong. Learned that the hard way, sad to say. And let’s face it, if you or the Cakes found a cookbook with a terrible pastry recipe in it, then you probably wouldn’t be happy.”
“Probably not. Ooh!” Pinkie brought up a long black case and set it upon a waiting table. “What books are in this thing?”
“None. Well, a music book.” Quiver undid the clasps on the case and opened it to reveal a gleaming brass instrument, a small book of sheet music tucked beside it. “I used to play the alto saxophone. Gave it up years ago, but I never bothered to get rid of my sax.” He scowled and amended, “Mostly because I could never work up the nerve; my dad would’ve thrown a fit. He seemed to think that, bare minimum, I could park myself on a street corner somewhere and play it for petty cash.”
“Still pretty neat that you’ve got it though. But why give it up?”
The stallion sighed sadly. “It stopped being fun.”
Pinkie nodded sagely in understanding as Quiver closed up the case and put it away. Her gaze then fell upon a leather-bound book, its binding blank. “So what about this book here?”
“Don’t know yet, found it packed in with everything else. Probably the last thing to get put in there, too.” Quiver approached and opened the book to a note, tucked in between the pages in an old, familiar scrawl. He grimaced as he set it aside to reveal a chart with an array of lines, names and dates, many of them familiar. “Oh. I guess it’s my turn.” As if anticipating another question from Pinkie, he turned to her and asked, “Do you know what genealogy is?”
“Yep! It’s the study of families and family histories!” She beamed and explained, “Twilight’s been doing a lot of research into that stuff off and on since she became a princess.” She pulled Quiver close and explained, “Can’t tell you why, it’s all hush-hush secret stuff.” She then gently pushed him away and finished, “But I can tell you that thanks to her research, me and Applejack found out that we’re cousins!”
“Really?”
“Yep! Fourth cousins, twice removed by a fifth cousin!”
The stallion laughed. “Cool.” He then gestured to the book and explained, “Anyway, my grandparents, my dad’s mom and dad, are pretty big on family history, and they’ve made a point of getting down as much as they could of the family record and maintaining it. I guess this is my copy.” He sighed and looked over his family tree. “Seven generations of my family history, going back I don’t know how many moons, and their stories and histories are collected and transcribed in these pages.” He gestured to the bottom. “Could be eight, someday.”
“Oooh I hope so! Babies are fun!” Pinkie’s gaze fell upon the generation with Quiver’s name on it, two others inscribed beside his. She gasped as she recalled how to read a family tree and realized aloud, “Omigosh, you have a paternal cousin!” Another gasp, and she declared, “Omigosh, you have a brother!”
“Had.” Quiver pointed to his sibling’s listing and frowned. “Regal Grace, born a year and a half after me. He died when we were both foals.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Pinkie immediately pulled Quiver into a brief but tender hug. “Were the two of you close?”
“Not really.” The embrace ended as Quiver closed the book and explained, “Not his fault, though, or mine. Things just weren’t in our favor.” He sighed. “Sometimes it works out that way with family.”
“I guess.” Pinkie pondered upon the book for a moment, then beamed as an idea struck her. “Hey, can I borrow that for a little bit?”
The stallion looked at her in confusion. “Sure, I guess. But why do you want to borrow it?”
“You’ll find out!” Pinkie plucked it up with her tail and waved as she departed. “See ya!”
Pinkie zipped off so fast that Quiver barely noticed her opening and closing the door on her way out, such was his state of confusion. He looked to his pet and asked, “Any ideas?”
Edgar shrugged his wings. “Pinkie Pie. Random.”
A half-shrug. “True enough.”
-
“Hiya everypony, and welcome to the Spring-Sproing-Spring Party!”
It was a gorgeous spring day, and Pinkie Pie was in her element, bounding back and forth among the gathered ponies as they enjoyed the festivities. Spring had properly come, but due to so much happening at once, she hadn’t gotten a proper chance to celebrate it. Thus, the Spring-Sproing-Spring Party.
The whole area adjacent to the lake near Ponyville was covered in spring-themed decorations, from corkscrew streamers and ribbons to trampolines to an inflatable bouncy barn. There was even a small pen full of bunnies, bounding about and enjoying attention from those either too tired to enjoy the larger attractions or simply uninterested in them. There might not have been something for everypony, but it came pretty close.
A chuckle sounded in her voice as Applejack walked up to Pinkie, the rest of their core group of friends in tow. “Gotta say, Pinkie, you’ve gone and outdone yerself.” She then noticed the curious devices attached to her friend’s hooves. “Uh, what’re those?”
“Do you like them? They’re my spring-shoes!” She pointed over to a familiar orange filly as she bounded about herself with her wings abuzz and noted, “Scootaloo’s having a ball with the set I gave her, and I’ve got plenty of extras!”
Twilight managed a polite chuckle. “We’ll pass. Still, even for one of your parties, this is going the extra mile.”
“Well, why not? I’ve got so much to celebrate!” The party pony bounced about as she recounted, “There’s the Crystal Empire, and Spring coming with the best Winter Wrap-Up ever, and Twilight’s coronation, and all the new friends we’ve made! I gotta throw a big bash for all of that!”
“Well, don’t look now dear, but you may well have attracted a little extra attention.” Rarity gestured with a hoof towards the edge of the party and four unfamiliar ponies. “I don’t think I’ve seen them before.”
Pinkie turned herself around in mid-air and gasped. “Omigoshomigoshomigosh! I HAVE!” She bounced right out of her springy shoes and called, “Come on, girls! You gotta meet ‘em!”
Keeping up with Pinkie wasn’t an easy feat under normal circumstances, and the added thrust from having bounced out of her shoes certainly didn’t do her friends any favors as they dashed off to follow her, only by some miracle avoiding collision with other ponies. As they closed in on the group of newcomers, they were able to make out their features far more distinctly. The lone stallion in the group was middle-aged, with long grey sideburns and an old-fashioned hat upon his head. The eldest of the three mares had her dark grey mane drawn into a tight bun and wore a pair of glasses. The remaining two were varying shades of grey, one with her bangs cut evenly across her frustrated-looking face and the other set in such a way that one eye was covered and looking very uncomfortable, even as Pinkie bounded happily towards them.
“I don’t believe it!” she squealed gleefully as she reached the older couple, came to a perfect stop, and took them both into a warm embrace. “Why didn’t you let me know you were coming to visit?!”
The faintest of smiles could be seen upon both of the older ponies as the mare softly answered. “Such is my regret that this visit is not a social one. Now, Pinkamena, has thou forgotten the manners which we have endeavored so much to instruct upon you?”
“Oops! Sorry!” A sheepish giggle, and Pinkie turned to her friends as they caught up. “Girls, allow me to introduce you to some very special ponies – my family!”
Warm smiles spread across the mares’ faces as Pinkie’s father stepped forward. “Much have we read of thee in our daughter’s letters home, and much are we pleased to finally meet you properly.” He turned to Twilight and took off his hat with a bow. “Surely thou art not but Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am called Igneous Rock Pie, son of Feldspar Granite Pie.”
The elder mare made a polite bow of her own. “Thou shalt know me as Cloudy Quartz.”
“They’re my mom and dad!” Pinkie announced with joy.
One of the mares rolled her light green eyes and grumbled, “I think they figured that out by now, Pinkie.”
The pink mare’s response was to wrap one forelimb around her in a hug. “And Captain Grumpy here is my big sister, Limestone!” Pinkie then broke off and embraced her remaining relative. “And this is my twin, Marble! She’s only a few minutes younger than me, which makes her the baby of the family!”
Marble looked upon the gathered ponies with clear anxiety in her violet eyes, but managed a small smile as she waved a hoof and tried to be friendly.
“And this is…” Pinkie gasped and exclaimed, “Where’s Maud? Is she in trouble? Did Boulder run away and is she trying to find him before he…?!”
“Maud’s back at the rock farm!” Limestone barked. “Somepony had to stay behind and keep an eye on it, and eldest sister got the job.”
“However, she wished for us to send you her apologies and love, daughter.”
Pinkie took on a sappy smile at that, and Twilight came up beside her to speak. “It’s wonderful to meet all of you, even if it was a little unexpected. Pinkie’s told us so much about you and growing up on the rock farm.”
As Limestone grumbled incoherently, Applejack stepped up and asked, “So what brings y’all to Ponyville? Must be somethin’ serious if’n y’all didn’t send word ahead to Pinkie about it.”
Igneous returned his hat to his head and glumly remarked, “Alas, thine insight is correct. Troubled have been our times of late, and…”
“Seriously Dad, can’t you just cut to the chase already?!” Limestone glared upon the gathered ponies and declared, “The rock farm’s going under, and it’s all your fault!”
Her friends took those words with stunned silence, with Pinkie’s terrified gasp more than speaking for them.
-
“So? What’s your prognosis?”
Tunnel Rat rubbed his chin thoughtfully with one hoof as he considered the photographs and blueprints before him. He’d taken on more than his share of complex projects as part of the Royal Corps of Engineers, and this promised to be an interesting one. “Well, the good news is that most of the structure is intact. Neglected and damaged by time, of course…”
“Plus the biggest spat between siblings in Equestrian history.” A sideways glance was shot to the thestral mare with them, who quickly noted, “Hey, that’s what it was.”
It took everything the unicorn NCO had to avoid rolling his eyes at his superior officer. Since she and her partner had been assigned as liaison between him and the princess, he’d had to deal with her quips and even the odd prank. It helped that the pegasus lieutenant present was able to rein her in, and did so quite often, but he often found himself wondering how Pixie Dust had made it as an officer. “Regardless, I think that it can be repaired.” He turned to Twilight and smiled. “My thanks to you and your friends for getting started on the cleanup, your Highness.”
The princess politely smiled back. “I’m just glad that we could help, Sergeant.” The day that she and her friends had spent at the castle had been an interesting one, given their brief interruption, but it had been fun. Though she had to remember to check in on that comic shop Spike had mentioned. “So, when can you and the RCE start?”
“Two days at most. Any areas in particular that you want us to focus on?”
“The library, if possible. The girls and I will be spending a lot of time there, and the sooner it’s done, the better.”
The engineer nodded and retrieved his materials. “It’s sustained light damage, so that should go by fast enough.” Everything was swiftly packed away in his saddlebags as he asked, “By the way, how is Miss Rarity progressing on her part of the project?”
“Slowly, but she’s getting there. I’ve suggested that she get some help, but something tells me that won’t happen.”
Silver Bullet gave her a hopeful smile. “Give her time, your Highness. Restoring every tapestry in the castle is a big job, probably too big for one mare. She’ll change her mind eventually.”
“And there’ll be a whole mess of artisans waiting and ready to step up.” Pixie Dust grinned and noted, “That’s the great thing about starving artists, they won’t turn down a royal…” She paused, her ears perking up and her slitted cat-like eyes going wide. “Incoming!”
“Aw, come on, Pix!” Pinkie Pie popped into view from a bookshelf and slowly climbed out and onto the floor. “It’s no fun when you spoil my entrances!”
The party pony grinned in return. “No fun for you, you mean.”
A half-shrug. “Eh, true.” The two exchanged a hoof-bump before Pinkie turned to the unicorn stallion and called, “Hi, Tunnel Rat! Nice to meet you for the first time! Again!”
“…Um, thanks?” He looked to Silver Bullet in confusion. “Explain?”
The pegasus laughed and shook his head. “She’s Pinkie Pie. You’re better off not trying to figure her out.”
“Dang right he’s not.” The thestral turned to her friend and promised, “Anyway, we’ll let you know when the rest of the construction crew arrives. I expect an awesome party.”
“And it’s my patriotic duty to deliver!” Pinkie responded with a salute, then waved as the three guardsponies departed the library and went on their way. She then gleefully laughed and cried out, “So many new faces!”
“Yeah, Ponyville’s growing on us.” Twilight sighed. “I hope I’m not the cause. This town doesn’t deserve to lose its charm just because I got a crown. Anyway, what brings you by?”
“This!” Pinkie plopped Quiver’s family record down on the table and explained, “I borrowed this from Quiver! It’s his family record!”
“Okay, but why…?”
“I wanna see if he’s related to anypony here in town! I mean, it was a surprise when we found out that me and Applejack were related, and if Quiver finds out that he has family here, then Ponyville will feel more like a home!” She then turned slightly nervous and added, “Plus I kinda want to make up for what happened with Luster Drain.”
Twilight sighed and gently hugged her friend. “Pinkie, we all agreed that what happened with her wasn’t your fault, Quiver included.” She then smiled. “But I’d be happy to help.”
“Yay!” Pinkie zipped over to where Twilight kept the town’s genealogical records, plucked up a set of scrolls, then brought them over to the table. “So let’s get started!”
-
“Princess, once more, I humbly offer my apologies on behalf of my daughter’s outburst. Limestone is most protective of our homestead.”
“No apologies are needed, sir.” Twilight had shepherded her friends and the members of the Pie Family into the barn at Sweet Apple Acres for some privacy, and as Apple Bloom and Spike set out refreshments, she asked, “Now, what’s going on? What have we done to hurt your family farm?”
Limestone looked ready to launch another frustrated accusation at the gathered mares, but her mother gently stopped her before she explained. “The fault is not directly with you, Highness, nor any of your fellows. We are, alas, the unfortunate victims of economic woe.”
“For many generations, the Pie Family rock farm has provided much in the way of mineral resource to areas throughout Equestria, both for decorative and for industrial use, though the former has seen competition with the limestone quarries in the regions near Indianapoloosa.”
“Lousy big mining corporations,” Limestone grumbled.
Her father continued without missing a beat. “Regardless, such was the security of our farm and our sales that we were able to maintain ourselves for some time. This changed recently, however, with the return of the Crystal Empire.”
“This huge chunk of real estate shows up again, out of the blue, and suddenly, everyone’s wanting fancy gemstones and rocks from them instead of from us!” Limestone grumbled. “Seriously, where’d that thing come from, anyway?”
“The Crystal Empire was one of the founding states of Equestria over a thousand years ago,” Twilight explained. “It was lost because of a curse placed upon it by King Sombra, and trapped in temporal limbo until a few months ago.”
The foul-tempered Pie sibling snarled, “Still doesn’t explain why it wasn’t in the history books. Or did that curse just make everyone forget all about it?”
Twilight took a cleansing breath, clearly wanting to say more but opting to restrain herself. “It was a long time ago, and it doesn’t take much for facts to fade into legends and myths or be forgotten.”
Rarity quickly picked up on her friend’s distress and stepped in. “Regardless, the Empire was very nearly lost again thanks to Sombra’s return. Had we not been there and acted, the Empire would have been back under his heel and all of Equestria could have been endangered.”
Igneous nodded somberly. “Such as we were told by Pinkamena’s letters upon the subject. Much good was done, many lives were saved, and no further shall this point be argued. Our troubles are but an unforeseen consequence.” He looked to Twilight and said, “Princess, it is unknown to me how much aid you can provide in this manner, but whatever can be given would be welcome.”
Twilight took a moment to think before she spoke. “Sir, thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. Pinkie’s been at my side through thick and thin, as you know. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her help, and she wouldn’t be who she is today without your influence upon her. Whatever aid I can give you, I will.” That statement brightened the Pie family’s spirits until she continued, “However, I don’t know what I can do.”
“This is a rather problematic issue politically, it seems.” Rarity looked to them and noted, “Should Twilight lend government assistance to you, it would create a nasty precedent on her part. Every organization and group in Equestria would be beating down her door asking for government aid or lobbying for her support upon one issue or another.”
“Even if I had access to unlimited funds, it wouldn’t be right, or responsible for me to start handing them out to everypony who asked.” Twilight tried to be encouraging as she assured them, “I’m not saying that I can’t help, or that I won’t help. I’m just saying that I’m not sure how I can just yet. Being a princess is still new for me.”
A frown formed upon Igneous’ muzzle, but he nodded. “Such concerns are not unreasonable, ma’am. T’wouldst be unfair to use government funds to aid one farm. Thine honesty is valued, as is thine promise to provide aid.”
Limestone was far less gracious. “Yeah, great, but that doesn’t solve our problem, now does it?”
“Now hold up there, missy!” Applejack locked her eyes upon the grey mare. “Twilight’s one of the smartest mares Ah know, and even if she weren’t royalty, she’d do what she could to help. Just because she ain’t come up with somethin’ yet don’t mean that she ain’t comin’ up with somethin’.”
“For which we are grateful, and most regretful that we must trouble you with our burdens. Had we been able to find a solution of our own, we would not have traveled such a distance.”
Pinkie approached her father with a smile. “Well, I’m not happy about why you came, but I am glad to see you. And if I can think of something to help, I’ll be the first to…” She paused, and one could almost see a light going off in her head. “Hang on, I just got the best idea ever! The rock farm’s losing income because folks are buying from the Crystal Empire, right?”
“Duh,” Limestone snarked.
“Well, what if we attract new customers? All we need to do is raise awareness of the rock farm, and remind ponies that they’ve got a source for great rocks and rock-related products close at hoof, and with less cost than they’d get from the Crystal Empire!”
Igneous raised an eyebrow. “Thine thinking has merit, daughter. How do you propose to accomplish this?”
“Well, how else?” An explosion of confetti went off behind her as she stood up on her hind legs, spread her forelegs wide and declared, “A party! But not just any party – the biggest party ever! A party dedicated to the total amazingness of rocks, complete with a rock concert! We can get bands and musicians from all over Equestria to come, and decorate with all sorts of rocks and throw a Rockin’ Ponypalooza Party!”
“Seriously?” Limestone didn’t even wait for her parents to speak up before she did so. “A party? You think you can solve our problem with a party?”
“…but it’s a really big party.”
“Enough with the stupid parties, Pinkie!” Limestone shouted. She rounded on her sister, her gaze fixed firmly upon Pinkie as she ranted. “Seriously, the rock farm is going under, and the first thing that you think of is to throw some party! You really think some streamers and cake are going to make everything better?!”
Pinkie could barely sputter an answer, her mane visibly drooping. “But…”
“Now hang on there, missy!”
“Limestone.”
“No Dad, she doesn’t get a stake in this! She abandoned us! She ran out on us the instant she got her cutie mark and…!”
“STOP!” Heads jerked towards Marble, who immediately shrank further into her mane than even Fluttershy had ever managed with her own. Startled at even her own outburst, she whimpered, “Please…”
Silence held until Igneous turned to Pinkie and beckoned. “Pinkamena, perhaps it would be wisest for you, the Princess and your friends to step outside with your mother and twin.” Pinkie didn’t object, and simply nodded, her mane almost totally flat as she slowly made her way outside, Applejack keeping close to her side. Rainbow Dash took a moment to shoot Limestone a dirty look as she stepped out the barn door last and closed it behind her. Satisfied with their privacy, the stallion looked to the eldest present of his children. “I would have words with thee, daughter.”
There was an uncomfortable silence, as Limestone didn’t dare to speak until her father did so. For the first time in a very long time, she felt very nervous. Breaking heavy rocks was easy, but breaking a tense moment with her dad was another matter entirely.
Relief was quick as her father finally spoke, but what he said filled her with a different sort of anxiety. “Limestone, why do you say that your sister abandoned us?”
“Well, she did.” At her father’s raised eyebrow, she amended, “Dad, you remember it, don’t you? That sudden explosion in the air, and an hour later, we find her in the barn with a party set up?”
“Such events were not forgotten.”
“Well, I remember her getting her mark perfectly.” She glanced back to her own cutie mark, a half of a lime and two rocks arranged in a rough triangle. “Still a little miffed that she got it before I did.” She then looked back to her father and continued. “And the next day, she left. Next we heard from her was a postcard from here of all places, and her having a job at a bakery.”
Igneous nodded. “And what of events previous to those?” At his daughter’s silence, he noted, “Then it is fortunate that I do.” He patted to his right with a hoof, and Limestone took the message to sit beside him. “Limestone, you are a rock farmer. Thou art the product of a long lineage of such, and both Maud and Marble are much the same. Such was plain from your youth. Pinkamena, however, did not provide such clarity, and long did I worry for her sake.” A small smile formed upon his muzzle as he amended, “My smile upon seeing her attempts at festivities was not from merriment alone.”
Limestone’s scowl softened as she thought back to said festivities. “Okay, yeah, that party was fun.” Her attention was back on her frustration as she continued, “But that doesn’t change the fact that Pinkie left us.”
“No, and much have I wondered whom felt the most terrible about her departure, she or myself.” At his daughter’s surprised expression, he explained, “Long before your mother and I were united by the Pairing Stone, I traveled much of Equestria. My journey led me to this very town, to the very bakery where Pinkamena both lives and works. Conversation was struck up with the proprietor, a recently-married stallion, and much talk was had. The fellow struck me as trustworthy, and to me showed signs of being a fine business owner and perhaps, given time, a responsible parent.”
“So you sent Pinkie to live with him? Why?”
“Because while it caused me much pain to do so, I knew that Pinkamena would not be able to express her talents to their truest on the farm. But she could here. Much pain was had, many tears were shed by her, I and Mother, but it was agreed that it was best for all of us.” He gently laid a hoof upon her shoulder and said, “Such pain would also have been felt had it been you or Maud or Marble, daughter, but were your path to lead you away from the rock farm, t’would be most selfish of me to deny any of you such.”
The scowl faded completely into a sad frown as Limestone whimpered, “But I don’t want to leave the farm, Dad. And I don’t want to lose it, either. It’s home.”
“And Pinkamena does not feel otherwise. Thine sister may have traveled far and done many things, but never has she forgotten from whence she came, and neither have we forgotten her. Many reasons were there in coming here, beyond simply seeking aid for the farm. Just as I and Mother missed her, so it was with you.”
Limestone’s head bowed in shame. “Yeah, I did.” She looked up and asked, “But could a party really save the farm? I mean, none of our ideas have worked.”
“Ours were the ideas of rock farmers. Thine sister is of our stock, but her ways of thinking are much different. Perhaps her ideas can succeed where ours have thus far failed?”
A shrug. “I guess.” A sigh. “Guess I screwed up, huh Dad?”
“Time will tell. Come.” He led his daughter out of the barn to find everypony else waiting for them, save one. “Mother, to where has our daughter Pinkamena gone?”
“This is unknown to me, Father.” Cloudy’s expression was reserved, but faint traces of worry were clear upon it. Marble’s expression was far less reserved as her mother continued, “One minute, she was beside us, the next…”
“Yeah, Pinkie pulling a disappearing act isn’t really a shocker.” Dash glowered at Limestone as she added, “When she gets down, it’s never pretty.”
The irascible Pie sister looked as though she wanted to protest, but relented. “Don’t suppose you’ve got any ideas where she went?”
-
“I can’t believe this!” Pinkie looked over a number of scrolls and records in shock. “There’s got to be something we haven’t found, right? I mean, there are plenty of ponies who moved to Ponyville between the last census and now, aren’t there?”
“Pinkie!” Twilight took a cleansing breath. Pinkie had often gone to great lengths to help ensure the happiness of another pony or make up for an apparent slight, but this was going a bit too far…and coming a little close to how Twilight was told she acted. “Pinkie, I’m sure that if we went far enough back in his ancestry, we could find a familial link between Quiver and just about anypony in Ponyville. Go far enough back, and you could find a familial link between anypony in Equestria, and then some.”
“I know, but…” Pinkie sighed and her mane drooped slightly. “But I still feel kinda bad about what happened to him. I mean, he almost, you know…”
“Yes, I know. I’ve got similar feelings thanks to what happened with Sunset.” She approached her friend and gave her a gentle hug. “But Quiver never blamed you for anything that happened, and he knows that you care about him.”
“Still, it was so nice finding out that me and Applejack were family.” Pinkie smiled sadly as she explained, “I wanted to try and give Quiver a chance to feel that kind of happiness. I get the feeling he probably doesn’t get enough smiles in his life.”
“Well, you certainly give him a good reason to smile.” Twilight gestured back to the record and noted, “And I’m sure that he’d appreciate the effort. And if it helps, this is just his father’s side; there’s very little in here about his mother’s side of the family. There might still be a chance.”
“I guess. No way of knowing right now, though.” Pinkie retrieved the book and noted, “Thanks, Twilight. Guess I’d better take this back to Quiver.”
The party pony made her way out of the library and left the saddened princess in her wake. Twilight never enjoyed seeing her friends sad, Pinkie especially given her usual bouncy enthusiasm, but there wasn’t much she could do in this case. It would be up to Pinkie, perhaps with a little help from Quiver, to get her spirit back.
It wouldn’t take too long for that to happen, she surmised as she smiled. Pinkie was always the resilient one.
-
A gentle knock preceded Limestone as she softly asked, “Pinkie?” The door to Pinkie’s room at Sugar Cube Corner creaked open, and she found it empty of her sibling. Her eyes found the one occupant in the room, and she slowly walked up and asked, “Don’t suppose you’ve seen her?”
Gummy’s only response was to stare blankly into space for a beat, before whipping out his tongue and licking his eyeball.
The dark grey mare sighed. “Well, she’s gotta be around here somewhere…” She turned herself about, only to notice her hoofsteps had an odd echo to them. She carefully walked about a bit, the sounds varying from one place to another, which made her wonder until her gaze went to the banister. She smirked, played a hunch, and prodded its decorative top. She laughed in triumph as a mechanism was activated and the ice cream top collapsed into itself, only to cry out in shock as the floor dropped out from under her.
Fortunately, a slide quickly broke her fall, and she slid down into a well-lit chamber filled with party supplies of all sorts. What space at the walls that wasn’t occupied by festive accessories was taken up by filing cabinets, with a wide space in the middle to allow ease of movement.
“Hi Limestone.” And right in the middle was her sister, her mane limp and lifeless and a number of files and lists strewn out in front of her. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anypony know you just cried out in alarm. Neither will Gummy. Pinkie Promise.”
Limestone recovered herself and trotted up to her sister. “Forget that for a minute. What is this place?”
“This? It’s my Party Cave. It’s where I store everything I use to put parties together. Extra party supplies, research, stuff like that.” She sighed and noted, “Throwing a party isn’t nearly as easy as it looks. Not everypony likes the same thing, after all. Learned that the hard way when I sent Twilight screaming at the sight of a quesadilla.”
Limestone opted not to pursue the questions that came up at that comment as she approached her sister and looked over her shoulder. Five files were strewn out before her, the names on each plain as day. “This is stuff about us. The family.”
“I’ve been planning Mom and Dad’s anniversary parties for a while. Just got done with everything for number forty-six last week. Planned a bunch of others too.”
“No kidding.” Limestone glanced over a list that detailed possible party ideas for her for every possible topic. They were much rougher in comparison to the ideas for their parents and siblings, and were filled with notes, each generally saying to make improvements lest they not be up to the task. Her heart sank as she realized what all of this meant, and her head sank with it in shame. “Sorry, Pinkie.” At her sister’s surprised coo, she explained, “I’m sorry I yelled at you like I did. You didn’t deserve it. You were trying to help the best way you knew how and…” She groaned. “Maker’s sake, I sound way too mushy.”
“And you were scared.” She looked up to find Pinkie looking back at her, a smile upon her face and her mane slowly inflating back to normal. “Scared that it wouldn’t work and we’d lose our family home.”
A nod. “Can you forgive me for being a big, dumb grouch?”
Pinkie’s response was to rush over and give her sister a warm hug. “Aw, Limestone! You’re not dumb! You’re my big sister, and you’re grouchy, but no way are you dumb! Of course I can forgive you!” The hug broke as she took on a determined grin and declared, “Now turn that frown upside down, big sister, because we’ve got us a rock farm to save!”
Limestone laughed. “Great! So what’s the first step?”
“Well duh, we get out of the cave!” Pinkie then lifted her sister up by her forehooves and planted her back on the slide, then hopped on behind her and slid the two of them back up and out of the cave and into her room at Sugar Cube Corner. “And then we get my friends! This is gonna be a big party, so we’re gonna need help!”
The entrance into the cave closed behind them as they trotted out of the room, Limestone grinning the whole time. Pinkie was back to her old self, and in this case, that could only be a good sign. They quickly found themselves outside of the building where the rest of their family, as well as Pinkie’s friends, were awaiting them. “Hey, look who I found!”
“Hi everypony!” Pinkie quickly gave her parents and Marble a big hug. “Sorry if I worried you!”
“Apologies are unnecessary, Pinkamena.” A proud smile was upon Igneous’ face as he looked upon her and Limestone and asked, “Now, perhaps you may illuminate us upon your plans for this ‘Ponypalooza Party’?”
“Of course! I’m gonna need all your help to pull it off!” Everypony gathered around as she looked from one pony to another and called out orders. “Rainbow Dash, you’re on invitation duty! We’ll need hundreds of tiny bags of rock candy with equally tiny parachutes and every pegasus in town! Talk to Mrs. Cake about the candy and Davenport about the parachutes! Fluttershy, you go get Vinyl, Octavia and Lyra! Oh, and are you still in touch with Photo Finish?”
The shy pegasus remembered her last meeting with the pushy photographer and gulped, “Um, sort of…”
“Well get to her and ask for her help! Ask her to spread word to as many famous ponies as she can! If you need a little support, Octavia will be more than happy to provide! As for Vinyl and Lyra, tell them to get a hold of all the musicians they know – this is a rock concert, after all, and we need musicians, stat!” As Fluttershy went about her assigned task, Pinkie looked to Applejack and her mother and said, “Mom, AJ, you two make some of the best food I’ve ever had! We need treats! Apple treats, rock treats, apple rock treats, doesn’t matter, we just need a whole lot!”
“Ah reckon we can provide that easy,” Applejack declared with a smile as she looked to a hopeful Cloudy Quartz.
“Awesome!” She then turned to those remaining and called, “Rarity, Twilight, Limestone, Marble, you’re on decorations!”
“Perfect, darling! I already have ideas for the stage!” She paused and asked, “But what about a performance venue?”
“That’s for me and Dad to worry about!” She looked to her father and declared, “Come on, Dad! We’re off to Town Hall to deal with bureaucracy!”
The stallion laughed at his daughter’s enthusiasm. “One would almost think that you anticipate paperwork, Pinkamena.”
“You kidding? I’ve got rooms in my memory palace dedicated to every town ordinance related to parties! Red tape might as well be red velvet cake for me to eat, or red sandstone for you to cut and polish to perfection!” She stood tall and declared, “And Celestia as my witness, that’s exactly what the Rockin’ Ponypalooza Party’s gonna be – perfection!”
-
Soft music played as Quiver jotted down some dialogue, each word etched onto the paper with his pencil. He smiled as he wrote, each additional word like an extra chip off a bit of marble or wood or a new brushstroke on a blank canvas. The more that was put down, the closer it was to being finished.
He deposited his pencil in a waiting container and gagged. He looked up at Edgar and asked, “Think maybe I should get a typewriter?”
The raven shrugged. “Maybe.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll put that on the list.” A knock sounded at his door, and Quiver rose from his desk to answer it. “Coming!” He opened the door for his visitor. “Hi Pinkie…whoa. What’s wrong?”
“Hi Quiver.” Pinkie’s mane wasn’t its usual poofy state, not quite to the point of being flat but noticeably deflated, and a sad frown was on her face. “Can I come in before I answer that question?”
“Sure, of course.” His friend entered, and he closed the door behind her. “So what’s this about?”
Pinkie sighed and set the borrowed record back on the table. “Quiver, I borrowed your family record because I was hoping that what happened with me and Applejack could happen again, only with you. Trouble is that you’re not related to anypony in Ponyville. At least, not on your dad’s side.” At his curious expression, she explained, “Twilight’s got family records in the library.”
“Hmm. Well, that would make things easier.” He approached her with a smile. “That was a sweet gesture, but why go to all that trouble?”
“Because of what happened with Luster!” Pinkie cried. “You thought we’d all set you up to get hurt! You got so down and felt so bad that you almost…” She idly pawed at the ground with a hoof. “Well, you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, and that isn’t your fault.” Quiver gently hugged her and explained, “Pinkie, you didn’t know what sort of pony Luster was. Now you do, I’m okay, and she’s in jail. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Trust me, it won’t do you any good.”
“Still, I don’t like feeling like I’ve let anypony I care about down.”
“And you haven’t. Trust me.” Pinkie looked to him, and a bit more of the poof in her mane returned as she smiled and hugged him back. “And I do appreciate it, but you didn’t really need to bother.”
“Really?” She sprang back in surprise. “Why?”
“Well, two reasons. One?” He gestured to the book and explained, “With only a couple exceptions, I’m not really close with anyone on my dad’s side of the family. Some I get on okay with, and my cousin and I are closer than I’d ever thought we’d be when we were foals, but on average, I get on better with the folks on my mom’s side.” He let go of Pinkie and made his way over to the desk to retrieve another leather-bound book. He brought it over and set it down. “Two, in a way, I already have family here in Ponyville.” He opened it to reveal a cutting from a newspaper, a big picture of Twilight in her royal regalia clear on the front page. Hoofwritten notes were included in the margins, clearly written by somepony in a fit of excitement. “The day after I first met Twilight, I made a point of buying a copy of the Indianapoloosa Star. They had a big article on Twilight’s visit to the Amazing warehouse I used to work at, and I wanted to keep it as a memento.”
“And you put it in a scrapbook? Aww!”
“Eventually.” He turned the page to reveal the program from the prose reading he’d attended, as well as the ticket stub from his train ride and further notes. “Didn’t officially start it until after I came here the first time and met all of you.” More pages showed tidbits of Rarity’s showing in Manehattan from his hometown newspaper, and clippings from the new one about what had happened at Rainbow Falls. “I haven’t had an easy life. Meeting all of you, coming here, it’s not the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but it’s definitely in the top five. In a way, you and Twilight and Spike and Edgar and everyone? You’ve become family to me. And I don’t want to forget that.”
Pinkie smiled at the sight as her eyes dewed up with joyful tears. She turned another page, only to notice it was blank. “Wait, that’s it? Nothing else?”
“This is all I’ve got for now. I’d include pictures from everything I’ve done with you guys since, but…”
“Well why didn’t you say so?!” Pinkie’s mane was restored to its proper state, and she pulled a folder full of photographs and laid them out on the table. “I made plenty of copies! You can add these to your scrapbook!”
“How…? Nevermind.” One thing he’d learned very quickly about being in Ponyville – never question Pinkie Pie. She’d always come through in the end.
-
The concert, much to Limestone’s surprise, went off without a hitch despite being put together in a hurry. She, Marble and their parents found themselves amazed that, within the span of a day, Pinkie had pulled together performers from across Equestria with the help of her friends in Ponyville. The concert had raised an amazing amount of money for the farm, and more than a few business contracts for their farm. It almost made her wish that one fussy unicorn they’d taken on as an extra hand hadn’t left.
Almost.
Still, as she sat in the living room of the farmhouse at Sweet Apple Acres, sipping on some apple juice, Limestone couldn’t help but crack a smile. “Okay Pinkie, no questioning it. You pulled through.”
“Aw!” Pinkie gleefully gave her a one-armed hug and held her close. “I’d never leave my family up the mine without a cart!”
“None’a her family,” Applejack added with a grin, her elder brother and Marble nodding beside her as they traded a smile.
Igneous gave an appreciative chuckle before turning to the Apple matriarch. “Granny Smith, much thanks have we to bestow upon you for thine hospitality during our sojourn to Ponyville.”
The eldest Apple smiled and waved a dismissive hoof. “Aw, ain’t no big deal, Iggy. Pinkie’s practically kin as it is, and helpin’ y’all when ye needed it was the least us Apples could do fer ya.”
“Especially after everythin’ we found out a few weeks back,” Apple Bloom chipped in.
Limestone and Marble both took on surprised expressions before their mother explained, “A recent letter from Pinkamena elaborated upon a discovery of hers. Evidence has surfaced that the branches of our family tree have intermingled with those of the Apple Family.”
“Which makes Big McIntosh, Applejack and Apple Bloom our cousins!” Pinkie gleefully explained. “Specifically our fourth cousins, twice removed by a fifth cousin.”
“Seriously?” Limestone looked from her younger sister to her mother and asked, “We got any proof for that?”
“We’ve done a little checkin’ on our end, but we don’t got anythin’ firm.” Applejack cast a nervous glance to Mother and Father Pie and noted, “Truth is, we were hopin’ there’d be somethin’ a little firmer at your end.”
Cloudy Quartz smiled and pulled a leatherbound journal from her saddlebags, worn with age and love, then set it upon the table. “We ourselves have endeavored to confirm the connection between our homes since receiving this news.” She opened it and noted, “And indeed, it would seem that one of thine father’s kin, Gabbro Pie, was indeed wed to one Applesauce. Such a connection was long in location, but judged a worthy effort.”
“Well that finally settles it! We’re family!” Apple Bloom started jumping up and down as she gleefully declared, “Ah just got four more sisters fer certain! It’s like Hearth’s Warmin’ came early!”
“I know!” Pinkie then gasped as she realized aloud, “Omigosh, I just had the best idea in the history of ever!” She turned to Granny Smith and her father and happily suggested, “Let’s all get together at the rock farm for Hearth’s Warming this year!”
Cloudy Quartz looked to her husband and noted, “Much pleasantry there would be in having all four of our daughters home for the holiday, Father. And it would be easy enough to make room for four guests.”
“And Ah ain’t got a problem with leavin’ the farm fer a while,” Granny admitted. “Not much apple harvestin’ to do durin’ the winter.”
The Apples murmured in agreement, and Marble smiled at her father, clearly pleased at the idea at having company over now that the ice had been broken. Igneous took note of this and then turned his gaze towards the eldest of his three daughters present. “What say you, Limestone?”
She turned her green eyes upon the Apples and smirked. “As long as they don’t break any of the rules and keep their hooves off Holder’s Boulder, I got no problems with having them over.”
“Then it would appear we are unanimous in our invitation.” Igneous turned to Granny Smith and added with a smile, “Yee-haw.” He then turned to Pinkie and noted, “Though if thou wish for an earlier excuse to return home, thine mother’s birthday is coming up.”
Cloudy Quartz nodded. “And a party would be most welcome.”
Marble beamed as Limestone laughed. “Dang right!”
-
Some weeks after the Rockin’ Ponypalooza Party, it was a placid, relaxing day in the area around Ponyville, Pinkie’s immediate circle of friends found themselves and their pets gathered around a fair-sized picnic spread, food and tea set out as their pets played among themselves. Winona especially was enjoying herself chasing after Tank, the tortoise buzzing about with his flying apparatus and keeping just out of the dog’s reach.
“I sure hope that Maud has an appetite,” Fluttershy noted as she examined the spread.
“Never met a pony or critter who didn’t love Granny Smith’s apple spiced muffins!” Applejack kept Angel away from the food as she added, “Besides, if’n Pinkie and her other sisters are any sign of it, Maud’ll be eager for some grub.”
“I just hope that my ensemble is suitable enough for the occasion.” Rarity had come dressed with an elaborate violet hat, tied onto her head with a pink sash and adorned by a number of semitransparent stones. One dropped off into the basket of muffins as the fashionista groused, “Oh, it’s no use!”
Twilight sighed, then looked to Quiver. “You don’t seem all that nervous, Quiver.”
“I am, probably more than all of you.” The stallion gave a small, nervous smile as he explained, “All of you have met the rest of Pinkie’s immediate family, I haven’t.” The smile turned hopeful as he added, “Still, I’m looking forward to it. The way Pinkie talked about her, Maud clearly cares for her.”
“And the feeling’s mutual. No wonder Pinkie wants us to hit it off.” Twilight looked among her friends and noted, “Still, I’m sure that everything will be fine, so…”
“We’re heeeere!” Pinkie called out from a distance. Heads turned to find her pronking down the path leading to the picnic as she continued in explanation, “Maud’s gonna be a little bit, but she’s right behind me! Gummy’s keeping her company!”
Gazes were kept on the path as a form slowly came into view. Pinkie waved to it gleefully as the form approached and became clear enough to be identified as a grey mare with a violet mane and eyeshadow and turquoise eyes, wearing a dark blue frock. She continued her slow approach, Gummy clamped securely to her tail, until she paused a few paces away from Pinkie and her friends. Her attention turned downwards towards a small rock, and she leaned down and sniffed at it. “Hm. Sedimentary.”
This prompted confusion among most of the girls as Rainbow Dash asked, “Huh?”
“This is a sedimentary rock,” Maud explained in a deadpan tone as she picked up the stone in question. “It was formed by several millions of years of deposition and cementation, and eventually found its way to the surface.” She deposited the rock in a pocket and added, “Please forgive me if I seem stand-offish. I’ve heard a lot about all of you from Pinkie Pie, and I’m a little nervous. Obviously, I’m Maud, her eldest sister.”
Twilight smiled. “If it helps you feel better, we’re all a little nervous too.” Introductions were made, and places were taken around the picnic, food and drink quickly served. “I hope you don’t mind us bringing all our pets along to meet you. Pinkie mentioned that you rarely went anywhere without your pet.”
“I don’t.” Maud reached into another pocket and pulled out a small stone. “Boulder’s my constant companion.” She gently set the stone down beside her. “Each of us has a pet rock, though Pinkie left hers behind on the farm.”
“Rockie didn’t want to leave.” Pinkie frowned as she explained, “The poor little guy would’ve gotten homesick, leaving behind all his rock friends. I couldn’t put him through something like that.”
Edgar suddenly fluttered onto the spread, a bit of bread in his beak, and gently placed it against Boulder. “Eat well,” he cawed before walking back to Quiver’s side.
Maud looked to the stallion and noted, “You have a very generous pet.”
Quiver smirked. “Yeah, Edgar’s one of the better ones.” He looked to Maud and asked, “So, I’m told you and Pinkie grew up on a rock farm. What was that like?”
“It’s not the life for just anypony. We hired on an extra hoof last year, but they didn’t last very long. I tried my best to make her feel welcome, but I get the feeling that the sedimentary life of a rock farmer wasn’t for her.”
Quiver snickered at the pun. “Yeah, I probably wouldn’t last at something like that anyway. Still, I’ve seen how things work at a limestone quarry, and something tells me they aren’t dissimilar.”
Rarity looked at him in surprise. “What would lead to you visiting a limestone quarry?”
The stallion shrugged. “Before she worked for the regional library, my mom worked at the Indianapoloosa Historical Society. They had a conference at a hotel that was close to a working quarry, and a tour was part of the events.”
“Which isn’t surprising. The southern part of that region is rich in limestone noted for being light in fossil content. Consequently, it gets used for construction projects throughout Equestria.”
“Exactly.” Quiver turned to Twilight and noted, “There are government buildings all over Equestria that have surfaces covered in Indianapoloosa limestone. Including Canterlot.”
That took the princess aback. “Wow. I didn’t know that.”
Pinkie squealed gleefully. “This is so wonderful! Maud hasn’t even been here twenty minutes, and she’s making friends already!” She gasped and noted, “Oh, and Maud writes too!”
“I write poetry,” the elder Pie sibling explained. “All of it is about rocks.”
“Huh. Interesting.” Quiver shrugged and noted, “Admittedly, I’m not big on poetry. I can appreciate it, sure, but actually writing it is a little outside my wheelhouse.”
“Well maybe Maud can…!”
“Pinkie.” Maud’s words were firm as she looked to her sister. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you shouldn’t try to force a connection between me and the rest of your friends. There’s no guarantee that I’ll become as close with them as I have with you.” She smiled softly as she noted, “But I know from your letters that they care about you, easily as much as I do. I’m glad for that, and I look forward to spending time with you and them over the next week before I go on my research trip.”
Pinkie turned sheepish as she noted, “I guess. Still, it’d be nice if all my friends could see why you’re an awesome big sister.”
Applejack grinned and gently nudged her pink friend. “Pinkie, Ah think we’re startin’ to see it right now, even if Maud’s a little different from what we were expectin’.” She turned to Maud and added, “No offense.”
“None taken. I obviously don’t express myself like Pinkie does.”
“Yeah, we kinda noticed.” Rainbow Dash shrugged and noted, “But hey, nothing wrong with that. No one family’s gonna be the same as any other, right?”
Quiver chuckled. “No kidding on that. Maud, has Pinkie told you anything about my cousin?”
Author's Note
Not much to say on this one, though if you've read my other works, you'll enjoy the odd call-backs and references here and there. Apologies if this one's a little...basic compared to my other stories. My next one with Quiver will hopefully be a little better developed, and won't be a year away from this one getting posted.
