Playing the Heart's Strings

Shining Armor trotted over to the door and opened it, finding Applejack on the other side. He smiled upon seeing her; the farm pony blinked and then shared the smile with him. Shining lifted a hoof which she bumped into.

“Good to see you, Sugarcube. What are ya doin’ all the way here in Ponyville?”

The smile vanished slowly from Shining’s face. “Well, my mom and dad and I came down to see Twilight and how she was doing. I had to tell them about the situation.”

Applejack’s smile was gone as well. “True. Ah was comin’ to see if ah’ could get a hang on Twilight, but ah’ suppose she’s still in bed. “

Shining nodded. “Yeah, I’m accustomed to rising early since my days in the military academy, but they’re all typical unicorns. You can come in if you’d like, though. Have you already had breakfast?”

He stepped aside to let Applejack in. “Yeah, ah’ grabbed some before comin’ here, don’t ya worry about me. Ah’ll accept yer invitation, plum thankful about it.” Shining closed the door behind them and Spike appeared from the stairs, not bothering to cover a big yawn. He looked towards them.

“Oh, it’s you who’ve been doing the racket. Hi, Applejack, what’re you doing here?”

“Just out fer a bit, Spike. Needed some fresh air... outside the farm.”

“Ok, feel free to relax around, I’m taking a look at Peewee.” He walked away. Shining turned to her.

“Would you at least like some tea? I feel like having a cup myself.”

“Sounds about right. Thanks, Shinin’.”  The unicorn nodded and left for the kitchen. Applejack looked around, finally registering the fact that she had come to the library. Despite her reservations, her eyes were glued over towards the place where Albert’s statue had stood for quite a while, not very far from the place where he had been sitting around discussing with them. Her gaze then shifted to one of the windows, where the streets of Ponyville, peaceful that early in the morning, could be seen; streets he had walked around with his own two feet. Applejack lifted her hoof and lowered her hat to cover her eyes, closing them.

Shining’s voice called out from the kitchen. “Applejack? The tea’s done already, come on.”  She took a deep breath in, heading to the kitchen, where Shining and Spike were sitting around the table. The powerful scent of the green tea filled her nostrils. She sat down next to Shining, in front of a steaming cup.

“There’s honey over there,” said Spike, pointing to a crystal jar in the other side of the table. Applejack reached for it and let some honey fall down into her cup, passing the jar around. Hoofsteps were heard out of the kitchen and some instants later, Nachlicht and Stargazer entered it, with obvious signs of having just recently woken up.  Their gaze went straight to Applejack, and they offered her a warm smile. Stargazer trotted up to her and embraced her.

“Are you fine, dear?” The unicorn looked at her with concern, and Applejack returned the gaze, letting out a sigh.

“No, ma’am, ah’m not fine. Ah’m terribly confused, as ah’ know all of us are... Ah came ta see if Twilight was around, but Ah can guess she’s gone down again. Ah’ll better return later, seein’ as how y’all are with her.”

Before she could move, a couple of white hooves restrained her, and now Stargazer had a serious look on her face. “None of that, AJ. I can see you need it as much, seeing as you came here. So you can join us in breakfast and we’ll talk a little. After all, I don’t really know much about you or the other girls, barring the special occasions in which we’ve met. It’s that fine with you?”

“Y-yes,” answered nervously the earth pony. Stargazer smiled again, bringing Applejack for a hug with her hooves.

“That’s great, dear. Now, would you mind helping me prepare breakfast? I guess you’d like something to help take your mind off things for a while.”

Applejack nodded. “That sounds good, Ms. Sparkle.”

Stargazer turned to look at the cabinets. “Spike, be a good boy and help me out here, please.”

As both scrambled to follow Stargazer’s indications, Twilight came out of her bedroom and went downstairs, joining the others.

“Good morning, everybody.”

“Mornin’, Twilight,” answered Applejack, while batting pancake mixture.

“Hey, Applejack, aren’t you working?” asked Twilight, looking at her friend. A gleam crossed Applejack’s eyes, which didn’t go unnoticed by the unicorn.

“Ah didn’t really had it on me to work today,” said the earth pony, passing the bowl to Stargazer, who began pouring it into a pan.

“Well, thanks for coming, it’s nice to have you here.” Twilight nuzzled her friend’s cheek, smiling, which brought Applejack’s face a grin as well.

“Twilight, please put some plates in the counter.”

Twilight complied. The kitchen boiled with life as everyone present went for a task, until the breakfast was served again and all were sitting around the table, including Applejack, whose appetite had been awoken once again by the smell of pancakes with honey and hay bacon.

Stargazer closed her eyes, following her well established routine. “We thank Celestia for this meal we’re going to enjoy....”

Twilight, Applejack and Spike shuddered involuntarily. Shining Armor looked towards them while Nachlicht threw a look towards his wife. The older mare opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything. The sound of forks scraping against plates resounded across the kitchen, except for Twilight and Applejack, who were having small, slow bites.

“Listen, girls, I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok, mom. It’s not your fault. There’s just so much to take in.”

“I think you should go to Canterlot,” interjected Nachlicht. Twilight and Applejack turned to look at him, as well as Spike and Shining Armor. Stargazer, however, nodded.

“I believe your father is right, Twilight. You should put this to rest already. There is nothing good in you tormenting yourself over it. At least you should try to speak is over.”

“...Yes, I will do that. I’d like to talk to Lyra, but I think I have to sort this out first,” said Twilight, after rushing through her thoughts, shaking her head to look at her parents. “Can I go back to Canterlot with you?”

“Of course, Twilight. We’ll part in the evening, so I suggest you get prepared.”

“Can ah’ go too?” asked Applejack. All the faces turned around to look at her.

Bon Bon looked around, as she stood behind the counter, having already cleaned the house and prepared breakfast. She remembered hearing Lyra’s playing well into the night, but hadn’t disturbed the unicorn, instead going back to sleep. Since she had woken up, every second seemed to run slowly, even taking into account all the things she had occupied herself with. Her eyes scanned the street in front of her, where ponies crossed from both sides and she made some sales without really registering what she was doing. She glanced up at the sky, twisting her head to the sun rising at the east; it was about nine in the morning and was a time where usually a certain pink mare would pull a brief visit.  Bon Bon couldn’t see even a trace of the lively mare, though. She pressed her head against the counter, mindful not to break the crystal, and looked forward, without really seeing anything.

She rose and pushed the counter into the house once again. Seeking a sheet of paper and a pen, she left a note for Lyra on the kitchen table and exited the house. She trotted swiftly, surprising herself when her hooves left her standing in front of Sugarcube Corner. She pushed the business’ door open, the bell ringing all the way into her brain. She shook her head and trotted in, where a small line of ponies were already in line. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were hard at work behind the counter, while Pound and Pumpkin’s crib stood next to the cash, the twins following all the activity with interest.

Bon Bon made her way to the front of the counter, addressing Mr. Cake.

“Good morning, Mr. Cake. Is Pinkie here?” Bon Bon said, hurriedly. The stallion pointed with a hoof upstairs, behind the bar; he motioned with the same hoof for Bon Bon to go on, without stopping his work. She lifted the table that separated the front of the shop from the back and crossed it, waving to Mrs. Cake as the older mare carried a tray with cookies from the kitchen. She continued, climbing the stairs and finding herself in front of Pinkie’s room. Lifting a hoof, she knocked.

“Pinkie?”

When an answer failed to come, Bon Bon simply pushed the door and entered the room, darkened by the drapes.  Pinkie lay on the bed; her mane and tail were as puffy as ever, but her breathing was shallow and almost unnoticeable. Bon Bon left the door opened and walked towards the other pony.

“Pinkie...,” called Bon Bon with a soft voice. Pinkie Pie slowly turned over herself to look at Bon Bon. She looked almost entirely the same, without any trace of tears on her face, but her blue eyes lacked any shine on them. She only looked at Bon Bon, a hoof falling on the border of the bed.

Bon Bon didn’t say anything, she just sat on the border of the bed and took Pinkie’s hoof on her own, pressing it against her. Her tail flicked to the other side, touching Pinkie, and she looked to the pink pony again.  Pinkie moved aside on the bed and Bon Bon made to lie on it, embracing the other earth pony. Both mares simply laid there, on the other’s hooves.

The bouncing Sweetie Belle woke Rarity up. The older unicorn groaned as she opened her eyes and stretched her hooves. She felt her eyes wet and wiped the tears with her hoof, feeling more tears dried down on her cheeks, and the wetness of the pillow in which her head rested. She looked down to find her sister beaming at her. Despite her own inner state, she flashed a light smile to the filly and pushed the sheets aside, leaving the bed, even though she felt like never coming out of it again.

“Good morning, Sweetie Belle.” Her voice still came out sleepy and somewhat raspy. She cleared her throat.

“Sis, are you fine?” asked the small unicorn, looking up to Rarity.  The older unicorn looked down to the filly, who stood by her side.

“I am fine, Sweetie,” lied Rarity. “Just let me wash and we’ll think about what to do.” Sweetie Belle nodded, trotting out of the room while Rarity entered her personal bathroom. Her tear soaked eyes and stained coat were reflected in the mirror, with her mane falling to her shoulders. She splashed herself with water, blinking to wake herself up. She picked up her mane brush and slowly stylized her mane, her eyes always fixed on the view from the mirror. Despite the grooming, as meticulous as she ever did it, the expression that was thrown back at her from the mirror did not have any radiance, or glamour that she could feel. The process was only mechanical for her.

“Rarity!” called Sweetie Belle’s voice from the main Boutique. She dropped the brush once again, giving one last look at her reflection.

“I’m coming, Sweetie!”

Derpy stared at the envelope she had pulled out of her bag. It was addressed to Lyra by one Stage Lights. The pegasus grinned and held it in her mouth, approaching Lyra and Bon Bon’s house. She turned around and noticed the familiar house, which at that hour should have been open with Bon Bon attending her stand, but no such stand stood before the door which was closed. The grin on her face disappeared as she got closer and gave a look at the house. She would usually leave the letter right on the mailbox, but she had purposefully left Lyra’s letter for last so she could go and talk to her friends. Lifting her hoof, she knocked on the door.

Lyra stirred as the knocking turned louder. She felt heavy and uncomfortable, and when she tried to lift her head, she discovered her left cheek was adhered to something. She had fallen asleep on her desk in the music room again. With some effort she broke apart from it, finally opening her eyes. The knock kept on and, with some difficulty, she made it to the window to look down and see Derpy waiting outside.

“Hey, Derpy!”  The pegasus looked up and waved at her. She waved back.

“I’ll be down in a minute!”  Derpy nodded, sitting down on her haunches. Lyra turned from the window and exited the room, going to the bathroom to clean herself. She looked at Bon Bon’s door closed and the fact that Derpy had been knocking with nopony to attend her finally hit her. She felt her stomach rumbling, but ignored it and trotted downstairs to open the door.

“Hey, Derpy, come in!  Do you want something to eat? I’m starving!” Derpy entered, smiling.

“Sounds good, Lyra. Thank you!”

Both ponies entered the kitchen, where Lyra discovered Bon Bon had left behind enough sliced fruit on a plate that they both could eat. She silently thanked her best friend and pulled out another plate to divide the fruit between them both. Derpy thanked her, and before setting down to eat, delivered the letter. Lyra looked at it, then pushed it aside.

“Thank you, Derpy, I’ll look at it later.”

Derpy focused her gaze on her unicorn friend as much as she could. “What happened, Lyra?”

Lyra stopped eating, looking at the pieces of fruit on the plate before looking up at her friend, biting her lower lip.  “I don’t know if I should be talking about this.”

“Of course you should,” said Derpy, firm and clear.  “You shouldn’t have anything eating at you. Anything at all. Maybe you don’t want to talk about it right now, or maybe I’m not the pony whom you should be talking about it with, but you need to do it. I also felt it in Bon Bon, even though she tried to act normal.”

Derpy’s expression softened. “I liked talking to you, Lyra, and it helped me a lot, even if you wouldn’t believe it. I know it’ll be the same for you, so please don’t bring yourself down in such a silly way, would you?”

Despite herself, Lyra felt the tears beginning to trickle down her face, clouding her vision as she sobbed. Derpy walked around the table and put a hoof across the weeping mare’s back.

“I’m here, Lyra.”

Applejack trotted the path leading to Twilight’s library, carrying a lightly packed saddlebag on her back. She had gone back to her home to ask her family permission about the travel to Canterlot after apologizing for not being helpful in the farm and they let her go. She opened the door of the library to find the Sparkle family waiting for her on the main room. Twilight had instructed for their pets to make their way towards Fluttershy’s cottage, knowing she would take care of them.

Twilight and Applejack had discussed calling their other friends over to make the journey together, but had decided against it, letting the other ponies rest and clear their heads.

“Y’all ready?”

Twilight nodded, packing her own saddlebags, with Spike climbing on her back. After throwing a last glance around the library, making sure everything was in order, Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Nachlicht, Stargazer and Shining Armor exited the library.

Ponyville’s Station was mostly empty, with only a few ponies making lines to buy tickets. Shining Armor waited in line while the others sat on the waiting room. Besides their luggage, Stargazer had prepared lunch for they all to eat while traveling. Uneventful chatter filled the time until the express to Canterlot arrived and they boarded. Finding an empty compartment, Shining Armor, Nachlicht and Applejack sat to one side, while Twilight, Stargazer and Spike occupied the other. The train whistled to life, the engine roaring, and with a cloud of smoke, it parted towards its destination.

Evening had fallen down on Ponyville and Fluttershy stood outside of her cottage, enjoying the swift breeze that brought a reprieve to her troubled mind. Some of her animal friends were at her side, while others played happily around. It had been a quiet day; she hadn’t seen any of her friends, but it did not bother her, busy as she had been for the majority of the day. What bothered her was the fact that in the whole day she had not have any sight of a rainbow trail that often shone on the sky above Ponyville, marking a certain pegasus’ presence. She had kept it pushed out of her mind, but when she found herself out of chores for the time being, her mind registered it. She could see, on the distance, the floating cloud structure that doubled as said pegasus’ home. She decided to go and pay a visit to her friend, taking advantage of her free time in the evening. After closing the door to her cottage, she made her way towards Ponyville.

“Rainbow Dash, are you there?” she called softly from the ground,lifting her neck to look at the other pegasus’ home floating above.  “Rainbow Dash!” she called again.  Despite having raised her voice, no answer came from the cloud home. Steadying herself, she soared slowly to reach the cloud home. She knocked on the door, which opened itself.

“Excuse me...”  She entered the house, finding the main hall empty. She made her way through the cloud construction finding every room empty. There was nopony on the house. She stood out of the door, watching the rainbow waterfall falling down. All around her, she could see the clouds that wandered above Ponyville, none of which carried the cyan pegasus. She made her way to the ground.

 “Rainbow Dash...”