Its Over Nowby HazelGemsChaptersGathering HopeJust an AfterthoughtInconvenient IntruderIs The Gang Really Here?Don't Ever ForgetGathering HopeIn the back of the Le Grande bakery, two young women walk into the work station of the building, the door being held open by a third. “You two better not make a mess at all, or my dad will flip his shit for letting you in here while he’s gone.” The third girl barked at them. She was wearing an apron with the stores logo on the front. Despite it, she still wore a brown jacket with tassels underneath it, illustrating her rebellious nature. “Gilda, you seriously need to chill out! Me and Fluttershy plan on cleaning up when we’re done. We promise.” The girl with colorful hair shouted back with. The baker only made the tiniest of scoffs before going back to the front of the store to resume her cleaning “She, uh, s-still makes me a little uncomfortable with her shouting.” Fluttershy expressed to her friend. “Don’t worry,” Rainbow Dash said, patting her shoulder. “Ever since she’s done anger management, Gilda’s pretty much all talk at this point.” “But couldn’t we bake this cake over at the Cake’s place? They’re less… loud.” “Pinkie will probably catch wind that we’re whipping up a cake for her birthday if we did that! You know how she is. At least here it’ll be a guaranteed surprise.” Rainbow told her, pouring the flour in. “I honestly can’t wait to see her face when we bring it!” “Me too,” Fluttershy answered with a smile. “And the rest of our friends will be there as well. We haven’t seen them in months since college started.” Rainbow merely nodded to her friend, just thinking about what she said. Only her and Fluttershy were going to the same school now. Twilight and Sunset both got accepted to some prestigious university the next state over, Rarity went to the big city to study fashion as an intern, and of course Pinkie is at a culinary institute. The nearest friend she had other than Fluttershy was Applejack, but even then, AJ has been busy working full time in the family business now that she became 18. Mindlessly stirring the mix, Rainbow couldn’t help but worry that the seven of them had been drifting apart ever since. “Rainbow? Rainbow?” Hearing Fluttershy’s concerned voice caused her forget about her worries for a moment. “Oh, sorry, what’s up?” “Wouldn’t it be better to use this?” Fluttershy said, holding up an egg beater. “Heh, that would be faster than using a spoon, huh?” Dash said, putting the bowl on the counter. Fluttershy just softly smiled better turning on the tool and getting to work. As scared as Rainbow Dash was about losing her friends, Fluttershy has been very helpful in keeping her together. Learning that they both got accepted to Cloudsdale University nearby filled her with a lot of happiness that day. For the next hour, the friends got around to talking about how each other’s classes have been going along, all the fellow students they’ve been meeting and how their roommates have been treating them. Rainbow boasted how the soccer team has been exceeding expectations this season, while Fluttershy told a daring story about having to inject medicine into the veins of a sedated bear for her veterinary course. With the ding of a timer going off, the girls took out the freshly baked cake, proceeding to decorate it to the best of their abilities. Rainbow made sure they liberally applied as much pink frosting as possible, putting the finishing touch on the top. The writing came out perfectly. Happy Birthday Pinkie Pie!! Two exclamation points seemed appropriate for a cake meant for the ultimate party girl. Now that they were done, Fluttershy checked her phone for the time. “Oh my, I barely have enough time to get myself ready. Dashie, do you mind if you be the one to take the cake to the party?” “Don’t sweat it, I’m pretty reliable when it comes down to it.” She answered with a smirk. Fluttershy giggled at the silliness. “I’ll get my roommate to take me to the party. See you there.” She said picking up her things before leaving the bakery for her dorm. “So, Dashie, why wasn’t I invited to that party?” Gilda said, drenching her nickname with bucket loads of sarcasm, making her way to sneak a peek at the cake. “Probably because you broke Sunset’s nose that one time.” She replied while wrapping up the cake in a box with a lace bow. “True, but that was before she stopped being an asshole and you two being friends. It was completely justified!” “You’re right, but she ain’t gonna see it that way, even if you begged.” “Whatever, I’ve just finished closing shop, and I’m ready to drop you off at their house. Come on.” Rainbow silently agreed, bringing the gift and riding shotgun in Gilda’s old ass car. It used to belong to her father, and the shape it’s in was abysmal by hand-me-down standards. They were just entering the neighborhood when Gilda spoke up. “You know, I could totally come in quick and snag some snacks. Sunny wouldn’t have to see me, and Pinkie sure as hell wouldn’t give a shit.” “This party is just supposed to be the seven of us hanging out and catching up, dude.” “You sure about that? Because I peeked at your invite and it kinda seemed kinda like---“ “Gilda, I’m honestly sorry you can’t come, but I need this. I think we need this. We all haven’t been in the same room for months.” “Well alright. Just… be careful, ‘kay?” If Rainbow didn’t know Gilda since childhood, she could’ve swore she actually gave a concerned look right there. “Sure, I will be. I’m pretty tough y’know.” She said while playfully punching Gilda’s shoulder. “By the way, Fluttershy cleaned up before she left, so you should be fine with your dad.” “Yeah, well, my old man has eyes like a goddamn hawk, so if he finds something, and he will, you owe me.” “Pssh, whatever.” Although everyone was in the midst of a semester, Pinkie and the rest were able to tear themselves away from school to all come together and throw her party at their hometown. Approaching the house, Dash noticed all the cars parked on the roadside, with loud pop music playing clear into the night. Huh, I guess another party must be going on. Once she reached Pinkie’s house, she realized how naïve that thought was. The house was filled with people. Way more than six. Just an Afterthought“Rainbow? Talk to me girl.” Gilda said to her dumbstruck friend. “Oh? Uh, yeah, this is the spot, thanks for the ride, dude.” Rainbow told her, snapping out of it. She opened the passenger door and was just about to get out when she felt a hand place gently on her shoulder. “Seriously, are you going to be okay?’ “O-of course I am! I gotta go and meet the girls, thanks for the ride.” She didn’t mean to slam the door, but she couldn’t help herself either. As her friend drove away, Rainbow started wading through the crowd just to get to the front door. There seemed to be about 15 or 20 people on the front lawn alone, and she was dreading to see how crowded it will be once she’s inside. Just looking around, Dash barely recognized anyone nearby. Two of them seemed to be from high school, but she never learned their names. Where the hell did everyone else come from? Reaching the door, she could already feel the vibrations from the music pulsating throughout the house. Pinkie must’ve invited that DJ girl they used to see around. What was her name again? Rainbow didn’t bother knocking or ringing the bell, letting herself in. Inside was just as full with randos as she feared. Everywhere she looked there were people talking, laughing, cracking jokes, hitting on each and playing drinking games. Actually, how was there alcohol here? “RAINBOW DAAAAAASSSHH!!” shouted a vibrant, bubbly girl, cutting through all the noise. She didn’t have any time to look for where the shout came from, because in an instant she was held up in a great big hug from behind. “Whoa-ho, you can let me down now birthday girl!” Pinkie dropped her friend back on solid earth, with Rainbow gingerly keeping the cake box level in her arms. “It’s been so long! I’m so so so happy to see you again! Pinkie exclaimed in her excitement. “I’m happy too Pinkie, and me and Fluttershy worked on your gift together. It’s a— “ “Omigosh, did I miss Fluttershy!?” Pinkie said, rapidly scanning the room. “She wanted to get ready before coming over, she’ll probably get here in a little bit. Anyways, in this box is a cake that we worked on together.” The box lifted open. “Awww, it says Happ Birthd Pinki” Pinkie said with a genuine smile. “Wait, what?” Rainbow looked down on the cake to see that a third of it was smooshed in, messing up the icing. It must’ve happened during the hug! “Aw crap, I’m sorry Pinkie. It wasn’t supposed to end up like this…” “Dash, you don’t have to apologize, it doesn’t matter what it looks like, it’s still gonna be tasty in the end!” “Y-yeah, that’s right.” She said, trying to force herself to smile back. “I don’t even know why I’m so worried, in fact, I had this crazy idea that we’re all drifti-- “ “Darling!” Pinkie yelled “Huh?” “Darling Sweet! From my class! She’s waving at me, I think she needs my help. I gotta go Rainbow, you can put the cake on the kitchen table bye!” The energetic girl sped her way to who knows where, leaving Rainbow on her own in a sea of strangers. She took another look around, but couldn’t see any other friends. Feeling defeated, she made her way to the kitchen. Inside, she was shock to notice that on the table there were three incredibly large cakes taking up most of the space. Each of them having five layers, the cakes being solidly colored in pink, yellow and blue frosting respectively. The cakes each had one word on them. Happy. Birthday. Pinkie. Looking back down on the cake they made, it just seemed so… mediocre. What was she gonna do at this point? Rainbow found the corner with the most room and wedged her tiny cake in without messing with the others. She let out a great big sigh and leaning her back on the counter top, thought about how stupid she felt. Dash forced herself out of it though, after all, she’s in a middle of a party! Her friend’s birthday party nonetheless! She left the kitchen, trying to remember the direction she saw the birthday girl run into. The hallway she entered was incredibly claustrophobic, leaving barely enough room for one person to squeeze their way through since there were so many party goers just chatting it up. After peeking on all the first-floor rooms in vain, Rainbow decided to check out the basement. For all she knew, Pinkie was fixing a plumbing issue. It sounded random enough. The basement stairs were as creaky as they always been, and from the top it looked like the room was empty. The TV seemed to be on and playing something though, so she went all the way in just to make sure. “Rainbow Dash?” She swiftly looked to the side to see that Twilight and Sunset were on the couch together. “O-oh! Hey you two!” Rainbow said with happiness. “How are ya?” “We’re fine?” Twilight said, tilting her head slightly. “So, uh, watching a movie here?” “Yeah, Twilight here still isn’t too keen with crowds,” Sunset explained,” So we asked Pinkie if we can hang out here until they’re ready to cut the cake.” “Sorry Sunset…” Twilight half mumbled. “Twily, you seriously need to stop saying you’re sorry when you didn’t do anything. I’m with you because I care.” Rainbow noticed how close they were cuddling together, realizing she may have interrupted something between the couple. She knew enough to know when not to linger. “Before I leave you two lovebirds alone— “ “Rainbow!” Twilight shouted, clearly a little embarrassed. “I’m only teasing, but anyways, have you seen the others?” “Rarity should be around the house somewhere, and Applejack left to run an errand, but said she’ll be back in a few.” Sunset answered. “Cool, and uh, I’m happy to see you guys again.” “We’re happy to see you too.” Twilight said with a smile. Rainbow thought it was cute that they already started using ‘we’ together. She waved them bye before climbing the stairs to the backyard door, seeing an even bigger crowd gathered around. In the corner of the yard, that DJ girl was playing her tracks, and the party goers were loving it, moving to the beat. After a quick scan, it seemed like Rarity wasn’t in this crowd. It would’ve been obvious if she were. Rarity loved to find ways to stand out in a crowd. Rainbow just gave up, taking a break on a lawn chair. Nothing was going the way she imagined it would, and it was wearing on her. It was then that she remembered something that Gilda mentioned on the way over. She slipped out the invitation that she kept in her back pocket. You’re Super Duper Invited to the Party of the Century (so far) The Perfectly Precious Pinkie Pie is turning 19! BYOF! Rainbow thought that last word was just Pinkie being random like she always has, until she squinted hard onto the letter under the dim outdoor lights. There was fine print. (Bring Your Own Friends!) She just hung her head in utter embarrassment. Inconvenient IntruderRainbow stayed on that lawn chair for a good long while. She needed a place to just think. Think about why all this is bothering her so much. Seeing all these smiling faces made her wonder why she isn’t as happy as them right now. All her friends assured each other that they’ll stay best friends even though they all went their own ways; that distance won’t ever diminish the bonds they had. So why does it feel like things are still distant? And why does she feel so… empty? Dash got back up and took another look at her surroundings, desperate for a familiar face, even from an acquaintance. Some of them she recognized, but didn’t know well enough to just randomly go up and start a conversation. There was Sassy Saddles, Namby Pamby, even Bon Bon and Lyra, inseparable as they’ve ever been. Rainbow wouldn’t have been surprised if Pinkie invited everyone from every school they attended. Heck, even Sonata Dusk is here, and she hasn’t been seen since… Fear overtook her, forcing her into action, pushing through the crowd to catch up to this girl. The Sirens haven’t been seen for over two years! Sunset even checked the news every day for months and months to make sure they weren’t gonna cause any more trouble. The seven of them just assumed that the sirens found their way back to their own world. It was no good. By the time she arrived where the girl was last, Sonata was nowhere to be found. Rainbow tapped the shoulder of the nearest guy for a clue. “Hey dude, have you seen a girl with light and navy blue hair? With a ponytail?” “Rainbow? Rainbow Dash? It’s me! Charging Roar!” the man excitedly said. “Yeah okay, but this girl, she has violet eyes. Have you seen her?” “Naw, but I haven’t seen you since we had that Home Economics toge— “ Rainbow just shoved him out of the way, realizing that things weren’t going anywhere. If the siren wasn’t outside, then the kitchen was the next place to search. She practically burst in, her eyes rapidly searching every nook and cranny. There was nothing, save for Sunset collecting a plate full of snacks. “Hey Dash, Twilight was getting hungry, and y’know.” “That’s cool and all, but I got some bad news. The Sirens are back.” Sunset was about to pick up a hot dog, but she stopped midway, slowly turning her head to the athlete. “Say again?” “I just saw Sonata outside but I lost her. Her friends or sisters or whatever have to be somewhere nearby too, so we gotta get the girls together and stop them!” Shimmer was thinking heavily about what she said. “Rainbow, did you really see this, or was this something you wish you saw?” “What? How… how could you say that?” “I’m not saying you’re making something up, but maybe you’re subconsciously creating a conflict to bring us together again. Fluttershy has been telling me how she’s the only person you’ve bothered talking to in school. You don’t even talk to your own roommate.” “Hey! That has fuck all to do with whether we’re in danger or not!” “Okay, just calm down. If I see anything suspicious, you know I’m going to act on it, but for now my girlfriend needs me.” “Yeah, sure.” Dash said, dejectedly. “Just… don’t do anything rash. You don’t have to do anything alone, okay?” Sunset got the last of the food before leaving for the basement again. “It sure as hell feels like I’m alone.” Rainbow muttered under her breath. The only feeling she felt was pure and utter frustration. If only there was something she could kick or throw to vent it. Instead, she just did some quick breathing before calming down. Rainbow knew for a fact that she saw Sonata. This person had to still be in this house and she was gonna prove her friend wrong. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she noticed something. The cake was gone. The larger cakes were still intact, but the one she and Fluttershy worked on was missing. “I’m back errybody!” Someone yelled from the living room, perking Rainbow’s ear. Opening the door, she witnessed the cowgirl lugging cases full of apple cider, along with some other men, all of whom were wearing some form of denim on their body. AJ set the cases by a nearby table, noticing who was across the room. “Well if my eyes ain’t deceivin’ me. Rainbow Dash!” She said, cracking a smile. Rainbow couldn’t help but forget her troubles, going up to hug her friend. “Still kicking ‘em soccer balls around in zero point games?” “Yup. Still toiling in the hot sun for meager pay and no benefits?” “Damn straight.” They both tried to look as serious as possible, but couldn’t keep it up and ended up in a laughing fit. “Man, I miss doing this with you.” Rainbow let out amid chuckles. “Back atcha’. Sorry I haven’t been seein’ ya since summer. The family business is, well, busy.” “It’s all cool, what’d you bring?” “Me and a couple of the part-timers from the farm just got done bringing in these from the refinery.” AJ said, handing Rainbow a bottle. At first it looked like the ones she normally drank, save for a small label at the side. Alcoholic. “O-oh, I didn’t know you could take these.” “Well, technically I’m not, but I convinced Big Mac to cover for me about it bein’ one of them ‘clerical errors’. All I gotta do is his chores for a week, which is a pretty dang good deal.” “You’re lying?” she said, concerned. “It’s just a small fib, and I’m doing it for all these people’s benefit. Me and the boys are gonna start handing these out, I’ll talk to you in a bit sugercube.” Applejack lifted the crates, shouting “All right errybody, come an’ get ‘em!” The party goers started to cheer, lining up to get their own bottle of cider. Rainbow didn’t want to get involved, stepping aside and placing the bottle that was handed to her on the table. She didn’t felt right, and headed upstairs. There were still people up here, but few enough where it didn’t feel crowded. She went into the first room she could find, which was thankfully empty, and plopped herself onto the bed. That was a mistake. The bed was stiff as hell, hurting her shoulder when she dropped on it. “What the hell.” Rainbow looked around, noticing how monotone and barren the room was. This had to be Maud’s. It wouldn’t be surprising if there were pebbles inside the mattress. The music was dampened here at least, so she decided to rest here a bit and clear her mind. She didn’t want to dwell on what Sunset told her, but it kept invading her mind. Dash was so certain that she saw that siren, but what if it didn’t happen? Was she becoming desperate? She didn’t expect her friend to be so blunt about it, even if it was right. Dash hasn’t exactly tried to meet new people, because she already has friends. Now, that internal argument wasn’t holding up. Her train of thought was interrupted when she heard a strange sound inside the room. It sounded like it was coming from the closet. She got up, pulling open the door. Smack dab in the middle of the closet was Sonata Dusk, sitting on the floor, eating the cake she brought to the party with a plastic fork. It was nearly gone! Sonata looked up at Rainbow with utter fear in her eyes. “oh shit.” Is The Gang Really Here?She didn’t expect it to be this easy. Sonata was just right in front of her, and if Rainbow can catch her, she can totally rub it in Sunset’s face. “You’re coming with--!” was all she let out. Sonata flung the box right at her face, immediately scrambling and pushing past Rainbow on all fours. Dash couldn’t react, forced to wipe away the leftover cake and icing off her face. She grabbed the nearest blanket to clean up, and it became obvious. The siren was long gone. Rainbow leapt into the hallway, but there was no luck. Rainbow checked up on all the rooms on the second floor, going into Pinkie’s parents room, then Marble’s, followed by Limestone’s. It wasn’t surprising that room was empty given all the borderline frightening heavy metal posters on the wall. That just left Pinkie’s very own room. She creaked open the door. “Rainbow? Is that you darling?” Said a very refined accent. She knew who that voice was coming from, but she couldn’t see through the smoke. “Coco, can you be a dear and open the window a little wider please?” “Y-yes ma’am.” A timid voiced answered back. The smoke slowly dissipated, revealing Rarity sitting on the bed, along with half a dozen people smoking cigarettes. Well, except for a spindly blue haired girl with a bob. “Dashie, dearie, please take a seat next to me. You must tell me how your life is going.” Rarity said patting the side of the bed. “Okay?” Rainbow said, kind of taken aback by how… mature Rarity sounded. Not even just sound, she even looked like an adult with her dress, cig in hand and ruby colored lipstick. This girl was supposed to be the same age as her! “Oh! Where are my manners, I almost forgot to introduce you two. Rainbow, meet Coco Pommel, my partner at the internship. Coco, this is my friend from high school, Rainbow Dash.” “It’s very n-nice to meet you.” The timid girl said, giving a cute little wave. “Uh, hey.” It’s almost scary how similar this chick was to how Fluttershy used to be. “So, smoking.” “This? An awful habit I picked up in the studio, but it helps to calm the nerves with all the deadlines we must deal with. The designers run us ragged doing the menial tasks they couldn’t be bothered to deal with. I tell you, it’s simply madness to expect a mink sweater to be done in a single day, but I always find a way, and I even have the time to put a personal touch on it to boot.” Rarity said, looking very pleased. “That’s pretty impressive Rare, but— “ “And don’t get me started on the constant competition with the other interns. It’s downright cruel what the other girls are willing to do for a smidgen of approval. There’s constant backstabbing, and for what? But I know better. My actions speak far better than the venomous words they spew amongst themselves.” “Sounds awful. Why don’t you— “ “And that reminds me, Coco here is a lifesaver in so many ways, providing morale support in such a bleak environment. The others pick on her for being a quiet girl, but I saw potential within her. If I hadn’t made her company, I would have quit and rightfully been depressed. Coco, I cherish you with every ounce of my heart and don’t you forget it.” The timid girl just smiled and nodded. Rainbow stood up. “Is there something the matter?” Rarity asked, concerned. “Oh, the smoke is making it hard to stay in here. I think I want to breathe in that fresh hallway air.” This was half true, of course. “Ah, of course dear, how rude of me not to think about your health! I’ll be done soon and hopefully we can fully catch up soon.” Oh gods no, she wanted to say. Rainbow kept her mouth shut and made her way into cleaner air, taking a deep breath. Now she remembered why the two of them never spent much time alone. Rainbow cares about her, but Rarity really can be a bit much if there’s no one else to mediate. Without the smoke to focus on, Dash realized that she was getting hungry. She hadn’t eaten a thing since the afternoon. Taking a quick look at her cell, it showed that it was nearly 11pm. There were also two texts from Fluttershy. The first one read: rainbow tell the girls that ill be a lil late The second one: Im on my way That one was sent nearly 20 minutes ago. Dash was growing concerned. Did Fluttershy know that there were this many people at the party? She never mentioned it the whole time they had the invites; was she going to be as devastated as her? Rainbow felt a dull pain in her stomach again, and resolved to at least get this one thing done tonight. The living room seemed even more crowded this time. Pinkie was around, making small talk with some strangers, but Rainbow didn’t feel like bothering her again. She ducked into the kitchen quickly, finally taking the time to notice the food that was on the counters. It all looked incredibly delicious, which makes sense given that Pinkie’s chef friends were invited. She settled on getting a handful of brownies, eating them quickly. There weren’t any places in the house that Rainbow hasn’t been to yet. She kinda wish there was an opportunity to talk to Twilight, but after that outburst she had with Sunset it’d be incredibly awkward. That left only one friend she hasn’t seen at the party. The doorbell rang as if to answer her question. There was literally only one person she knows is polite enough to ring the doorbell. “FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY!” Pinkie shouted in the next room. Rainbow busted through the door to greet her best friend, only to realize that she didn’t came alone. “Who’d you bring with you Fluttershy?” Pinkie asked. “Her name is Treehugger,” Rainbow answered catching up to them, “They’re roommates.” “Ooooooohh, nice to meet ‘cha Treehugger.” She said happily, giving the roomies a bear hug. “Hehe, nice to meet you too, and happy birthday dude.” The chill girl told her. “Pretty please let us down Pinkie, it’s getting hard to breathe.” Fluttershy implored of the party girl, graciously placed back on the ground. “Hey Dash, pretty neato party going on around here, huh?” Treehugger asked her, looking around the place. “I asked Tree here for a ride over, and I would’ve felt awful not repaying the favor, so I invited her in.” “Flutters is a real kind person, no ounce of corruption sensed here. I can feel some very strong vibes of frustration coming from this direction though?” She said, waving a palm past Rainbow’s direction, visibly frowning. Tree and Flutters. The two of them hit it off quickly right when the semester started, and they were on a nickname basis early on. Rainbow should’ve been happy that Fluttershy was making a real effort to be more social and meet people, but that bothered Dash. If Flutters could accomplish that on her own, then what’d that make her? Pathetic? “Dashie, have you been having fun?” The kind girl asked. “Of course I have! I-I mean, look at all these people. If it weren’t Pinkie’s birthday, I’d probably be the center right now.” She was putting a brave face now. “In fact, I’m going to go back at it and mingle it up some more.” “Oh? You don’t want to sit and talk?” Fluttershy said, concern growing on her face, “Maybe we could get everyone together for a bit?” “Pssh, why would I want that? It’s not like I’m desperate to catch up or anything! I already know all of you, while there’s so many new friends I could meet here.” “That’s the spirit!” Pinkie praised. “Y-yeah, that’s the point to the party, right?” she said, heat growing in her throat, “I’ll see you guys later, okay.” Fluttershy looked like she was going to say something, but Dash rushed up the stairs before anyone had a chance to protest. She ran into Limestone’s room, slamming the door behind her and reached for the nearest pillow to let her tears flow. Why was everything so wrong? Why did being an adult have to be so hard? Everything just felt bad; every time she felt happy seeing a friend it flickered away the moment reality hit. Her friends are different. They improved. And she’s being left behind because of this idea of her friends that’s never coming back. Rainbow was alone. Stuck. Lost. She lifted her head up, eyes puffy and red, and started making up a text: hey, can you pick me up? please? its an emergency, I don’t want to be here right now Rainbow was resigned to wait on the bed until it was time to leave. That is, until she heard something. It sounded like someone was vomiting, but it was close. Dash just realized that there was a bathroom attached to this room. Limestone must’ve really lucked out. She peaked into the tiny space. There was barely room in between the sink, toilet and shower stall, but the most important thing was a girl with light and navy blue hair in a ponytail, hugging the toilet for dear life. The siren must’ve been dazed to not notice someone else in the room with her. She didn’t expect it to be this easy. Don't Ever ForgetThis time, Rainbow reacted immediately, grabbing and pushing Sonata against the wall, pinning her shoulders to prevent any wriggling out. “What the hell are you doing here?” Dash started the interrogation with. “Oh gods, please have mercy! I don’t want to get hit by your rainbow lasers again!” The Siren shouted in genuine fear. Rainbow felt a pang of guilt, but still needed answers. “How did you get in?” “I jumped the fence! It was really super easy to not get noticed!” “But why? What is it that you’re even doing?” “I just got hungry!” “What?” “Nobody ever notices when one person sneaks in and just takes food, and I haven’t eaten all day, but I promise I’ll leave right now! You won’t ever see me again! I’ll… I’ll…” Rainbow realized what was about to happen, and hopped to the side. Sonata slumped back down to the toilet, tossing more cookies. Dash couldn’t do much more other than awkwardly wait until the nasty deed was done. She made the horrible mistake of taking a peek at the inside of the toilet. She wished it was easy to forget what she saw. It was very pink. Sonata eventually finished, slowly propping herself against the glass pane of the shower stall, sitting. She was looking visibly pale. Dash was starting to regret being so rough with her earlier. She sat down beside her. “So, you didn’t come her to do anything bad? No brainwashing or world domination type of shit?” “No, why would I even want to do that?” That was actually a good question. “I, uh, don’t know. I just kinda assumed. Sorry.” “It’s okay, nobody really assumes the best of me either.” There was silence between them. Rainbow was beginning to feel like an ass for thinking the worse of this poor girl. She took the time to actually notice how disheveled Sonata looked. Her hair was kinda frizzy, faint smudges on her clothes. She had the same shoes as she always did, and they looked incredibly worn out. This girl was not in good condition, and her body was starting to quiver. “Hey, uh, Sonata, are you going to be okay? What did you even eat?” “Well, it started with some hot dogs they had outside, then I ate the some okay-ish cake, then you found me, I got really scared and ran, but I was still hungry so I got some cookies, cupcakes and chips, but then I got thirsty, so I found some juice but it tasted kind of weird, but then my tummy started feeling awful, I came up here to vom, and then you found me.” Sonata ended with a smile at Rainbow Dash, happy to recollect the whole story. This girl was definitely something. “You clearly need to find a place to rest. Are your friends here too? I can call them if you want.” “No, they’re not here. They, um, haven’t been here in a long time…” “You’re alone?” “Just for now! I kinda lost them while we were running away back when you shot those magic missiles at us, but my sisters will remember to come back for me eventually! I’m the youngest sister! It’s only just been a couple years. And if I stay in the same place, then they’ll have an easier time finding me, right?” Rainbow stared at her in disbelief. She’s delusional. She’s expecting things to go back the way they were, even though they clearly never will. Why does that sound familiar? “Hey, I have a friend that’s coming to pick me up right now. Need a lift?” Dash asked. Sonata nodded her head. Rainbow got up and helped the siren back on her feet. She took off her own jean vest jacket and draped it over the sick girl as they walked out of the rooms. As soon as they neared the stairs, Rainbow ducked Sonata’s head under her arm as they went down. She didn’t want Pinkie or any of the others to notice and make a scene. Thankfully, no one she knew was in sight. Was it because they are all finally together in the same room? Was Applejack or Fluttershy looking for her at this moment to invite her to the reunion she imagined would happen? She didn’t care at this point. The duo made it clean through the front door and out into the crowd in the lawn. when she stood on her tip toes, lifting her head above the rabble, she noticed Gilda already parked on the curb. As soon as the rowdy girl saw Dash, she started honking the horn. “Get your ass over here! I’m half empty!” Rainbow pushed through the crowd carefully, making sure not to upset the sick girl. When they broke through, Gilda noticed who was in tow. “Who’s the drunk? You better not be having any funny ideas.” “Gods Gilda, it’s not something gross like that! She just needs a ride to her place. Do you mind?” “Nah, it’s cool, just toss her in the back.” Rainbow gently laid Sonata on the back seats making sure not to slam the door again. The moment she turned around, Twilight was standing behind her, arms behind her back. “Oh, Twilight, I was kinda on my way out.” Dash told her with guilt. “It’s okay, I sort of wish I could leave early too.” She said, rubbing the back of her neck. “So, you found her?” “Sonata? How’d you know about it.” “Sunset told me about the fight you two had, but I convinced her to calm down and believe in you. We were both looking for you to apologize about it.” “Tell Sunset not to worry, okay. Everything worked out in the end.” “There’s something else…” Twilight sighed and wringed her wrist. She was having a hard time forming the words. “I… I know exactly what you’re going through.” “What does that—? “ “Rainbow, I’ve been afraid too. I’m having a hard time accept the facts, and it’s that we’re barely going to see each other again after today. We’re not going to be friends in the same way again. We have to live our lives without the others. I’ve had anxiety attacks just thinking about it. Knowing that, in a way, things were ending.” Rainbow stood there, hanging her head. But Twilight wasn’t finished. “But we’re still friends. We’re still connected. It’s never truly over for us. Even if we all aren’t in the same space until we’re in our eighties, we’re still going to be friends. We’ve been through too much for that to not be true! I love Sunset, and I love every one of my friends in another sense, and that includes you Rainbow. We all love you, and I don’t want you to leave without knowing that.” Tears were already falling down both of their faces. Rainbow threw herself at Twilight in a hug, holding tightly. This was what she needed badly all night. To know that she mattered. “Rainbow?” “Yeah, Twilight?” “This girl is sort of giving me a look.” “Oh shit! Sorry! I almost forgot I gotta get going!” “Then go! I’ll tell the others that it was a personal emergency.” “Thanks Twilight, you honestly are the best.” “Don’t mention it. And hey, me and Sunset will be in town two weeks from now, so I’ll see you then.” Rainbow just smiled and nodded. She did however jump when another honk came out of nowhere. “Let’s go you damn slowpoke!” Gilda shouted. Dash went in for one more quick hug before waving goodbye to the science whiz. The three of them drove off while Twilight watched them go. “So, Rainbow Crash, where am I heading?” “Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. Hey Sonata, where do you live?” “mmm Primrose Avenue…” The sick girl mumbled. “That isn’t too far from here.” They rode in silence for the rest of the way, with the only thing to listen being some soft pop songs. Rainbow figured that Gilda was being forced to listen to these tunes as part of her therapy. When they arrived on the street, Rainbow gently stirred Sonata awake. “Hey, we’re here. Can you point us to which one is your house?” The siren groggily sat up, looking from side to side in the dark. Gilda made sure to drive slowly to give her enough time to look. “It’s that one right there.” They pulled up, but the two friends were confused. It seemed like an empty lot, with weeds and cinder blocks strewn about. They needed to squint to notice the tiny makeshift shack that was at the corner. “Fuck, that’s where she lives?” Gilda said in utter disbelief. “Yup. I had to build it myself. I sometimes hear the neighbors shout at me about ‘lowering property values’ or something dumb like that. I don’t really get it.” “I’m not gonna leave you in a place like that.” Rainbow stated. “Come on Gilda, let’s get going.” “W-wait! Then where am I going to sleep!?” Sonata yelled in her weak voice, slightly panicking. “Relax dude, you’re gonna stay in my dorm until we get you back on your feet. Nobody really gives a crap about dorm rules, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Rainbow answered. “You could’ve stayed at my place, but somebody placed the flour in the wrong cabinet and my old man flipped out. By the way, you owe me lunch for the next week, Dash.” Gilda said. “Hehe, yeah, a promise is a promise, even to a no-good jackass like you.” Rainbow said, giving a light punch of the shoulder to her friend. They all smiled and laughed, including Sonata. She realized how much happier she was right then and there. It was closure that she was feeling. Reaffirmation that, no matter how difficult things will get, she will never truly be alone. One thing was for certain. She’s wasn’t afraid anymore.
Gathering HopeIn the back of the Le Grande bakery, two young women walk into the work station of the building, the door being held open by a third. “You two better not make a mess at all, or my dad will flip his shit for letting you in here while he’s gone.” The third girl barked at them. She was wearing an apron with the stores logo on the front. Despite it, she still wore a brown jacket with tassels underneath it, illustrating her rebellious nature. “Gilda, you seriously need to chill out! Me and Fluttershy plan on cleaning up when we’re done. We promise.” The girl with colorful hair shouted back with. The baker only made the tiniest of scoffs before going back to the front of the store to resume her cleaning “She, uh, s-still makes me a little uncomfortable with her shouting.” Fluttershy expressed to her friend. “Don’t worry,” Rainbow Dash said, patting her shoulder. “Ever since she’s done anger management, Gilda’s pretty much all talk at this point.” “But couldn’t we bake this cake over at the Cake’s place? They’re less… loud.” “Pinkie will probably catch wind that we’re whipping up a cake for her birthday if we did that! You know how she is. At least here it’ll be a guaranteed surprise.” Rainbow told her, pouring the flour in. “I honestly can’t wait to see her face when we bring it!” “Me too,” Fluttershy answered with a smile. “And the rest of our friends will be there as well. We haven’t seen them in months since college started.” Rainbow merely nodded to her friend, just thinking about what she said. Only her and Fluttershy were going to the same school now. Twilight and Sunset both got accepted to some prestigious university the next state over, Rarity went to the big city to study fashion as an intern, and of course Pinkie is at a culinary institute. The nearest friend she had other than Fluttershy was Applejack, but even then, AJ has been busy working full time in the family business now that she became 18. Mindlessly stirring the mix, Rainbow couldn’t help but worry that the seven of them had been drifting apart ever since. “Rainbow? Rainbow?” Hearing Fluttershy’s concerned voice caused her forget about her worries for a moment. “Oh, sorry, what’s up?” “Wouldn’t it be better to use this?” Fluttershy said, holding up an egg beater. “Heh, that would be faster than using a spoon, huh?” Dash said, putting the bowl on the counter. Fluttershy just softly smiled better turning on the tool and getting to work. As scared as Rainbow Dash was about losing her friends, Fluttershy has been very helpful in keeping her together. Learning that they both got accepted to Cloudsdale University nearby filled her with a lot of happiness that day. For the next hour, the friends got around to talking about how each other’s classes have been going along, all the fellow students they’ve been meeting and how their roommates have been treating them. Rainbow boasted how the soccer team has been exceeding expectations this season, while Fluttershy told a daring story about having to inject medicine into the veins of a sedated bear for her veterinary course. With the ding of a timer going off, the girls took out the freshly baked cake, proceeding to decorate it to the best of their abilities. Rainbow made sure they liberally applied as much pink frosting as possible, putting the finishing touch on the top. The writing came out perfectly. Happy Birthday Pinkie Pie!! Two exclamation points seemed appropriate for a cake meant for the ultimate party girl. Now that they were done, Fluttershy checked her phone for the time. “Oh my, I barely have enough time to get myself ready. Dashie, do you mind if you be the one to take the cake to the party?” “Don’t sweat it, I’m pretty reliable when it comes down to it.” She answered with a smirk. Fluttershy giggled at the silliness. “I’ll get my roommate to take me to the party. See you there.” She said picking up her things before leaving the bakery for her dorm. “So, Dashie, why wasn’t I invited to that party?” Gilda said, drenching her nickname with bucket loads of sarcasm, making her way to sneak a peek at the cake. “Probably because you broke Sunset’s nose that one time.” She replied while wrapping up the cake in a box with a lace bow. “True, but that was before she stopped being an asshole and you two being friends. It was completely justified!” “You’re right, but she ain’t gonna see it that way, even if you begged.” “Whatever, I’ve just finished closing shop, and I’m ready to drop you off at their house. Come on.” Rainbow silently agreed, bringing the gift and riding shotgun in Gilda’s old ass car. It used to belong to her father, and the shape it’s in was abysmal by hand-me-down standards. They were just entering the neighborhood when Gilda spoke up. “You know, I could totally come in quick and snag some snacks. Sunny wouldn’t have to see me, and Pinkie sure as hell wouldn’t give a shit.” “This party is just supposed to be the seven of us hanging out and catching up, dude.” “You sure about that? Because I peeked at your invite and it kinda seemed kinda like---“ “Gilda, I’m honestly sorry you can’t come, but I need this. I think we need this. We all haven’t been in the same room for months.” “Well alright. Just… be careful, ‘kay?” If Rainbow didn’t know Gilda since childhood, she could’ve swore she actually gave a concerned look right there. “Sure, I will be. I’m pretty tough y’know.” She said while playfully punching Gilda’s shoulder. “By the way, Fluttershy cleaned up before she left, so you should be fine with your dad.” “Yeah, well, my old man has eyes like a goddamn hawk, so if he finds something, and he will, you owe me.” “Pssh, whatever.” Although everyone was in the midst of a semester, Pinkie and the rest were able to tear themselves away from school to all come together and throw her party at their hometown. Approaching the house, Dash noticed all the cars parked on the roadside, with loud pop music playing clear into the night. Huh, I guess another party must be going on. Once she reached Pinkie’s house, she realized how naïve that thought was. The house was filled with people. Way more than six.
Just an Afterthought“Rainbow? Talk to me girl.” Gilda said to her dumbstruck friend. “Oh? Uh, yeah, this is the spot, thanks for the ride, dude.” Rainbow told her, snapping out of it. She opened the passenger door and was just about to get out when she felt a hand place gently on her shoulder. “Seriously, are you going to be okay?’ “O-of course I am! I gotta go and meet the girls, thanks for the ride.” She didn’t mean to slam the door, but she couldn’t help herself either. As her friend drove away, Rainbow started wading through the crowd just to get to the front door. There seemed to be about 15 or 20 people on the front lawn alone, and she was dreading to see how crowded it will be once she’s inside. Just looking around, Dash barely recognized anyone nearby. Two of them seemed to be from high school, but she never learned their names. Where the hell did everyone else come from? Reaching the door, she could already feel the vibrations from the music pulsating throughout the house. Pinkie must’ve invited that DJ girl they used to see around. What was her name again? Rainbow didn’t bother knocking or ringing the bell, letting herself in. Inside was just as full with randos as she feared. Everywhere she looked there were people talking, laughing, cracking jokes, hitting on each and playing drinking games. Actually, how was there alcohol here? “RAINBOW DAAAAAASSSHH!!” shouted a vibrant, bubbly girl, cutting through all the noise. She didn’t have any time to look for where the shout came from, because in an instant she was held up in a great big hug from behind. “Whoa-ho, you can let me down now birthday girl!” Pinkie dropped her friend back on solid earth, with Rainbow gingerly keeping the cake box level in her arms. “It’s been so long! I’m so so so happy to see you again! Pinkie exclaimed in her excitement. “I’m happy too Pinkie, and me and Fluttershy worked on your gift together. It’s a— “ “Omigosh, did I miss Fluttershy!?” Pinkie said, rapidly scanning the room. “She wanted to get ready before coming over, she’ll probably get here in a little bit. Anyways, in this box is a cake that we worked on together.” The box lifted open. “Awww, it says Happ Birthd Pinki” Pinkie said with a genuine smile. “Wait, what?” Rainbow looked down on the cake to see that a third of it was smooshed in, messing up the icing. It must’ve happened during the hug! “Aw crap, I’m sorry Pinkie. It wasn’t supposed to end up like this…” “Dash, you don’t have to apologize, it doesn’t matter what it looks like, it’s still gonna be tasty in the end!” “Y-yeah, that’s right.” She said, trying to force herself to smile back. “I don’t even know why I’m so worried, in fact, I had this crazy idea that we’re all drifti-- “ “Darling!” Pinkie yelled “Huh?” “Darling Sweet! From my class! She’s waving at me, I think she needs my help. I gotta go Rainbow, you can put the cake on the kitchen table bye!” The energetic girl sped her way to who knows where, leaving Rainbow on her own in a sea of strangers. She took another look around, but couldn’t see any other friends. Feeling defeated, she made her way to the kitchen. Inside, she was shock to notice that on the table there were three incredibly large cakes taking up most of the space. Each of them having five layers, the cakes being solidly colored in pink, yellow and blue frosting respectively. The cakes each had one word on them. Happy. Birthday. Pinkie. Looking back down on the cake they made, it just seemed so… mediocre. What was she gonna do at this point? Rainbow found the corner with the most room and wedged her tiny cake in without messing with the others. She let out a great big sigh and leaning her back on the counter top, thought about how stupid she felt. Dash forced herself out of it though, after all, she’s in a middle of a party! Her friend’s birthday party nonetheless! She left the kitchen, trying to remember the direction she saw the birthday girl run into. The hallway she entered was incredibly claustrophobic, leaving barely enough room for one person to squeeze their way through since there were so many party goers just chatting it up. After peeking on all the first-floor rooms in vain, Rainbow decided to check out the basement. For all she knew, Pinkie was fixing a plumbing issue. It sounded random enough. The basement stairs were as creaky as they always been, and from the top it looked like the room was empty. The TV seemed to be on and playing something though, so she went all the way in just to make sure. “Rainbow Dash?” She swiftly looked to the side to see that Twilight and Sunset were on the couch together. “O-oh! Hey you two!” Rainbow said with happiness. “How are ya?” “We’re fine?” Twilight said, tilting her head slightly. “So, uh, watching a movie here?” “Yeah, Twilight here still isn’t too keen with crowds,” Sunset explained,” So we asked Pinkie if we can hang out here until they’re ready to cut the cake.” “Sorry Sunset…” Twilight half mumbled. “Twily, you seriously need to stop saying you’re sorry when you didn’t do anything. I’m with you because I care.” Rainbow noticed how close they were cuddling together, realizing she may have interrupted something between the couple. She knew enough to know when not to linger. “Before I leave you two lovebirds alone— “ “Rainbow!” Twilight shouted, clearly a little embarrassed. “I’m only teasing, but anyways, have you seen the others?” “Rarity should be around the house somewhere, and Applejack left to run an errand, but said she’ll be back in a few.” Sunset answered. “Cool, and uh, I’m happy to see you guys again.” “We’re happy to see you too.” Twilight said with a smile. Rainbow thought it was cute that they already started using ‘we’ together. She waved them bye before climbing the stairs to the backyard door, seeing an even bigger crowd gathered around. In the corner of the yard, that DJ girl was playing her tracks, and the party goers were loving it, moving to the beat. After a quick scan, it seemed like Rarity wasn’t in this crowd. It would’ve been obvious if she were. Rarity loved to find ways to stand out in a crowd. Rainbow just gave up, taking a break on a lawn chair. Nothing was going the way she imagined it would, and it was wearing on her. It was then that she remembered something that Gilda mentioned on the way over. She slipped out the invitation that she kept in her back pocket. You’re Super Duper Invited to the Party of the Century (so far) The Perfectly Precious Pinkie Pie is turning 19! BYOF! Rainbow thought that last word was just Pinkie being random like she always has, until she squinted hard onto the letter under the dim outdoor lights. There was fine print. (Bring Your Own Friends!) She just hung her head in utter embarrassment.
Inconvenient IntruderRainbow stayed on that lawn chair for a good long while. She needed a place to just think. Think about why all this is bothering her so much. Seeing all these smiling faces made her wonder why she isn’t as happy as them right now. All her friends assured each other that they’ll stay best friends even though they all went their own ways; that distance won’t ever diminish the bonds they had. So why does it feel like things are still distant? And why does she feel so… empty? Dash got back up and took another look at her surroundings, desperate for a familiar face, even from an acquaintance. Some of them she recognized, but didn’t know well enough to just randomly go up and start a conversation. There was Sassy Saddles, Namby Pamby, even Bon Bon and Lyra, inseparable as they’ve ever been. Rainbow wouldn’t have been surprised if Pinkie invited everyone from every school they attended. Heck, even Sonata Dusk is here, and she hasn’t been seen since… Fear overtook her, forcing her into action, pushing through the crowd to catch up to this girl. The Sirens haven’t been seen for over two years! Sunset even checked the news every day for months and months to make sure they weren’t gonna cause any more trouble. The seven of them just assumed that the sirens found their way back to their own world. It was no good. By the time she arrived where the girl was last, Sonata was nowhere to be found. Rainbow tapped the shoulder of the nearest guy for a clue. “Hey dude, have you seen a girl with light and navy blue hair? With a ponytail?” “Rainbow? Rainbow Dash? It’s me! Charging Roar!” the man excitedly said. “Yeah okay, but this girl, she has violet eyes. Have you seen her?” “Naw, but I haven’t seen you since we had that Home Economics toge— “ Rainbow just shoved him out of the way, realizing that things weren’t going anywhere. If the siren wasn’t outside, then the kitchen was the next place to search. She practically burst in, her eyes rapidly searching every nook and cranny. There was nothing, save for Sunset collecting a plate full of snacks. “Hey Dash, Twilight was getting hungry, and y’know.” “That’s cool and all, but I got some bad news. The Sirens are back.” Sunset was about to pick up a hot dog, but she stopped midway, slowly turning her head to the athlete. “Say again?” “I just saw Sonata outside but I lost her. Her friends or sisters or whatever have to be somewhere nearby too, so we gotta get the girls together and stop them!” Shimmer was thinking heavily about what she said. “Rainbow, did you really see this, or was this something you wish you saw?” “What? How… how could you say that?” “I’m not saying you’re making something up, but maybe you’re subconsciously creating a conflict to bring us together again. Fluttershy has been telling me how she’s the only person you’ve bothered talking to in school. You don’t even talk to your own roommate.” “Hey! That has fuck all to do with whether we’re in danger or not!” “Okay, just calm down. If I see anything suspicious, you know I’m going to act on it, but for now my girlfriend needs me.” “Yeah, sure.” Dash said, dejectedly. “Just… don’t do anything rash. You don’t have to do anything alone, okay?” Sunset got the last of the food before leaving for the basement again. “It sure as hell feels like I’m alone.” Rainbow muttered under her breath. The only feeling she felt was pure and utter frustration. If only there was something she could kick or throw to vent it. Instead, she just did some quick breathing before calming down. Rainbow knew for a fact that she saw Sonata. This person had to still be in this house and she was gonna prove her friend wrong. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she noticed something. The cake was gone. The larger cakes were still intact, but the one she and Fluttershy worked on was missing. “I’m back errybody!” Someone yelled from the living room, perking Rainbow’s ear. Opening the door, she witnessed the cowgirl lugging cases full of apple cider, along with some other men, all of whom were wearing some form of denim on their body. AJ set the cases by a nearby table, noticing who was across the room. “Well if my eyes ain’t deceivin’ me. Rainbow Dash!” She said, cracking a smile. Rainbow couldn’t help but forget her troubles, going up to hug her friend. “Still kicking ‘em soccer balls around in zero point games?” “Yup. Still toiling in the hot sun for meager pay and no benefits?” “Damn straight.” They both tried to look as serious as possible, but couldn’t keep it up and ended up in a laughing fit. “Man, I miss doing this with you.” Rainbow let out amid chuckles. “Back atcha’. Sorry I haven’t been seein’ ya since summer. The family business is, well, busy.” “It’s all cool, what’d you bring?” “Me and a couple of the part-timers from the farm just got done bringing in these from the refinery.” AJ said, handing Rainbow a bottle. At first it looked like the ones she normally drank, save for a small label at the side. Alcoholic. “O-oh, I didn’t know you could take these.” “Well, technically I’m not, but I convinced Big Mac to cover for me about it bein’ one of them ‘clerical errors’. All I gotta do is his chores for a week, which is a pretty dang good deal.” “You’re lying?” she said, concerned. “It’s just a small fib, and I’m doing it for all these people’s benefit. Me and the boys are gonna start handing these out, I’ll talk to you in a bit sugercube.” Applejack lifted the crates, shouting “All right errybody, come an’ get ‘em!” The party goers started to cheer, lining up to get their own bottle of cider. Rainbow didn’t want to get involved, stepping aside and placing the bottle that was handed to her on the table. She didn’t felt right, and headed upstairs. There were still people up here, but few enough where it didn’t feel crowded. She went into the first room she could find, which was thankfully empty, and plopped herself onto the bed. That was a mistake. The bed was stiff as hell, hurting her shoulder when she dropped on it. “What the hell.” Rainbow looked around, noticing how monotone and barren the room was. This had to be Maud’s. It wouldn’t be surprising if there were pebbles inside the mattress. The music was dampened here at least, so she decided to rest here a bit and clear her mind. She didn’t want to dwell on what Sunset told her, but it kept invading her mind. Dash was so certain that she saw that siren, but what if it didn’t happen? Was she becoming desperate? She didn’t expect her friend to be so blunt about it, even if it was right. Dash hasn’t exactly tried to meet new people, because she already has friends. Now, that internal argument wasn’t holding up. Her train of thought was interrupted when she heard a strange sound inside the room. It sounded like it was coming from the closet. She got up, pulling open the door. Smack dab in the middle of the closet was Sonata Dusk, sitting on the floor, eating the cake she brought to the party with a plastic fork. It was nearly gone! Sonata looked up at Rainbow with utter fear in her eyes. “oh shit.”
Is The Gang Really Here?She didn’t expect it to be this easy. Sonata was just right in front of her, and if Rainbow can catch her, she can totally rub it in Sunset’s face. “You’re coming with--!” was all she let out. Sonata flung the box right at her face, immediately scrambling and pushing past Rainbow on all fours. Dash couldn’t react, forced to wipe away the leftover cake and icing off her face. She grabbed the nearest blanket to clean up, and it became obvious. The siren was long gone. Rainbow leapt into the hallway, but there was no luck. Rainbow checked up on all the rooms on the second floor, going into Pinkie’s parents room, then Marble’s, followed by Limestone’s. It wasn’t surprising that room was empty given all the borderline frightening heavy metal posters on the wall. That just left Pinkie’s very own room. She creaked open the door. “Rainbow? Is that you darling?” Said a very refined accent. She knew who that voice was coming from, but she couldn’t see through the smoke. “Coco, can you be a dear and open the window a little wider please?” “Y-yes ma’am.” A timid voiced answered back. The smoke slowly dissipated, revealing Rarity sitting on the bed, along with half a dozen people smoking cigarettes. Well, except for a spindly blue haired girl with a bob. “Dashie, dearie, please take a seat next to me. You must tell me how your life is going.” Rarity said patting the side of the bed. “Okay?” Rainbow said, kind of taken aback by how… mature Rarity sounded. Not even just sound, she even looked like an adult with her dress, cig in hand and ruby colored lipstick. This girl was supposed to be the same age as her! “Oh! Where are my manners, I almost forgot to introduce you two. Rainbow, meet Coco Pommel, my partner at the internship. Coco, this is my friend from high school, Rainbow Dash.” “It’s very n-nice to meet you.” The timid girl said, giving a cute little wave. “Uh, hey.” It’s almost scary how similar this chick was to how Fluttershy used to be. “So, smoking.” “This? An awful habit I picked up in the studio, but it helps to calm the nerves with all the deadlines we must deal with. The designers run us ragged doing the menial tasks they couldn’t be bothered to deal with. I tell you, it’s simply madness to expect a mink sweater to be done in a single day, but I always find a way, and I even have the time to put a personal touch on it to boot.” Rarity said, looking very pleased. “That’s pretty impressive Rare, but— “ “And don’t get me started on the constant competition with the other interns. It’s downright cruel what the other girls are willing to do for a smidgen of approval. There’s constant backstabbing, and for what? But I know better. My actions speak far better than the venomous words they spew amongst themselves.” “Sounds awful. Why don’t you— “ “And that reminds me, Coco here is a lifesaver in so many ways, providing morale support in such a bleak environment. The others pick on her for being a quiet girl, but I saw potential within her. If I hadn’t made her company, I would have quit and rightfully been depressed. Coco, I cherish you with every ounce of my heart and don’t you forget it.” The timid girl just smiled and nodded. Rainbow stood up. “Is there something the matter?” Rarity asked, concerned. “Oh, the smoke is making it hard to stay in here. I think I want to breathe in that fresh hallway air.” This was half true, of course. “Ah, of course dear, how rude of me not to think about your health! I’ll be done soon and hopefully we can fully catch up soon.” Oh gods no, she wanted to say. Rainbow kept her mouth shut and made her way into cleaner air, taking a deep breath. Now she remembered why the two of them never spent much time alone. Rainbow cares about her, but Rarity really can be a bit much if there’s no one else to mediate. Without the smoke to focus on, Dash realized that she was getting hungry. She hadn’t eaten a thing since the afternoon. Taking a quick look at her cell, it showed that it was nearly 11pm. There were also two texts from Fluttershy. The first one read: rainbow tell the girls that ill be a lil late The second one: Im on my way That one was sent nearly 20 minutes ago. Dash was growing concerned. Did Fluttershy know that there were this many people at the party? She never mentioned it the whole time they had the invites; was she going to be as devastated as her? Rainbow felt a dull pain in her stomach again, and resolved to at least get this one thing done tonight. The living room seemed even more crowded this time. Pinkie was around, making small talk with some strangers, but Rainbow didn’t feel like bothering her again. She ducked into the kitchen quickly, finally taking the time to notice the food that was on the counters. It all looked incredibly delicious, which makes sense given that Pinkie’s chef friends were invited. She settled on getting a handful of brownies, eating them quickly. There weren’t any places in the house that Rainbow hasn’t been to yet. She kinda wish there was an opportunity to talk to Twilight, but after that outburst she had with Sunset it’d be incredibly awkward. That left only one friend she hasn’t seen at the party. The doorbell rang as if to answer her question. There was literally only one person she knows is polite enough to ring the doorbell. “FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY!” Pinkie shouted in the next room. Rainbow busted through the door to greet her best friend, only to realize that she didn’t came alone. “Who’d you bring with you Fluttershy?” Pinkie asked. “Her name is Treehugger,” Rainbow answered catching up to them, “They’re roommates.” “Ooooooohh, nice to meet ‘cha Treehugger.” She said happily, giving the roomies a bear hug. “Hehe, nice to meet you too, and happy birthday dude.” The chill girl told her. “Pretty please let us down Pinkie, it’s getting hard to breathe.” Fluttershy implored of the party girl, graciously placed back on the ground. “Hey Dash, pretty neato party going on around here, huh?” Treehugger asked her, looking around the place. “I asked Tree here for a ride over, and I would’ve felt awful not repaying the favor, so I invited her in.” “Flutters is a real kind person, no ounce of corruption sensed here. I can feel some very strong vibes of frustration coming from this direction though?” She said, waving a palm past Rainbow’s direction, visibly frowning. Tree and Flutters. The two of them hit it off quickly right when the semester started, and they were on a nickname basis early on. Rainbow should’ve been happy that Fluttershy was making a real effort to be more social and meet people, but that bothered Dash. If Flutters could accomplish that on her own, then what’d that make her? Pathetic? “Dashie, have you been having fun?” The kind girl asked. “Of course I have! I-I mean, look at all these people. If it weren’t Pinkie’s birthday, I’d probably be the center right now.” She was putting a brave face now. “In fact, I’m going to go back at it and mingle it up some more.” “Oh? You don’t want to sit and talk?” Fluttershy said, concern growing on her face, “Maybe we could get everyone together for a bit?” “Pssh, why would I want that? It’s not like I’m desperate to catch up or anything! I already know all of you, while there’s so many new friends I could meet here.” “That’s the spirit!” Pinkie praised. “Y-yeah, that’s the point to the party, right?” she said, heat growing in her throat, “I’ll see you guys later, okay.” Fluttershy looked like she was going to say something, but Dash rushed up the stairs before anyone had a chance to protest. She ran into Limestone’s room, slamming the door behind her and reached for the nearest pillow to let her tears flow. Why was everything so wrong? Why did being an adult have to be so hard? Everything just felt bad; every time she felt happy seeing a friend it flickered away the moment reality hit. Her friends are different. They improved. And she’s being left behind because of this idea of her friends that’s never coming back. Rainbow was alone. Stuck. Lost. She lifted her head up, eyes puffy and red, and started making up a text: hey, can you pick me up? please? its an emergency, I don’t want to be here right now Rainbow was resigned to wait on the bed until it was time to leave. That is, until she heard something. It sounded like someone was vomiting, but it was close. Dash just realized that there was a bathroom attached to this room. Limestone must’ve really lucked out. She peaked into the tiny space. There was barely room in between the sink, toilet and shower stall, but the most important thing was a girl with light and navy blue hair in a ponytail, hugging the toilet for dear life. The siren must’ve been dazed to not notice someone else in the room with her. She didn’t expect it to be this easy.
Don't Ever ForgetThis time, Rainbow reacted immediately, grabbing and pushing Sonata against the wall, pinning her shoulders to prevent any wriggling out. “What the hell are you doing here?” Dash started the interrogation with. “Oh gods, please have mercy! I don’t want to get hit by your rainbow lasers again!” The Siren shouted in genuine fear. Rainbow felt a pang of guilt, but still needed answers. “How did you get in?” “I jumped the fence! It was really super easy to not get noticed!” “But why? What is it that you’re even doing?” “I just got hungry!” “What?” “Nobody ever notices when one person sneaks in and just takes food, and I haven’t eaten all day, but I promise I’ll leave right now! You won’t ever see me again! I’ll… I’ll…” Rainbow realized what was about to happen, and hopped to the side. Sonata slumped back down to the toilet, tossing more cookies. Dash couldn’t do much more other than awkwardly wait until the nasty deed was done. She made the horrible mistake of taking a peek at the inside of the toilet. She wished it was easy to forget what she saw. It was very pink. Sonata eventually finished, slowly propping herself against the glass pane of the shower stall, sitting. She was looking visibly pale. Dash was starting to regret being so rough with her earlier. She sat down beside her. “So, you didn’t come her to do anything bad? No brainwashing or world domination type of shit?” “No, why would I even want to do that?” That was actually a good question. “I, uh, don’t know. I just kinda assumed. Sorry.” “It’s okay, nobody really assumes the best of me either.” There was silence between them. Rainbow was beginning to feel like an ass for thinking the worse of this poor girl. She took the time to actually notice how disheveled Sonata looked. Her hair was kinda frizzy, faint smudges on her clothes. She had the same shoes as she always did, and they looked incredibly worn out. This girl was not in good condition, and her body was starting to quiver. “Hey, uh, Sonata, are you going to be okay? What did you even eat?” “Well, it started with some hot dogs they had outside, then I ate the some okay-ish cake, then you found me, I got really scared and ran, but I was still hungry so I got some cookies, cupcakes and chips, but then I got thirsty, so I found some juice but it tasted kind of weird, but then my tummy started feeling awful, I came up here to vom, and then you found me.” Sonata ended with a smile at Rainbow Dash, happy to recollect the whole story. This girl was definitely something. “You clearly need to find a place to rest. Are your friends here too? I can call them if you want.” “No, they’re not here. They, um, haven’t been here in a long time…” “You’re alone?” “Just for now! I kinda lost them while we were running away back when you shot those magic missiles at us, but my sisters will remember to come back for me eventually! I’m the youngest sister! It’s only just been a couple years. And if I stay in the same place, then they’ll have an easier time finding me, right?” Rainbow stared at her in disbelief. She’s delusional. She’s expecting things to go back the way they were, even though they clearly never will. Why does that sound familiar? “Hey, I have a friend that’s coming to pick me up right now. Need a lift?” Dash asked. Sonata nodded her head. Rainbow got up and helped the siren back on her feet. She took off her own jean vest jacket and draped it over the sick girl as they walked out of the rooms. As soon as they neared the stairs, Rainbow ducked Sonata’s head under her arm as they went down. She didn’t want Pinkie or any of the others to notice and make a scene. Thankfully, no one she knew was in sight. Was it because they are all finally together in the same room? Was Applejack or Fluttershy looking for her at this moment to invite her to the reunion she imagined would happen? She didn’t care at this point. The duo made it clean through the front door and out into the crowd in the lawn. when she stood on her tip toes, lifting her head above the rabble, she noticed Gilda already parked on the curb. As soon as the rowdy girl saw Dash, she started honking the horn. “Get your ass over here! I’m half empty!” Rainbow pushed through the crowd carefully, making sure not to upset the sick girl. When they broke through, Gilda noticed who was in tow. “Who’s the drunk? You better not be having any funny ideas.” “Gods Gilda, it’s not something gross like that! She just needs a ride to her place. Do you mind?” “Nah, it’s cool, just toss her in the back.” Rainbow gently laid Sonata on the back seats making sure not to slam the door again. The moment she turned around, Twilight was standing behind her, arms behind her back. “Oh, Twilight, I was kinda on my way out.” Dash told her with guilt. “It’s okay, I sort of wish I could leave early too.” She said, rubbing the back of her neck. “So, you found her?” “Sonata? How’d you know about it.” “Sunset told me about the fight you two had, but I convinced her to calm down and believe in you. We were both looking for you to apologize about it.” “Tell Sunset not to worry, okay. Everything worked out in the end.” “There’s something else…” Twilight sighed and wringed her wrist. She was having a hard time forming the words. “I… I know exactly what you’re going through.” “What does that—? “ “Rainbow, I’ve been afraid too. I’m having a hard time accept the facts, and it’s that we’re barely going to see each other again after today. We’re not going to be friends in the same way again. We have to live our lives without the others. I’ve had anxiety attacks just thinking about it. Knowing that, in a way, things were ending.” Rainbow stood there, hanging her head. But Twilight wasn’t finished. “But we’re still friends. We’re still connected. It’s never truly over for us. Even if we all aren’t in the same space until we’re in our eighties, we’re still going to be friends. We’ve been through too much for that to not be true! I love Sunset, and I love every one of my friends in another sense, and that includes you Rainbow. We all love you, and I don’t want you to leave without knowing that.” Tears were already falling down both of their faces. Rainbow threw herself at Twilight in a hug, holding tightly. This was what she needed badly all night. To know that she mattered. “Rainbow?” “Yeah, Twilight?” “This girl is sort of giving me a look.” “Oh shit! Sorry! I almost forgot I gotta get going!” “Then go! I’ll tell the others that it was a personal emergency.” “Thanks Twilight, you honestly are the best.” “Don’t mention it. And hey, me and Sunset will be in town two weeks from now, so I’ll see you then.” Rainbow just smiled and nodded. She did however jump when another honk came out of nowhere. “Let’s go you damn slowpoke!” Gilda shouted. Dash went in for one more quick hug before waving goodbye to the science whiz. The three of them drove off while Twilight watched them go. “So, Rainbow Crash, where am I heading?” “Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. Hey Sonata, where do you live?” “mmm Primrose Avenue…” The sick girl mumbled. “That isn’t too far from here.” They rode in silence for the rest of the way, with the only thing to listen being some soft pop songs. Rainbow figured that Gilda was being forced to listen to these tunes as part of her therapy. When they arrived on the street, Rainbow gently stirred Sonata awake. “Hey, we’re here. Can you point us to which one is your house?” The siren groggily sat up, looking from side to side in the dark. Gilda made sure to drive slowly to give her enough time to look. “It’s that one right there.” They pulled up, but the two friends were confused. It seemed like an empty lot, with weeds and cinder blocks strewn about. They needed to squint to notice the tiny makeshift shack that was at the corner. “Fuck, that’s where she lives?” Gilda said in utter disbelief. “Yup. I had to build it myself. I sometimes hear the neighbors shout at me about ‘lowering property values’ or something dumb like that. I don’t really get it.” “I’m not gonna leave you in a place like that.” Rainbow stated. “Come on Gilda, let’s get going.” “W-wait! Then where am I going to sleep!?” Sonata yelled in her weak voice, slightly panicking. “Relax dude, you’re gonna stay in my dorm until we get you back on your feet. Nobody really gives a crap about dorm rules, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Rainbow answered. “You could’ve stayed at my place, but somebody placed the flour in the wrong cabinet and my old man flipped out. By the way, you owe me lunch for the next week, Dash.” Gilda said. “Hehe, yeah, a promise is a promise, even to a no-good jackass like you.” Rainbow said, giving a light punch of the shoulder to her friend. They all smiled and laughed, including Sonata. She realized how much happier she was right then and there. It was closure that she was feeling. Reaffirmation that, no matter how difficult things will get, she will never truly be alone. One thing was for certain. She’s wasn’t afraid anymore.
