Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

Special thanks to my proofreaders/editors: chasethebrony and Rainbowsoldier94

ABOUT TO CRASH (REPRISE) [part III]

Zecora told us about a place, a place far beyond Ponyville where the Zebra tribes make their home. We had to travel as soon as we could, but it wouldn't be too effective for all of us to go.

Twilight instructed us to tell to the Cake's the news, that Twilight, Zecora and the princesses would be traveling to find Pinkie. I wanted to be able to assure them that Strawberry Pie's mother would surely come back home but it was useless. I had to admit to myself that the future was uncertain.

I couldn't understand why Pinkie left everyone all of a sudden. Maybe she could have talked to someone that she needed help and not leave and let everyone to mourn her disappearance and fear for the worst for her.

Well, we don't know how it is until we experience it, right?

The trip to the San Palomino Desert(*) was silent, the hope in those ponies hearts was feeble but not nonexistent. They decided to travel using the royal carriage so they would have a better view of where the tribe was located. Since there was no other way of transportation except going on hoof it would save a good time to fly.

At last they saw in the distance their destination. Twilight glanced at her mentor, Celestia seemed to have understood the message that her student wished to pass with that look and said, "Have faith Twilight, have faith."

Twilight was surprised by how her teacher could understand her so well. She smiled back and no other word was needed at that moment.

They finally landed on the arid soil; the scenery was quite mysterious to somepony that never traveled to such place. Twilight noticed several sand hills here and there hiding the horizon from her eyes. It was hot there but the strong wind helped cool her body. The sound of the wind running through those same hills was quite hypnotizing to the lavender mare.

She was getting lost in her thoughts when Princess Luna placed her hoof on Twilight's shoulder.

She noticed that there was a couple of zebras right in front of them, talking to each other probably wondering why Celestia and Luna were there. One of the zebras came ahead and bowed, followed by the other Zebras that did the same gesture.

The zebra that took a step ahead, one with special adornments on her head signaling her superiority in the tribe, spoke with a strong accent, "Princesses of the sun and moon, what occasion brings thou to our simple tribe?"

"Greetings chief Helder Son(**) we heard that an earth pony by the name of Pinkie Pie is here in your tribe, is that true?

"Actually, yes Zecora recommended us to help her with her, umm, problem might I say."

Twilight didn’t notice until now that Zecora wasn't exactly with them. She looked around and spotted her, chatting with another group of zebras in a language she couldn't recognize. Maybe this was the tribe from where she came from, since she seemed to be really known here. She paid no further mind to it as she kept listening.

"You see, Pinkie seemed really disturbed about what happened to her. I assure you your highness that we helped her spirit find some peace."

"I understand. Where is she now?"

"Well she's sleeping inside the tent right now. Would you like something to drink? She may be wake anytime soon."

"I think that wouldn't be a problem, we don't want to bother her anyways."

Hearing those words, Twilight never felt such relief, her friend was there AND doing fine. It was almost tempting to go in there herself and wake up Pinkie so she could talk to her friend once again but she wouldn't dare making such an act.

She accompanied the princess inside one of the tents where they sat on a rather rustic kind of tapestry, but it was better than sitting in the sand so she didn't make any further thought of it.

"Would you all like some chamomile tea?"  Helder Son asked

"Sure, I think everypony here would like it." Princess Celestia answered.

The zebra served each of them a cup of tea. She served one to herself and sat amongst the other ponies making a circle formation.

"So, about your friend..." Helder Son began as she adjusted herself in a more comfortable position, "Zecora surely done well to recommend her to us, but I just wish she had not left her family like that."

"Well so you knew what she did when she got here?" Twilight interrupted.

"Of course, but that wasn't something to be discussed at the time. Your friend was suffering more than you could imagine." The zebra answered seemed undisturbed with the lavender unicorn’s interruption.

"Well I think there's no need to discuss this, right? Please Helder Son could you tell us about what happened?" Celestia asked.

"Sure, I actually need to tell you so you all can understand her pain. You see, Pinkie told us her story when she arrived here, somehow she traveled on hoof to get here; that day I felt how determined your friend is." She got up as she continued talking, "She came here in the right time. She told us that she didn't want to bother her friends with her problems due to some... err might I say 'events' that happened to your group of friends. She told us her story about her husband and how she left her home to try to find some peace to carry on her life... please forgive her for what she did, it was for a greater good. She needed this time to think."

"I understand..." Twilight said.

"And something that intrigued me a lot is that she actually said that her friends would come looking for her and that it wouldn't take too long for them to find her here, and she was right after all."

"Ah... Pinkie knows of certain things that we'll never understand." Twilight added.

"We would like to thank thee for such good attitudes towards our subject." Luna said.

Celestia glanced at her sister as if she had taken the words from her mouth as she decided to add, "Yes, we would like to thank you for being of great help to one of the saviors of Equestria as well."

"I only did what was right. I assure you that if she comes across any other kind of problem, she will know how to better deal with it from now on. She is pretty active but she understood my lessons on how to meditate and on how to analyze your problems in various perspectives. In the end, she discovered by herself how to take care of any negative thoughts that could come to disturb her sleep."

"Is there anything we could do to return the favor?" Celestia asked.

"That won’t be necessary. She helped us quite a bit here in the tribe so I don't want to put any burden on you; it surely wasn't a problem helping a pony in need."

"Very well then, I think we shall go now, after all, a lot of ponies are expecting her to come back,

I don't want to keep them more anxious than they already are." Celestia stated.

"Sure, I think you should wake her up then, she can have a heavy sleep sometimes, I thought she would wake up soon but well, do what you all have to do and if there are ponies waiting for her, why delay it any linger then right?"

"Indeed." Luna said as she got up followed by her sister and Twilight.

They went to the tent where Pinkie was sleeping. Twilight was the first to enter; after all that she had been through, all that she wanted to see was her friend and there she was despite all her worries nothing bad actually happened to Pinkie at all.

"Pinkie..." Twilight whispered softly while putting her hoof softly onto the pink pony’s shoulder.

"Hmm?" She answered and yawned, still with closed eyes.

"Hey Pinkie..." Twilight insisted.

The pink mare opened her eyes, "T-Twilight?" Pinkie quickly threw her forelegs around Twilight in a tight embrace, "Ooohh Twilight I knew you would come for meeee!"

"Okay Pinkie, j-just let me breathe f-for a while." Twilight said between gasps.

Pinkie noticed how tight she was holding her and eased her grasp.

"Oh much better, hehe." Twilight now returned the hug, holding each other for what seemed like an eternity, "Oh Pinkie there's so much that I need to tell you."

Pinkie giggled softly and said, "Oh I know Twily. We surely have a lot to catch up on. I just want to say that I'm sorry for leaving you all but, I just... didn't want to be a nuisance for you all and well look how good you are now."

"I understand you Pinkie, it's all good now. We're all doing fine. I managed to get better as well as you can see; everything turns out good in the end, right?"

"Well said Twilight." Princess Celestia said as she entered the tent followed by her sister, "So, time to get back home I suppose?"

"Suuure thing!" Pinkie said getting up.

They all got in the carriage after Pinkie said her goodbyes to the habitants of the tribe; they all waved them goodbye as they flew in the carriage back to Ponyville.

Twilight finally found her peace at that moment. A tear formed in her eye, but this time a tear of

joy.

(*) San Palomino Desert can be seen in this map I suppose that would be the land "far away" that Zecora talks about.

(**) Helder Son means "bright sun" in Afrikaner.