The beautiful springtime morning shone with hope and happiness as Pinkie Pie bounced through the streets of Ponyville, the pink mare humming to herself in complete joy. Her first task of the day was to check up on some errands she had organised before completing her finest, most joyous occasion yet; a springtime party.
With so many holidays around the corner such as Hearts and Hooves day, Pinkie Pie had to act quick before everypony got busy focusing on surprising their loved ones. She had made her way through the packed streets to Sugar Cube Corner in time for Mrs. Cake to open.
“Well hello Pinkie, dear.” Mrs. Cake greeted with a welcoming smile. Pinkie Pie stopped in front of the older mare, a grin plastered on the pink pony’s face as she hopped in place.
“Please tell me it’s ready! Please! Please! Please!” Pinkie Pie could not help but show her excitement, for what she had hoped was on the other side of the door, was the masterpiece of all cakes. Mrs. Cake chuckled and stepped aside, letting Pinkie Pie inside.
“Yes dear, it is in the--.” Mrs. Cake did not even finish her sentence before Pinkie Pie ran inside leaving a pink blur. A high-pitched, shrill shriek came from the kitchen.
“It’s perfect!” Pinkie Pie screamed as she jumped around the six-foot tall cake. It was a seven tier cake with different color fondants for each tier. The bottom was blue, decorated with everything that had to do with swimming and water. The next couple tiers were green, and were decorated with everything to do with picnics, parks and outdoor activities. Then the top was red, decorated with everything to do with painting, flowers and hiking. Mrs. Cake stood there, smiling and watching Pinkie Pie’s reaction.
“I am glad you like it. But Pinkie, don’t you think a couple of these items are more for the summer?” She asked, walking over to the other. Pinkie Pie looked over at her friend.
“Yes I know, and I wanted them on there because spring is the beginning of everything new! So, technically it’s the beginning of everything that is on the cake!” Pinkie Pie hopped over to the trolley the cake was on. Mrs. Cake nodded, accepting the logic.
“Alright dear, you know where to find me if you need help getting that out the door.” She said before walking out of the kitchen. Pinkie Pie stared up at the cake in amazement, looking over every inch of the confectionary masterpiece. She started to push the trolley out of the kitchen when she noticed something strange on the top of the cake she had not noticed before.
The lights started to flicker as Pinkie Pie looked at the top tier, watching red liquid pour out of the top. It first began as a trickle, but soon turned into an outright pour as the tiers of the cake were soon covered in this strange dark red liquid, turning the cake into a six foot tall edible fountain. Pinkie Pie reached forward to touch the cake, curious to what this thick liquid was. It was almost black, but left a lighter red behind where it touched. She put her hoof under the flow of the liquid, the lights dimming as she did so; the cake went back to normal.
The lights were back on as well, Pinkie Pie blinking before shrugging and taking the cake out the door. She was curious about what she had just saw, however did not want to bring it up to Mrs. Cake. On her way to her destination, Pinkie Pie checked the top of the cake in case Mrs. Cake added a fountain in it. There was no hole and no trace of that liquid anywhere. Thinking it odd, Pinkie Pie pushed the trolley down the street humming, the incident not leaving her mind.
Pinkie Pie had arrived at the venue and started to decorate for the party after retrieving the streamers and balloons from her mane. The snacks and drinks were already laid out on large tables, enough for everypony attending and a little bit more. The music was played as she danced and jumped around the large room, blowing up balloons and attaching the streamers to the wall. She heard a sound coming from the trolley that had the cake on it still and looked over, thinking it was some hungry filly or colt trying to sneak a piece.
The cake was completely red this time, however there was no liquid. The decorations were gone and it looked very eerie. Pinkie Pie jumped down and slowly approached the cake.
“What is going on here?” She asked, her hoofsteps echoing in the silent room. She reached out and touched the cake only to be greeted by a claw bursting out of the cake and grabbing her hoof. A skeleton pulled itself out as Pinkie Pie was screaming at the top of her lungs. The skeleton resembled a medium sized dragon and had glowing red energy balls in its eye sockets. In a deep echoing voice it spoke to the mare.
“Heed my warning pony of parties, you must cancel this event or it will prove fatal to many.”
“Pinkie Pie!”
Twilight’s voice cut through Pinkie Pie’s panic as the purple alicorn ran over to her earth pony friend. Pinkie Pie was sobbing and staring at her hoof which was still pressing gently on the cake which was back to normal.
“Oh dear, oh dear Pinkie. Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked as she, too approached the trembling pony. Pinkie Pie lowered her hoof and stared at it, her mane and tail deflated. She was in shock as she sat there in between Fluttershy and Twilight, both of her friends looking at her worried.
After calming down, Pinkie Pie explained the two incidents that happened. What had happened at Sugar Cube Corner, and what had just happened before the two other mares had run in. Twilight was looking over the cake and using her magic to see if there was any sort of illusion spell on it.
“There isn’t any illusion spell on the cake. Pinkie, have you been sleeping alright?” She asked her friend. Pinkie Pie nodded, looking over at Fluttershy who was rubbing Pinkie Pie’s back.
“I don’t see how my sleeping would cause something like this.” Pinkie Pie stated, looking back at Twilight. Twilight nodded and walked back over to the two.
“Lack of sleep can make you experience hallucinations.” She replied, sitting by her friend.
“I don’t know if I should continue with this party now.” Pinkie Pie said, looking down. Twilight stood back up, a determined look on her face.
“Don’t be ridiculous Pinkie Pie! You have never let anyone down with a party before and I sure as hay won’t let you now. That was most likely just a hallucination, and you are the best party pony I know.” Twilight said smiling. Pinkie Pie jumped up, her mane and tail back to its cotton candy self.
“You’re right Twilight, the party is still on!” She said, running around again and finishing up the room. Fluttershy stood by Twilight.
“Do you think this is a good idea Twilight? I’m sorry to say, but what if it wasn’t a hallucination?” She asked, watching Pinkie Pie.
“That’s why we are going to act as undercover guards. I’ll go tell the others, you stay here and keep Pinkie calm.” Twilight replied, walking out the door.
Twilight gathered Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack to tell them the news.
“So we have an unknown ruffian threatening everypony?” Rarity asked, looking at Twilight.
“Sounds like more of a warning t’me.” Applejack said, gently tapping a hoof on her chin, thinking.
“So the skeleton didn’t even say how?” Rainbow Dash asked, landing beside her friends.
“Am I the only one more concerned about why Pinkie’s seeing dragon skeletons popping out of a cake?” Spike asked, looking at everypony.
“Shush Spike, now Pinkie didn’t say if it said how it would turn fatal, and she wouldn’t leave that out if it did.” Twilight replied, Spike crossing his arms and turning around.
“I don’t even know why I bother." Spike mumbled to himself.
Twilight and the other three thought for a moment before Applejack broke the silence.
“What are we going to do?” She asked.
“Yes, we certainly cannot cancel the party. Pinkie has been planning this party for, well, months.” Rarity said, looking over at Twilight who was nodding in agreement.
“The most we can do is stand guard, and make sure nothing happens. I have been researching some defense magic so if something does happen then we can probably get everypony out.” Twilight turned to start walking back toward the party. She picked up Spike with her magic and set him on her back. The others followed close behind her with rarity walking on one side, Applejack taking up the rear and Rainbow Dash flying overhead.
The party was a huge success as everypony was enjoying their time dancing, eating and hanging out with all of their friends. The cake especially was a hit amongst the ponies, as were all of Mrs. Cake’s creations. Pinkie Pie was bouncing around, making sure everything was going alright as a good hostess would, glancing over her shoulder at times to look at Twilight, who would give her a nod signalling everything was alright so far.
Rainbow Dash landed beside the purple alicorn and reported.
“There’s nothing in the rafters or outside, it seems we are in the clear.” She said leaning in so only Twilight could hear. Twilight thought for a moment before replying.
“Let’s not count our chickens so soon, the party has just begun.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, walking off toward the punch bowl to get a drink. Twilight stood there, still watching everypony have a good time when she heart something drop beside her with a soft ting. She looked down beside her hoof and noticed it was a nail. She used her magic to pick it up and examine it. It was not odd for nails to fall from rafters or ceilings in old buildings like this one, however given the circumstances, Twilight wasn’t sure if it was coincidence or something more.
A loud creak filled the air as a large plank of wood fell from the ceiling, crushing the punch table and all who were standing beside it. Ponies started to panic and scream. Some running over to help and others running out of the building, their children in tow. Rainbow Dash struggled to get the heavy plank of wood off of her, even with multiple ponies trying to help. Big Macintosh finally was able to buck the plank off of the ponies. Rainbow Dash lay there, panting and gasping for air as the ponies who stayed behind witnessed the horror that was before them.
Three other ponies, unrecognizable now, were completely crushed. Their faces were flattened to the point of their skin being ripped open and splinters of their skull protruding out along with their brain. Blood pooled all over the floor, drenching the hooves of whoever was standing there. Rainbow Dash tried to get up, however realised she was not able to. She looked back at her hind legs and her wings, screaming at what she saw.
Her legs were completely shattered and her right wing was broken. Amongst the pool of blood that she lay in, she could see her own pouring out of her mangled extremities. Bits of bone and flesh floated around her, her face in utter shock as she took everything in. Her heartbeat was in her ears as she watched other ponies crowd around the three beside her, the ponies screaming and crying as they recognise who the dead ones were. They tried to drag their corpses away from the crushed table while her own friends were trying to get her attention. Rainbow Dash could not hear anything over the ringing in her ears.
Twilight was right in front of Rainbow Dash, calling her name multiple times. Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight as everything started to speed up again.
“Dash! Rainbow Dash!” She was yelling over the screaming and the panic, “Big Mac went to go get you a stretcher! We’re going to get you out of here!” Her voice was raised over the screaming but she was trying not to panic herself. Rainbow Dash looked up.
“Twilight, look out!” She screamed, trying to push her friend away with her hoof, but she was not close enough. Twilight looked up in time to see a metal pole falling toward her; she didn’t have time to move.
The pole went right through Twilight’s head, the mare’s body standing there in shock before falling over, her eyes still open. Blood poured from her mouth and eyes and from inside the pole. Rainbow Dash started screaming, tears pouring from her eyes.
“No! Twilight No!”
The remaining ponies fled as the rest of the building came crashing down, the force of ponies tripping over Twilight’s dead body caused her horn to slide out of the pole with a cylindrical section of her skull and brain still attached to it. Rainbow Dash lay there in pain and crying, trying to reach out for her friend frantically. Debris kept falling around Rainbow Dash as more ponies got crushed under the collapsing building. Rainbow Dash finally reached Twilight’s still warm body by painfully crawling toward her friend. The pegasus lay close to the other, and rested her head on Twilight’s hoof as everything kept falling, tears never ceasing flow from the blue mare’s eyes.
“I’m sorry Twilight.” She whispered, closing her eyes. As she lay there with her friend, listened to the building still falling. In the distance she heard the familiar sound of a stallion’s voice calling out for her.
“Dash! Dash! Can you hear me?!”
Then everything went quiet.
Author's Note
Thank you for reading my first chapter. As you can see this is a work in progress. I should be getting the second chapter up soon.
The building continued to fall as the emergency ponies arrived on the scene. The Apple Family along with Big Macintosh, Braeburn and Applejack were helping get everypony safely away from the crumbling building. Covered in bruises, scratches and minor puncture wounds, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike and Pinkie Pie stood behind police tape with other survivors, away from the building watching in horror. Pinkie Pie stood there, her mane and tail deflated and the look of utter despair on her tear drenched face, while the water from her eyes still has not subsided.
The other survivors were either openly wailing because of the loss of their loved ones, curled up in a ball in shock, were getting medical treatment from the doctors, or were just watching; unblinking. Applejack walked over to her friends who ran from behind the police line to the orange mare and embraced her. They were openly sobbing as they embraced each other, their bodies trembling. Big Macintosh and Braeburn walked over, solemn expressions on their face. Braeburn took a deep breath and broke the silence.
"We have terrible news;" he began, his words getting caught in his throat, "Twilight--didn't make it." The look on their faces were of disbelief. Rarity walked over to Braeburn slowly, her eyes showing confusion and disbelief.
"You--can't be serious, she is the Princess of Friendship. She--can't, she can't be--." Rarity's bottom lip trembled as she spoke those words. She looked at Big Macintosh for reassurance, but all she got from the red stallion was;
"I'm so sorry Rarity."
Rarity fell to her rump and just stared at the ground, tears falling from her eyes and hitting the stone road, but no sound was coming out of her mouth. Her body was no longer trembling as she sat there in silence. Spike could not believe what he was hearing. The mare who hatched and raised him, the mare who, even though didn't listen to him at all, took care of him and was his closest friend; dead. He wasn't crying, his eyes were dry. He was trying to straighten his thoughts out, get them back in order. He was trying to think logically, not only for himself, but for his other friends. He looked up at Fluttershy who was sitting there, holding Angel Bunny and softly sobbing. To Pinkie Pie who was curled up in a ball and rocking back and forth, whispering; "It was all my fault." Repeatedly. Then over to Applejack who had tears running down her face but was standing there silent and strong, acting as the rock of the group in their time of need. His eyes soon fell on the love of his life, the white mare that means more to him than gems. He wished he could just take her in his arms and fly her away from here, but he knew he couldn't. He knew, he could at least be her friend.
Spike walked over to rarity and placed a claw gently on her back.
"It's going to be alright, Rarity. We just have to be strong and live on for Twilight. She wouldn't want us to wallow in despair too long. We may have lost our leader and our friend; our Princess. But we are not the only ones who lost someone. You're still the Elements of Harmony, even without Twilight. And the ponies of Ponyville need you." Rarity looked at Spike, then back at her friends. Applejack smiled a bit and the others soon came around to meet Rarity's gaze. Pinkie Pie stood up from her fetal position and took a few steps forward, her hair still deflated.
"You're right Spike; Thank You." Rarity said standing up. Spike smiled, taking his claw off of Rarity who looked over at the building.
The entire building, save for two walls and a few support beams, was completely destroyed. Emergency workers along with a few members of the Apple Family were wading through the destruction to search for any survivors who might have gotten trapped in the debris. A worker called over to the others as he was trying to push a large rock off somepony.
"I've found one!"
Workers and volunteers alike rushed to the scene including Big Macintosh and the remaining four of the Mane Six. Spike stayed back to watch since he was not physically strong enough to help. The ponies managed to dig out the pony, who was still conscious, but in tremendous pain. Pinkie Pie was the first to see who the pony was and cried tears of joy as she watched the mare get put onto a stretcher.
"Dashie!" Was all she could sob out, the tears blinded her and all she could do was sit there and cry. The other three were relieved their friend was alive, and they were trying to hold back tears. Rainbow Dash smiled at them from the stretcher.
"Good to see you too. I thought I was a goner." She said, tears falling from her eyes as she stared at her friends. Her eyes shifted from the four mares to the spot where she was.
"Where's Twilight? She was right beside me." She asked, her voice coarse from all the screaming she had done earlier. Big Macintosh looked at Rainbow Dash.
"She was retrieved ten feet from you. Something must have separated you two while the building was collapsing."
Rainbow Dash sighed as the stretcher was lifted up.
"I tried to push her out of the way. I tried to save her." She whispered, starting to cry. Applejack put a hoof on Rainbow Dash's mouth gently.
"At least you tried. We appreciate it." She said, smiling softly.
"Please Rainbow, get well soon." Fluttershy said as the medical team carried the stretcher away.
After they watched their friend get taken to the hospital, the four mares turned their attention to the ponies who were grieving for their lost. Pinkie Pie looked over at her friends with a worried expression on her face.
"If it wasn't for your stupid party Pinkie, everypony would be alive." A small whisper came, cutting Pinkie Pie's wounds open even more. She looked over at the one who spoke, and it was Octavia. The mare stood there, holding Vinyl Scratch's broken glasses to her chest. Pinkie Pie stared at the mare like a deer in headlights. She wasn't sure what to say.
"It wasn't Pinkie's fault! How was she to know the building would have collapsed?!" Applejack stated, stepping in front of Octavia. Octavia scoffed, staring Applejack in her eyes.
"Known or not, she was the one who had the party here. Her negligence is what killed everypony. Now because of her, Vinyl is gone. Because of her Twilight's gone!." Octavia's voice rose as she smashed Vinyl Scratch's glasses to the ground. She was glaring at Applejack with tears in her eyes.
"SHE'S A MONSTER!"
SHE'S A MONSTER!-- Octavia's words swirled around in her head, as did all of the voices of the ponies who agreed with her. Pinkie Pie looked at everypony who was looking at her, their faces soon molding into a blur.
"You killed everypony."
"You should be ashamed."
"BANISH HER!"
"BANISH THE MONSTER!"
"BANISH PINKIE PIE!"
"ENOUGH!"
Pinkie Pie snapped out of the haze as Mrs. Cake limped over to the group that was surrounding Pinkie Pie. She stepped in front of the pink mare, shooting glares at everyone.
"You all should be ashamed of yourselves! This mare had NO way of knowing the building would collapse. She did extensive research into the stability of that place. If there is anypony you should be blaming, it's the contractors who gave her the green light! This mare is not a monster, nor is she responsible for anypony's deaths." Mrs Cake lectured to the onlooking ponies. They started to disperse, leaving to go prepare memorial services for their lost ones. Octavia narrowed her eyes at Pinkie Pie before taking Vinyl Scratch's glasses and leaving. Pinkie Pie looked up at Mrs.Cake, the older mare looking down at her with love in her eyes. Pinkie Pie hugged her tight, sobbing.
"I'm so sorry--so sorry." She sobbed into the other's shoulder. Mrs. Cake stroked her back.
"There's nothing to be sorry about dear. Now, come and have some hot chocolate." Mrs. Cake said, leading her and the others toward the Cake's shop.
Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy were sitting and drinking their hot chocolate in silence. Spike was sitting beside Angel Bunny who was looking over at him with a tilted head, confused to what is going on.
"You don't want to know." Spike said to the white rabbit before looking over at the four mares. Mrs. Cake went around and refilled their cups. Pinkie Pie however, did not even touch her first cup and just sat there running her hoof around the rim of the mug supporting her head with her other hoof. She was deep in thought about what had happened leading up to the building falling. She bit her lip in frustration as she held back more tears.
"I should have cancelled the party." She stated abruptly.
"Or moved it dear." Mrs. Cake said, walking toward her.
"No, you don't understand. I never told you when it happened because I didn't want to bother you. But I had a couple hallucinations..no; visions. The first one was when blood started to pour out of the top of the cake when I tried to take it out of your kitchen. The second, a dragon skeleton burst from the cake and told me that ponies would die." Mrs. Cake stared at Pinkie Pie before speaking.
"Pinkie you had no way to know--"
"LIKE HAY I HAD NO WAY TO KNOW!" Pinkie screamed at the other, throwing her drink, the mug shattering on the wall and the luke warm liquid spilling onto Angel Bunny. Fluttershy gasped and rushed to get her animal friend cleaned up while Pinkie Pie continued.
"I WAS TOLD THAT PONIES WOULD DIE! IN THE MOST TERRIFYING WAY, BUT I WAS STILL TOLD! BUT I NEVER LISTENED TO MY GUT AND NOW TWILIGHT IS DEAD, VINYL IS DEAD AND CELESTIA KNOWS WHO ELSE! RAINBOW DASH IS IN THE HOSPITAL AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS TELL ME I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING!" She screamed, slamming her hooves onto the table before leaving the small shop. Pinkie Pie slammed the door on her way out, leaving everypony and Spike in shock at the outburst.
On her way through the streets, Pinkie Pie noticed it was already dark. The street lamps were already on and the only souls in sight were stray animals and the odd pony working late. She passed by the building that had taken the lives of many, and stood there. She saw a bit of the remaining cake poking out from under the debris. She walked over and stomped on it, the food spraying everywhere. Pinkie Pie wiped the cake on the grass near by, her back to the building when she heard her name being whispered like it was on the wind.
"Pinkie Pie."
Pinkie Pie looked over her shoulder and gasped, jumping back away from the the building. Twilight Sparkle stood there as a spirit, looking at her friend.
"T-Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked, slowly stepping forward. The ghost nodded, smiling at her friend.
"I've come to warn you. Do not sink into misery because of what happened. More ponies will meet their end if you do not have a clear head. In the morning go to the river, and you will see what I mean. Goodnight my dear friend, and thank you for being in my life." A ghostly tear fell from Twilight's eyes as she faded away, smiling at Pinkie Pie. Once Twilight was gone, Pinkie Pie lay on the grass, sobbing and soon falling asleep under the stars.
"Pinkie Pie, Pinkie Pie wake up. You're needed at the river."
Pinkie Pie woke up with a start after hearing Twilight calling her name. She opened her eyes and stood up, stretching. Her mane was back to normal for the most part and she looked around. The river? Pinkie Pie ran off toward the river, wondering what Twilight had meant. Once she got there, she saw Octavia and a few other mares walking across a makeshift bridge. Pinkie Pie ran over and stopped behind the pieces of wood. The river below was flowing very fast because of all the melting snow up on the mountains.
"Octavia get off the wood! You'll get hurt!" She called over the sound of the raging water. Octavia looked back, glaring at Pinkie Pie.
"I don't need your warnings, monster." She snapped at the other. She looked forward again, seeing her three companions had already made it across. Octavia continued on her way, ignoring Pinkie Pie who was screaming at her, trying to get her attention. Pinkie Pie looked to her right and saw a large rush of white water flowing toward Octavia. The pink pony rushed across the bridge and grabbed Octavia, throwing her across to the other side before being swept away by the water along with the makeshift bridge. Octavia looked over at the sudden rush of water and watched as Pinkie Pie was swept down river.
Pinkie Pie was pulled underwater by a strong undercurrent, her head and body being bashed against the logs that was swept with her, and against large rocks on the bottom of the river bed. Every Time she was able to emerge from the water, she was gasping for air and screaming for help. But soon after the words left her mouth, she was pulled back under. The rocks were getting larger and sharper as she was still being swept away. Her right hoof hit one of the large sharp rocks, cutting her skin. The cold water had numbed her entire body so she was not able to feel anything. With a few more pulls under the water, Pinkie Pie's head came into contact with a jagged rock, cracking her head open and causing her to go unconscious.
The water swept the still mare down to a small beach where she was washed up, the river slowing down. Blood poured from the large crack on her head as well as the cut on her right hoof. She was barely breathing, and her body had entered hypothermia from the icy waters. The mare started to gain consciousness, but then slipped in and out as the injury to her head was severe. She saw a silhouette of a pony standing over her, her vision blurry so she could not make out who it was. Pain shot through her head once more before she fully succumbed to the darkness.
Fluttershy heard Pinkie Pie's screams and she was running down the river, trying to find her friend. Angel Bunny was riding on her back, keeping an eye out for any movement. Fluttershy stopped running, breathing heavy from running.
"Pinkie Pie?" The yellow pegasus called out. She was looking around frantically, trying to see if she could spot her pink friend. Angel Bunny tapped Fluttershy on the neck and pointed to a log that had some of Pinkie Pie's hair on it.
"Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear." Fluttershy said when she saw the log. The water was calmer now as Fluttershy waded through the shoulder high water toward the piece of wood.
She heard a sudden rumble to her right and looked in time to see another rush of water coming toward her. She reached around and grabbed Angel Bunny. She kissed him before tossing him onto the shore, mouthing the words;
I love you.
The water swept the yellow pegasus away, her body being battered and cut underwater as Pinkie Pie's body had been moments earlier. However, the wood log that Fluttershy was inspecting had pinned her to the bottom of the river after it had gotten wedged between the river banks. Fluttershy struggled to free herself from the watery prison, her wings flapping and her body squirming. She was running out of air.
Futtershy managed to get her back onto the bottom of the river and got her back hooves under the log that had her wing pinned. She pushed with all of her might, the log coming loose. She felt herself start to pass out from lack of oxygen, her lungs screaming for her to breath, her chest burning. Her vision was going blurry as she still tried to free herself. She was not going to give up. Twilight wouldn't want her to give up, Angel Bunny, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack...Pinkie Pie. She still needed to find Pinkie Pie! Her friend needed her!
With one final push, Fluttershy freed her wing and she swam up to the surface, gasping for air. She swam to the riverbank and flopped down, gasping and feeling like she was going to vomit. She weakly looked over to the other side of the river where she saw Angel Bunny jumping up and down excitedly. Fluttershy smiled weakly before getting to her hooves and shaking off the water. She spread her wings and glided over to Angel Bunny who hugged her leg tightly.
"It's okay Angel, I'm okay." She whispered to her friend before putting him on her back. She trotted down the river, calling out Pinkie Pie's name again, hoping her friend was alright.