I hated the idea. I did not want to do this stupid party, but I thought Pinkie would never leave me alone if I didn't agree to go. I gotta admit that she was almost as determined as I was to join the Wonderbolts. I seriously can't believe that she wanted me there bad enough that she bugged Soarin to pass on the message. I had heard she was trying to reach me, but I just didn't want to deal with her bounciness. She should have known that I didn’t wanna deal with it. I’m not some mopey loser that wants to sit around and deal with death and crap. I’m way too cool for that. But, if Soarin wanted to pass on the message, then I guess I could just go to her stupid party. I wasn’t going to talk to her though. Not until I absolutely had to. That’s why I had Spitfire deliver my yes.
“Rain? Are you in here?” Spitfire knocked her front hoof on my door.
“Yeah, Fire. I’m in here. Just read- thinking about stuff,” I had admitted my egghead status a long time ago, but I still didn’t want my new friends to think I was more interested in books than being a part of the Wonderbolts.
My bedroom door opened and Spitfire walked in, a big, smug smile on her face.
“It’s okay to admit you like reading, you dork. We all read sometimes. Even Soarin, that pie-loving nerd,”
“I’m not an egghead, Spitfire. I don’t like reading that much,” I replied defensively.
“Says the bookshelf full of Daring Do novels, Rainbow Dash. Anyway, I just came to tell you that the message has been delivered. I almost got trampled in Pinkie happiness when I told her you said yes. My god that mare is crazy happy all the time,” Spitfire shook her head in disbelief.
“That’s Pinkie for ya. Way too much sugar in her diet. Nothing but energy and nothing to put it into but lame parties,”
“If they’re so lame, why are you going then?”
“I figured if she really wanted me there that badly that she dragged Soarin into it, then the least I could do would be go to her stupid party. Even if it isn’t as cool as you guys are,”
“If you want, I could go with you, Rain. I could give you a little backup and moral support, if you will,”
“It’s just Pinkie Pie, Fire. I’ll be fine. It’s not like she gonna bake me into a cupcake or something,” I laughed at the thought of something as bad as that.
“Okay, chickadee. Let me know if you change your mind though,” Spitfire turned to leave, looking over her shoulder to smile in reassurance.
“Thanks. I appreciate it, and I’ll let you know, but I don’t think it’ll happen,” I smiled in response and turned as she pulled my door closed behind her.
It’s just a party. A Pinkie party, though. I would never admit it to anyone, but I was really afraid about what would happen when I got to this party. No doubt Pinkie would do her best to get the band back together, but it wouldn’t be the same without Fluttershy. I just didn’t want to deal with Twilight. Her stupid dragon caused this mess to begin with, and he was finally going to get what he deserved. She’d probably try to defend her “poor wittle dwagon” with every know-it-all breath. I did not want to go to this party at all. Something told me, though, that if Pinkie had gone to such great lengths to get me to go, I could at least just go. After all, I could leave at any time. So that’s it then. I’m going… One last time, one last party for Fluttershy.
I had been waiting for years to hear the outcome of this trial. Long, long years that played with my mind incessantly. Spike was a good friend of mine in my college days, and had been almost like a son to me during my brief time in Ponyville. I had since returned to Canterlot, continuing my studies with the Princess far from the judgmental eyes of my friends. I don't think that they truly blamed me for Spike's actions, but we couldn't really talk about anything but poor Fluttershy and her unfortunate end. Plus, I couldn't face the rest of the town after everything. After all, I had brought Spike to Ponyville, introduced him to everypony, gave him my seal of approval...
"Twilight? Is that you?"
I jumped at the sudden interruption of my deep thought process. I had thought I was alone in the cemetery save for a few young fillies bringing flowers for their grandponies.
"Hello, Pinkie Pie. It's been a long time," I sighed quietly as my long-time friend bounced up to the bench I had been sitting on.
"Yeah, Twilight! It seems like nopony wants to come to my parties anymore. I don't get it... Everypony used to love my parties!" The dejected look on her face broke my heart.
"I'm sorry, Pinkie, but I don't think anypony really feels in the mood to have a party anymore. Not since Fluttershy," I paused, searching for the correct turn of phrase, "well, since she passed away."
Pinkie Pie's cotton candy mane deflated slightly at the news that nopony liked parties anymore.
"You don't like parties anymore, Twilight? Not even ones with cake, and ice cream, and balloons, and-"
"No, Pinkie," I cut off what was sure to be a very long list, "I don't like parties anymore."
"Okie dokie, Loki. Then I guess you don't want an invitation to the party I'm having at Sugarcube Corner... I got the Cakes' to make their special triple-berry spice cupcakes, and I even got Dashie to say she'd go!"
"No, Pinkie. I don't- Wait, did you say that you got Rainbow Dash to agree to go?" I asked in disbelief, and my shock only grew as the fluffy, pink mane of my old friend bounced vigorously in affirmation.
"Yup! I had to buzz Cloudsdale about a bajillion times before Soarin would agree to pass on the message, and even then, Spitfire delivered the answer. It may not have been directly from Dashie, but it was still a yes, though," The incessant bouncing grew more pronounced.
"Fine. I'll go to your party, Pinkie," I sighed as Pinkie's eyes widened.
"YAY! Thank you so much, Twilight! You'll have so much fun you'll never have a frowny face again! Just wait until I tell everypony! YAY!" Pinkie threw her hooves around my neck and nearly choked me in her squeezing hug as she bounced out of control.
I cought myself chuckling quietly as I watched my overzealous friend bounce away, happier than I'd seen anypony in a long, long time. I truly admired her strength for being so joyful over something so small, even though her best friend was gone. I had to wonder what the hay I had gotten myself into by agreeing to go to this shindig of hers, and I hoped I would not come to regret this decision. It was at this time, the first time in a long time that I felt the need to consult the Princess on matters not strictly concerning my studies.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I don't know what to do. Pinkie Pie has invited me to a party that might bring my friends together. We haven't been a group since Fluttershy's memorial service. Am I supposed to forget about Spike and the whole debacle that followed his actions? I don't want to go to the party and be upset all over again, but I made a promise to my friend. What should I do?
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle"
I poofed the scroll onto the Princess' desk and rose stiffly from the bench in front of Fluttershy's grave marker. I wished so badly I could go back to that fateful day and change it all, but I knew how much one simple change could set the whole of Equestria out of harmony. With a final, heavy sigh I levitated the bouquet of pink and yellow roses on to the grave of my fallen friend and slowly trotted away.
