Applejack ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Everything around her was a blur. It was just colors and morphing shapes as her eyes welled up with tears. She could hear people calling out to her, asking what was wrong, but they weren’t people that mattered to her at the moment. She needed the others.

With a loud thud, she slammed through the doors to Sugarcube Corner as everyone in the shop looked at her. “Rainbow’s gone!” she shouted, trying her best to keep from falling to her knees and becoming an incomprehensible mess.

“What?!” Twilight ran over to her, supporting Applejack as she fell into her arms. “Applejack, what do you mean?”

“S-she wasn’t answering my calls, so I went by her place to see what was up… and.. and she wasn’t there! Lots of her clothes and stuff were just.. gone. A-and I found this note, and, oh Celestia this is my fault isn’t it…” Applejack’s stoic and strong nature was just gone as she blubbered and mumbled to herself, the note clutched tightly in her fist.

Twilight slowly pulled it out from Applejack’s grasp and started to read it out loud.

‘To my (former) friends,

I’m sorry, but I just can’t keep myself here. I see that this town, the people in it, they’re just stopping me from living out my dream. I want to be free, I want to fly high with the rest of the Wonderbolts. I can’t just live the rest of my life in this town, hoping for an adventure every day. I need to go out and find it myself. I’m starting a new life, a new me. Don’t look for me, I’m not gonna let you find me without a fight. Applejack, I’m sorry about this. I’ll always love you, but I’m not ready yet to ask you to come with me. You were and still are an amazing woman, and so much better than anything I could ever deserve in my life. Tell Scootaloo I’m sorry too, but when I’m soaring with the Wonderbolts, I’m always hoping she’s watching.

From,

Rainbow Dash’

A silence fell over the bakery, save for Applejack’s sobs and muttering. “Th-this has to be a joke, right? Dashie’s just playing an extra mean prank on us, right?” Pinkie Pie asked, walking out from behind the counter.

Rarity nodded with Pinkie. “It isn’t like she hasn’t pulled some rather cruel jokes before, right? I’m sure this is all just her trying to get us to openly talk about how amazing she is, and then she can pop out from some secret hiding spot and brag about how she knew she was always that cool.”

Fluttershy just sat at her spot, watching her hands as they slowly started to shake. She pressed them to her face as she tried her best to not let anyone else notice she was sobbing just as hard as Applejack was.

The whole bakery was starting to fill with concerned chatter from others, while a few were muttering about how they knew this would happen with someone like Rainbow Dash. They all had to be politely escorted out by Pinkie, half to give her and the others some space and half to keep them from getting their faces beaten in by Applejack.

“Don’t lose hope, Applejack. The others are probably right. You know how Dash can get sometimes. And I promise, this isn’t your fault,” Twilight said, patting Applejack on the back. “I can send a letter to Princess Celestia, get her to help look into it if you’re really that worried about her being long gone from here.”

“Th-that w-would be so nice of you, Twilight… I don’t normally ask much of you, but please,” Applejack said, looking up at her.

Twilight simply nodded. “Of course. In the meantime, We’ll all try to call her and see if she answers.” She looked over to the others as they nodded.

“It’s going to be fine, dear. We promise,” Rarity added, walking over and pulling Applejack back up to her feet and into a hug. “It’ll be alright.”

Pinkie just watched this all before quickly making her way to the kitchen. “I…” she paused for a few seconds, deep in thought. “I’ll get us all some water, so we can calm down and think clearly,” she said, shaking her head.

The emotions in the bakery ran high, but there was still a strong feeling of friendship and optimism. There’d be a light at the end of the tunnel for all this.

... right?

Pinkie found herself admiring the new wallpaper of Carousel Boutique. It showcased the silhouette of a woman riding a horse as it leaped high and valiantly through the air. It really helped tie the room together for the most part.

“Do you like it? I spent a whole day going back and forth on whether it was the one to use or not. As well as going for a darker lavender theme, to soften the mood around here even more,” Rarity explained as she walked into the room.

“Oh yeah, I think it looks really pretty!” Pinkie responded, nodding her head. She couldn’t see much of Rarity at the moment, thanks to a large cake box that she was currently holding. It was only now that she remembered she was holding it. She stumbled around a bit, blushing. “H-hey, Rarity, where do you want this?”

“Oh, yes! Let me get the table out for you to put it on!” Rarity said, snapping her fingers as a large table quickly floated into the room and placed itself down between the two. “Here, right here.”

Pinkie eagerly obliged, putting the large box down and letting out a sigh of relief. “This wallpaper was the correct choice. It’s so good, it made me forget I was holding this ginormous cake! That is no easy task!” She then gave a tug on the bow wrapped all around the box and watched as it came undone, the box falling open and revealing the cake inside.

It was a tall three layers, covered in white, black and purple frosting with sharp wave patterns and flowers covering each one. It both looked ready to be eaten up or just admired by anyone who came across it.

“One Super Special Black Forest Cake with special white chocolate icing, safe and sound!” Pinkie said, giggling as Rarity walked around, getting a good look at it.

“Oh, Pinkie darling, this is just wonderful! You and the Cakes have outdone yourselves yet again! I would have some of it right now if it wasn’t for tonight,” Rarity exclaimed, giggling.

“I did want to ask, what is this cake for? You don’t really buy that many sweet-based items when you come over to Sugarcube Corner,” Pinkie asked, looking at Rarity. Her cheeks still felt warm as she looked at Rarity.

Rarity was wearing a button-up shirt with a suit jacket thrown over her shoulders. Pins and needles were sticking out of it, so it was still a work in progress. She looked like she belonged on the cover of those mini books Pinkie saw at the grocery store.

“Oh, yes yes. This is for a celebration party I’m having later tonight. You see, I’ve been doing so well with orders and so many high-profile clients, I thought that I’d celebrate it. That and Photo Finish wants to celebrate her 10th anniversary for her business, so it’s a real two-in-one, you see,” Rarity explained, before glancing over to Pinkie. “Pinkie, darling, are you alright? Should I open a window or something?”

Pinkie blinked, snapping out of it and shaking her head. “No no, I’m super duper fine! I hope this cake is what you’re looking for for your party tonight, Rarity!” she exclaimed, turning to leave as fast as she could.

“Wait, Pinkie.” Pinkie stopped in her tracks at the command. “I was actually wondering, would you like to come to the party tonight? I know that more fancy and slow ones aren’t really your thing, but if I’m being honest, I would like it if one of my close friends was there. These are all people I know, but you know… it’d be nice to have someone I could pair up with in case things turned sour or needed spicing up. I can try to get you a rare ingredient or the like, if you want a trade or deal to be made from this,” Rarity offered.

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increasing. She rubbed her hand over her forehead a few times as she tried her best to straighten out. She turned around. “Sure, Rarity. Anything for a friend!” Oh, why was she feeling this? Why here, why now of all times?! “I just hope I don’t make things too awkward.”

“Nonsense, and even so, I’d rather have an awkward time with you than a boring and forgettable time with people I barely know,” Rarity explained. She was so elegant and smooth with her words. “I’m finishing up my outfit for tonight, but if you come back right after lunch, I can help pick out an outfit for you tonight.”

“O-oh, I don’t want to be a burden-”

“Nonsense, Pinkie! I have plenty of unused dresses that are still in great condition. They’d just be wasting space if I didn’t at least try to see if I could still use them for something!” Rarity said, before turning and walking off. She flicked her wrist and the cake box was closed back up and off floating towards the kitchen. “I should get back to finishing this jacket. I’ll see you after lunch. Or, I could even whip something up, if you wanted.”

“Coolthanksseeyoulaterbye!” Pinkie shouted out, running out of the boutique. She was doing everything she could to keep from tripping over herself as she made her way back home. Nothing felt real at the moment, what was going on?

Rarity watched her run out before going a bit pink in the cheeks herself.

“Oh dear. I do hope she comes back.” She looked at the suit she was working on. “Mm… let’s see if we can make this work.”

Animals chittered and chirped with joy as Fluttershy refilled various feeders and water bowls. It had been a bit overwhelming at first, since a lot of the animals she was currently caring for needed new diets, but thankfully things had fallen back into a groove.

She giggled as she watched Angel help with the process, getting his own cuts of lettuce from the table. He was much more well-behaved these days, not throwing as much of a fit when he didn’t get the food or items he wanted.

She walked over, scratching him on the head and smiling down at the bunny. “It’s so nice to get these things over with, because I get to see all my animal friends smile,” she explained, grabbing her mug of tea and walking over to a nearby bench and sitting down.

She watched the animals eat, the sounds and presence of nature surrounding them all. Her hair blew in the fall breeze as she looked at the orange and red leaves on the trees. She felt her fingers wrap around the mug, her soft smile slowly turning downwards into a frown.

She didn’t turn to look as someone sat down next to her. She only glanced, seeing hands wrapped around a blue thermos. “Hey, did I… miss most of the work again?” Rainbow Dash asked, glancing over.

Fluttershy shook her head. “I’ve done this stuff for years, Rainbow. I’m not as built as you but I can carry heavy bags without that much issue.”

“It’s not about that, honest! I just,” Rainbow paused. “I just want to be there more for you, ya know? I want to show I’m better.”

“Rainbow, you don’t need to-”

“Come on, I bet Harry hasn’t been fed yet, has he? I can bring him the fish he needs!” Dash said, jumping to her feet and running into the cottage.

“Rainbow Dash, wait up!” Fluttershy said, quickly following after her. “You don’t have to worry about-”

“I know, he’s a big softie! I wasn’t gonna do anything dangerous with the big lug! Just let me get him his food and then we can talk more about things you think I can do to help around here!” Rainbow was already in the fridge, scouring around for food.

“Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy’s hands began to shake.

“I’ll be right back before you know it!”

“Rainbow Dash, Stop right now!” Fluttershy said, shouting. She watched as Rainbow turned to look at her. She looked down at the ground before they could make eye contact. “Dash… you don’t have to do that. I’ve already fed him for the day. And I’m not mad at you. I could never be mad at you.”

Tears were already welling up in Fluttershy’s eyes again as she heard Dash approach. “You don’t have to do anything to make me happy. Just… just… stay here. Please don’t leave. Talk to me, tell me you’re still here.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “I’d never leave you. I love you, Fluttershy. I just… didn’t say it back sooner.”

Fluttershy knew this was wrong, making her say these things. But, it made her happy. It made her get through the process of loss and grief. No one else knew about them, and it would stay that way.

“Come on, let’s enjoy the breeze, yeah? Nice fall weather outside, and all the animals are probably worried about you,” Rainbow said, walking back outside into the fall air.

Fluttershy watched the back of Rainbow’s bomber jacket float around in the breeze. She looked so happy, so carefree, so amazing. She had the walk and look of a woman that would live forever.

“I love you…” Fluttershy muttered, and like the last few times she had said it, her voice simply echoed around “you”.

She shook her head, getting back on her feet and heading back to the animals. Rainbow was still there, sitting on the bench and smiling at her. It wasn’t time for her to go yet. She wanted her to be happy for just a little while longer.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, Fluttershy smiled. For Rainbow, for her animals, for herself. This was how things were supposed to be. And she wasn’t going to let them slip away from her just yet.

She sat down right next to Dash. “So… is there something you wanna talk about?”

“You’ve heard all the whispers around town, right?” Fluttershy found herself shaking a bit as she finally looked Rainbow in the eyes and saw dark black pools staring back at her. “I think we should talk about them.”

Pinkie almost felt like things were unreal. Aside from the outfits for the gala, she had never really gotten anything from Rarity. Sure a fixed-up or new apron here or maybe some stitched oven mitts there, but a whole new outfit?

She watched her walk back and forth, various outfits floating through the air. They all looked so nice and pretty, probably too nice for someone like her, in all honesty. A woman who threw parties and made sweets and snacks did not deserve fashion of any kind.

“Relax,” the pink pony said, sitting next to her. “She’s offering you this for free. It’ll help take your mind off everything else. Steel your nerves before you become a total mess on the outside.”

Pinkie just rolled her eyes as Rarity held up a red and white striped suit. “How about this one? I designed it with a peppermint-type feel to it, though it was a bit too much for who I originally had in mind. I think it’ll look a lot better on you.”

“Oh, I don’t think suits are for me,” Pinkie muttered.

“Too masculine,” the pink pony added. “They’d stop ordering from us if they thought a big tough black lady was the one making the sweets or blowing balloons.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. Can we at least keep button-up tops on hand, just in case? I think you could really do well with those.”

“Yeah, those are probably fine…” Pinkie watched as Rarity then pulled out a pink wool sweater. “Ooo! That one looks nice.”

Rarity smiled, looking at it. “This one? It is very comfy looking, isn’t it. While it isn’t something really made for a party, it does go perfectly with this Fall weather. I can give this one as a little extra then, so that you don’t get too cold when winter rolls around.

“Ask her if she has any latex gloves,” the pony remarked, snickering. “We need some new ones.”

“Shh,” Pinkie whispered, before turning to see Rarity walk over to her. “D-do I have something on my face? I did just help finish icing another batch of cupcakes.”

“No no, it’s just…” Rarity rubbed Pinkie’s cheek, before looking down at the palm of her hand. A large brown spot had formed while large and ghastly-looking scars were now running along the side of Pinkie’s face. “Do you need help applying the concealer, dear? It always looks like you rush right through it.”

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increase as she nodded. “Y-yeah, I get up early so I can be on time for breakfast, you know? No one seems to notice it though, so it’s not that big of an issue.”

“You have been so against letting them be seen, so I just want to make sure that they’re not,” Rarity explained as a concealer kit floated over. She began to work on her cheek, sighing. “Truly a shame really. You try to make peace with Gilda and she just scratches you right up. And here I was hoping she was something more than just a bully.”

“Y-yeah, sometimes things just don’t work out, huh?” Pinkie muttered.

“Heh… take that, you freaky bastard…” Gilda panted, blood on her nails. She was trying to steady herself but was having issues thanks to the large cuts in both of her knees. “How are you gonna explain those to anyone that asks, huh?” Despite clearly bleeding profusely, she was smiling from ear to ear. She wasn’t going down without a fight, and right now… she had the upper hand.

Pinkie slowly reached to her cheek and felt it. It stung like all hell. She saw a lot of blood running down the side of her face and dripping onto the floor.

She slowly walked over to a nearby table, picking up a small glass jar. “You know, they say parasites don’t normally eat fresh, living flesh, only that of the dead. That’s why they tend to usually be found on the corpses of dead deer, foxes, and bears,” she explained, her voice unusually calm. “Of course, they can be more lenient on these things if, say, put under pressure. They not only eat as part of their natural life cycle but also to survive. Those little guys can die rather quickly if left from the pack or without normal food sources.”

Gilda tried to move away, only to trip and fall to the floor with a thud as she watched Pinkie move closer. “Now, another reason they don’t go for humans or living animals is actually due to all the various acids that are inside them. It could eat through someone’s stomach, but then what happens when all that hot stomach acid spills onto it before it can spit out another parasite? Both parties die in the end, benefiting no one.”

She loomed over Gilda before grabbing the back of her head with one hand and pushing it down, rubbing it against the hard ground. With her other hand, she moved the jar closer revealing that there was a parasite inside it. She violently shook the jar, jostling the insect up. “Of course, that doesn’t take into account any possible third parties, watching the deaths take place.” A look of pure sadistic glee filled her eyes as she reached in, grabbing the bug and shoving it in Gilda’s mouth.

She then shook her head, her hair instantly puffing back up to its curly form. “Oh, Dashie, it's awful! I just wanted to try and say I wasn’t holding any grudges against Gilda! She just started saying awful things and slashed at me! She laughed so hard after taking a chunk of me off like that, the big meanie!” she said in an exaggerated sad voice, pointing at the large slashes. “I can’t believe she was so mean…”

She watched as Gilda tried to yell something at her, only to let out painful gurgles instead before she began to convulse. Pinkie could see the parasite moving through Gilda’s body eating as much of her insides as it could. She would laugh if she didn’t—

“Pinkie, darling, I asked: what do you think about this?”

Pinkie blinked, snapping out of her stupor, and looking at the new dress Rarity was holding. It was a one-piece yellow and blue striped dress, with a subtle touch of pink near the bottom. “O-oh wow, that’s something. I could never wear something so amazing. Rarity, you don’t have to go through all these fancy dresses for-”

“Nonsense, Pinkie. If this is the dress you want, this is the dress you get. And I will not hear a word otherwise. You’re welcome, darling,” Rarity said, resting the dress over her arm. “I’m going to go get this all prepped and ready for you to try out. Don’t go anywhere.”

Pinkie watched her walk out before pressing her head into her hands and letting out a sigh. She really didn’t deserve any of this. She wanted to leave, not because she hated it but because she knew that Rarity would be better off if she just took someone else to the party. Twilight would easily fit right in among the higher society people, Applejack needed an event like this to help straighten her back out, and Fluttershy… well probably not her, but still.

“Go along with this. Go to this thing tonight, have the time of your life. You’re being so insistent on sticking to this life, this’ll help clear thoughts of anything else,” the pony explained.

Pinkie glared at her. “Oh, and then I have to deal with you complaining, right?”

The pony blew a raspberry at her. “I wouldn’t complain that much. I can still find fun things to do from an outcome like that, you know.” It got up, walking away. “I’m getting some air. Eager to see how you look for the party.”

Pinkie heard it trot off, before shaking her head. Talking with a pony that didn’t even have a name, how broken was her brain at this point?

This train of thought was broken as Rarity came back in with the dress, a plate of cookies and tea, and a camera. “If it’s alright darling, I’d love to take some pics of this as well. Just in case I miss something in the moment and see areas that could be fixed up later.”

“Oh, sure!” Pinkie exclaimed, trying her best to get back into her cheery persona. “Can I make silly faces, or are you gonna make me model longer if I do 'em?”

“Knowing you, you’re going to do them regardless. Just try to save the poses for the end, I suppose. I want to see how it looks on a calm you first,” Rarity said before she giggled. She tried to hide it with her wrist, Pinkie’s blush returning as she saw it. “So, shall we begin?”

The night breeze was cool and calming. Everything had a slight sway that just made any worry go away. When it became night, any stress or worries that had collected during the day just vanished. You could relax, be yourself, get a good meal. The work day had long ended.

Pinkie watched the trees and bushes sway, her own skirt moving with them. She was used to skirts, but this one felt different. This one was special. Rarity made it for her.

She watched a few random strangers walking by. Most had returned home for the night by now and weren’t in the mood to head back out, even with the cooler weather.

The pink pony watched with her, its mane blowing in the breeze. “Hey. Just this once: you should let your hair deflate. Really sell the look of being more formal here. They won’t give you as many looks if you sell it right.”

“Really? It’s not like they’re gonna suddenly stop seeing me as Pinkie Pie in there. The village clown is always a clown, even if they’re not wearing their makeup.”

“Just try it. Listen to my words of advice for once,” the pony remarked, watching her.

Pinkie took a slow, deep breath and watched as her hair went flat. She messed around with it a bit, moving it to the left side. “If I had known you wanted it like this, I would’ve gotten a straightener,” she muttered under her breath as she continued to mess with it.

“An improvised side-cut is still impressive. Get yourself one of those black turtlenecks and sunglasses and you’ll look like a fancy record producer type, one of the few kinds of black people the people at this party would want to shake hands with.”

“Yeah yeah… let’s just get this over with, for Rarity’s sake.”

“And yours,” the pony said, smiling up at her. It was a mix of shit-eating and genuine.

Pinkie walked up to the door of Carousel Boutique and knocked. She could see the calm purple tint of the lighting from the windows, as well as hear the muffled jazz coming from the speakers inside.

The door opened, with Rarity in the doorway. She had traded the suit and button-up for a light black-gray turtleneck sweater and purple heels that made her look so… so… breathtaking - like there was just a wave of easy class and coolness covering her. “Why hello, Darling. May I have your name?” she asked, before getting a good look at Pinkie. Her eyes widened. “Why, Pinkie! You look simply stunning! And your hair looks simply divine! You must tell me what conditioners you used,” she said, softly pulling her in.

“O-oh, nothing much to do. Just some time with a hair iron, you know…”

“That and long-term depression,” the pony added, running a hoof through her own hair.

Pinkie looked around at the party. Lots of people, most of them white, dressed in fancy and sleek-looking outfits. They were chatting among themselves with drinks or plates of food in their hands. Speakers set up on the wall pumped music into the room. “Did you set all of this up yourself, Rarity?” she asked, amazed.

“You’re not the only qualified party thrower, you know. It was easy honestly, hanging up the color-changing lights. I was planning on installing a set in the boutique anyway. And even if they don’t work out down here, I can always just move them up to my room as well. The speakers were a bit harder, my magic isn’t made for lifting super heavy objects like Twilight’s is,” Rarity explained before looking at Pinkie. “But enough about that. Would you like some cake? Anything to drink?”

“Um… just a lemon soda, honestly. Don’t like the taste of alcohol,” Pinkie responded, following her over to the snack table. The cake’s patterns and markings could still be made out under the lower, darker lighting. “Where’d you send Sweetie for the night?”

“Oh, she’s out at Sweet Apple Acres tonight with Applebloom and Scootaloo. They’re probably all sleeping in their clubhouse… or out causing havoc somewhere. Though, I doubt Applejack would let that happen so easily,” Rarity said. “Despite what happened the other day, and how she’s been in general, I do see Applejack wanting to better herself. When I asked if she thought she was up for having them stay the night, she looked so happy. Seeing others happy again makes her happy.”

“Yeah…”

The pony chuckled under its breath. “Yeah, and she’ll probably hit up the cellar to celebrate a job well-done, right?”

Rarity took Pinkie by the arm. “Do you mind if I introduce you to some of the others here? They’re just dying to meet the element of laughter herself,” she asked.

“Wow, they wanna meet me?” That was a surprise to Pinkie.

“Of course, darling. Who wouldn’t?” Rarity whisked her away, the two getting lost in the crowd of people, while Rarity never lost her grip on Pinkie’s arm.

The pink pony watched them vanish among the other guests, before looking up at people getting themselves a slice of cake. “You know, I’m honestly surprised,” one of them murmured to the other. “When I saw pictures of the woman that usually makes these things, I was half expecting her to have already eaten half of it before any of us got here.”

“Probably going to save it for after the fried chicken and grits,” the other responded giggling.

The pink pony just huffed air through its nose and walked off. “They really don’t have anything original to say, do they.”

Twilight found herself glancing out the window for what must’ve been the twentieth time. She was always so early to meet-ups, and every time she was she wound up so anxious and twitchy. She had good reason for it this time though! That was what she told herself anyway.

She just hoped she wasn’t annoying any of the waitstaff. She’d have to be sure to leave an extra large tip to make up for things when this was all said and done.

As she kept looking out at the night sky, she was startled by the sound of someone getting into the seat across from her. “Why is it,” Trixie asked as she took her seat, “that the trains Trixie uses always seem to come in late? Trixie would be fired from most gigs if she wasn’t used to it at this point.”

“Was wondering if I had gotten here too early, in all honesty. Good to see you’re doing well, Trixie,” Twilight said, doing her best to not sound like she was being too condescending or extending too much pity.

“Why of course.The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t go down easily, after a single defeat!” Trixie proclaimed, before taking a beat to cross her arms. “You sure did try your best, you know. Most people know me as the woman who got utterly humiliated, and let me tell you it is not good for business.”

“I know, and I truly am sorry for that. I just thought you told Snips and Snails to bring in the Ursa Minor.”

“Of course, Trixie would never do that. Even if my tales of beating one were true, I would never bring something of that size into town. That’s the thing about stage performance. You’re allowed to go over the top. Tall tales, legends, and rumors all become true when you’re performing for a captivated audience,” Trixie explained, looking through the menu.”And before you start begging to replace the cart, I already have a new one. It’s smaller, but does the job well.”

“Ah… well, I might have another way that I could repay you for the shame and damages. And it’s alright if you say no to this one too,” Twilight said. She took a deep breath as the proposal she had in mind slowly made it’s way from her head to her mouth. “How would you,” she paused. “how would you…” she trailed off.

“How would I what?” Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“How would you like to be an Element of Harmony?” Twilight spat out, before quickly covering her face with her menu.

Trixie blinked and then blinked again after a delayed few seconds. She slowly reached out and pulled Twilight’s menu down. She saw Twilight’s face was dark red as she looked aside. “Y-you’re not trying to mess with me on this, are you? Not some sort of hidden camera thing that’s going to go online?”

Twilight shook her head as she watched Trixie’s cheeks grow red as she fell back into her seat. “I-I would never lie about something like this! Th-the element of loyalty is possibly in need of a new member and I wanted to give you something to show I truly mean my apology!”

“W-wow… just… wow. Trixie never actually thought that something like this would land on her plate again. I was never able to make it through Celestia’s magic school, and I thought my chances of being able to work with royalty again were all gone.”

Twilight looked at Trixie. “Wait, you went to Celestia’s school?”

“For like, half a year. I dropped out because my magic simply wasn’t the kind that was wanted there. The world of the stage wanted Trixie, but now the world of royalty wants her too!” Trixie said, eagerly kicking her legs back and forth. She then steadied herself. “Though...” She thought on things. “I can’t just jump to accepting this sort of thing right away. I’d need to change some things around and probably look into finding a place to live,” Trixie explained. “Trixie just assumes this sort of thing can’t just be handed over?”

“Well, I don’t fully know on that front. Me and my friends all got and used ours the night we went after Nightmare Moon, and that was the same day I met them. Maybe the same thing can happen to you?”

“If Trixie may ask, why do you need a new element bearer? Did something happen?”

Twilight sighed. She had dreaded this coming up. “Rainbow Dash suddenly ran off one day, and Princess Celestia is pressuring me to look into a replacement. I know it’s been a year and everything, but it’s still a heavy task…”

“The cocky one with the rainbow hair left? I knew she could be a pain to deal with, but not like that…” Trixie paused, tapping her cheek. “Though, Trixie hasn’t seen her at all during her travels.”

“Maybe she just doesn’t want to be found or something… but I swear, every time I look out into crowded areas, I see her. Like she’s just narrowly avoiding me, wanting me to chase her and lecture her for leaving everyone like that. Or like, I’m gonna randomly pass her while she’s in disguise and only realize it when she’s gone.” Twilight looked back out the window. “She’s just gotta be out there somewhere, right?”

Trixie watched her for a bit. “Listen. Trixie will need some time to fully prep for something like this. I still have a few shows left I need to do, and I can ask around about your friend, if you can help find me a place to stay.”

“Well... I do have a tree and library available with plenty of space for a new roommate. You just gotta deal with a grumpy little dude that’s probably gonna eat most of your snacks.”

Trixie chuckled. “I suppose you have yourself a deal, Twilight Sparkle.”

The two shook hands, Twilight looking out into the night one last time as the relieved waitress came to ask them for their orders. Rainbow Dash had to be out there somewhere, right?

… Right?

Pinkie had lost track of how much time she had spent partying with Rarity. It was probably early morning, or at the very least, nearing midnight. This was why she never really did parties at night for large groups, it could probably go on into the next day with the wrong crowd.

She downed another plastic cup of water, rubbing her forehead. She had talked to so many people that Rarity had worked with. Most of them seemed to be nice, and Rarity was having the time of her life at least. And going to get another slice of cake always helped her break away if things were getting too awkward. She hadn’t seen the pony either, so that at least meant some unnecessary voices or snark were toned down as well.

She went to find Rarity. She had wandered off to get more ice for something and now, it felt like she was nigh impossible to find in the various bodies and heads bathed in purple lighting.

“I just wanna tell her I’m going home…I don’t wanna be seen as a rude friend or anything. Just say thanks and this was fun, but you’re feeling wiped out and am busy tomorrow. Easy in, easy out,” she told herself, making her way towards the kitchen.

Maybe it was because of all the people in the boutique, maybe she had had a few too many rum and cokes in the place of soda, maybe she was just slowly dying from something inside her… but Pinkie was feeling woozy. She rested herself up against the kitchen door frame, catching her breath. She could see Rarity near the fridge, talking to people.

“You know, Rarity. Have you ever considered maybe looking into getting a new shop set up in Canterlot or the like?” One of them, a woman, asked while swirling her crappy plastic cup around like it was a high-quality wine glass.

“It has always been a dream of mine to do something like that, but I think it’s simply too soon for me. I’m still dealing with the increase of high society customers here at the moment. Oh, and Sweetie would be devastated if I had to move out temporarily to make sure everything was up and running smoothly,” Rarity responded. She looked tired, but not too tired. She could still keep things going, but she wasn’t hiding the sweat from exhaustion on her forehead at this point.

“Here’s an idea then, why don’t you just move out to Canterlot and take her with you? I’m sure that you can get a nice place with all the money you’ve made from working here all your life,” the other one said. This one was a man.

“A-and leave Ponyville? Oh, no no no. I could never do that. This has been my home since the day I was born. Canterlot was divine from the brief time I was there, but to live there? And all my friends, and Sweetie’s friends too, they’re all here!”

The woman simply chuckled. “You should at least consider it. I mean, your friend Rainbow Dash suddenly up and left one day, right? Why can’t you and your sister do the same?”

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increase as she began to grip the door frame.

Rarity let out an agitated chuckle. “You know, I’d rather not talk about something like that right now. This is a party, we shouldn’t dwell on distressing issues like that.”

“You should consider getting out of town soon though. I mean, when a big star like that leaves town, you know what comes in their place?” the man asked, cockily smirking.

“The hoodlums and punks and all those gangs. Flashing their fake jewelry and playing that shitty trash they call music as loud as they can. They’ll probably be selling knockoffs of your clothes sooner or later,” the woman replied.

“... And why do you think that would happen, hmm? Me and my friends are still here, aren’t we?” Rarity wasn’t looking either of them in the eyes.

“Yes, but Rainbow Dash was the ‘badass’ one. She could set kids straight. Now, all those ghetto kids are missing their role model. Next thing you know, they’re idolizing some gangbanger who winds up dead the next week. And they’ll probably be the same!”

“Probably! Really, you should look into moving. I have a great agent who can get you a store and apartment combo just like this one, you know. If not for you, for your sister's sake. You don’t want her to be seen as another one of the bad ones do you? I know you work so hard to keep yourself from being associated with that kind of culture and those kinds of people.” the woman added, downing the rest of her drink.

Rarity’s hand started to curl into a fist as Pinkie stumbled into the room. “Rarity! I’ve been looking for you. I think I lost something outside, can you help me find it?” Pinkie asked, trying her best to give a supporting smile.

“Oh, why yes darling. So terribly sorry, but I have to take care of this pressing matter,” Rarity said, following Pinkie as they used the kitchen’s backdoor and stepped out into the cool night air. Rarity took another few paces away from the boutique before putting her face in her hands and letting out a muffled scream.

Pinkie watched her, before slowly approaching from behind and wrapping her arms around her. “Can I just assume you needed this hug?”

“Yes darling, thank you so much…” Rarity murmured before pulling her face back up. “I’ve heard that kind of pitch so many times. They think they’re being so clever when they’re not. They don’t say the slurs but at that point, they might as well!”

“Wanna mess with them?” Pinkie asked, looking at her. “I mean, this party could use a good hearty laugh from a classic pie to the face!”

Rarity chuckled, shaking her head. “No no, darling, it’s fine. I don’t need to start a scene or anything right now. I think I’ll just start sending people home soon, you know? It is getting late, and I think my mood has been soured as of that moment.”

“I can help clean up.” Pinkie gave her a reassuring smile.

“You can help me tomorrow, Pinkie. I’m likely going to go straight to bed the second the last guest leaves. You should do the same, you look so drained, darling.” Rarity put her hands on Pinkie’s cheeks, softly rubbing them. “You’re worn out. Get home, get sleep. Everything’ll be waiting for your help when you wake up tomorrow morning.”

Pinkie nodded slowly, looking back at the party. She could still see the people inside talking to each other, drunkenly swaying and trying to dance the night away. They all looked so fancy, so high up on the social ladder. She knew most of them probably talked about Rarity the same as those asses in the kitchen.

“Alright, Rarity. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she said, heading off. She stopped, turning back to her. “Rainbow Dash is out there somewhere. We’ll see her again someday, I just know it!” she called out.

Rarity smiled, nodding. “And when we do, we’re going to give her the biggest earful and biggest party that she’s ever had in her life!” she shouted back, laughing as the two went their separate ways.

Both ladies were blushing as they walked back.

As Pinkie made it back home, she slowly made her way to her bedroom. The booze was kicking back in. She swayed as she got closer to her bed.

Her footsteps echoed against the floorboards with each step, her body feeling heavier and heavier with each passing second. She was so close, and yet the bed felt so far away.

With a mighty push forward, she was finally able to flop onto her bed, groaning as she landed. Her body didn’t feel right. It felt like all her organs were being churned up.

“Damn it…” Pinkie weakly muttered, her vision blurring as exhaustion washed over her and she slowly closed her eyes, melting into the darkness around her and the cushy feelings of her bed below her.

Author's Note

It's been a while since I posted the updated version of this story. I really am proud with how it turned out and everything. By the time this is being posted and uploaded everywhere, it'll be near/on my birthday. I'm another year older. And I think I'm pretty happy with how I turned out, even though I'm the one writing MLP horror themed adult fanfiction so my judgement might not be the best on that ground. But hey. I have an amazing girlfriend. And sometimes, that's all I need. I'll try to post more fic updates on and off. Hoping I can sell more copies of the book at future cons sometime, but not sure on that for now.