She had left in the early hours of the morning, when the sun had only just begun to peek over the horizon.
She had left a note detailing where she was going, but also wrote down the classic line of, "Do not come looking for me."
She had left the rock farm feeling motivated and refreshed, and ready to begin her journey.
In her hooves was a map, torn and faded from moons upon moons of being exposed to the harsh elements. On the map were various locations marked with circles -- The Garden of Wicktree, Ferncomb, and the Durcana River, among others. Most importantly, there was a temple that wasn't marked with a name, but was instead marked with arrows and a circle.
This was where she was meant to go. The place that only so few of her ancestors had been before. The place that most of them arrived to on the brink of death, awaiting the arrival of vultures to feast upon their lifeless corpses.
She would not be like them. She would go to the temple and return alive, in good shape, and with the rock that she knew would help her adopted filly grow up to be healthy, happy, and strong, even despite her differences.
Taking a deep breath, she looked ahead, and marched.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed since she left her home. It had to have been hours, she assumed, going by the sun that was beginning to set.
Has it really been so long?
A pain began to form in her stomach, and she realized that she had not eaten since she left. The pain almost radiated to her heart as she thought about her husband and her four children, all gathered at the table and eating without her, but she forced herself to push it down.
After all, if she got this rock, it would all be worth it.
The saddlebags she wore around her back contained lots of food, so much so that both bags were bulging. Looking around to make sure there weren't any stray creatures, she rushed to a nearby rock formation and took a seat, loosening the saddlebags and placing them on the ground. She nudged one of the bags open and peered inside to find all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables, but also a hearty helping of rocks. It was quite the tough decision -- as much as she enjoyed eating rocks, she couldn't deny that eating a nice juicy apple or a freshly-pulled carrot was good every once in a while. Not that she would tell anypony.
She instinctively went for the rocks, picking one at random from one of the saddlebags and munching away at it. It felt chewier than most rocks she had eaten, but it was enough to satisfy her in both nutrients and taste.
By the time her belly was filled, the sky began darkening, and she watched as Princess Celestia lowered the sun and Princess Luna raised the moon. Part of her wondered if she should keep going -- in spite of her progress, she had a ways to go until she reached the temple -- or rest up for the night.
Taking a deep breath, she slid the saddlebags onto her back and stood up, pulling the map from one of the bags and examining it. She scanned the area for any sign of landmarks, but there didn't seem to be any nearby. Still, she found it fit to keep going a little bit more. The more progress she could make, the better.
Hours seemed to pass by quickly as she walked. Along the way, she couldn't help but think of her adopted daughter. She was a hardworking filly on the rock farm, but was always treated like an outcast among the family for how...different she looked. With her pink mane, tail, and fur, she stuck out like a sore hoof among a family with colors of greys and browns. Cloudy hated it, and it was one of the reasons why she was out searching for this rock. Anything to make her daughter's life better.
Spotting two rocks slanted against each other, she took shelter under there for the night, a movie beginning to play in her head of the first time she found her daughter as her eyes closed and she became consumed by darkness.
"Just what is that awful crying?"
"I do not know. I will go and check."
The heat from the sun bore down on the Pie family as they worked another day on the rock farm. However, the sound of crying caught the ears of Igneous Rock Pie, and he urged his pregnant wife to go and check out the source of the noise so it wouldn't be such a distraction.
As Cloudy walked, she kept her ears open for the source of the noise, barely hearing Limestone's cry for assistance in moving some rocks. As she neared one of the large rock piles that had been harvested, a wail sounded from behind it.
"Hm?"
Right there, chewing on a long flat rock, was a foal, no more than a few months old. Her fur, mane and tail were so pink, it was almost blinding. She certainly provided a dash of color to a landscape so bleak.
Something inside Cloudy spurred her to pick up this foal and swaddle her, her heart being filled with a sense of warmth that made her a little uneasy -- a sense of warmth that differed from when she had given birth to her other two children. The foal cooed and chirped, making a grab for Cloudy's spectacles that hung on her face.
The moment was broken up by a loud cry of "MA!!!" coming from Limestone, to which Cloudy responded, "Go and get Maud to help you!"
With that matter settled, the mare's attention could be focused on the foal once more. She stood up and began to head for the west field, spotting her husband pushing some rocks along the ground with his snout towards the east field.
"Igneous, I found this foal behind one of the rock piles."
Igneous paused his work and looked at the bright-pink foal in his wife's hooves, who cooed with excitement. His eyes began to widen, although Cloudy couldn't tell what emotion he was trying to convey. "We cannot just leave her there."
"Should we try to find the parents?"
"Yes. Take the train. Travel outside of Rockville."
Cloudy's eyes widened, but she didn't protest, and nodded solemnly. "All right. But you know I cannot travel very far."
"I know. But we have enough helpers."
This time, Cloudy opened her mouth to protest Igneous's last sentence, but closed it. It was true that Limestone and Maud were good helpers on the rock farm, always working hard and always making sure the Pie family had the rock industry cornered. But what was one more pony to help out? The more hooves the better, no?
Nonetheless, she turned and began to head for the train station, the foal giving curious coos while also fighting to stay awake.
Little did the mare of stone know that her search would take her longer than expected. So much longer, in fact, that her husband was forced to miss the birth of his new daughter, Marble Devora Pie, born only a few months after his wife had left. Regret had weighed in her heart since that day, although she was forced to set it aside to focus on raising her two foals.
Her two foals...yes, she had decided to keep the pink-furred foal she had found, if she was unable to find her parents. As much as she knew her husband would chastise her for it, she had found herself growing quite attached to her, even going so far as to give her a name: Pinkamena Diane Pie, or "Pinkie" for short. She knew it was a bad thing to get attached enough to give her a name that probably distanced itself quite greatly from her actual name, but she just couldn't help herself. For how stony she was, it was the love of her children that kept her going, day after day.
As time went on, she soon found that nopony had come to claim the foal, and her journey was all for naught. After a year, she had returned to the rock farm with foals in hoof and broke the news to her husband.
"Keeping her?"
"Yes. I am not going to abandon her, Igneous. We will raise her right."
Igneous had no rebuttal for that, instead turning heel and heading off to his room completely tight-lipped.
A small part of her felt a sense of superiority and smugness, that she won an argument before it had even started. But she didn't care what her husband thought of her. She would raise Pinkie and Marble, and make sure they served as valuable assets to the rock farm, no matter what it took.
In the stomp of a hoof, the view of the house twisted and warped, fading away until she was facing a haunting, ethereal void coated in a gloomy blue. From where she was standing, a group of ponies came into view, pointing and laughing at a pony that looked to be a mere silhouette.
"What's wrong, you pathetic excuse for an Earth pony? Get up!"
"We rock farmers are tougher than that!"
"You'll never be one of us!"
The laughing chilled the mare of stone to the bone, so much so that she found herself rooted in place and unable to move. The silhouette slowly began to be painted with color as it revealed itself to be Pinkamena, cowering and shaking in fear. Next to her were the shattered remains of a rock that was in the shape of a four-leaf clover, only a couple hoof-stomps away from being ground into dust.
One of the ponies in the crowd took their back hooves to the defenseless filly, sending her flying a good distance into the air and skidding along the ground, a scream emitting from her that was filled with pain and desperation.
Cloudy parted her mouth to scream "Stop it!" What came out, however, was the sound of a distorted electric guitar that the other ponies couldn't hear as they chased after Pinkamena and continued to beat her up with a flurry of kicks and hoof-stomps.
With tears in her eyes, the mare let out a scream that, instead of sounding like her regular voice, sounded like an electric guitar that was slowly dying, unable to even reach a hoof out in a plea to help her daughter. She could only watch as she was brutally bullied by this group of ponies that, with no doubt in her mind, were a part of the Pie family. It was perhaps one of the worst nightmares a mother could have, and she hated every second of it.
By the time she had woken up with a start the next morning, the sun was already quite high up in the sky. A lump of panic settled in her chest as she knew she had lost quite a significant amount of time. She took her saddlebags, emerged from her makeshift shelter, and headed for the temple once again, the dream-turned-nightmare still seeping its way into her brain.
As she walked and identified a landmark on her map, she got to thinking:
Exactly who am I doing this for?
It wasn't a thought she came up with consciously -- on the contrary, in fact. But it did make her think, and it did make her move slower than normal as the question became a weight on her shoulders.
Ever since she was a filly, she had heard stories of the stone, and how it had helped future generations of those who worked on the rock farm. Some ponies who traveled in search of the rock did it to help their kids, their grandkids, their nieces, their nephews. It was all about keeping the next generation alive so the rock farm could be kept alive, or so she had heard. But the thing was, each failure was counted as no big loss -- the Pie family was massive, after all, and one family member passing away on their journey, while saddening, was ultimately forgotten about after a few months. And as for the few successes...nopony knew about them. The ancestors did reach the stone, supposedly, but they also never returned with it, leaving their fates a complete mystery. Any questions as to whether an ancestor did reach the stone or not were only met with an answer usually along the lines of "yes, I can feel it in my heart."
Of course, she didn't understand until she grew a little older. And even then, she just went with whatever she was told, believing "the adults were always right and always very wise" was a strong philosophy.
Funny how things didn't work out that way now that she was an adult herself.
A sigh left her body as she continued to trudge along, the warm rays of the sun beaming down onto her fur as though giving a nice welcome to her. But it did nothing to lift her spirits, and instead, her mind went into a daze.
Over the course of the next few days, the question continued to churn away in her mind. No matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, it remained unwavering and unanswered. It got to the point where she had contemplated turning back and heading home a few times, before shooting down the idea and resolving to reach the temple with all her might.
Even if she wasn't sure why she was retrieving the rock anymore, it was all in the journey and not in the destination...right?
She passed the final landmark on her map, the Rushing Brook. Normally, she would be happy that she had made it this far in good shape, but thoughts flooded her brain and blocked out most anything else. She ran on autopilot for the most part, dedicating some of her willpower to trying to find answers to her questions.
Will this rock really help my daughter?
Will it help me?
Does the rock not provide some kind of reward to me for making it this far?
Why did I even go on this journey to begin with?
Why did I leave my family behind?
Do they miss me?
What if this rock is not what my ancestors thought it was?
Secretly, she wished one of her ancestors was here now, to give her the answers she was so direly seeking. But deep inside, she knew that she was all alone. She had left in the early hours of the morning with the intention of going alone, and now, she was paying the price for it.
She stopped and stared ahead of her, her arctic-blue eyes glassy and dull. She couldn't see the temple yet, but that didn't matter to her right now. All the conflicting emotions and thoughts swirled in her head, and her mouth opened.
Out came a scream that pierced the heavens, sent birds scuttling every which way, and shook the leaves of the trees.
It took every last bit of lung power from her, and she collapsed onto the ground, her eyes closing. She could feel something wet on her face, but didn't care whether it was rain or her own tears. Something in her head told her to keep going, to go to the temple and perhaps it would grant her wish. But right now, all she wanted to do was be one with the ground, fretting over whether she had just up and left her family just to go on a wild goose chase with no reward, or if said reward turned out to be a complete and utter dud.
By the time she stood up again, she wasn't sure what time it was, and frankly, she didn't care. So long as she stopped to eat sometime soon -- she was starting to get hungry -- she would be fine. She allowed her body to run on autopilot once more, and she kept going towards the temple.
As if Celestia herself were raining bad luck down upon her (or perhaps some weatherponies passing by), fog began to form, and rain began to fall. This, of course, only served to make it harder to see the temple, but instead of looking for shelter like she had done before when it rained, she continued to walk. Her glasses quickly became rain-stained, but this didn't deter her. Her mind continued to wage war with itself, screaming at her to turn back while her body continued to push forward.
In that moment, she felt like her ancestors who had died while on the journey to find the rock. She was, for the most part, fit and healthy. Her saddlebags were half-empty, but she had enough food left, and she could always eat rocks if she needed to. She had a map that her ancestors likely did not have. But the worthiness of her journey and of the rock itself threatened to make her vulture food without actually dying in the process.
And speaking of vultures, her gaze shifted to where some were sitting on branches, looking down at her with ravenous fire in their eyes, waiting to make their moves. The sight of them made her a little uneasy, she had to admit -- were they picking up on her emotions? -- but she kept going regardless.
A couple minutes later, she felt herself growing warm. Oh no. Am I becoming ill? she thought, worry beginning to settle in as she shook her head. I should have brought medicine. How foolish I wa-
The warmth grew as she walked. A green glow cut through the fog and shone onto her face.
This is...magic?
She forced her body to start running, closer and closer to the warmth, closer and closer to the magical glow. It got warmer and brighter, as though illuminating the rest of the pathway leading to her destination. Strangely, she felt her thoughts and emotions become at ease, like she didn't have a single care in the world.
A trip over a rock embedded in the ground caused the mare to stumble out of the cloud of fog. She shook her head and tried to recompose herself, before her arctic-blue eyes opened and took in the sight that laid before her.
The temple was much smaller than she had expected. Sitting in its center, however, was a rock that was cut into the shape of a four-leaf clover and glowing a bright green. It almost beckoned her to come forward and touch it, and that she did, slowly moving towards it. She lightly tapped on the temple pillars, hoping this wasn't some strange dream, but to her surprise, they felt real.
She ascended the stairs to where the rock sat on a tall pillar of its own. Its glow was weaker now, she noted, but by some magical force, it was hovering just a few inches in midair.
As she reached her hoof forward to touch the rock, a loud humming sound began to emanate, and she took a couple steps back, readjusting her glasses as she saw the rock glow brighter. A hologram began to come into view, showing the figure of an Earth pony with gray fur and brown eyes. Her blue mane looked windswept, something more befitting for a Pegasus than an Earth pony.
"Ms. Cloudy Quartz."
"Um...y-y-yes? That's me." Cloudy took a tentative step forward.
"You have been one of the very few members of the Pie family to reach this temple. I would like to congratulate you on your efforts."
"T-thank you." The mare of stone bowed her head. "It was, admittedly, a shorter journey than I had thought, but I am glad to make it here."
"Do tell me. Why have you come searching for Kismet Rock?"
Cloudy folded her ears down and avoided eye contact with the mysterious hologram. "I...well, you see...I had originally come looking for this stone to help my adopted daughter, Pinkamena Diane Pie. Because of her odd appearance and her name, she is often looked down upon by our family, in spite of the wonderful work she does on the rock farm." she explained. "But as I journeyed here, I got to thinking about her future and what would be in store for her. She will be working on the rock farm for the rest of her days, but her work will mean nothing if she is all but derided for it."
The hologram nodded and continued to listen.
"I want to raise her to be happy and healthy. To be treated well by our family, even if it will be a burden on me. I am willing to do whatever it takes to succeed in these goals."
"Even put your own life on the line?"
"Even put my own life on the line."
The hologram tapped a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. "It does sound like you are a good mother to Pinkamena already. You are most certainly confident in your abilities to raise her appropriately."
Cloudy nodded.
"So exactly why do you need Kismet Rock?"
The mare's eyes widened. She blinked. "Had I not just told you mere seconds prior?"
"Yes." the hologram said. "But you see, Cloudy Quartz, your ancestors who had traveled to this temple and arrived in good health before all had their own reasons for wanting to obtain the rock, from the outlandish to the nonsensical. And all of them were deemed unworthy."
"Unworthy?" The word danced on Cloudy's lips. She certainly didn't think her reasons for coming here were unworthy -- after all, the Pie family was known for its tight familial bonds. But she supposed the judge of that was whomever this holographic pony was that was speaking to her.
"Kismet Rock was the creation of Holder Cobblestone when he created Holder's Boulder. Although Holder's Boulder was meant to bring good luck to the rock farm, Holder crafted Kismet Rock as well, for times when a family member was struggling and needed help that others could not provide." the hologram explained. "It was nothing more than an ordinary rock shaped like a four-leaf clover, hidden away in a place that only the strongest and bravest of ponies could get to. But when Holder passed away, knowledge of his second creation was discovered, and it became a legend among the Pie family."
"Yes...I had heard about it as a filly." Cloudy nodded. "I was told that the rock was to be obtained in order to keep the next generation of rock farmers alive."
The hologram gave an annoyed scoff. "To place your trust in a rock to keep generations of a family alive instead of relying on your inner skills and knowledge is nothing but foolish."
"But if the rock was just an ordinary rock, why did you turn my ancestors away when they expressed their desires to help their family instead of just giving them the rock?"
"I was not about to drop the illusion, now was I?" The hologram chuckled. "I sent your ancestors away without the rock in their hooves. What their fates were after that, I do not know."
So all the ponies that did make it here...did they all pass away? Cloudy thought. No wonder why we never heard back from them. They all tried to retrieve the rock, but failed because they did not seem to possess the skills they needed to raise their children.
I do not want to be like them. But at the same time...
Before she could continue with her train of thought, the hologram spoke again. "Before you ask, Cloudy Quartz, I am not willing to entrust the rock to you."
She opened her mouth as though to interject, but then closed it again. There was no need to ask why when the hologram had already explained it to her.
I need to have faith in myself that Limestone, Marble, Maud and Pinkamena will grow up to be happy and strong. For Celestia's sake, Igneous is already talking about plans for letting Limestone take over upkeep of the farm. He has confidence in her, and so do I. But-
"Was this journey really all for nothing?"
The question slipped from her before she could stop herself. She clapped a hoof to her mouth and gazed up at the hologram with a worried expression.
"No. Quite the opposite, actually." The hologram smiled. "You have discovered something about yourself. You have discovered that the ability to be a loving and caring mother to your children does not require the assistance of a rock, whether it holds good-luck properties or not. It requires a good strong heart, lots of patience, and love and support for them as they grow."
Cloudy couldn't help but smile, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks.
"Now, I believe you should return home. Your husband and your children must be worried sick about you. Especially little Pinkamena."
"Thank you." Cloudy bowed her head downwards, as though she were speaking to Celestia herself. "But I do have two questions. What is your name, and exactly how are you speaking to me like this?"
"Bedrock Pie. I am one of your ancestors." the hologram said. "This rock was infused with Earth pony magic. Holder Cobblestone's magic, as a matter of fact."
Yes...I do remember hearing stories of how powerful Holder was. Cloudy was told of how strong Holder was all throughout her growing up, but if she was being honest, she didn't think much of them. Seeing that he had put his magic into such a rock that was ultimately worthless, though, was nothing short of astounding.
"If you have no more questions, Cloudy Quartz..." The hologram began to glitch. "Then I wish you the best of luck, wherever your life may take you."
Cloudy opened her mouth once more.
The hologram fizzled out, leaving only the rock suspended in midair by Holder's magic.
Without another word spoken, she made her way down the stairs and faced the thick cloud of fog that would mark the beginning of her journey back home. The words of Bedrock Pie lingered in her head.
She is right. I do have a good strong heart, patience, and love and support for all of my children, and my husband as well. Our family is massive, but if there is one thing we do best, it is raise our children. Even Pinkamena will get her own chance to shine, and I will make sure of it.
She began to walk towards the fog.
I had gone on this journey to help my daughter. But now I know what I need to do. Not just for her, but for my entire family.
She broke into a sprint, a smile forming on her maw.
Pinkamena, no matter what, you will always be part of the Pie family, no matter your origins. Keep working hard. I am coming home...sooner than you think.
