⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✶✶✶⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✶✶✶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✶✶✶⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The next day

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✶✶✶⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✶✶✶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✶✶✶⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The ponies and the Cutie Mark Crusaders gathered at Sugarcube Corner, huddled together to discuss their plan regarding Pizza Pie’s missing cutie mark. They hoped that Pinkie Pie would cooperate, but the usually bubbly mare sat silently in the corner, her mane flat and colorless.

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward, trying her best to sound optimistic. “The girls and I talked last night about how to solve both your problems, Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie responded with a dull, lifeless, “Uh-huh,” barely acknowledging her friend's words.

“We’ve agreed to let the Cutie Mark Crusaders help with Pizza Pie’s cutie mark problem,” Twilight continued, glancing nervously at the dejected mare.

“Uh-huh,” Pinkie muttered again, her eyes unfocused.

Twilight pressed on, determined to get through to her. “Based on their experience helping other ponies discover their destinies, I’m confident they’re perfect for the task. Once Pizza Pie has her cutie mark, the two of you can live up to your promise, just like it was meant to be. Doesn’t that sound great, Pinkie?”

“Uh-huh. . .” The same monotonous reply, Pinkie barely moving as she sat in the corner of the bakery.

Rainbow Dash, hovering above the group, groaned in frustration, unable to take it. “Uuuggghhh!!” She facehoofed, glaring down at Pinkie. “Hey, Pinkie! Didn't you hear what Twilight said?!”

“Rainbow, please,” Twilight interjected softly, tugging at Rainbow Dash’s foreleg. “We have to approach this gently.”

“She's not even listening!” Rainbow Dash threw her hooves in the air, exasperated. “Just look at her!”

Pinkie Pie sat in the corner, unresponsive, her once bouncy mane hanging straight and lifeless, her coat duller than usual. She barely reacted to anything around her. Mr. and Mrs. Cake entered the room, carrying trays of cookies and hot cocoa, their faces heavy with concern.

“Oh dear, what are we going to do with our Pinkie Pie?” Mrs. Cake sighed, setting the tray down on a nearby table. “Without her focus, we’re falling behind on our orders. She usually handles all the decorating, delivering, and helping with Pumpkin and Pound Cake.”

Pumpkin and Pound Cake, the Cake twins, tugged at Pinkie's tail, giggling as they tried to cheer her up. Pinkie managed a weak smile, patting their heads before sighing and turning back toward the wall.

Twilight gave them a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. We’ll get her back on her hooves.”

Sweetie Belle, who had been quietly watching from the side, tugged gently at Twilight’s wing. “Um, excuse me, Twilight? How are we supposed to help Pinkie Pie?”

Twilight knelt down to the filly. “Actually, Sweetie Belle, your task is to help her cousin, Pizza Pie, with her cutie mark.”

“Her cousin?” Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “I haven’t even met her yet. What’s she like?”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and gave Apple Bloom a playful nudge. “You don’t remember? Pizza Pie’s the mare who slipped and knocked over the punch table at the party.”

“Oh, so that’s what all the fuss was about?” Apple Bloom asked, her brow furrowing in realization.

“Girls,” Twilight warned, “let’s not talk about that right now, especially not in front of Pinkie.”

“Sorry. . .” the Crusaders mumbled in unison, their eyes flicking nervously to Pinkie Pie.

“So it’s true,” Apple Bloom said after a moment, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Pizza Pie doesn’t have a cutie mark?”

Twilight nodded. “Sadly, yes. But we don’t know why. Your job is to help her find it that’s the most important thing.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders perked up, puffing out their chests in determination. “Don’t worry, Princess Twilight,” Apple Bloom declared confidently. “We’ll help her, or our names aren’t Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

Twilight smiled, grateful for their enthusiasm. “Thank you, girls. You’re exactly what we need to solve this problem.”

“Yeah, yeah, problem solved,” Rainbow Dash interjected, still hovering impatiently. “But aren’t we forgetting somepony important? Somepony who’s, I don’t know. . . still missing?”

The room fell silent for a moment as the realization hit them all at once. “GASP! PIZZA PIE!” the ponies shouted in unison. They began scrambling, searching the bakery frantically, even though they knew she wasn’t there. Pinkie Pie, however, remained motionless in her corner, still staring at the floor.

Twilight rushed to her side, gently placing a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “Pinkie, did Pizza Pie come home last night?”

Pinkie shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “No. . . she didn’t.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as she zipped over to Pinkie, grabbing her other shoulder. “What do you mean she didn’t come home?!”

Pinkie, unblinking, replied in a small voice, “She’s not here.”

“You mean to say. . .” Twilght’s voice rose in alarm, “SHE’S STILL MISSING?!”

A wave of panic swept over the room as the other ponies and the Cutie Mark Crusaders gasped.

Twilight’s eyes widened in horror. “We were so distracted by that mysterious light last night. . . we forgot all about her!”

Outside Sugarcube Corner, Pizza Pie stood nervously at the door, overhearing the conversation. She bit her lip, too scared and ashamed to walk in and face her cousin or her friends.

Back inside, the panic only grew. “I can’t believe you’re not even worried about your cousin!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her frustration boiling over. “This isn’t like you, Pinkie!”

“Rainbow Dash, stop it,” Twilight said sharply, stepping between her and Pinkie. “You’re not helping.”

“Indeed,” Rarity added, her voice firm but soft. “She’s been grieving since last night. Show a little more consideration.”

Rainbow Dash wasn’t having it. “Are you serious, Rarity? You want me to be more considerate?” She pointed a hoof accusingly at Pinkie Pie. “Fine. Let’s be honest then.”

“Rainbow Dash, what are you-” Twilight started, but Applejack gently placed a hoof on her shoulder, shaking her head.

“You best let her speak, Twilight,” Applejack said quietly. “This needs to be said.”

Rainbow Dash turned back to Pinkie, her eyes narrowing. “So what if Pizza Pie copied your mane and painted herself a fake cutie mark? She did all that to show how much you mean to her, and what did you do? You yelled at her in front of everypony and watched her storm out crying! Now we’ve been looking for her all night because you were too stubborn to listen!”

Pinkie Pie’s eyes filled with tears as Rainbow Dash’s words sank in. She looked up at her friends, her lip trembling, then back down at the floor, too ashamed to speak. Twilight gently pushed Rainbow Dash aside, giving Pinkie the space she needed to face what had just been said.

Pinkie Pie remained silent, her gaze downcast as her friends spoke to her.

“Rainbow's right, Pinkie," Twilight said softly. "Pizza Pie did lie, but she's still your cousin. And no matter what, that won’t change.”

“. . .”

Rarity stepped forward, her voice gentle. “And besides, darling, it took her great courage to leave her home to find happiness, and that happiness is you, Pinkie.”

“. . . .”

Applejack added, “Find it in your heart to forgive her Sugarcube.”

Pinkie’s ears slowly perked up as she wiped away her tears. A small smile crept onto her face, her color gradually returning. “Y-You’re right, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack. . . And I’m sorry, Rainbow, and everypony. I had you all worried. . . I never should’ve said those things to her. I’ve been a terrible cousin.”

“No, you’re not, darling,” Rarity reassured her, patting Pinkie’s shoulder. “In fact, Pizza Pie is lucky to have such a cheerful cousin like you.”

“Yep!” Rainbow Dash chimed in. “I was the first pony to feel your cousinly love, and now Pizza Pie gets to have it all to herself.”

Twilight smiled. “And wherever Pizza Pie is right now, I’m sure she feels the same way, Pinkie. You shouldn’t blame yourself or her. Family problems are just like friendship problems they can always be solved by understanding each other.”

Pinkie sniffed, her eyes still glistening with tears. “I guess I let my anger take over. . . I really want to make things right, but my cousin is still out there, sad and alone. . .”

She suddenly grabbed Twilight's face, pulling her close. “Ooohhh, Twilight! We have to find my cousin and fast!”

Twilight gently pushed Pinkie back with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Pinkie. We’ll find her, even if it takes-”

Suddenly, the front door burst open, startling them all. A bright light poured in from outside, forcing them to squint. A silhouette slowly emerged and walked toward them. As the light cleared, they gasped it was Pizza Pie, standing before them. They all rushed toward her, relief washing over them. Pinkie, still feeling the weight of her guilt, hung back, staring at her cousin.

Twilight was the first to speak. “Oh, we’re so glad you’re back!”

“Thanks, Twilight.”

“Heavens, darling, don’t scare us like that!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Sorry, Rarity, I didn’t mean to-”

“We were so worried about you,” Fluttershy added, her voice soft. “We thought you got lost in the woods.”

Pizza Pie shook her head. “Not exactly lost, Fluttershy, but-”

Rainbow Dash interrupted, her frustration bubbling over. “Where the heck have you been?! Do you have any idea how long I waited at the train station?! We thought you ran away!”

“Run away? Why would I-”

“Rainbow!” Applejack scolded. “This ain’t the right way to approach her.”

“It’s okay, Applejack.” Pizza Pie said softly.

Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves and muttered, “Well, you should try dozing off on a station bench and see how you like it. . .”

As Rainbow and Applejack bickered, Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she noticed something different about Pizza Pie. Something was sticking out from her mane. Upon closer inspection, she gasped.

“P-Pizza Pie, what’s that on your forehead? Is that a-”

“Oh, this? I can explain-”

“What’s on her forehead?” Pinkie Pie pushed past her friends and got up close to Pizza Pie, examining her cousin with wide eyes.

“C-Cousin, wait-”

Pinkie Pie gently lifted her cousin’s mane and gasped. There, on Pizza Pie’s forehead, was a unicorn horn. The entire room fell silent as everypony stared in shock.

“Cousin,” Pinkie said slowly, her voice trembling with confusion. “Where did you get that?”

Pizza Pie swallowed nervously, sweat forming on her brow. “Uh. . . well. . . it’s kind of a long story. . .”

Pinkie’s gaze narrowed. “First a fake cutie mark, and now 'this'?”

“Pinkie, let me explain!”

“Explain what?”

“I-” Pizza Pie glanced at the others, but they avoided her gaze. She turned back to Pinkie, who was still glaring at her. “Pinkie. . . a lot happened last night, but first, I. . . I wanted to say I’m sorry. For lying to you all these years. I should’ve put more effort into proving that I’ve changed.”

“. . . .”

“I was given a chance, and now this is-”

Before she could finish, Pinkie grabbed her cousin and pulled her into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t care anymore. . . I’m just glad you didn’t leave me. After everything I said to you last night. . . I was so scared we would leave.”

Pizza Pie teared up and hugged her cousin back. “Cousin. . . I’d never leave you. Not after how far I’ve come for that Pinkie Promise.”

“And you’ve fulfilled it,” Pinkie whispered. “You being here is all the Pinkie Promise I needed.”

The bond between the Pie cousins was healed in that moment. Twilight and the others, though still curious about Pizza Pie’s new look, exchanged knowing glances. For now, they decided to set their questions aside and let the cousins have their moment.

“Well,” Scootaloo muttered, “so much for a cutie mark journey.”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom shot her glares, but soon smiled, glad the family reunion had ended in peace.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✶✶✶⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✶✶✶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✶✶✶⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

~ End of chapter 11

Author's Note

After struggling to find her destiny, finally, a chance was given to her by an Alicorn her cousin helped reform. With the help of a mystery ritual, written in a glowing scroll. The once-look-alike mare had gotten her cutie mark. Along with an unexplained unicorn horn.

What magic lies behind her new form is anyone's guess.