Chapter 11
Finale
When the light from the flash subsided, the sky was completely black. It was like a night without any stars or the moon. There were gasps and shouts of panic. But before anypony could say anything, there was a light. A shimmering, wavering light that changed colors. There was soft purple, brilliant pink, pale green, deep red, electric blue, and shimmering gold.
"What is that?" Scootaloo asked in awe.
"It's so pretty…" Fluttershy added.
"It's called an aurora borealis," Twilight explained. "You could say it's the night version of a rainbow. Princess Luna, did you—"
"No," the Alicorn answered. "This is not my doing."
"Then how…"
Rainbow Dash washed the aurora. Then she realized where it was.
"It-it's over the memorial!"
Guided by the colorful light, the ponies made their way to the hill. They were almost there when the aurora stopped as suddenly as it had started and everything went back to normal. The crowd continued, looking at the sky and trying to figure out what happened.
Naturally, Dash arrived at the memorial first. She gasped at what she saw.
Standing around were a dozen ponies, all looking around in confusion. She recognized them quickly. It was the ones who'd been murdered…
Shouts and gasps made her look back at the crowd. She'd barely turned around when several ponies galloped forward, shouting with joy.
Applebloom: "Twist!"
Silver Spoon and Filthy Rich: "Tiara!"
Berry Punch: "Ruby!"
Ditzy Doo and Autumn Harvest: "Goldie!"
Applebloom was the first to reach her target, almost tackling a skinny white filly with a curly red mane and tail whose cutie mark was two candy canes in the shape of a heart.
"Applbloom?" Twist asked, squinting. "Ith that you? I can't thee."
"It's okay, sweetie," a gangly, bespectacled stallion said as he took her in his front legs and put a pair of purple glasses over her eyes.
"Your father's been keeping them for you," her mother, a surprisingly attractive mare, said softly as she and her husband hugged their daughter while crying tears of joy.
Silver Spoon hugged Diamond Tiara, spinning as she hugged her while laughing and crying. Filthy Rich took them both in his front legs to hug them both, his laughter mixing with hers.
"What's going on?" Tiara asked with a mix of confusion and annoyance. "What's with you two? And where's my tiara?"
"I have it at home," Rich told her with a smile. "We'll go there right now!" He even let the two fillies ride on his back. Before he started he rubbed his daughter's white and lavender mane. "I love you, Tiara."
"Me too!" Spoon added as she hugged her.
"You…do?" Tiara asked, stunned.
"We both missed you so much!"
"You did?"
As they rode off Dash thought she could see the beginnings of a smile Tiara's face. A genuine smile, not the usual smug smirk she usually wore.
Meanwhile, Autumn, Ditzy, and Dinkie had their hooves wrapped around Goldie, crying tears of joy and both talking at once so nopony could understand them.
"Calm down, girls, calm down," the orange maned earth pony told them as she rub their heads with a hoof each. "One at a time."
"I missed you, Sis!" Autumn told her, smiling through her tears. "We both missed you so much!"
"I promise I be a better friend this time!" Ditzy said. "I'll try harder to do better."
Goldie smiled sweetly. "You've always been a good friend. You may not always do things right, but at least your heart is in the right place."
Dash turned her attention to Berry Punch, who held her daughter tightly in her front legs, kissing her all over her face.
"Mom," the little unicorn said with a laugh, "cut it out!"
Berry didn't seem to hear her. "It's gonna be different this time, baby! Mama really, really means it this time! I promise that from now on things will be better!"
Dash looked away from them, seeing dozens of reunions happening as friends and family were reunited with ponies they never, ever through they'd see again. Daisy and Lily holding Rose, Daisy about to faint. Colgate was being greeted by Time Turner. Lyra was weeping with joy as she held Bon-Bon. Thunderlane and Cloudkicker were being welcome backed by several pegasi.
There, in the middle of the joy and revelry, sat a lone griffin, looking around in total confusion. Dash approached her.
"Uh, hi Gilda," she said with a weak smile.
"Dash?" Gilda ask. "What's going on here? Is this another lame party?"
"Not quite," Dash told her with an inward sigh. "But about that…Listen, I'm sorry you were the brunt of those pranks. Those were supposed to be spread out among everyp—everyone. Things just got…out of hoof." She gave Gilda a heartfelt look. "Please, can't we try to go back to how things used to be?"
Gilda looked at her intently. But before she could answer, Gerard appeared. Dash wasn't sure when he'd gotten there, but she imagined he could've shown up without being noticed in all the excitement. In fact, nopony even seemed to see the two griffons.
"Father?!" Gilda said, going stiff. "What are you doing here?"
"I've been searching for you," he said, looking at her wide eyed.
"I know I haven't been home in a while," she told him, sounding annoyed. "But I can take care of myself. I'm not a hatchling ya know…though I have this funny feeling I've been gone a while…"
"What do you remember?" her father asked before Dash could give him some kind of signal.
A look of concentration came over Gilda's feathered face. "The last thing I remember, I was minding my own business, then something hit me on the back of the head. After that…" She closed her eyes as she tried to remember.
"It's okay if you can't remember," Dash told her. "What matters is that you're okay."
But Gilda still tried to recall "Wherever I was…it was dark and lonely…and scary. There—there's this-this thing…"
Her eyes popped opened and she shuddered. Gerard carefully put a talon on her shoulder.
"Don't think about it. Like your pony friend said, what matter is the here and now. Come, let us be off."
As they turned to leave, Dash approached Gilda.
"Uh, hey G? Would you like to hang again some time? Maybe just the two of us, like the old days?"
Again, Gilda looked at her intently. "Maybe…I think I might like that."
She and her father flew away. Dash wasn't sure if she could really repair the relationship she'd had with Gilda, but at least she felt better seeing her old friend alive and without the memories of her death.
"It's amazing, isn't it?"
Dash looked to see Twilight, Rarity, AJ and Fluttershy beside her.
"How ya'll think this coulda possibly happened?" Applejack asked as she watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders with Twist.
"This is even more wondrous than Rainbow regaining her wings!" Rarity declared.
Dash gasped as she finally realized it. She and Fluttershy exchanged a panicked look.
"Pinkie!" they both said.
Before any of the others could say anything, Dash was in the air with a flap of her wings. She flew as fast as she possible could, the air pushing against her until like water. But she still flew on, even as she felt the heat of friction on her body.
BOOM!
She'd flown so fast and so hard she made Sonic Rainboom. Normally she would've been proud and happy to have made another, but this was the furthest thing on her mind right now. Fluttershy had given her wings so that Dash could fly again. What could Pinkie have given up to restore 13 lives?
In no time at all she saw the mountain. She stopped flying to zoom into the cave and skid to a stop. She looked around. It was empty and dark. No glowing lion with eyes that changes colors…and no Pinkie Pie.
"Pinkie!" She called out at the top of her voice, running to the back of the cave. "Pinkie Pie! PINKIE!"
No answer. She called out, running into the cave walls as the ran in the darkness.
"Please," she shouted, "whatever she gave you in exchange for reviving the victims, I'll give some too! We all will! Just please don't take her away from us! There's joy in Ponyville where there was despair and it's because of her! She deserves to see it! To see all those smiles! To let her know that everypony loves her again! PLEASE!"
The only sound was the echo of her voice.
She flew back with a heavy heart. She quietly made her way to the library to wait for the others and tell them.
"What could she possibly have given him to revive those ponies…?" Rarity asked quietly.
Dash shook her head. "I don't think we'll ever know." Fresh tears ran down her face. "It's just not fair. She managed to do something truly great…to make everypony in Ponyville—even the rest of Equestria—smile. To make them forgive her…but she'll never see it..."
"But that's no reason to cry," Fluttershy told her.
The other stared at her in shock.
"She wouldn't want us to," the pale yellow pegasus told them. "She made the ultimate sacrifice for undo the worst thing that's ever happened in Equestria. I'll miss her as much as anypony else, but right now all of Ponyville is celebrating. What's more, none of the victims seem to remember what happened to them. And that's for the best."
"Damn straight," Dash said bitterly.
"So you stop crying right now, Rainbow Dash. You're not going to honor Pinkie Pie by mourning her. She wouldn't want that at all. You're going to go out there and join everypony else in celebrating the return of ponies who shouldn't even be here right now."
Dash stared at her foalhood friend. Fluttershy had lost her wings and was perfectly happy with it because Dash could do what she loved. And now Pinkie was gone, but it was restore a dozen ponies who'd died in agony and innocence. She wiped her face off and smiled.
"You're right. No matter what happened to her, she'd want me to be happy and party. Thanks, Shy."
"Whew," the other pegasus said with a sigh. "That took a lot out of me…"
"Though you said what needed to be said, Sugarcube," Applejack told her proudly. "Now let's c'mon. This here's gonna be the biggest party Ponyville's ever seen and we owe it ta Pinkie to have a heck of an ol' time!"
The celebration proper started the next day. There were games, dancing, singing, and performances of every kind, ranging from puppet shows to magic tricks to different contests to musicians and bands. Everypony tried to downplay what had happened to the victims, but like Gilda they only knew they'd been gone a long time and all they could remember was being alone and scared in darkness. Dash figured it was only a matter of time before they found out the harsh truth, but at least they wouldn't remember the pain and suffering they endured. She wished she could forget herself, but somepony had to remember the darkest parts so that the light would shine brighter. Or something like that.
She was torn from her thoughts when she heard a grunting and saw Big Mac carrying the largest cake she'd ever seen on his backs. The large red stallion faltered as the four tiered cake swayed, looking like it was about to fall. Dash flew up to carefully hold the top layer.
"Thanks, Rainbow!" Mr. Cake called to her. He and his wife were also loaded down with various baked goods.
"Let me help with that too," Twilight offered as she stepped forward, her horn glowing to make an aura appear around the cake. The three ponies carried the giant cake to a table and helped the Cakes get out their wares.
"Thanks, girls," Mrs. Cake told them. "And you too, Macintosh. You may go now. Have a pie for your troubles."
"Yep," Mac said as he took the pie and walked away.
"Now that's a cake!" Dash remarked. "What do you call that thing?"
"We call it the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness," Mr. Cake replied proudly.
"The MMMM for short," his blue wife added. "It's our masterpiece!"
"How did you ever manage to make such a big cake in such a short amount of time?" Twilight asked.
The Cakes exchanged a knowing smile. "We had a little help," Mr. Cake replied.
"Come with me and I'll tell you more," Mrs. Cake told them. "Besides, I have a message for you."
The two ponies followed to somewhere that wasn't as noisy and crowded as the rest of Ponyville.
"You were asking how we made the MMMM," she told them. She smiled brightly as she motioned for them to lean forward and dropped her voice to a whisper. "Don't tell anyone, but Pinkie helped us."
"WHA—" Dash started to shout before the pudgy earth pony put a hoof in her mouth.
"Shhh!" Mrs. Cake said with her other hoof to her lips. "She wants it to be a surprise!"
"But…how?" Twilight asked. "When?"
Mrs. Cake took a breath before telling them.
The Previous Night
"Tomorrow's going to be a big day, sugar plum," Carrot Cake told his wife.
"I know!" Cup Cake said excitedly. "We should clear out the entire shop!" She looked at her husband thoughtfully. "You think it's time we tried out that new recipe?"
"Now would be a perfect time…but it'll take a lot of work. I'm not sure you're up to it in your condition."
"Mmmm…Maybe-maybe I can help," a voice said quietly.
The Cakes looked up to see Pinkie Pie step forward. They stared at each other until Pinkie broke the silence.
"L-Listen, I-I'm—"
The Cakes embraced her before she could start.
"Welcome back, Pinkie," Carrot told her.
"We've missed you," Cup said.
"Y-You mean you're not mad? A-After what I-we-it—"
"No, no," Cup told her with a warm smile. "We know it's not your fault."
"From the start we couldn't believe you'd really do such things," Carrot said. "Then on the day you were freed, that thing went into my body."
"Really?" Pinkie asked.
Carrot nodded. "While Princess Celestia was chasing it, it possessed me for a few minutes. But I wasn't fast or agile enough. We tripped and it left me, saying 'No wonder you needed Pinkie's help' in disgust."
"It used my name?" Pinkie asked suspiciously.
"Well, it called you something else, but it wasn't nice at all."
"Ah."
"And then," Cup continued, "Princess Celestia explained everything. I thought 'Thank goodness. My little Pinkie is innocent'." She took one of Pinkie's hooves in hers. "Pinkie…could you please come back to us?"
"Really?" the pink pony asked with great surprised.
"We'd hoped you'd come back to us sooner or later," Carrot told her. "We even kept your room as you left it."
Pinkie wiped her eyes as she smiled at them. "I'd really like to…but I can't. I have to go away. But I'd love to help you one last time before I do."
"Excellent," Carrot told her. "Because with this recipe we're going to need all the help we can get!"
As they went into the kitchen, Pinkie stopped to look where the cellar door was.
"What about…what about…"
"Look for yourself," Cup told her.
Pinkie moved aside the barrels to see just floor. The door was gone. She looked at the Cakes.
"After they were done cleaning the place out," Carrot told her, "we had it filled up and boarded over. We've put too much time and work into Sugarcube Corner to let it all be ruined by that evil creature."
Pinkie sighed in relief and smiled. "That's good. I'm so glad to hear it."
"And, well…" Cup added, glowing, "something big has come up." She put a hoof to her stomach.
"Oooh!" Pinkie said in realization. "You're going to have a baby?! That's wonderful!" She jumped up and down, her poofy tail wagging like a dog's and talking quickly. "That's so exciting! Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet? How long have you been pregnant? Did you just find out or have you keeping it to yourselves for a while?"
The Cakes laughed at her movements and jabbering. "Calm down Pinkie," Carrot told her. "We'll tell you as we work."
Pinkie stopped. "Can I please feel of your tummy?"
Cup smiled and nodded. "You can even put your ear to it."
She laid on her side and Pinkie carefully put a hoof on her stomach, then an ear.
"I can hear something," she said with a gasp. "Doesn't really sound like a baby though." She looked up at her employer and landlady. "Are you sure it's not just indigestion?"
Cup chuckled. "I'm more than sure."
Pinkie laid her head on Cup's stomach. "Listen, little baby. I wish I could be there to play with you and help take care of you. But I have to go away and I don't think I'll ever come back. So you just be a good baby for your mommy and daddy. They were very good to me and they'll be good to you too." She kissed Cup's stomach before getting up. She and Carrot helped Cup get up and they got to work.
"She worked tirelessly, energetically, and happily" Mrs. Cake told Twilight and Rainbow Dash. "She was the one who came up with calling the cake 'MMMM'. We worked late and even then she let us go to bed while she cleaned up the kitchen." She wiped her eye. "When we got up she was gone. She left us a note and one for you as well."
She reached into her apron and pulled out a note. Twilight used her magic to hold it while she and Dash read it.
Dear Twilight, Dashie, AJ, Rarity or Fluttershy,
Meet me at the library late tonight and bring the others.
Love, Pinkie Pie.
"Thanks, Mrs. Cake," Twilight told the earth pony with the unusual mane. "And congratulations, by the way."
"Thank you, dear." With that Mrs. Cake went to help her husband.
Dash held the note with a large smile. "She's okay, Twilight. She's coming back to us."
"Didn't you hear what Mrs. Cake said? Pinkie said she's going away."
"At least we'll have her for a little while. I'm just so happy to know that she's okay. I was so scared that she was dead." Dash wiped her eyes. "I feel so much better. I'll tell the others."
Dash flew around Ponyville to give the news to her friends, making sure to tell them not to tell anypony else.
She'd just finished telling Rarity and was one her way to check out one of the bands when she almost collided with a yellow pegasus with a mane that was to shades of orange.
"Spitfire?!" Dash exclaimed, barely recognizing her idol outside of her Wonderbolts uniform. Likewise, Spitfire's distinctive mane now flat, making her almost look like a completely different pony.
"Shh!" the Wonderbolts captain told her. "It's my day off. But as soon as I heard I just had to see it for myself."
She flew in circle around Dash, studying her.
"Amazing…" she said wide-eyed. "It's a miracle, a complete miracle…"
"Thanks," Dash told her, blushing. "But it's my friend Fluttershy who deserves all the credit. She gave up her wings for mine. But it feels so-wonderful to have them back. So-so right!" She did an aerial flip as she said the last two words.
"I hear you even performed another sonic rainboom in celebration," Spitifire commented.
Dash held her piece. The simple fact was that she'd been in a great hurry. But everypony had seen it as her doing in excitement over the return of her wings and the victims. She'd corrected the first few ponies, but then had to quit.
"If everypony sees it as a sign ah good times," Applejack had told her, "let 'em."
"I'm not here on official business," Spitfire told her, "but after seeing this you're a lot closer to being in the Wonderbolts."
"Thank you," Dash told her. "But I still want to earn my place on the team. No hoof outs."
Spitfire smiled encouragingly. "That's good to hear. But just to warn you, we won't make it easy on you."
"Good. I don't get in, fine. I'll just give it my all and if I fail, I'll just keep trying."
"That's what I like to hear from a potential Wonderbolt!" Spitfire cheered as she gave Dash a pat on the back. "Now how about a bite to eat and maybe try out a band? I've heard some good things about Thunderhead."
The celebration passed into the night. It was after it was dark when somepony gave an excited shout and pointed.
There stood Pinkie Pie, her mane and tail as poofy as ever. She waved a hoof. "Um, hi everypony," she said with a faltering voice. A crowd surrounded her, smiling brightly and telling her "thank you".
"You mean-everypony is this happy to see me?" she asked.
"How can we not be?!" Ditzy Doo asked. "Rainbow Dash told us you did something to bring them back!"
Lyra took Pinkie's hoof in hers. "I missed Bon-Bon dearly. And then all I can remember before today and when I disappeared was being in a dark void where I was scared and sad. Then I was back in Ponyville. And so was she. I owe you everything."
"We all do," Berry Punch said. "Everypony in town has regained something precious to them. Some of us have gained something more. And while we don't know the details, we know enough to realize you played a part."
"Wherever have you been?" Rarity asked. "You've missed out on so much partying!"
Pinkie shook her head. "No. I've been watching. See all this joy was even better than joining in. Even you can't say 'join in' without 'joy'. But what really matters is that everypony in town is happy again. Because everpony here is my friend. And I love to see my friends smile!"
Somewhere, a guitar started to strum in a rhythm and Pinkie sang along with it as she started to dance and play with everypony she came across.
My name is Pinkie Pie/And I am here to say/
I'm gonna make you smile and I will bright up your day-aaay!
It doesn't matter now/if you are sad or blue/
'Cause cheering up my friends is what Pinkie's here to do!
'Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smile!/ Yes I do!
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while!/ Yes it does!
'Cause I really need's a smile, smile, smile, from these happy friends of mine!
As the song grew louder and more powerful, Pinkie capered, played, danced and did tricks as she sang. It was like watching something from a play or movie as ponies went along with it in sync. Dash had no idea how it was happening, but she was really enjoying it.
There's one thing that makes me happy/ and make my life worthwhile/
And that's when I talks to my friends and get them to smile…
At one point, Pinkie was riding on Applejack's back with the others around her and they made their way through the crowd in a six pony parade.
Come on everypony, smile, smile, smile!/ Fill my heart with sunshine, sunshine!
All I really need is a great big smile/ From these happy friends of mine!
Suddenly, what felt like the entire populace joined in as a chorus.
COME ON EVERYPONY, SMILE, SMILE, SMILE!
FILL MY HEART UP WITH SUNSHINE, SUNSHINE!
ALL I REALLY NEED IT A GREAT BIG SMILE/
FROM THESE HAPPY FRIENDS OF MAAII-INE!
As the chorus was repeated, Pinkie sang
Yes, a perfect gift for me/ Is a smile as wide as smile!
To make me happy as can be—
SMILE! SMILE! SMILE! SMILE! SSSMMAAAIIIILLEEE!
Pinkie actually floated into the air, glowing and giving the biggest smile Dash had ever seen.
Come on and smile/ COME ON AND SMILE!
*pop!*
She disappeared in pink flash, like a firework. The crowd applauded wildly.
"That was amazing!" Sweetie Belle declared.
"How did she do that?!" Dinky Doo asked.
"I dunno what came over me," Applebloom remarked, "but it felt good!"
And so the night continued, now even more jovial. Though Dash didn't get to see her, she heard of several Pinkie Pie sightings where she played, joked, sang and complemented ponies just like she used to.
"Everything is finally how it's supposed to be," she sighed.
"What was that, dear?" Rarity asked.
"Nothing."
The celebration continued late into the night, even as a lot of ponies went home. Dash, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy went to the library. Pinkie was already waiting on them. The five mares ran to her laughing and they embraced each other in a group hug, laughing and crying tears of joy.
"You did it, Pinkie!" Dash told her earth pony friend. "You made things right again!"
"Everything is as it should be now," Rarity remarked.
"We're mighty proud of ya, Sugarcube!" AJ declared.
"You've done something just-just wonderful!" Fluttershy said.
"But there is something I'm curious about," Twilight said as her smile faded and the hug broke apart. "What did you do to revive 13 creatures?"
"Well," Pinkie replied, "that's the thing. I gave him my soul and made him kill me a few times."
"HUH?!" her five friends asked with wide eyes and gaping mouths.
"Okay, bear with me," she told them. "It's pretty strange."
"Hoo boy," Applejack said as she and the other exchanged a nervous look.
"The reason I stayed behind in the cave was to ask him if he had the power to bring back the poor ponies that were killed, and Gilda. He paused and said 'I believe so. But the price for such a miracle is will be high. Very high indeed.'. I thought about it and asked how many lives a soul was worth. There was another pause and he said 'A few. Though I'm not sure I can revive all of them.'. But I really, really wanted to do that. Then I thought about it and offered my life for theirs. He could kill me 13 times, one for each victim. He argued that that was impossible. But I kept begging and pleading. He kept talking about balance and order, but where was the balance in letting 13 creatures that died in agony and innocence stay dead when they could be bought back to live their lives as they were meant to? When one creature was willing to give her life multiple times to do it? I knew that being killed and resurrected myself could cause an imbalance, but I had to try-try SOMETHING.
"He looked at me for a long time and finally said 'It has been a long, long time since I encountered a creature willing to make such a great sacrifice to do the right thing. I shall attempt to do it to the best of my abilities.'. He leaned forward, kissed me on the forehead, rubbed my head, then broke my neck.
"He killed me a few more times, but not all 13. Which is good, because some of those really hurt. But if it was anywhere near as bad as what the victims felt, it was worth it. When it was over, I-I felt it. I could feel the changes. Then he showed them to me." Pinkie smiled brightly. "Showed me those poor ponies reunited with their victims. He even let me join today's party to enjoy the fruits of my labors—even though I didn't plant anything. And to say goodbye."
"So…you're…dead?" Dash asked in astonishment.
"I think so," Pinkie replied. "Being solid and stuff was just temporary."
"That would certainly explain that trick you pulled at the end of the song," Twilight remarked. "And various tricks they said you did."
"But…" Fluttershy asked quietly. "Does that mean after tonight…we'll never, ever see you again?"
"Maybe," a new voice answered, seeming to come from everywhere. "Maybe not."
Everypony looked around, but couldn't see anything. Then they saw two eyes, floating in the air and changing colors.
"Mr. Lion?" Fluttershy asked.
"I think his title is a little more imposing than that," Rarity commented.
"I have many names and many forms," the voice told them. "You may call whatever you like, considering how infrequently I appear or am needed in Equestria."
"Please," Dash said as she stepped forward. "Let Pinkie—"
"It's okay, Dashie," the pony told her. "I'll miss you all. I'll miss everypony. And every nonpony. But I did what I had to do. And I feel so much better." She held a hoof out in front of her face. "I can't see the blood anymore." She put both hooves over her chest. "My heart's fixed." She smiled. "I can smile again. I feel the laughter and happiness inside me like I used to."
"And I assure you," the voice told them, "I will put her to good use. Many beings have made great sacrifices to me, but extremely seldom has one offered their very soul. To be honest, I have little need for servants. But I every now and then it's nice to have some help in spreading goodness. Who knows? Her duties may bring her back here. I may even just let her visit from time to time. I certainly plan to let her go some day to claim her final reward, just as I have done other souls that have come into my service."
"Ooh!" Pinkie said in excitement. "Does that mean I'll be your sidekick?! Can I wear a mask and a cape and tights? I can be-the Pink Princess! Power Pinkie! Laughter Lass!"
"Hold it," Twilight put in. "What about the Element of Laughter? The Elements of Harmony are needed to defend Equestria and—"
"Oh, Twilight," Pinkie said with a giggle. "It'll just have to go to some other pony who can laugh their cares away." She looked at her friends. "I just need you guys to do one thing for me."
"Anything," they all replied.
"Make somepony happy anyway you can. And take care of Mrs. Cake's new baby for me."
They nodded.
"Thank you." She looked to the eyes. "Is it time to go?"
"You may finish saying your goodbyes. Take your time."
With that the eyes vanished. Pinkie went around saying good bye to her friends.
"Goodbye, Twilight," she started with the purple unicorn. "I'm sorry for all the times I annoyed you or you didn't understand me."
Twilight shook her head and smiled. "No. That was my fault for being kinda uptight and small minded. You were just being you."
"Applejack," Pinkie told her fellow earth pony. "I'm really going to miss your family's cooking. Tell Applebloom—make something cool up and say that I said it."
"Got it. And we'll miss yer sweets too, Sugarcube."
"Rarity, I really wish I could've worn some more neat party dresses you make. And I'm sorry for any time I upset you too."
"Think nothing of it, dear."
"…and—and thank you for taking apart that—that dress. I'm so glad it was you."
Rarity put a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "Happy to be of service. It wasn't pretty, put somepony had to, and do it well."
Pinkie hugged Fluttershy tightly. "I'm so sorry I won't be there to cheer you up anymore. Especially now…"
"It's okay," the pale-yellow ex-pegasus told her. "I'll just have to try not to get upset as often." She looked at her wingless back. "And I'll be able to manage somehow."
"In fact…does this mean you'll have to change your name?"
Fluttershy actually laughed. "There's a thought. But I've had this one too long. Plus, I still have my cutie marks."
"Oooh!" Pinkie said in realization. She looked to Twilight. "Maybe you can give her wings like that time with Rarity!"
"She'd certainly make better use of them than I did," Rarity said with a sigh.
"Hmm…I believe we'll try that…" Twilight said with a hoof on her chin.
Pinkie turned Rainbow Dash. They just looked at other.
"D-Dashie…"
"Listen," Dash told her. "No more apologizing. It wasn't your fault. None of it was. I regained my wings and you gave up everything to bring back things way more important."
"I didn't give up everything. In fact, I regained something precious; I got back my laughter."
"Exactly!" Dash put a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "I just hope I can find a prank partner and playmate anywhere near as awesome as you."
"I'm sure you will. I just hope that in my travels I can meet friends as good as you guys."
"Whatever creatures you meet, they're bound to love you. Even it takes 'em time to see what a great friend you are. I know it took me a while, but I'm glad I finally realized it."
They embraced in a hug. The others joined them for a group hug that lasted a long time. When it finally came apart, Pinkie backed away from her five friends with a smile and started to sing.
So long! Farewell! Aufwiedersehn! Audeiu!
Audeiu, audieiu, to you and you and you!
But she hadn't gotten very far when she stopped.
"You know, this song doesn't work as well as a solo. Or out of context…" She shook her head.
"Hey, you tried," Dash told her. She looked to their friends. "Whattay say, Girls? Should we send her off with a song?"
They all nodded.
"What should we sing?" Rarity asked. "Pinkie's good with coming up with random songs out of nowhere, but I never really learned how."
They got together in a circle and talked. When they were done they turned to Pinkie and started to sing in a chorus.
My little pony, My Little Pony/ Isn't the world a lovely place?
My Little Pony, My Little Pony/ Everywhere you go a smiling face
Smiling and skipping, merrily tripping/ Watching the morning unfold
My little pony, my little pony/ What does the future hold?
Smiling and pleasant/echo the present
No sign of trouble in sight
My Little Pony/My Little Pony
May all your days be bright
May all your days be briiiigghhtt…
Pinkie applauded and laughed. "That was great! Really pretty!"
She skipped around in a circle around them, laughing and cheering. She started to glow, became faster and faster, jumping increasingly higher. After the last jump she started actually fly around the room, leaving a shimmering trail like a rocket or comet. She flew around the library, her silvery laugh filling the air.
"Quick, somepony open a window!" Twilight ordered.
Dash did for Pinkie to zoom out. The five mares ran outside to watch the living comet fly high into the air and out of sight. And even though they shouldn't have, they heard Pinkie's voice as if she was right here.
"Goodbye, everypony! I love you!"
They stood at the library for a few minutes, watching the sky and the stars until a yawn broke the silence. They looked at Applejack.
"Sorry," she told them. "Not used ta stayin' up so late."
"I think it's time we all went to bed," Fluttershy suggested. "It's been a busy, busy day."
The ponies told each other goodnight. Dash flew back to her cloud house. Even though she'd been there the previous night, her mind had been too preoccupied. Now she could fully enjoy being able to fly home to the home she'd worked so hard to make. Her parents greeted her.
"You guys are still up?" she asked in surprise. "You didn't have to do that for me."
"Actually," Stormcloud said sheepishly, "we haven't been here very long ourselves. Your friends in Ponyville really know how to throw a party!"
Dash felt like saying he should've been to one of Pinkie Pie's but kept quiet.
"Hey guys," she said. "Would it be okay if we slept together? We can take the guest bed and put it next to mine and break out some extra pillows and blankets."
"That sounds lovely!" Firefly declared with an excited clap.
They did just that. With both her parents hugging her and a hood around each of them, Dash drifted to sleep, happily thinking of what the future held…
THE END
