My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Night
Chapter Four: Way To Fall
Finding themselves safe and sound morning after morning, the six mares still felt their distant nightmares linger within their spirits. All of the fears and negative emotions remained, even in the warm light of day. Twilight was used to burying her pain, but the others were nearly overwhelmed. Rainbow Dash tried to stuff down her pride and growing anger, though they always found their way back. The times were trying, and the days and nights dragged on.
"The ceremony starts tomorrow night, Spike," Twilight declared, sounding anxious. "I haven't heard from anyone since we got back."
"Maybe they've just been busy," the baby dragon suggested in an innocent attempt to comfort his friend. "I can send them a message if you want."
"Yes, please…But I'm gonna go check on them," the Unicorn answered, touched by Spike's efforts. "You gonna be okay by yourself, babe?"
"I'm a big dragon," Spike answered with his hands on his nonexistent hips and his tail wagging. "I'll be fine."
"Do you want me to lock the doors and get your special sippy-cup out?" Twilight sweetly though knowingly replied after giving her friend a kiss on his scaly forehead.
"Yes, please," the dragon quickly answered. Saying their goodbyes, Twilight kept her word and left her friend safe at home while Spike organized some scrolls and took a sip from his special cup.
Making her way into town, the Unicorn passed through the cottages and woodland under the bright light of the Sun. Her hooves clopping along the ground, she looked up to see a small group of Pegasus flying around and playing tag while joking and laughing together. It wasn't that long ago that Twilight and her friends were so carefree and happy. Now, darkness seemed to loom around every corner. Blossomforth, Starglow and Starsong, and Eclipse fluttered their wings effortlessly as they soared above the young Unicorn. "Hey, Twilight!" Derpy Hooves, a bluish-gray Pegasus with wings lower on her back than most others and slightly crossed eyes happily called out from the sky, waving her hoof wildly at her friend. Twilight smiled and waved back before continuing on her way.
Taking a turn onto the dirt road that led to Applejack's family ranch, the violet Unicorn smelled the sweet aroma of apples and neighboring flowers. Looking around, Twilight suddenly felt herself bump into something, or, rather, somepony. "I'm sorry, sweetie," the Unicorn exclaimed as she crouched down and checked over Apple Bloom. "Are you okay?"
"Ah'm good, Twighly," the sweet little filly happily answered. "We've been missin' you an' the other ponies 'round here."
"I'm sorry, bud," Twilight replied, lightly dusting off the young Pony. "It's been kinda crazy lately. Hey, is your big sister home? …Applejack, I mean."
"Yes, ma'am," Apple Bloom answered. "But she's been in her room fer, like, ever lately. She could sure use some cheerin' up."
"Thank you," said the Unicorn with a smile. "How's your Cutie-Mark coming along?"
"Eh," the filly unenthusiastically answered with a shrug of her little shoulders. "Tell sis when she's done mopin' around, we've got some work fer her to do."
"I'll pass the message," Twilight winked before going to the wooden farmhouse. Not wanting to risk waking her friend up, she carefully made her way up the creaking wooden steps, gently used her magic to slide open the Pony's door, and poked her head inside. "AJ? Are you okay?"
Sitting on the floor, staring out the window at the distant world, Applejack turned her head slightly. "Hey, Twilight," she answered, almost as if she hadn't heard her friend. "What's up?"
"I haven't heard from you in awhile," the Unicorn explained, walking into her friend's room. "Actually, I haven't heard from anypony. Are you guys okay?"
"Haven't heard from the rest of the gang, but I'm doin' alright," Applejack answered plainly. "Um, look…" Standing up, the Pony walked towards her friend with a look of sorrow in her eyes. "Ah've been givin' it some thought…Ah…Ah don't think Ah should come with you gals to the ceremony."
"What?" Twilight replied, startled. "Applejack, we need you. Queen Celestia needs all of us to be there. What happened?"
"Tell me somethin' first, Twalight," the Pony somewhat forcefully answered. "…Why did y'all want me to join the group?"
"What are you talking about?" the young mare demanded, now truly confused and concerned. "Applejack, you're our best friend. Why wouldn't you be in the group? I've never heard you talk like this before."
Turning back to the window, not wanting to make eye contact with the friend she loved, Applejack let a single, hot tear fall from her eye. "Well, things change, Twilight," she answered. "Ponies change. I just…I don't think I can do this anymore."
"Okay, I don't know what's going on, but the Applejack I knew never gives up on anything," Twilight argued, her anger beginning to flare, though her compassion burned brighter. "Especially when her friends need her."
"I don't want you to need me!" the Pony finally cried out, snapping around and exposing her tears to her friend. "Don't yuh get it, Twilight? I can't do what has to be done. I can't have friends anymore. I'm just gonna mess everythin' up. If Ah stop now, maybe Ah can slip away before anything goes wrong."
"Applejack," Twilight whispered sorrowfully. "What's happened to you? I shouldn't have let you guys go after I told you the news…"
"It's not your fault, Twilight," Applejack argued. "It ain't nothin' to do with you. This is all on me. I'm sorry, but I'm no good for anypony." The two stared at one another in complete silence: Each of them feeling the tension in the air. Suddenly, Twilight thrust her hoof into Applejack's cheek, knocking her into a backward stumble. "What the hell was that?!"
"Something to snap you out of it!" Twilight answered angrily. "Sorry I couldn't come up with a better way to do it, but you're talking crazy, AJ. I don't know what's going on in your head, but I know it's wrong. We all have our doubts, but there's nopony out there as brave, trustworthy, or as devoted to her friends as you are. If you mess up, the rest of us are happy to go down with you. But don't you dare take yourself out of the picture because you're afraid. Believe in yourself. Trust in yourself. We all know you've earned that." The two stared at one another for a moment, their breath heavy but calming. Suddenly, the orange Pony pressed her hoof to her lightly bruised cheek. "Do you need me to get you some ice?" Twilight declared, her voice still at an angry-style volume.
"Yes, please," Applejack "angrily" called back, unable to prevent a reluctant smile from forming on her face. "An' you know what else? I am coming with y'all to the ceremony! Just let me do something first!"
"Fine!" the Unicorn shouted. "And Apple Bloom wanted me to tell you that your chores are piling up."
"I'll take care of 'em later," the Pony yelled. "I always do…Please hurry with that ice."
On the road again, Twilight used her magic to hold the ice pack to her friend's face. "Are you sure this was a good idea?" the Unicorn asked in her natural, non-angry voice.
Her shining-armor-shoed hooves digging into the ground, Applejack continued to move forward. "Yes, ma'am," she boldly answered. "They're just the security Ah needed. That and…you snappin' me outta my funk."
"I am sorry for punching you," Twilight replied, ashamed of herself. "I could've just talked you out of it, but I got upset."
"Honestly? I'm kinda glad you did do that," the Pony answered calmly. "It helped me realize how sick Ah was of gettin' beat down. Just don' make a habit of doin' that, though."
"What happened to you, anyway?" the Unicorn lightly pressed her friend, rotating the ice pack to its fresh side.
"Honestly couldn't tell yuh," Applejack answered to the best of her knowledge. "Ah just started wakin' up with this fear. Ah started doubtin' who Ah was and what Ah could do. Ah didn't wanna let y'all down."
"That's something you never need to worry about, Applejack," Twilight Sparkle assured her friend.
"Thank you," the orange mare warmly replied. "So, where-to now?"
"The heart of the city," the Unicorn answered. "We should check on the others. Maybe we can round everyone up for a pep talk before the ceremony tomorrow." As the two left the more rural part of the town, roads began to show themselves as the number of houses grew.
Sitting atop a stump just beyond a dead-end highway road, her headphones and rounded sunglasses obscuring her face, Vinyl Scratch spotted the two and gave a slight wave. Her white coat and multi-hued blue mane were complimented by her technology and the black band that held her music device to her left leg. Though few had ever seen her eyes, her face was always recognizable in a crowd, whether the young mare liked it or not.
"Hey, Vinyl," Applejack greeted her mysterious Pony friend. "Have you seen Rainbow Dash or any of the other fillies lately?" The white mare sat still for a second.
"Are you sure she can hear you over her music?" Twilight asked, not wanting to offend anypony.
"Totally, Twilight," Scratch answered plainly. "My 'phones aren't to block out noise: They just help me focus on what I need to hear. I think I saw Fluttershy this morning. No one else, though."
"Thanks, DJ," Applejack happily replied, bumping hooves with her friend.
"Love the new bling, by the way," Vinyl declared before turning her attention back to her comforting music. Slowly, the rest of Equestria faded away, and the flow of instruments returned her to a blissful place away from all of her pain and worry. With that, the two young mares continued down the road into town.
"She seems nice," Twilight said, trying to keep her voice down. "I don't think we've ever talked before."
"Yeah, she's jus' that way," Applejack explained. "She's kinda like you when you first got here: Super shy and distracted." Twilight suddenly found herself remembering the distant past: Times were different then. "Ah'm guessin' we'll have the best luck fandin' Fluttershy. If she's out n' about, she's probably at the shelter visiting the homeless critters."
"Good idea," the Unicorn replied. "Hey, AJ, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, I just wanted to tell you something."
"Ah'm all ears, sugar cube," the Pony happily answered.
"You know, if you ever start having doubts…you can always come to me," Twilight warmly declared. "You're always there for me. I wanna be there for you."
"You always are, Twilight," Applejack nearly blushed. "You know Ah love you, right?"
"I think I figured that out," Twilight jokingly but lovingly answered. The two shared a quick chuckle before entering the bustling city. "There's the shelter. Odds are we'll find a Flutter in there."
Heading inside the warm and brightly lit animal shelter, Twilight and Applejack looked around for Fluttershy. Several small bunnies and Phoenix chicks poked their little heads up to get a look at the strangers visiting them. "Don't suppose any-a y'all can tell us if Fluttershy was here?" Applejack suggested, looking around the cages and temporary cribs. Twilight leaned towards a black-and-white-spotted rabbit as it pointed its long ears towards the back of the building. Giving the creature a friendly wink, the Unicorn gestured towards Applejack. "You never cease to amaze me, you know that?" The two walked into the dimly-lit back room to find Fluttershy sitting alone, her head sunk low. "Flutters?"
Startled, the sunny Pegasus gasped and shot her head back before turning away again. "Oh. Hi," she scarcely spoke up.
"Are you okay, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked, slowly approaching her timid friend. "You seem really down."
"No, I'm fine," Fluttershy quickly argued, trying to maintain a sense of joy in her voice.
"You don't sound fine, sweetie," Applejack spoke up, gently placing her hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Why 'er you back here all alone?"
"It's…it's nothing," the young Pegasus held back her tears, turning away from Applejack and Twilight. "I just…I think I need some time alone."
"Fluttershy, you hate being alone," Twilight replied, somewhat shocked. "If something's wrong, we wanna help."
"You don't have to stay with me if you don't want to, girls," Fluttershy nearly sobbed. "I understand if you don't want to be my friends…Just tell me if you're going to go, though, please."
"What in stars are you talkin' about?" Applejack cried out, jumping directly in front of her dear friend. "Look at me, sunshine." Fluttershy closed her eyes and shook her head. "Hey…Eyes on me, Fluttershy." The Pegasus still refused. "You know what Ah have to do if you won't look at me, Fluttershy."
"You wouldn't," Fluttershy squeaked, still not opening her eyes. Her heart began to nervously pound as her body tensed up. Taking in a deep breath, the Pony quickly pressed her lips to Fluttershy's tummy and blew, forcing the Pegasus to cry out with laughter as the bubbling sound tore through the air. "No! Stop it! Stop it, I can't take it!" Twilight covered her mouth and giggled
"Now tell us what's up," Applejack insisted. Defeated, Fluttershy opened her eyes and faced her friends.
"…Are you guys getting tired of me?" the depressed Pegasus asked, running her hooves through her soft pink hair.
"Fluttershy, we're your friends," Twilight assured the mare in her most loving tone. "Friends don't just get bored and leave. Why would you think that?"
"I've just been…I don't know, afraid," Fluttershy confessed, ashamed of herself. "I'm afraid that…That I'm going to end up all alone. I don't know why I started thinking about it, but I've just been scared. That's why I was hiding from you guys…And why I tried to push you away. It was like pulling the bandage off a paper cut: Fast and all-at-once. I thought it would be easier on everyone that way."
"Honey-drop, never, in a million years, would we ever abandon you," Applejack promised her friend.
"You don't ever have to be afraid of that, Fluttershy," Twilight agreed. "And there's no way we'd hide something like that from you. We're here to stay: All of us."
"You promise?" the sunny Pegasus asked, her hopes growing. Seeing the truth and love in her friends' smiles, Fluttershy leapt up and warmly hugged the two. "I love you all so much!"
"An' we love you too," Applejack warmly replied, hugging Fluttershy back.
"You've always been so kind to us all," Twilight added, tucking her hoof around her friends. "Now, come on: We've got some more ponies to catch up with."
"That sounds wonderful!" Fluttershy quietly shouted. "Just let me say goodbye to my other friends first, okay?" The two smiled and saw their friend off as she went to make amends with the animals. Twilight smiled at Applejack, who returned the gesture.
After everything was taken care of at the shelter, the three mares made their way across the street and through a dark alley. A single lantern lit the way through the shadows of the surrounding buildings, allowing Fluttershy enough visibility to avoid stepping on any of the scampering mice nearby. "We should probably look for Rarity next," the sunny Pegasus meekly declared. "Sorry I wasn't here to help you, Applejack."
"You might not've been there, Flutters, but all y'all helped me," the Pony proudly answered. "Ah had a picture in mah mind: A picture of all of us. It was something worth going on for. I knew none of you would ever let me go."
"Deep down…I saw the same picture," Fluttershy warmly smiled. "I just needed some help to see it clearly. Thank you both."
"That's what friends are for, bud," Twilight happily answered. "The question is, where is Rarity?"
"I think she's probably at the boutique," the sunny Pegasus volunteered. "She usually works today. Is that where you got your shoes, AJ?"
"Well, Ah actually had these back home," the orange Pony answered. "Just put 'em on today."
"They're very pretty," Fluttershy replied.
"Thanks, buttercup," Applejack smiled, lightly brushing her head up against Fluttershy's. "Ah hope she doesn't mand us stoppin' by."
"She usually doesn't," Twilight answered as the three entered the building and caused the bells to lightly chime. "Then again, everypony's been kind of off lately."
Looking up from her book, Amberlocks, a hot-pink Pony crowned with long, flowing blond hair and a Cutie-Mark consisting of blond hair tied in a circle and highlighted with blue ribbons upon her leg. "Hi, fillies," she greeted the familiar faces. Having worked at the boutique and its salon for years, Amberlocks had gotten to know Rarity and her friends quite well. "Applejack, is today the day you'll take me up on my offer for a free makeover?"
"As flattering as that offer is…" Applejack sarcastically began, giving a slight roll of the eyes. "We're actually here to see Rarity. Have you seen her 'round?"
"No, no I haven't," Amberlocks answered, sounding shocked. "She's been out sick the past few days. I thought for sure she'd have spoken with you. I hope she's alright."
"That doesn't sound like Rarity," Twilight whispered to her friends. "I'd bet she's at her apartment then. Thanks, Amberlocks. We'll make sure she's okay."
"Thanks, fillies," the pink Pony replied as Fluttershy took a quick sniff of a perfume sample. "Please, send her my best."
"Will do, Amberlocks," the Pegasus happily answered. "Ooh, maybe put together a gift basket for her, on me, if you have time, please." The Pony smiled at her sweetest customer.
Making their way down the all-but-empty street, the three mares spoke with one another, expressing their concern and hopeful possibilities. Finally, they reached the tall apartment complex their Unicorn friend called home. After clearing everything with the innkeeper, the three journeyed up the stairs until they reached the top floor penthouse. Twilight knocked on the door and awaited Rarity's response. "Rarity," she called out with concern in her voice. "Rarity, are you okay? We heard you've been sick, so we came to check in on you."
"Please, just go away," Rarity pitifully called back, her face buried under both of her hooves.
"We're not just gonna leave you when you're sick and alone, Rarity," Twilight pleaded. "We're here for you."
"Come on, Rarity," Applejack added. "We've all seen each other at our worst. You don' need to worry 'bout gettin' us sick."
"It's not like that, darlings," the Unicorn moaned, her inner disgust growing. Not daring to look at her reflection, Rarity curled up on the floor, laid her head down, and began to quietly sob. "I should never come out of this room again." Applejack pressed her head to the door, pushed forward, and found no success in attempting to force her way in.
Saddened by her friend's pain, Fluttershy drooped her head in sorrow, only to get a daring idea. "Keep talking to her, please," she whispered to her friends. "I have a plan." The Pegasus walked away, leaving Twilight and Applejack somewhat puzzled.
"Um, hey, Amberlocks told us that she'd be willing to give Applejack a makeover for free today," Twilight thought on her hooves, struggling to come up with a distraction. The Pony shot her gaze towards her friend. "I think she wants to dye her coat a bright shade of mauve or something."
For a second, everything was quiet. "…You simply must be kidding me," Rarity finally declared, unable to feel sorry for herself when a disaster was looming. "That would be an act of blasphemy to your emerald eyes, Applejack."
Gritting her teeth, the Pony swallowed her pride and played along. "Really?" she said, as if she were actually considering it. "Ah thought it'd look kinda nice."
Closing her shameful eyes, the white Unicorn dared to speak up. "Applejack, I tell you this as…as a friend," she said, some of her boldness returning. Meanwhile, Fluttershy landed on the balcony leading into Rarity's room and quietly walked up to her. "Although it would be fascinating to see you express your beauty in new ways, dying your coat like that would be complete and utter suicide in the eyes of fashion. Your natural look is perfect for you, darling…"
"Rarity," Fluttershy gently spoke up, causing the Unicorn to shoot her head back before hiding her face yet again. "Rarity, what's wrong? Why are you hiding your face from me? We're your friends."
"But maybe you shouldn't be," Rarity answered, covering her eyes as she began to weep. "Please, Fluttershy…I don't want to be seen right now."
Walking towards her friend, the sunny Pegasus took her friend's hooves and pulled them down from her face. "Real friends take one another at their best and worst," Fluttershy warmly declared, looking into Rarity's eyes and smiling. "Unlock the door, Rarity."
Hoping for the best but fearing the worst, Twilight nervously paced back and forth while Applejack brushed her hoof against the carpet. They both believed in Fluttershy, but everything felt dire. Suddenly, the door opened. "Thank you," Twilight called out as she and Applejack walked in, closing the door for privacy. "Now, what's up, Rarity? You never just miss work or shut us out."
Her eyes closed, still fighting the desire to hide her face, Rarity took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm…I'm ugly, aren't I?" she stated through a painful lump forming in her throat.
"No you're not," Twilight pleaded, deeply shocked. "Rarity, you're beautiful. Even if you weren't, you could never be ugly."
"She's right," Fluttershy agreed. "Ugliness is something yucky that comes from within. You're a good pony, Rarity."
"Even if we didn't think you were pretty, we'd never treat yuh any different," Applejack added. "Ah mean, you didn't give up on me when you thought Ah was gonna dye mahself purple."
"But what if I feel ugly to myself, though?" Rarity replied, glancing at a mirror. "What if I don't like the way I look? What then?"
"…Then look at yourself, know that who you are is more important than how you look, and think about why it is you don't like your appearance," Twilight answered, her voice bold. "Put everypony out of your mind, ask yourself what you think, and decide if you're happy with how you look or not. Don't let anypony else make that call but you…Even the one inside your head."
"Besides, if you decide you're not happy with your looks, you can wear a cool hat or change your mane-style," Fluttershy added sweetly.
"But don't ever try to hide yourself away from your friends," Applejack declared. "It's never quite as bad as you think it is. The mirror might lie, but we sure as heck don't."
"You are beautiful, Rarity," Twilight Sparkle said, brushing her mane against Rarity's. "Your looks don't make you any more or less than a wonderful pony."
Her eyes welling up with tears, the white Unicorn placed her hoof over her heart, regained her composure, leaned forward, and tightly embraced her friends. "You three are simply wonderful!" she exclaimed. "We have every right to be friends, don't we? Thank you for reminding me of that. And Twilight…I think I'm perfectly happy with my look and myself. Thanks, darlings."
"Happy to help," Applejack gasped for air. "Nice job getting inside, Fluttershy."
"I'm not finished with you yet, Applejack," Rarity declared once the hug was finished. "A trick or not, you and I must talk about your look."
"Oh…fiddlesticks," the orange Pony declared, knowing there was no way out for her now.
"First of all, don't you dare change your coat," the Unicorn lovingly lectured, looking over Applejack's being. "Natural beauty such as yours is incredibly rare these days. Second, you don't need a makeover, but there is one thing that has always driven me crazy." Twilight and Fluttershy giggled quietly amongst themselves. "Forgive me for being forceful here, but…" In one fluent motion, Rarity removed the band from Applejack's mane, allowing her golden locks to fall freely at her side under her cowpony hat. "Oh, free at last!"
Glancing at herself in the mirror, Applejack shifted her mane slightly and watched her hair sway. Having grown without her noticing, the Pony's locks had become thick and long. Removing her hat, Applejack shook her head and completely freed her mane, transforming her look. "Mah stars," she exclaimed. "This is…this is new…Ah think Ah kinda like it…Thanks, Rarity."
"My pleasure, darling," the Unicorn answered. "Just consider it a small thank-you for what you all did for me."
"I never noticed how pretty your mane was, Applejack," Fluttershy praised her friend, running her face through her soft, flowing hair. Applejack blushed, never having been one for the spotlight.
"Yeah, AJ," Twilight added, coming up beside her friend and feeling her hair. "You and Rarity should work together more often."
"Well, umm…" Applejack nervously changed the subject, flipping her mane out of her face. "W-we should probably go check on the rest of the gang, shouldn't we?" With that, the Pony led her friends out, not noticing Rarity beaming with returned confidence and the joy of achieving the impossible.
"We should probably go see Pinky next," Fluttershy declared. "She tends to wander when she gets bored or lonely."
"Good idea, darling," Rarity replied. "Once we've rounded up the gang, I'll go see Amberlocks and let her know I'm no longer indisposed."
"Only problem is: How 'er we gonna find her?" Applejack asked. "She's usually the one who finds us."
"Let's try her house first," Twilight suggested. "It's the last place she'd normally be."
"With everything as strange as it's been, that ain't a bad idea," the orange Pony replied, flipping her hair out of her face.
As the three walked on, Twilight Sparkle dropped back and gently tapped Rarity on her shoulder. The Unicorn turned around, caught off-guard. "Hey, Rarity…" the young mare spoke quietly. "What happened to you? I've never heard you talk that way about yourself before."
"I honestly don't know," Rarity answered, slowing down to walk alongside her friend. "It was very sudden, and then it didn't go away. I don't know what I would have done if the three of you hadn't come along."
"You'd have done the same for us," Twilight lovingly replied. "I'm just glad you're feeling better about yourself." Using her horn to remove something from her pack, the Unicorn guided a necklace around Rarity's neck. "I meant to give you this earlier…My way of thanking you for what you gave me. If you ever feel scared or alone, I want you to look at this necklace and remember that it's from your friends, who've seen you at your best and worst." Awestruck, Rarity graciously accepted the gift and embraced her friend in order to make up for absent words. The necklace was a simple design: A black drawstring with a small purple frame and a bluish diamond at its heart. As always, the gift meant so much more than its content.
Reaching the outskirts of town, the mares came upon the tall cabin-tower Pinky called home. The wooden walls were painted warmly and bright pink, fitting the Pony's style perfectly. With few houses nearby, Pinky's home was always peaceful, despite the adorable craziness that existed within. Knocking on her door, Applejack heard a loud gasp followed by a clearing of the throat, something breaking, and then the turning of the doorknob. "Hey!" the Pony excitedly cried out, overjoyed to see her friends. "Um…I mean…Hi, mares."
"Hey, Pinky," Applejack replied with a kind smile. "Mind if we come in?"
"Sure," Pinky Pie answered, keeping her eagerness under control. "I just finished cleaning." Suddenly, the pink Pony froze, her gaze locked on Applejack's flowing, long hair. Nopony spoke for a minute, as if sensing a deep internal conflict and tension within their giddy friend. Gulping, Pinky gestured for her friends to come inside.
Once seated in the living room, the ponies looked around to see a house completely alien to them. There were no streamers, decorations, scribbling on the walls, or strange clothing thrown about the furniture and floor. "Pinky, what happened?" Fluttershy asked, looking around shamelessly. "This place is so…different."
"Well, I'm not a little filly anymore," the pink Pony explained. "It's time I started taking better care of my things and get…um…word escapes me…Serious." Go Pinky!
"Serious?" Twilight asked, nearly incapable of understanding what she was hearing. "You?"
Her ambition sinking, Pinky let her hair fall in front of her face. "Twilight, I'm an adult…" she replied. "It's time for me to grow up."
"This most certainly does not sound like you, Pinky," Rarity declared. "Why in Equestria would make you feel you needed to change?"
"Rarity, no one can stay a kid forever," the Pony answered in a serious, almost grave tone. "You mares shouldn't have to babysit me. I can take care of myself."
"Sweet pea, we don't babysit you," Applejack replied, taking a step closer to her friend. "Ah mean, yes, you act kinda silly most of the time…but you're also smart, strong, and totally in control."
"I'm sure my being a goofball is starting to get old for you guys," Pinky continued to put herself down. "You're probably embarrassed to be seen with me in public."
"No, Pinky," Fluttershy argued, her voice remaining sweet, if a bit concerned. "We're proud that you're our friend. No matter how sad or hopeless things get, you're always there to show us through."
"And you should never try to change yourself for our sake," Twilight added. "Not for us or anyone else. You're a good pony, Pinky."
"In many ways, darling, we've often longed to be more like you," Rarity confessed, placing her hoof on her friend's shoulder. "It's a blessing to see the world as you do."
"Not many-a pony can say that they always have a silver lining," Applejack continued. "And you're always willing to share that lining with the rest of the world." Pinky fought the urge to smile.
"Even more than that, you've always had the bravery to laugh off danger and be proud of who you are," Twilight concluded with a strong, proud tone. "It's your world, Pinky. The world you share with everypony on any day."
"An' even if we got embarrassed, we'd never try to change or leave you," Applejack replied. "You're the best friend we could ask for."
"…It's my right to be happy…Isn't it?" Pinky Pie realized, her natural, flighty tone slowly returning.
"You tell us," Twilight answered, her heart growing warmer.
"…It is," the Pony decided. "It's totally my right…Yeah…Yeah, totally, it's all up to me. It's my life and my choice and my power."
"That's the…" Applejack began.
"I am Pinky Pie!" the young Pony happily raved on. "I'm happy and silly and like a little filly, even though I'm tall and mature and beautiful like a mare!"
"There's the Pinky we know and…" Twilight attempted to…
"This is my life! I can make all the trees smile and wave if I want it bad enough! I can have all the sadness in Equestria take a really long vacation and make everypony happy forever and ever if I feel like it!" Rarity began to raise her hoof and open her mouth. "I am Pinky Pie: Hear me roar!" Readying herself to roar, the pink Pony instead felt a gas bubble pop, causing her to belch. "…I meant to do that." The others smiled warmly. "And Applejack…" The orange Pony gulped. Charging over to her friend, Pinky smooshed her face into her long, flowing mane and began shaking it around. "I love your mane! It's so long and soft and pretty and awesome! I never knew you had this much hair. Not just that, but it's beautiful, too. And it's so soft! I could just curl up on your head and fall asleep in it and never have to wake up because your hair is like a waterfall of sunshine and smells like apples. How could you keep that from us for so long? I could've been feeling it years ago!"
"…Good to see the old Pinky Pie again," Applejack awkwardly declared as Pinky continued to bury her face in her mane.
"We missed you, Pinky," Fluttershy declared, her sweet voice calm and warm.
"I missed you too," Pinky muffled through Applejack's hair. "Where's Dashy? She should be here to see this."
"That's actually where we're headed next," Twilight answered. "We've been rounding up the group all day."
"Oh, one last thing before we take off," the pink Pony declared before leaping into the air, spinning around like a whirlwind, throwing her clothes back around the room, and recreating all the clutter that decorated her house. "Okay. Now we can go."
"…Lead the way, darling," Rarity shook off the shock of her friend's artful destruction. With an overjoyed smile, Pinky took off, leaving her friends to follow close behind.
"Where do you think Rainbow Dash is?" Fluttershy asked, her voice quiet. "I've been watching the skies but I can't see her."
"We'll check her house, Flutters," Twilight answered with confidence. "Just keep watching the skies, please. We'll cover the ground."
The sunny Pegasus gave a joking salute and took to the skies while Pinky pressed herself to the ground and scanned for any sign of Rainbow Dash. Meanwhile, Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity looked around, asking other ponies for any sign of their friend along the way. Not paying attention to her surroundings, Pinky bumped into another Pony before shooting up to see Octavia and Vinyl Scratch. "Sorry, Octavia," she sweetly apologized.
"Not a problem, Pinky," the light-gray Pony answered in her natural English accent as her purple treble clef Cutie-Mark glistened in the light of the Sun. "What awe you fillies searching for?" Vinyl turned away from her notes, still wearing her sunglasses and headphones.
"Hey, y'all," Applejack replied. "Good tuh see you again, Vinyl." The white Pony coolly nodded her head. "Any chance either of you've bumped into Rainbow Dash lately?"
"Soarry," Octavia answered. "We haven't seen her in quite awhile. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, just having a tough time tracking down everypony," Twilight answered. "No big deal, though: She's probably at her house."
"Good luck, fillies," Vinyl warmly wished her friends off. "Oh, are you all coming to the Longest Day celebration tomorrow night?"
"Oh yeah!" Pinky excitedly exclaimed. "We're on a mission!" Twilight and the others quickly hushed their friend before she shared any other secrets.
"Very cool," Vinyl Scratch and Octavia casually replied, thinking nothing of it.
"Hey, Vinyl, why do you always have those sunglasses on?" Pinky blurted out, leaning far too close to the white Pony. Still, her intentions were pure. "Do you have sensitive eyes or something?"
"No, nothing like that," Vinyl calmly answered. "Just bright, is all."
"Well, darlings, we'll just be getting out of your manes now," Rarity declared, sensing the need to move on. Waving, the mares departed, leaving Octavia and Vinyl to stare.
"Applejack's hair looks simply amazing," Octavia declared, awestruck. Vinyl nodded and wiped the fog from her glasses.
Finding no sign of their Pegasus friend around the city, the five ponies soon arrived at Dash's small castle home on the edge of town. The Sun was beginning to get lower as the day grew old. Knocking on her friend's door, Rarity awaited a response. "Dashy?" she called out. "Are you home, darling?" Met with silence, the Unicorn looked back at her friends.
"She's not home?" Pinky asked, growing nervous.
"She wouldn't leave without telling us," Fluttershy replied as she began to fear the worst. "Do you think she's okay?"
Looking towards the sky, Twilight spotted a figure obscured by the bright rays of the Sun. "Fillies, I'm gonna go check on something," she declared. "Can you stay here in case she shows up, please?"
"Where 'er you goin'?" Applejack replied, confused.
"I thought I saw something," the young Unicorn answered. "I'm gonna go check."
"Do you need my help?" Fluttershy offered, flaring her wings.
"Thank you," Twilight answered graciously. "But I feel like I need to do this alone."
"Isn't the point of having friends that you don't have to do it all alone?" Applejack argued without anger in her voice. Somehow, she knew Twilight was right.
"That's why I chose to try it alone," Twilight explained to her loved ones. "Just…Promise you'll be here when I come back?"
"You know it, Twighly," Fluttershy proudly answered with the support of Applejack, Rarity, and Pinky Pie.
Smiling and nodding, inspired once more by her friends, Twilight Sparkle leapt onto a small terrace above Rainbow Dash's door, grabbed several extruding bricks, climbed them up to a window sill, and swung back onto all fours on a small balcony. From there, all that was left to do was some climbing.
"Pony parkour!" Pinky excitedly squealed, making Fluttershy jump slightly before giving her a hug.
Soon, the Unicorn was out of her friends' sight, and the skies were growing darker. Finally making it to the roof, Twilight saw Rainbow Dash sitting all alone, staring into the coming night. "What are you doing here?" the Pegasus asked without turning.
"I never could sneak up on you," Twilight declared, trying to catch her breath. "What's up? I haven't seen you in forever."
"I've been busy," Rainbow answered flatly.
"Busy with what?" the Unicorn pressed her friend, slowly walking up to her. "Maybe we can help."
"I don't need any help," the mare shot back, her voice growing cold. "Look, I appreciate you all looking out for me, but I don't need it. I'm not a filly, and I'm more than capable of looking out for myself."
"Dash, what's wrong with you?" Twilight replied. "Why are you acting like this? Look, whatever's going on, we wanna help."
"And how are you going to help me?" Rainbow Dash nearly snarled, looking back at Twilight. "Because, when I'm with you, things never go how I planned them." Twilight held back, her concern and confusion growing. "You're pretty much our leader, but who made you that way? Queen Celestia never gave me a chance. I'm just as good as the rest of you. Hell, I might even be better!"
"Dash!" Twilight finally broke. "What are you talking about? This doesn't sound like you at all!"
"How would you know?" Rainbow hollered, sharply turning around and putting her weight on her right hoof. "You never took the time to listen to me! It's always you and your missions and your goals! Well guess what: I'm sick of always playing this game you made! I should be calling the shots! I should be Celestia's favorite…Not you!"
"I'm not her favorite!" the Unicorn argued. "She loves us all!"
"She always loved you more than anything else!" the blue Pegasus hollered, spitting slightly. "When she should've loved me! I'm the best…the strongest…"
"Dash, you have to calm down," Twilight pleaded. "This isn't worth what you're making of it. We don't have a leader: We're all equal. Even if we weren't, it doesn't matter."
"Don't!" Rainbow Dash commanded. "I don't need another speech. I'm done: Done with you, and done with all this. Just leave me alone. If Celestia needs help, I can do it all by myself."
Turning away, the Pegasus stared into the darkness of the young night, trying to settle her breath. All was silent for a moment, but Twilight was unmoved. "…That's not how it works, Rainbow Dash," she declared, her voice strong but gentle. "We're friends. No matter what you're going through, or what you're feeling, or what's happened, we're always going to be here for you. That doesn't go away…and neither will I. Yes, I'm close with Queen Celestia. Yes, I let that go to my head sometimes. I know I piss you off, but you're not perfect either. We've all got something about us, whether it's good or bad, but we don't let that change us. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you weren't special. I'm not trying to be a leader: I just want us to be friends. And right now, I'm scared."
Dash scoffed, turning her head back slightly. "Since when are you scared?" she asked, her anger and pride starting to cool.
"Since I realized I was losing all of you," Twilight confessed, lowering her head. "Since we got this mission and I could barely handle it. I felt better knowing we were all a part of it…But now…Look, I know you don't need me. I know you'd be a much better choice…but for some reason, the queen chose me, and I can't do it alone. I need you…All of you. Please, Dash. You've always been one of my closest friends." The Pegasus said nothing, and Twilight sighed and turned away with a crushed and heavy heart.
Her emotions raging from within Dash closed her eyes for a second, saw herself as the radiant queen of Equestria and all who ever lived, and felt all the sweet, dark blessings her anger, strength, and pride could bring her. It was all so beautiful, so cold, and so like the Moon. However, it was all so alone. It all felt wrong, even hating Twilight.
"…You know why I said those things?" Rainbow Dash finally spoke up. The Unicorn stopped and turned around. "I'm not as tough as I say I am. The truth is, I'm afraid too. But I was angry…I felt like I was being called out by everypony. I felt weak…Between that and all those stupid dreams, I don't know what I was feeling. You weren't holding me back…I've been holding all of you back."
"That's not true either," Twilight lovingly replied, setting her hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "You've always been stronger than me. We make each other better. Can we just…drop this and become friends again? Just start all over?"
Exhaling the last of her pain and pride, Rainbow Dash made her decision. "…How about we take all of this…and move forward?" she suggested, allowing herself to cry. "I'm so sorry, Twilight. I want us all to be friends…I don't care about any of that stupid stuff anymore."
"Just don't ever feel like you're anything less than the rest of us, Dash," the Unicorn replied, gently stroking her head against her friend's. "And know you don't have to face this alone. We're all equal here."
"I love you, Twilight," the Pegasus warmly declared, basking in her friend's embrace.
"I love you too, Dash," Twilight answered, keeping her friend close. "Come on, let's head down and let the other ponies know we're okay." Upon flying her friend down, Rainbow Dash found herself welcomed and embraced by her loved ones, who didn't see her as anything less than who she was. With that, the six mares journeyed back to Twilight's house to spend the night and prepare for the celebration. Asleep on the couch next to his empty sippy-cup was Spike, who never doubted his friends would return.