Pinkie opened her eyes. The perfect darkness still covered her around. It’s perfect because there was no lights, no single sound. It wasn't hot and wasn't cold. Pink pony floated through the space of infinity or, maybe, she hung in the borderless emptiness without moving. It was impossible to determine because there was no air as well. It’s just unnecessary here. But probably air existed though because Pinkie yawned with her mouth wide open. She slept here. There’s rumors that hyperactive pony used to never sleep. It’s wrong of course, she resting at this place. But what is this place? The space made by invisible creator and trapped inside a crystal ball, maybe? No. Just you see the world from the different side when you live too fast.
“Good day, Pinkie winkie! What’s fun today?”
Talking to herself she rubbed her eyes. The voice sounded deep and hollow. You could expect echo but where should it come from since there is no obstruction to reflect. So quiet and peaceful.
The little spark appeared in the far. Its size grew slowly but pony didn't pay attention to it. The glow reached her pink fluffy mane. The moment after she could see that’s not the single sparkle but many-many little stars moving right in her direction extremely fast. Finally, they met each other but no single star touched Element of Laughter. However, it’s not stars at all but little pictures. And each picture showed different moments of life of different ponies. Thousands, thousands, thousands pictures. And all of them flew by with unbelievable speed. It was impossible to focus at one of them at least or inspect. Pinkie giggled and rotated in space making a flips again and again. Seems she enjoyed it. Pictures rushed somewhere making inexpressible bright colorful chaos around when suddenly one of this thing crashed right into our hero.
Pinkie opened her eyes smiling. It was sunny day with clear sky. She stood on the dirt road in front of big gates. The entrance was decorated with big red apple on the top. Applejack’s orchard! But Pinkie knew it and she already hopped right to the orange mare near trees. She didn't notice her friend coming from behind.
“Hai, Applejack! Such a woooonderful day!” Pinkie smiled with her unique smile a la “from ear to ear.”
“Mah goddess! Pinkie! Ah didn't expect ya today! Ah thought ya should help at Sugar Cube Corner! Huh! Holy hay, Mrs Cake would lose her mind without ya.” Applejack chuckled. She was happy to take a Pinkie break.
“I did everything in advance! And I have a time to find a present for Strawberry Leaf! It’s her birthday!!! Just don't tell her!” the last sentence she almost whispered.
“Don’t tell? Sweet Celestia, Pinkie! I don’t even know who’s that!” Applejack laughed with her friend. She took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from the forehead. “Can I help ya with somethin’?”
“Sure! Can I take an apple for a snack?”
Applejack froze trying to understand what she heard. Finally orange mare blew up in laughs. “What!? Hahaha! Oh, oh! Pinkie! You dragged yaself this far just to ask an apple!?”
But Pinkie nodded happily with big smile on her face.
“Ya know, Pink, you are so... random! Huh, take two, partner!” And Applejack threw there two apples to her.
Pinkie caught it deftly. One with mouth and one with tail and she headed to exit. She tried to say thanks but apple in the mouth didn't let to speak.
“Bye, Pinkie!”
Pony hopped down the road. Hop, second, third… when big apple on the gates disappeared around the bend she made another jump and... she fell through the ground. In emptiness. Darkness covered everything. Pictures appeared unexpectedly and much faster this time. Pinkie looked at the tip of her bangs. It pointed to the left shaking faster and faster. A moment after pony made abrupt tail flip,right in time to catch right picture.
Pinkie opened her eyes. It was dark deep night. She stood at the kitchen without lights. There was a tray with unfinished apple pie. It needed a couple of apples to finish. Pinkie knew it because she made this pie herself. Pie was started half hour ago only but in fact Pinkie couldn't finish it couple days already. It’s too many interesting things happening around and she prefers to rush from place to place hoping she won't forget about her businesses. Besides, future always changes when she forgetting something. Suddenly lights turned on. Mrs Cake stood in the doorway. She had sleepy look. She frowned for a moment but then she finally recognized Pinkie.
“Oh, dear! What are you going here in the darkness? How long did you cook here?”
“Don't worry, Mrs Cake! I just started but it will look perfect tomorrow!”
“I don't know, Pinkie, didn't you try to sleep at least? What’s the strange disease? Don't you feel bad or tired?”
But Pinkie giggled only. “Mrs Cake! Everything is aaaalright! See? I’m full of energy and power!” with this words she sent apple pie into oven and set the timer. Mrs Cake resigned and took her glass of water. Seems it was the reason she awoke.
“Oh! I wanted to ask you, Pinkie. I heard Applejack going to start harvesting season next week. It would be so nice if you’ll ask her for apples. Firstlings are the most delicious!”
Pinkie giggled happily. “Yes, I know! Sugar Cube Corner will take the very first bag without doubts!”
“Thank you so much! Oh, try to relax at least. I’m going to sleep now. Good night.”
“Good night, Mrs Cake!”
Mrs Cake went out leaving Pinkie alone. Party pony opened a cupboard humming a song. She took a few firecrackers and turned off the lights. Room fell into deep darkness. Walls faded and everything disappeared. Inhalation. Exhalation.
Pinkie opened her eyes.
“Happy birthday!!!” BOOM! Confetti scattered everywhere. Strawberry leaf and few her friends recoiled in surprise but then she smiled happily and clapped her hooves.
“Pinkie Pie! Thank you so much! You are really the best surprise maker! And I like the gift that you gave me today!”
Pinkie didn’t know what the present because she wanted to find something special later. And it seems she wont forget it. Pinkie smiled and waved to them.
“You’re always welcome! I wish you the best party ever!”
“Thank you! It will be in my house. Do you want to join us?”
“Sure! I certainly will be there!” She giggled to the leaving company. But one pony still looked at her with stern look. This stallion slowly trotted to smiling pink pony.
“How can you keep your careless happiness after all what happened?”
Smile left Pinkie’s face in one second. She looked at stallion with wide opened mouth. She asked him carefully.
“What!? What happened? What are you talking about?”
But the stallion snorted and turned away
"Everypony accused you but you don’t even care!”
“What!? No, tell me what’s wrong!”
But that pony looked at her with contempt.
"Goddess, they're all right! You're crazy!" Stallion headed to the birthday pony house.
Pinky froze openmouthed.
"Goddess. Oh, that’s bad! Not funny, not funny! Really bad! What to do!?"
She thought for a moment and decided to ask Twilight. She ran immediately. Using her hooves, tree house was pretty close.
Pink hooves rained down a hail of blows on the door.
"Twiliiiight!"
A moment later, the door opened. Twilight saw her quest and was surprised for a moment. She opened her mouth and closed back in indecision. But then she mustered the courage and started:
"Pinkie Pie! Oh, hello. How are you? You came for a tal... ,"
"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Pinkie felt something wrong. What could she done wrong with all her “hyperactivity”? Twilight looked aside and whispered:
"Oh, poor thing…” However, Element of Magic looked back at her friend and smiled warmly. “It’s alright, Pinkie. Everypony makes mistakes from time to time. "
Pinkie started to lose her patience. Blood rushed to her face.
"No no no!!! I do not make mistakes! What happened? "
"Uhh, Pinkie? Are you sure you are ok? "
But pink pony took a deep sigh and smiled.
"Do not worry, Twi, I'll figure out myself." With this words Pinkie went away.
Twilight looked blankly. With heavy sad sigh she closed the door.
Pinkie headed to houses. She inserted between them and faded into shadows. She appeared from the other side of buildings but sun rose near mountains on the horizon. It was the morning of previous day. Firstly, she thought that it’s wrong time because here is nopony to ask. But she noticed a stallion who wake up early and went for his business. Pinkie waved to him with bright smile.
“Heeeey, mister! Wonderful day!”
“Hello, Pinkie! Same to you!”
“Can i ask you a question? Was there something unusual? Something what connected with me?”
“Oh, Celestia, what a question! You really can surprise ponies! But no, I don’t remember something like this today or yesterday.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Pony went to do his business. Pinkie looked around and went back to shadows between buildings. She decided that it must be something later.
In the afternoon of the same day she appeared at the same street. Familiar veil of darkness subsided giving a way to sunshines. But where to go? Several ponies looked at her in surprise. They would try to understand where she came from, but they was too busy to do their business. Pink pony didn’t know what to do and what she looking for. She stopped to rush for a moment and tried to listed sounds on the town. Ponyville lived a full life. Somewhere the trader shouted "Magical things for unicorns!". Foals laughed, "I caught you! No, I tagged you! It was meee...!!". Somepony shouted in the distance, perhaps arguing with somepony “Goooot iiit!". And somepony just swore on the second floor of the nearest house. "If I'm working, then you should clean the house ..!"
Everything seems as usual again. Pinkie wend down the street and greeted familiar faces. She giggled to herself. Maybe nothing happened actually? Maybe, it’s all in her mind? Pinkie trotted down living street. She desided to forget about all this strange situation and just giggle. But she couldn’t threw out her thoughts. She felt it. Ponies gave to her strange looks and somepony didn’t smile back to her. Pinkie stopped and frowned. That’s not good.
“Hey! did you hear? Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy will hang out on the meadow outside the town this evening! Let’s watch them from bushes!”
“Yaaay, Yes~”
Pinkie overheard a little conversation of group of foals. She noted inside her head that this evening her friends going to meet each other. Hanging out with friends! What a brilliant idea to forget everything bad in this world? That would be the best cure. But first, she need to find a place to…
Pinkie looked inside small shop carefully. She was lucky, the seller went somewhere. Pinkie sneaked inside and looked around. She noticed a door with note “Staff”. She opened a door and jumped inside. Pink pony closed her eyes lying on the cleaning tools while dore closing slowly. But instead perfect silence she heard:
“What, the hay, are you doing here?”
Pinkie giggled confusedly. She opened one eye, then another. Seller harsh beard and a broom in the hooves looked at her. Pinkie smiled to him trying to find a way out from this awkward situation.
“Heh, congrats! You found me! Now close the door and go hide! I will count to twenty!”
Stallion wasn’t the smartest one. He frowned but closed the door. After the moment he figured out that something wrong.
“Hey! Do you think I am…” He opened the door back. But there wasn’t anypony inside. “What. The. Hay…”
Pinkie wiped a sweat from her forehead hanging in the great nothing. It’s tiring. Sometimes Pinkie must move too fast. Too fast to just relax and feel yourself living.
Perfect darkness. Ease. Calmness. Pinkie closed her eyes for a moment. She could fell asleep but that thoughts. The last day, or rather days, don’t let relax. Something hauntingly climbs to the head. Somepony, maybe? Somepony who can reach your ear and whisper:
“It happened because you moving too fast”
Pinkie opened her eyes and screamed. There was a beautiful day around. Birds sang. Flowers bloomed. The sunlight was bright and warm. The pair of purple eyes looked at PInkie Pie.
“You dozed off!? Really? Ponies says that Pinkie never sleep! Let’em eat that!” Said Rainbow Dash and laughed. Pinkie laughed with her. Even tears appeared because laugh. Fluttershy sat here too and laughed shyly. She smiled to her friends.
“Oh, goddess. Pinkie, Rainbow, I am so glad that we can just sit and talk together now. This week was too wearisome.”
“Say no more Fluttershy!” Dash replied. “When Pinkie managed to fall asleep, things were too bad.”
Three ponies laughed happily again. Pinkie said wiping her tears of laugh.
“I had such a terrible dream! Nightmare! Everypony blamed me for something. Something bad happened and I..huh..Didn’t even…” But Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy didn’t laugh anymore. “...know. What?”
Light pink mane covered Fluttershy’s face like a shiled. Rainbow looked at her and shook her head. She started. Pinkie blanched.
“Actually we planned a moment of silence, Pink. And i hope you’ll be there!”
Element of Laughter was more look like Element of Horror. She was white as a sheet. She froze. Her lips hardly moved. She could only whisper
“Moment of silence...who?”
Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other. Rainbow gave to pink friend a flurried look.
“Don’t scare me, pal! We all thought that it will hurt you but I always says that you are too strong for that! Requiem for the Cake family tomorrow! You’ll join us, right?”
“cake..” Pinkie’s eyes filled with tears. She didn’t know what to think. She just wanted to burn right where she was.
“Yo, Pinkie Pie! Are you alright?”
Pinkie rushed to the forest as fast as hooves could carry her. She saw nothing because tears. She just run stright to the forest. Foals jumped out from bushes and fled in different directions screaming but Pinkie didn’t care. Rainbow tried to cry something but whatever. Pinkie already rushed through bushes and ravines. Faster, faster, faster! She passed one tree, second, third...Next tree met pony’s head putting everything in darkness.
Pinkie opened her eyes. Where was she? No, the right question is “When?”. But it’s unimportant too since Pinkie saw something that broke her heart. There was burned-out skeleton of a building instead Sugar Cube Corner. All windows were broken. The second floor collapsed. Pinkie went inside doorway. Something covered her eyes. Tears? Yes but something else. It was her stright pink mane. Pinkamena brushed bangs with her hoof. Door lied on the floor, all black. Stairs didn’t exist anymore. She had nothing more except went in the kitchen. Rather say what left instead. That was too much for her. Pinkie fell on her knees. Everything happened because her? But how? Why? What moment? Perhaps it didn’t happened for her yet and she will figure out when time will come? But what purpose? Too many questions. And it’s impossible to answer them just jumping from time to time.
Pink pony sat on the black floor and picked the remains of the floor with her hooves. Suddenly, she found something in the ash. She picked it up. Her favorite mitten for cooking. Pinkie froze with eyes wide open. Thoughts boiled inside her head. Moment after she jumped with all her four hooves and rushed down the street screaming “I GOOOOOT IT!!!” She ran living street and screamed with happy face. Ponies looked at her like at crazy but she didn’t care. After a few minutes they all wont remember her. Her mane has back to normal. She waved everypony. One minute after she will leave this scene and will never come back. She jumped between houses and faded.
Pinkie didn’t open her eyes. She sniffed. There was a flavour of fresh apple pie. It was perfect. Time to turn it off. She opened one eye then another. It was dark night. There was no lights in the kitchen except glowing oven. There was fresh finished pie. With big happy smile Pinkie turned oven off.
“That’s it! No sadness anymore! Nothing to worry about!”
“Nothing she said…”The voice whispered behind Pinkie’s back. She jumped and screamed. There was somepony in the room. Pinkie turned back slowly. Figure stood near the opposite wall as the switch of lights.
“What have you done?”
“Nothing! I fixed it! Everything! I turned off! It wont happen, never!”
The figure made a sound something between a chuckle and a snarl.
“Wont happen for who? For you? All that timelines that you created...Ponies can’t just leave them. Run away like you.. They HAVE TO live it!”
“I...I didnt..”
“You… Who are you? What timeline is your? You jumping from one to another creating new variations. You created not even a tree but whole forest! What branch is your? What time is it for you? Is it future? Present? Or this pie that you finished after a few days became pastime finally? Don’t answer...I’ll tell you. You don’t live at all! You moving too fast. you live at the past, present and future at the same time. That ponies in timelines. They all living but you... You’re too fast to live!”
Figure came closed Pinkie held her breath. She could swear that she saw somewhere that stright pink mane.
“I almost cunsumed you, dear. But next time, if you’ll make any mistake while you will rush, I wont left you a chance!” With this words stranger rushed at Pinkie. Pinkie Pie screamed and darkness covered her.
Pinkie opened her eyes....