Crusader Ponies (Romance of the Six Counties)

by swirlstar

Intermission 3: Pie Rock Farm

Pie Rock Farm

“Pinkie, I need you to take this seriously,” Twilight Sparkle reminded Pinkie Pie as they stood before the latter's childhood home. “We only have half an hour before we have to go back. All right?”

“I know.” Pinkie Pie’s characteristically bouncy hair hung flat around her head.

Twilight put a foreleg around her shoulder. “Just no adventures, okay?”

Pinkie nodded glumly.

Pie Rock Farm had changed a lot since Pinkie's childhood. Gone were the drab hues and depressing atmosphere. Once, a wrought iron gate coldly stated the name and purpose of the farm. Now, Pinkie’s parents had replaced it with a more homely wooden one, replete with a picture of a smiling family swinging carefree in the evening breeze. Next to it. a gourd, carved in the shape of a flying squirrel, stood next to it, a holdover from Nightmare Night some days ago.

Twilight knocked on the door. “Coming!” trilled the musical reply. The door opened, revealing an aged, white-maned pony. She dressed demurely, but her attitude suggested otherwise.

“Oh! Pinkie!” she exclaimed as she hugged her daughter. “Hello there as well, Twilight!”

“Good to see you, Mrs. Pie,” the lavender unicorn replied.

“Well, what are you waiting out there for? Come in, come in!” Mrs. Pie ushered the two ponies into the Pie residence.

“Dad’s still here, right?” Pinkie asked, as soon as they had entered. “I need to see him!”

“Oh of course! Go up, Pinkie! See if you can decipher the lock that I put on his door: I know you love puzzles, dear,” Mrs. Pie winked.

Pinkie Pie returned a smile as she disappeared up the stairs.

“You seem awfully happy for this,” Twilight commented as the party pony's hoofsteps receded into the ether.

“Well, Twilight,” Mrs. Pie put the lavender unicorn in a seat, pouring out some chocolate milk. “May I ask, do you believe in life after death?”

Twilight considered it for a split second. “No, I don’t,” she asserted firmly. “I see no scientific evidence for it.”

“In that case, I'm happy because our time together was truly marvelous - in no small part, thanks to our wonderful daughters, of course. I have no regrets: and in such a case, why ruin Mr. Pie's last few moments with endless weeping?”

“I guess.” Twilight murmured, sliding pensively into deep thought.

*

Pinkie Pie almost cursed as the door finally swung open. How could she have forgotten the date of her own dad’s birthday?

Mr. Pie was lying in bed, which was a relief. At least she could say goodbye properly. She had dreaded having her last memory of him being one of a demented pony gleefully tearing up the kitchen.

“Dad,” she whispered softly, nudging the stallion.

“Erhm?” Mr. Pie rolled his head to one side. “Oh, Pinkie!”

“Hi, Dad,” Pinkie Pie choked, tears involuntarily welling up. “I only have a while, so… just in case… I need to say goodbye. Tavi and Inky say bye as well… you know, the war and everything.”

“Oh Pinkie,” the grey stallion tried to comfort his daughter. “I can’t thank you all enough for bringing so much into our lives. I can’t believe how I managed to survive the first thirty years without you kids...!” Mr. Pie began to laugh, which quickly degenerated into yet another coughing fit. He struggled to finish his sentence.

“Dad!” Pinkie exclaimed, patting him on the chest. “Oh… Dad, if I’ve done anything wrong all these years… changing you… not coming back to visit… not telling you about the Elements… I’m sorry. I just- ”

Mr. Pie put a trembling hoof on the pink mare’s shoulder. “Don’t cry, my little sweet. We’ll see each other eventually anyway. I leave with no regrets.”

“No regrets…” Pinkie Pie repeated, wondering if she would be able to say the same thing on her own deathbed.

“Now what more can an old stallion do? I ran a good Rock Farm, I raised three lovely daughters, I did all the things that I wanted... even the times where I tried… I failed… in that case, at least I tried... at least, I didn't leave with the knowledge I could have done something, but didn't… ”

“I- ” Pinkie Pie paused, not really knowing what to think of those words.

The momentary silence broke as Mr. Pie began speaking again, bubbling over like a mountain spring. “But then Celestia came and told me that everything was going to be alright! You see, beyond the moon there’s a secret base where they keep all the dead animals- ”

“Dad!” Pinkie Pie panicked.

“- and then you will have graarsh and everything will be wlaag and… ”

Pinkie Pie ran out of the door and closed it firmly.

“Mom, he’s gone loco,” Pinkie muttered as she returned downstairs to Twilight.

Mrs. Pie sighed. “Well, his sane periods are indeed getting shorter and shorter. I give it two weeks before the doctors have to put him down- ”

“Really?” Twilight blurted out.

“No point in keeping him like this,” Mrs. Pie said. Pinkie Pie nodded. “He said so himself. I think he’ll be happier like that too. We’ll see each other again sometime.”

Neither Twilight nor Pinkie Pie could say much in response.

“Anyway, I take it there’s not much left for you to do here!” Mrs. Pie stood up, reverting back to her cheerful demeanor. “I’m so, so sorry you had to see Dad like this, Pinkie!”

“In that case... apologies Mrs. Pie. I think we should go… ” Twilight turned to Pinkie.

“Oh! Wait!” Pinkie Pie suddenly remembered one last thing. “Mom, please promise you won’t tell Dad? Even when he isn't crazy?”

“I promise. What is it, dear?”

Pinkie mulled over the best way to put it. “Inky’s going for a suicide mission.”

The old mare’s pupils briefly shrunk in horror. “S-suicide mission?”

Pinkie nodded slowly. “Assault troopers.”

“Oh.” Mrs. Pie lowered her head or a moment. “Oh. Well! Tell her to make the Pies proud. Tell her to go get ‘em!” she declared, pumping her fist in the air.

Pinkie Pie couldn't resist a laugh. “Oh, Mom.”

Author's Note:

1st Revision: 18/5/2013