“Just a few more steps, darling.” Rarity spoke softly as she half-carried Pinkamena up the steps that led out of the basement, one of Pinkamena’s legs slung awkwardly over Rarity’s shoulder. It wasn’t a strictly necessary process, but neither of them entirely trusted Pinkamena’s sore, wobbly legs to hold her weight, and a staircase was far from the ideal place to test that.
Once they crossed the threshold into the main floor, Pinkamena unhooked herself from Rarity, tilted for a moment, and finally managed to find steady ground. “Thank you, Rarity,” she said weakly. “For… For everything.”
Pinkamena was in rough shape. Her eyes were damp, and her cheeks were stained with tears. She still had a tremble in her lip when she talked, and every step brought another wince. Despite it all, though, she was smiling. It was a weak smile, but it still felt like the most genuine smile that had ever graced her lips.
Rarity ran a hoof through Pinkamena’s mane. “I’m happy to help, even if it pains me terribly to hurt you like that.”
“I’m really sorry to make you do that…” Pinkamena frowned guiltily.
“You didn’t make me,” Rarity said, “I just weighed the options and chose to hope that the good would long outlive the bad.”
Pinkamena looked down at her legs, at the crisp black swirls that now ran from her hooves to her shoulders, and grinned. “I think they will. I mean, nopony will think I’m Pinkie now.”
“At the very least, they’ll question things,” Rarity agreed. “Come, let’s find you someplace comfortable to lie down.”
Pinkamena didn’t respond right away. She was still looking at her legs, shifting her weight around and testing them as though she’d never walked on four legs before. When she finally did reply, it was absent-minded, distracted. “Yeah, ‘kay.”
Rarity led her into the storefront, which she had closed for the day before starting work on Pinkamena’s legs, and helped her to get comfortable on one of the chaise lounges she kept there. Then she walked off, saying something about tea, as Pinkamena stuck her legs into the air and waved them around slowly.
The designs mesmerized her. Her legs looked so foreign to her, so strange, so not Pinkie’s. Her mind started to race as she watched the patterns flow through the air. Thoughts came and went faster than she could even register their existence, and even if she could, she was too focused on the swirls to pay them much attention. It was the back of her mind that ran through thoughts, that played out possibilities and realized new horizons, while her attention was focused on the spirals digging into her psyche. She imagined them, followed their path from her hooves up to her shoulders, where the lines tapered off. She saw images of them not actually ending, but becoming a part of her, receding from the surface and into her being. She could see herself, floating in the void of existence, as tendrils of black swirled around her, shaped her into something new, and she wondered what that new thing could be. There were so many options, so many new choices to make, she could—
“Woah.” She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Rainbow Dash’s voice. “That looks awesome.”
Pinkamena turned her head to watch as Rainbow Dash floated across the room and settled down next to her. With a grin, Pinkamena kicked her legs back and forth to show them off. “Right?”
Rainbow Dash reached out to touch the newly dyed fur, and Pinkamena put a lot of effort into hiding the pain that it brought. Rainbow Dash ran her hoof curiously along the edge, amazed by how natural it seemed. “How does that even work?”
“Beats me,” Pinkamena said. “Rarity just kinda drew it on.”
“And it’s permanent?” Rainbow Dash kept prodding at her leg. “How does it not—”
“Quit touching it,” Rarity’s voice came from behind Rainbow Dash. “Her legs are very sore right now.”
“Oop!” Rainbow Dash let go and backed away quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”
Rarity walked past her with a tray holding several cups and a pot of tea. She pulled a stool over and set the tray right beside Pinkamena’s head, then passed her a cup of tea with a long straw in it. “There you go,” she said, “so you don’t have to hold it.”
Pinkamena smiled at her for a moment, then finally dropped her legs and turned onto her side so she could reach the tea. “You’re so nice.”
“I do my best,” Rarity said as she poured herself a cup and got comfortable on the floor. She passed Rainbow Dash the only mug on the tray, since she didn’t like using teacups. “Here you go, dear. Come join us, won’t you?”
Rainbow Dash grabbed the mug and settled down between the other two. “Thanks, babe.”
“So,” Rarity said, “what do you plan to do next?”
“Well, I was gonna go take a nap,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Not you,” Rarity said with a groan, and Rainbow Dash snickered.
Pinkamena took a gulp of her tea. “I dunno. I haven’t had any ideas yet.”
“Well, that’s understandable,” Rarity told her. “Anyhow, I wanted to continue that… Talk from earlier.”
“Talk” Rainbow Dash asked.
Pinkamena blushed. “Oh, yeah…”
Rarity looked deep into Pinkamena’s eyes. “Darling, I don’t like hearing you say you need something that hurts you. It’s… Well, it’s worrying, to say the least.”
Pinkamena frowned and let out a tiny whine. “I’m sorry. I know it was bad, I just got scared.”
“Have you thought about what it means that you’re not Pinkie anymore?”
Pinkamena gave her an odd look. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t… How do I put this…” Rarity thought for a moment. “You’ve lost your safety net, in a way. I know you’ve always worked hard to fight your unhealthy thoughts, but before, at the end of the day, you always had Pinkie there. You knew that eventually, the thoughts would go away on their own.”
“I… Right.” Pinkamena looked down mournfully. “No, I know. I’m stuck like this. I know I’ll never really be happy.”
“That’s not at all what I’m saying,” Rarity told her. “Pinkie or not, you did fight those thoughts before, and you still can. I just want to make sure you know where you stand.”
Pinkamena nodded, an odd gesture since she was laying on her side, and kept her eyes turned away. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Rarity reached over and pulled Pinkamena’s gaze back to her. “Don’t be sorry, dear. Just do your best, and don’t forget that we’re all here for you. We love you, Pinkie or Pinkamena.”
Pinkamena smiled just a little. “Thank you, Rarity. I, um, I love you, too.”
“Yeah, uh… Me too, I guess,” Rainbow Dash added awkwardly. “What she said.”
Pinkamena giggled. “I love you, too, Dashie.”
Rarity took a deep breath and nodded decisively. “Alright, I think that’s just about enough seriousness for today. Would you like to rest here some more, Pinkamena, or should Rainbow help you home?”
“Uhh… Let’s see.” Pinkamena shifted heavily and pushed herself off the sofa. She landed with a thud on the ground, lilted and stumbled a few steps to the side, then caught herself and settled into a wide stance. She shifted her weight around a bit as a test, then took a few cautious steps.
“I think I should be alright to get back on my own,” Pinkamena said. “Thank you for everything.”
Rarity got up and gave Pinkamena a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to send Rainbow with you anyway, just to be sure, alright?”
Pinkamena pursed her lips. “I really don’t need—”
“No arguments,” Rarity said, “you’ll not change my mind. I need to know you’re alright.”
Pinkamena sighed. “Alright. Come on, Dashie.”
Rainbow Dash got up and trotted up beside her. “Let’s hurry it up, this is cutting into my ‘me’ time.”
“Isn’t it always your ‘me’ time?” Pinkamena asked as they started towards the door.
“Nah, I give Rarity an hour or two every day,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I’m a good girlfriend like that.”
Pinkamena laughed and pushed the door open. “Yeah, okay.”
The dyeing hadn’t been a quick process, and they walked out just as dusk was falling over Ponyville. Crickets chirped, owls hooted as they woke up, and the signs of a bitterly cold night nipped at their heels. Up above, dark clouds almost entirely obscured the moon.
Only a few ponies still roamed the streets, all bundled up in preparation for the chill to come as they enjoyed what little night-life Ponyville had. Fewer still walked alone, as just about everypony who stayed out so late did so with friends or lovers, and those who were without company were almost certainly on their way to meet company. So, despite the rather barren nature of the streets, Ponyville was filled with the sounds of distant conversation and laughter, and on busier streets there were just enough ponies to give the impression that the town was still populated.
Pinkamena turned and walked off into this bustling night, and at first Rainbow Dash didn’t follow. When she did, it was with a confused look.
“Uh, dude?” Rainbow Dash trotted right up beside Pinkamena. “Your place is the other way.”
“I know,” Pinkamena said without stopping.
“So… Turn around?”
“Nah.”
Rainbow Dash groaned. “Why not?”
Pinkamena shrugged. “I just don’t wanna go home tonight.”