The six Elements of Harmony sat in the den of a bakery in the small backwater town of Ponyville. Each representing a facet of friendship deemed powerful enough to change the world, titled by Celestia the Sun Goddess herself. Applejack, Element of Honesty. Rarity, Element of Generosity. Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic. Fluttershy, Element of Kindness. Pinkie Pie, Element of Laughter. And finally, Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty. They were powerful, they were weak, they were perfect, they were flawed. The six felt a connection on the day they met Twilight, knowing that no matter what, they would always be friends. It was written in the stars themselves. But even friends this perfect could sometimes find ways of hurting each other. Even friends this perfect had issues with trust. Sometimes, even friends this perfect could feel like they weren't friends at all. And that was the worst feeling of all. A feeling Rainbow Dash desperately wanted to avoid as she sipped on a bottle of iced tea, hoping it would drown the lump in her throat.
Her friends sat around, watching her expectantly and feeling slightly worried. The cyan pegasus looked very out of sorts. Nervous, maybe even terrified. They'd seen her frightened before. When they had found themselves attacked by spooky trees in the Everfree Forest. When a dragon living in a nearby mountain had ferociously come to life. When Rarity had nearly guaranteed a loss for Dash in one of the few competitions she felt she needed to win. But every time, Dash came back. Bolder, stronger, more confident than ever. She never lost her nerve for too long. It was an admirable quality, but also a dangerous one. She was always the first one ready to throw herself headfirst into danger. Always the first willing to get hurt to help someone. Always the first ready to sacrifice her life for someone else. It was scary, at times. But this was not the Dash who sat before them now. What sat before them was a nervous wreck. Like Fluttershy in a rather accurate costume. What sat before them was someone terrified of something and unable to work up the bravery to face it, as she continued to calm herself with small sips of iced tea, bits of it dripping down her chin into her neck fur.
Rainbow finished her drink and set the bottle on the table. The distraction was over. It was time for action. She could do this. Take a deep breath. They were her friends. They'd understand. They would see how important it was for her to do this. Right?
"So uh....." Dash began, looking at the table as her friends leaned forward, eager to know what was troubling her. "I wanted to talk about Scootaloo."
Four colorful ponies nodded. And one pink one began to grin. She had a good idea what was about to happen. Something she had hoped would happen for weeks.
"You know when she first woke up......she tried to go out into the snow....back to her little treehouse. And I promised her that if she stayed with me and Pinkie that I'd help her rebuild it once the snow started to melt."
Dash unfolded and refolded her wings, struggling to get comfortable.
"But we know that I can't let her just live there by herself. She's a little kid and she needs a home. Someone to take care of her and teach her about....life...and stuff. And over these last couple of weeks I've started thinking.....um....well about alot of things."
The yellow hairs on Fluttershy's neck began to stand up. She glanced at Pinkie whose grin was growing wider by the moment. Was Dash about to......?
"I think.....that....um.....I want to adopt Scootaloo."
A small ripple of shock echoed throughout the room. Five pairs of eyes widened, five minds processing what they had just heard from their friend. Dash, one of the bravest cockiest most wild ponies in town, had just informed them she intended to adopt an orphaned child. For a minute nobody said a thing. For a minute, five ponies wondered if this was some sort of dream, a stupor they had fallen into. For a minute Dash silently screamed at herself internally. Her friends hated the idea and hated her. She wished dearly she'd never told them. But only for a minute.
"Yes! Yes Yes Yes, Dash, Yes!" Pinkie shrieked happily dancing around the room and hugging her friend. "Oh Dashie this is so wonderful this is so great and wonderful and great!"
"Oh my goodness, Dash." Fluttershy had her hooves to her mouth, still gasping in shock even as a small smile was making its way across her delicate features. "Dash, I'm so happy you finally came to this decision."
"Whoa! Dash you really want to adopt Scootaloo? You're sure about this?" Twilight looked very worried. This was rather sudden and unexpected.
"Rainbow, you are the last pony I'd imagine to want to do such a thing. But it's heartwarming that you are! You have my blessings." Rarity hopped off her table and joined Pinkie in hugging Dash who was looking somewhat relieved. "And if you ever need any advice, by all means, ask!"
"How is this a good idea!?" Applejack suddenly barked. The glee and congratulations in the room ceased immediately as all eyes turned on the peach-colored earth mare. Her face seemed confused, sad, and angry all at the same time. "Dash! Y'all can't take care of a young'un!"
"Well, I certainly dont see why she can't Applejack. She's been doing it for quite a few weeks over here." Rarity replied, coming to Dash's defense. Pinkie released her hold on Rainbow, staring at Applejack with a look of despair.
"Rainbow. Sugarcube. You aren't serious about this right? Right?" Applejack leaned closer, seeming almost frantic.
"Wh....whats wrong with the idea, AJ?" Rainbow said, fear creeping into her voice. Applejack was right pretty much all the time. And the very fact she disliked Rainbow's idea of adoption was rocking Dash to her core. Dash could feel her confidence leaving her, fast.
"What's wrong? What's WRONG?" Applejack's voice started rising. "Y'all spend half the day runnin' around in the clouds! Then you spend the other half sleepin'! You don't see how that might be a problem? Livin' like you do and trying to care for a child at the same time? Putting a youngster through the same misery THAT YOU put US THROUGH!?"
Applejack stood, glaring angrily at Rainbow who hung her head. The words hurt more than any injury Dash had experienced. Her whole life felt like a waste in mere moments. She watched as Applejack trotted angrily to the next room, shaking her head and muttering to herself. It was like a nightmare. Rainbow felt like for once she was doing something right and one of her best friends thought she was a monster. Indignation was building up inside Dash. Old bitter wounds were finding themselves re-opened. She glared at Applejack. Twilight seemed to be doing the same.
"Dash, I'm sure Applejack didn't really mean for that to sound so......harsh." Twilight turned to Dash and smiled. "Even though you're kind of impulsive, Dash, I know you mean well. I know you only want to help Scootaloo and if you want to do this you have my full support. And everyone else as well."
"Dash, do you really think you can do this?" Fluttershy asked, her face happy but also laced with worry. "Taking care of a filly is so much responsibility."
"I have to do this, Shy." replied Dash, glancing at Pinkie who had been silently staring at the floor.
"NO YOU DON'T." Applejack shouted from the other room.
"Scootaloo means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Twilight softly asked, putting a comforting hoof on Dash's shoulder. Dash nodded, unable to find coherent words to describe the fondness she'd grown for the little filly. Twilight smiled and used a small subtle spell toe straighten Rainbow's messy mane.
"Don't worry about Applejack, dear." Rarity whispered. "I'm sure she'll change her mind. She's just shocked you know. Poor thing can't deal with change well."
"I CAN HEAR Y'ALL YA KNOW." Applejack shouted again.
"GOOD!" Rarity shouted back as loudly as possible, clearly annoyed.
".....Dashie...." all eyes turned to Pinkie Pie. The bright pink sheen had gone from her lively coat making it a dull muted shade, the neon frilly mane slumped against her head, transforming into long straight locks of hair that dulled into a slate grey, hiding the majority of her features. Her normally round cheery face seemed gaunt and haggard. She slowly lifted her chin, her thin lips curved into a frown of anguish. Pinkie's radiant blue eyes were grey as well, the bright pupils now like windows into a world of only contempt, melancholy, torment, and loneliness.
They'd seen her in this state once before. The day that Pinkie had thought she was being kicked out of the group of friends. The day she thought the only ponies she could truly trust had betrayed her. She had crumpled that day, into a mess of a pony that could only weep and grieve. In her despair she had begun talking to herself, hearing voices. It had been a mistake. Her friends loved her, but seeing her in that state had made them realize just how sensitive the silly pony was. How fragile her optimism was. It took a while before she seemed entirely back to normal. They had made sure to watch what they said around her from that point on, hoping not to provoke this sort of reaction again. But it was too late, something had brought this dark depressed side of her character back. In a sad and tiny voice the formerly pink pony began to speak, barely above a whisper.
"I....really need you to listen to me. Please listen to me."
Applejack hadn't overheard Pinkie speak, but the sudden silence in the den had worried her. She peaked her head in, finding the others standing around a very grey Pinkie Pie. Quietly, Applejack sat down behind the rest.
"When I was....really little, my mommy and daddy didn't want me anymore. When they found out I was only good at making parties that wanted me to go. I'd never had a friend, they never liked the idea of having friends. When I saw Dash's rainbow, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to make friends and makie ponies happy. That night I threw a party for my parents and my sisters. We were so happy. For one night we were really happy and everything seemed ok. And then my cutie mark appeared."
Pinkie convulsed suddenly, an unnatural sound escaping from her throat. She grit her teeth and carried on with her story, staring at the ground in front of her hooves. The room seemed as if it too was growing more grey with each passing moment, as though delirious lamenting pony was somehow drawing the very energy out of her surroundings.
"My mommy was so sad. She wanted me to be good at rocks, like daddy. He was upset. Really upset. But they tried to ignore it. I tried to ignore it. For a really long time I tried to pretend like it wasn't there. Like the party hadn't happened. Like I hadn't learned what it was like to laugh. And be happy. I.....when I was a little bit bigger I managed to throw another party. I had hoped enough time had passed that nobody would be upset. But I was really really wrong. They told me....they were ashamed. Disappointed. And that's....when they said....I should go."
There was silence in the room as Pinkie breathed in deeply, clearing her throat with an audible squelch. Her body was doing its best to stop her from speaking. But this needed to come out. To be heard. She had a point to make, no matter how ill it might be making her. She heaved backwards, her torso seeming to vibrate with short shallow breaths.
"I walked for a really long time and tried to join the circus. I had read about circuses in a book and thought maybe it was something I was meant to do. But I was too young to stay there and they sent me away too. So I kept walking across the desert until I started to see grass. And bushes and flowers. There was so much color to it all. It gave me strength to keep going even though I was feeling very sick. Even though the rocks told me I was stupid. And.....by the time I got to Ponyville.....I was.....it...."
A choking sob escaped the pink pony. Her body swayed, this was getting to be too much.
"Pinkie, maybe..." Twilight began to interrupt but was immediately silenced as Pinkie raised one of her front hooves into the air.
"Please....let me finish. I remember it so well now, so please. Let me finish. I remember. It was a really yellow day." Pinkie placed her hoof back to the floor, swaying slightly.
"I was really sick and....my mommy and daddy told me it wasn't good to take things that weren't mine so I didn't eat. Every time I woke up....everything hurt. My head hurt the most. Every rock and tree was telling me to stop but I couldn't. I kept walking farther into the town. I tried to stay away from the other ponies I saw. I was so scared of them. I didn't want them to hurt me and......I remember one day I felt like.....I knew that I was....fading. I knew that.....I was going to fall down and not get back up and so.....I decided I wanted it to happen somewhere quiet and far away cause....."
A hollow gurgle seemed to echo from her throat, as if her stomach were trying to escape through her mouth. A thrash and a dry gasp of pain followed as the pink pony squeezed her eyes shut and began to speak once more.
Pinkie writhed and sobbed. "....cause I didn't want to be a mess. I didn't want anyone to have to clean me up when I was gone so... I went into a.....an alley and I dragged myself to the garbage and I....found a wood crate and I......went....under it and....I just sat there waiting for it all to end. Wondering why....nobody wanted me. And....I could feel it getting darker around me and then....I woke up. And I was in someone's arms. Someone had saved me and loved me enough to keep me. That was the day I met Mrs.Cake."
Pinkie suddenly lurched forward, as if her body was attempting to move without need of it's legs. She was mere inches away from Dash when she finally came to a stop, her long grey locks sliding around her sweat-covered face as she tilted her head up. Her eyes looking huge and frightened as large tears rolled down them, the pupils searching Dash's face like a wild caged animal. Her brows arched downward, the expression of sadness quickly forming into anger, a red tint finding its way into the dark irises.
"Dashie...." she rasped out, her jaw quivering. "There is no.....worse....feeling than.....knowing that nobody cares about you. and knowing nobody ever will. And if.....if you make Scootaloo....feel that way.....I am GOING TO BE SO UPSET WITH YOU RAINBOW DASH!!!!!!!!!" the last few words became a sharp shriek as she screamed directly into Rainbow's face, repressed memories becoming an overwhelming soundwave of pure agony that split its way through the air like a thorn through flesh.
And just like that, it was over. Pinkie ran sobbing from the den, leaving large puddles of tears in her wake as she galloped clumsily into the kitchen, loudly slamming the door behind her. Rarity immediately followed Pinkie into the kitchen, hoping she could comfort the crying pony. Mr.Cake came rushing down the stairs a moment later looking bewildered at all the noise and soon found himself in the kitchen as well. Fluttershy had started weeping halfway through the story, and nervously stood up and made her way to join Mr.Cake and Rarity.
The others sat around looking at each other, unsure of how to react. Never had they seen a pony react this way. They knew Pinkie was a bit disturbed but this was a whole new level of despair than they'd ever seen expressed from the normally jubilant pink pony. Twilight swallowed, being the first to speak.
"Dash I, uh...."
"Nah, you know what? It's fine Twilight." Dash said in a bitter tone. She used her foreleg to wipe bits of Pinkie's angry spittle off her face. "Clearly all of this is the universe's way of letting me know this was not the best night to talk about this."
Rainbow grimly stood up and unfolded her wings, taking a glance at the nearest window in the den.
"Well, I think I'm going to go take a walk and get some fresh air." She said aloud, muscling her way past Twilight and shoving Applejack aside as angrily as she could.
"Wait, Dash." Applejack squeaked out briefly, reaching out a hoof as she realized Rainbow was about to take off.
"I said I am going for a walk."
And with a cold woosh of air, Dash had fled the bakery, loudly clattering the window open sending bits of snow from outside onto all the furniture. In moments her silhouette had been lost to the cloudy night sky and the drifting flakes of ice.