In the heart of Ponyville, Sugar Cube Corner stood tall and inviting, its cheerful facade illuminated by the soft glow of the morning sun. Inside, the bakery bustled with activity as the Cakes prepared the day's orders. Applejack had come to visit Pinkie Pie, after the troubling conversation with Rarity about her state of mind.
Normally her friend would have been hard at work helping the Cakes with the bakery, but today she was nowhere to be seen in the shop area. Mr Cake informed her that Pinkie hadn't come down from her room yet, and that he was worried that she mustn't be feeling herself. With a relieved look, he sent Applejack up the stairs to see if she could find out what was happening.
With a determined expression, Applejack climbed the stairs leading to Pinkie's bedroom despite her own nervousness about what she was going to say. As she ascended, she couldn't help but hear the sound of quiet sobbing coming from behind the bedroom door. She paused for a moment, her heart heavy with concern, before gently calling out to her friend.
"Pinkie," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy, "It's Applejack. Can ya talk to me, sugarcube?"
Inside the room, the crying paused momentarily, and then a sniffle followed by a hesitant voice replied, "Applejack?"
Applejack gently pushed open the bedroom door and stepped inside. There, in the corner of the room, she found Pinkie Pie, curled up on the floor, her mane dishevelled, and tears staining her normally cheerful face.
"Aw, Pinkie," Applejack whispered, her heart aching at the sight. She moved closer and knelt beside her friend, offering a comforting hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "What's been troublin' ya so much, darling? Can ya tell me?"
Pinkie Pie hiccupped as she tried to calm her sobs, wiping her eyes with a hoof. "I... I know what happened to Twilight Sparkle. It's awful, Applejack. She was killed by that rogue magic from Starswirl's spell."
Applejack's eyes widened in shock and sorrow. "Pinkie, that ain't true. Twilight's alive and well, she's in the library."
But Pinkie shook her head vigorously, her eyes filled with anguish. "No, no, no! This isn't the real Twilight. It can't be. The real Twilight was all burnt up, you saw it."
"Ah was there Pinkie," answer Applejack softly, "and that's not quite the way ah remember it."
"But there was so much heat and light!" Insisted Pinkie, "and she was gone."
Applejack continued to offer Pinkie Pie her comforting presence, and as Pinkie began to regain her composure, Applejack spoke with a gentle understanding.
"I know it's been tough on all of us, but you can't jump to conclusions like that. Ah've had my share of experiencing when ponies pass on," Applejack began, her voice soft but showing her confidence in what she was saying, "when a pony passes, their body stays behind, but you know they're gone. That pony that you shared your days with is just not there anymore, and what's left has nothing of what made them dear to you. But this situation with Twilight… well, it's different."
Pinkie Pie looked up at Applejack, curiosity and a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Applejack continued, "We all saw that burst of magic from Starswirl's spell, an' it sure looked like Twilight's body was destroyed. When she came back, she was different… changed. It's like her spirit or essence is still here, just in a new form. An that's just different from what it feels like when a pony dies."
Pinkie Pie considered Applejack's words, a mix of relief and confusion washing over her. "So, you mean, Twilight's still Twilight, just... changed?"
Applejack nodded, her expression reassuring. "Exactly, Pinkie. I can't explain all the magic stuff, but I know deep down, that new Twilight, she's still our old friend, just with a bit of extra sparkle, so to speak."
Applejack continued holding Pinkie tightly, and was glad to feel the shuddering from her sobs starting to ease. She let out a sigh, knowing that part of this was caused by her friend's difficulties in regulating her emotional state. She wished Pinkie would consider getting some professional help, to try and keep her from these unregulated extremes of behaviour. Applejack drew back to look her friend in the eye.
"Y'know, Pinkie," Applejack said gently, "I just know that this is still Twilight. It's like when we had all those Pinkie clones runnin' around, and we picked you from all of them. I can feel it in my heart that this is our Twilight, just like I could feel it was the real you then."
Pinkie Pie's expression fell, her gaze becoming shifty as she avoided eye contact with Applejack. She fidgeted nervously, seeming to shrink into herself and her gaze darted around the room before finally returning to Applejack's eyes. "Well sure, Applejack. That was super scary but I guess you all could tell you got the real Pinkie..."
Applejack noticed this new unusual behaviour from her friend and grew concerned. "Pinkie? What's botherin' ya? You ain't sounding so sure."
Pinkie Pie let out a sigh and confessed, "I never told you guys this, but I didn't know if I was the real Pinkie or one of those clones. I mean, they all acted like me, and I started doubting myself. It was really scary."
Applejack's eyes widened with surprise as she processed Pinkie's revelation. "Pinkie, why didn't you ever tell us about this?"
Pinkie Pie shrugged, her gaze now fixed on the floor. "I didn't want to worry anypony, or get sent away like the others. Eventually, I figured it out. Oh, but... what if Twilight's going through something similar? What if she's having an existential crisis too, and I just can't see it?"
Applejack gently placed a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder, offering reassurance. "Pinkie, I think you're lettin' your past troubles scare you into a dark place. We've all seen Twilight change and grow before, but at heart she's always the same pony. I just know deep down that this is still our Twilight."
Pinkie Pie looked up at Applejack, her eyes searching for certainty. "You really believe that?"
Applejack nodded firmly, her voice filled with conviction. "I do, Pinkie. An' even if she might not be the original Twilight, if she feels and acts like our friend then I'm going to treat her that way, just the same as ah did with y'all."
Pinkie Pie managed a faint smile, as if the weight of her worries was starting to lift, "I suppose. It's just my mind won't calm down and I'm so tired."
Applejack returned the smile, giving her friend a comforting pat on the back. "When was the last time you properly ate or slept, sugarcube? Ah' reckon some of this might be because y'all need to get some food in you and then see if you can't get a little shut eye."
"Will you stay with me, Applejack?" Pinkie looked up to Applejack, her face still puffy and wet from all the crying she'd been doing, "I don't want to be alone with my thoughts."
"Sure thing," replied the kind farmer, "just let me pop down to get you something to eat from Mr Cake."
After popping down to the cosy kitchen of Sugar Cube Corner, Applejack quickly grabbed a plate of freshly baked oatmeal cookies. She decided that these would be the perfect compromise to give Pinkie the sustenance she needed without having too much of a sugar rush.
With the plate of cookies in her hooves, Applejack returned to Pinkie's bedroom. She found Pinkie Pie had moved to her bed, still visibly tense from the emotional turmoil of the past few days. Gently, Applejack settled down beside her friend, placing the plate of cookies within easy reach.
"Here, Pinkie," Applejack said softly, "I brought ya some cookies. Maybe they'll help ya feel a bit better."
Pinkie Pie managed a small, grateful smile and took a cookie, nibbling on it as she lay beside Applejack. The familiar cookie taste and closeness of her friend brought a sense of comfort, and slowly, the tension in Pinkie began to ease.
Applejack wrapped a comforting hoof around Pinkie Pie, holding her gently as she watched her friend. Pinkie's eyelids grew heavy, and the exhaustion from the emotional turmoil weighed her down. Applejack continued to offer her support, her presence a calming anchor as Pinkie Pie drifted into a deep, much-needed sleep.
As Pinkie's breathing steadied and the tension in her body slowly dissipated, Applejack knew that, for now, her friend was finding some peace and solace in sleep. Although there was still a mountain of work to be done at the farm, she remained by Pinkie's side. Applejack wanted to be ready to provide the support and friendship that Pinkie needed when she woke, to make sure she knew that she was safe from the demons that tormented her when she spent too long alone with her thoughts.
That afternoon Fluttershy made her way to the Golden Oak Library, a slight smile gracing her face as she approached Rainbow Dash's temporary home. She had important news to share, and she knew Rainbow would be relieved to hear it. With a soft knock on the library door, Fluttershy waited for her friend to answer.
The door swung open to reveal Rainbow Dash, who looked both surprised and delighted to see Fluttershy. "Fluttershy! What brings you here? Is Tank ok?"
Fluttershy returned the smile and spoke with a warm tone. "Hi, Rainbow Dash. He's fine, I've fetched him from Cloudsdale. He's happily munching on my vegetable garden and making friends with the other critters."
Rainbow Dash's eyes lit up with relief. "Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried about him up there. Thanks, Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy nodded, pleased to see her friend's worries easing. "You're welcome, Rainbow Dash. I knew you'd want to know that he's safe and sound."
Rainbow Dash then furrowed her brow slightly, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Wait, Fluttershy, you managed to get up to Cloudsdale ok? It's not exactly easy to reach if you're not a strong flyer."
Fluttershy's expression turned somewhat sheepish. "Well, I asked Discord for some help. He created a portal between my cottage and your apartment. It made things much easier."
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in surprise, and her expression shifted from gratitude to unease. "Discord? He knows where I live?"
Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, but he promised he wouldn't use that information for anything mischievous. He just wanted to help out, and I trust him. He definitely didn't go through your things."
Rainbow Dash remained sceptical but sighed in resignation. "Right… Well, as long as he doesn't cause any trouble I guess that's ok. Thanks again for looking after Tank, Fluttershy. You're a lifesaver."
Fluttershy smiled, relieved to have eased her friend's worries. "You're welcome, Rainbow Dash. Anytime you need help with your lovely pet, you always know where to find me."
"Yeah," said Rainbow, "at least that's one less thing to worry about."
Fluttershy peered out from under her fringe, concern etched on her face as she noticed the dark lines under her friend's eyes, "on my goodness, Rainbow. Are you okay, is this because of Twilight's transformation?"
Rainbow Dash sighed and took a deep breath, she decided it wouldn't hurt to share what had happened. "It's just that Princess Celestia ordered me to look after Twilight and teach her how to understand the pegasus side of being an alicorn," she said, "It's a big job, and I can't let her down."
The yellow pegasus looked sympathetic, "oh goodness, yes. I remember when the Princess ordered me to befriend Discord. It seemed so overwhelming at first, but I'm sure she knew what she was doing."
"I just wish I'd paid more attention in school," groaned Rainbow Dash, shaking her head sadly, "I mean, I know what I need to know but I don't always know why. What if-"
"Rainbow," Fluttershy interrupted softly, "I can tell you've got a lot on your plate, and I worry that you might be getting overwhelmed. Is there anything else I could do, as well as caring for Tank?"
Rainbow Dash shook her head, her expression a mix of gratitude and exhaustion. "Just that's a big weight off my haunches, and I'm not sure there's much else that can be done. I just have to concentrate on keeping Twilight safe for her coronation."
"This whole situation is a little scary," agreed Fluttershy, "but I think you're coping wonderfully with all the changes."
"Thanks, Fluttershy," Rainbow rolled her eyes and continued, "It was crazy enough already, and then Princess Luna brought a whole extra load of weirdness."
Fluttershy's concern deepened, and she inquired further, "Princess Luna? What did she say?"
Rainbow Dash let out a sigh and continued, "Luna kinda hinted that if Twilight didn't adjust to her new life as an alicorn correctly, something terrible could happen. I can't help but feel the weight of that responsibility too now."
Fluttershy's heart went out to her friend, understanding the immense pressure Rainbow Dash was under. "Rainbow, it's important to remember that you're not alone in this. You have friends who care about you and can help you when things get tough. You don't have to bear all of this on your own."
Rainbow Dash managed a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Fluttershy. I appreciate your support. I'll do my best to look out for Twilight, but I won't forget to take care of myself too. I promise."
Fluttershy nodded, relieved to see her friend's determination mixed with a willingness to seek help when needed. "That's the spirit, Rainbow. We're here for you, always."
As the two friends said their farewells, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but cast a nervous glance towards the sky, wondering what surprises Discord might have in store, now that he knew the location of her apartment.