There was a slight chill in the air; this was due to the sun still resting for the day. The moon was already beginning to set; the sun would rise any moment now. At this time everypony in town were still asleep, that is, everypony except for one Pinkie Pie. Aside from the only worker tending to the station, Pinkie was the only pony out and about. She sat down on one of the benches as she waited for her train to arrive, next to her sat an enclosed box containing the cupcakes that she and Mrs. Cake prepared the day before.
Pinkie Pie was always a morning pony, but this morning she couldn’t help but feel butterfly’s in her stomach. She was going to see her family again, she hadn’t been to the rock farm in years; she wondered just how much has changed since she left.
Of in the distance Pinkie heard the train getting closer to the station. After making sure she had her ticket, Pinkie placed the box in her saddlebag and waited for the train to arrive. The train was empty for the most part, nopony exited when the train came to a halt. Pinkie hoofed over her ticket and was allowed to enter; she found the closest window seat and placed her saddle bag next to her. By this time Celestias sun was already starting to rise.
“I wonder if they’ll like them…” Pinkie thought to herself as she placed the box of cupcakes on the table. She had worked hard to make these cupcakes as delicious as she possibly could, she liked them, Mr. and Mrs. Cake liked them, and the twins probably liked them a little too much. But she wondered if her family would like them as well, Mrs. Cake told her that and parent would love the effort their child put in to make something for them, it was always the thought that mattered.
“I guess I’ll find out…” her stop wasn’t for a couple of hours, getting comfortable, Pinkie Pie enjoyed the view of the scenery outside her window as the train moved on.
“Pinkie Pie, can I see you outside?” little filly Pinkie Pie was in the kitchen with her mom preparing a pie for after dinner. Her hair was full of life, and there was her rather newly acquired cutie mark on her flank. At this time it had been a month since she earned it, and since then she and the rest of her family has live happily, a smile always on their faces.
“Be right there papa!” she called out before turning to her mother. “I’ll be back to help clean up mama.” Pinkie said to her mother before running off to the front door. As she did she found she was about to run into one of her sisters.
“Watch out Marble!” Pinkie Pie warned her sister before jumping over her.
“Still energetic, huh Pinkie?” Marble said with a giggle.
“You know it!” Pinkie replied before sliding to a stop just a couple of inches from the door. Pinkie was still small for her age so she needed to balance on her hind legs to reach the door knob. Once the door was open she noticed her father standing next to another stallion. The stallion had pistachio colored eyes with amber mane and light orange fur. His cutie marked had what looked like three pieces of cake with frosting on them.
“Pinkie Pie, this is Carrot Cake, I met him in town.” Her father said gesturing to the stallion. Carrot Cake gave Pinkie Pie a friendly nod and a smile.
“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie, but I guess you already knew that!” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle.
“You weren’t kidding, she is an energetic one.” Carrot Cake said with a laugh.
“You should see her when she’s had candy, oh that reminds me.” Pinkie’s father reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a pouch before giving it to Pinkie Pie.
“Gummy bears, yay!” Pinkie Pie yelled in glee when she looked in the bag. Pinkie was just about to reach for one when-
“Hey now, what’s the rule?” her father asked as she arched his brow to Pinkie Pie.
“No candy until after dinner…”said Pinkie Pie as she crossed her forelegs.
“Good girl” her father said with a smile. Pinkie Pie closed the bag and placed it in her mane for safe keeping.
“So, what brings you to the rock farm?” Pinkie asked politely. For what was probably the first time since Pinkie threw her first party a month ago, Pinkie’s father frowned.
“Pinkie Pie, can you tell Mr. Carrot Cake what your dream is?” her father asked her.
“To make everypony happy!”
The whistle to the train woke Pinkie Pie; she didn’t even remember falling asleep in the first place. She looked out the window to see that she was already at her stop. After she quickly checked her surroundings to make sure she still had everything she entered the train with, Pinkie Pie ran out just before the doors closed again.
“That was close” said Pinkie as she whipped the sweat from her head, if the whistle from the train hadn’t woken her up she wasn’t sure when she would have or what she would have ended up. Once Pinkie Pie exited the station she was able to get a good look at the town known as “Neigh Rock”. It was a small town, smaller than Ponyville, but that didn’t stop it from being a good place to visit or live. The first thing she noticed about the town was that it didn’t look the same as when she left it. There were newer buildings, and some of the old ones were closed down.
“Oh no, not Mr. Date’s shop” when Pinkie Pie was younger, the town only had one candy shop, every now and then her father would buy her a small bag of candy from the owner. Mr. Date was an elderly stallion whose cutie mark contained three date chocolates. Dates were the most delicious candy in his stock. It was a wonderful place from her fillyhood, but now, it was closed for good. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why, Mr. Date was very old and didn’t have any children to his name.
“You were a good stallion, Mr. Date” Pinkie said to the shop before continuing her way. The rest of the small town seemed like it hadn’t changed much, the market seemed to have been refurbished recently thought. But as much as he liked the trip down memory lane, Pinkie Pie felt that she was stalling herself. It was a good half hour walk to get to the rock farm from town, and she had spent long enough away from it.
The walk was going smoothly, Pinkie Pie was able to enjoy see that the land had change since she last saw it. Some new trees have grown, flowers as well, it made the walk seem all the nicer for her. But as nice as it way, each step made the butterflies in her stomach go crazy, she hadn’t been home in so long, she wondered if they’d be happy to see her.
Pinkie Pie shook her head “No, no, of course they’ll be happy to see me…right?” she was going to get her answer. She was nearing a corner; once she took it she would be able to see her home in the distance. Pinkie Pie stopped just short of the corner, there was a small hill blocking her view around it. She hadn’t seen her home in so long, was it the same, had it changed; was it even there anymore?
Pinkie’s heart sank with that last thought, the idea that something could have happened and the farm was no longer there. Pinkie Pie gulped before taking a deep breath, there was only one way for her to find out. With her eyes closed, Pinkie Pie turned her head around the corner, and then realized that she couldn’t see with her eyes closed. Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and opened one eyes, what she saw caused her to open her others eye.
“It-it’s still there” Pinkie Pie said when he eyes locked on to the farm where she had grown. In fact, it looked better than when she had left. Most ponies would see the rock filled field as dull, but the nostalgia that ran over Pinkie made it look like the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen.
“Wow, they’re really coming out this year” said Pinkie Pie as she noticed all the rocks that surrounded the field. Nopony knew exactly how a rock farm worked, but it was rather simple when you figure it out, the rocks simply—
“Hey, Hooves off my rocks!” Pinkie Pie turned around to see a mare about her age running up to her, a pitch fork in her mouth. The mare looked a little like how Pinkie Pie appeared now, only with a gray colorization.
“Marble!?” Pinkie Pie said with a happy gasp. The running mare came to a halt when her name was called out. She looked closely at the mare standing in front of her and let go of the pitch fork as a smile spread across her face.
“Pinkie Pie!” both mares jumped at each other for a warming hug, Pinkie hadn’t noticed it, but some of her color had returned at that moment. “Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you since you lift!” her sister said as she broke away from the hug still holding a smile.
“Y-yeah…sorry I haven’t visited…” said Pinkie as she looked down to her hooves.
“Don’t worry about it; you’re visiting now aren’t you?” Pinkie Pie nodded. “I see you decided to straighten out your mane again.” said Marble as she noticed Pinkie Pies mane style was back to how it was before she gained her cutie mark. Marble didn’t know the real reason why Pinkie Pie’s mane had gone straight again, but Pinkie Pie preferred it that way.
“I-I descended to give it another try, you know?” Marble nodded.
“Well come on, mom and pop are inside right now.” said Marble as she turned around, as she did Pinkie Pie noticed something on her flank.
“You’re cutie mark!” Pinkie knew that Marble had gotten hers not long after she left, but this was the first time she's seen it. Just like her sisters name, her cutie mark was of a beautifully glistened marble stone.
“W-what’s wrong with it?” Marble asked as she checked her cutie mark.
“Nothing, this is just the first time I’ve seen it is all.” said Pinkie Pie, Marble let out a sigh before giggling.
“Don’t scare me like that, come on!” said Marble as she and Pinkie Pie continued their way towards their home.
“So, where’s Limestone?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“Oh, she moved out about two month ago. She lives with her coltfriend now.” said Marble leaving Pinkie Pie in shock.
“Wait what, when did Limestone get a coltfriend?” Pinkie Pie had never been informed of this in any of the letters she’s received from her family.
“Almost six month ago I believe.” six months, in the short span where Pinkie Pie hadn’t been in contact with her family she missed finding out that one of her sisters had a colt in her life. “He’s nice too; his name is Double Scoop and used to own an ice-cream shop in town. One day he was given the chance to franchise his store, and about a month ago he gained so much money he was able to move to Manehattan and Limestone went with him when he asked.” Marble continued to explain.
“Somepony else runs the ice-cream shop in town and he’s made it so we can have whatever we want for free, within reason of course” Mable said with a laugh.
“Well, I’m glad she met somepony.” Pinkie felt sad that she missed seeing Limestone by such a short timeframe, but she couldn’t help by feel happy for her sister. Within a minute both Marble and Pinkie Pie stood at the front door, Pinkie Pie felt hesitant to move any further.
“What’s wrong, Pinkie?” asked Marble when she noticed Pinkie Pie stopped moving.
“D-do you think they’ll be mad that I haven’t visited?” Marble turned back to Pinkie Pie with an arched brow.
“Mad? They’d be happy to see you after so long.” Marble said with a confused look on her face. “You alright sis, you’re looking a little low.” she added.
“I-“ before Pinkie could say anything, the door opened revealing a light brown stallion with large sideburns.
“Marble, who are you talking t-“ the stallions eyes went wide when he locked them on the Pink pony standing in front of Marble. “Pinkie Pie!” yelled the stallion as he ran up to give the pink pony a warm hug.
“H-hey papa” said Pinkie as she returned the hug.
“It’s been so long, how are things with the Cakes?” her father asked as he broke away from the hug.
“It’s been great; Mr. and Mrs. Cake have been really nice to me all these years.”
“That’s good to hear, let’s go inside so you can see your mother, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you again.” Pinkie’s father as he walked in with Marble close behind. Pinkie Pie smiled as she followed behind, her father was looking well and was glad to see her, it seemed as though she didn’t have anything to worry about after all. Once inside Pinkie Pie noticed that the interior had changed slightly since she left. The walls seemed to have been freshly painted and there was a new couch that wasn’t there before.
Along the wall Pinkie Pie noticed the several pictures that had been placed, many of which were old but some were new. One picture pinkie noticed had Limestone standing next to a stallion with a golden brown mane and tail, and vanilla colored fur. His cutie mark was of an ice-cream scooper with some chocolate ice-cream in it.
“I guess that’s Double Scoop” Pinkie Pie said to herself, from the look on both their faces, Pinkie could tell that Limestone was happy with him.
“Come on, sis!” Marble called from across the room. Pinkie turned away from the wall following her sister to the kitchen.
“Mama!” Pinkie yelled as she noticed her mother washing dishes at sink. Pinkie Pie’s mother turned around quickly when she heard her voice. The first thing Pinkie noticed when on her mother was the white mask she was wearing.
“My little Pinkie Pie!” her mother yelled but staying where she stood, Pinkie was going to run up to hug her but her mother raised a hoof. “Hold it dear, I don’t want you catching what I have” her mother warned her.
“Mom’s been fighting something for the past few weeks, and she’s supposed to be in bed…” said Marble.
“I’ve been on bed rest for weeks now, I can at least wash dishes.” her mother protested.
“Y-you were, sick, how come nopony told me?” asked Pinkie Pie “I would have come help.” She added.
“It wasn’t too serious, Pinkie, I got all the help I needed and we didn’t want to worry you. We know how much working with the Cake’s means to you.” her mother explained, but that didn’t help Pinkie Pie feel any better. The image of her mother lying motionless on a bed with a bed sheet covering her face flashed in her mind.
“That’s not the point, what if it was serious, what if something happened to you and I never got to see you again!?” Pinkie Pie’s bottom lip began to quiver as tears began to run her face. Pinkie’s parents gave each other worried glances while Marble gave her a hug.
“Did something happen back in Ponyville, Pinkie?” Marble asked her sister, she had never seen Pinkie overreact like this before.
“N-no…I just missed you all so much.” Pinkie didn’t want to tell them about what happened to Rainbow Dash’s father. “I haven’t seen you all in so long, and then I stopped getting letters from you, I thought something bad might have happened.” Pinkie’s father joined in the hug, her mother walking in closer but still keeping her distance, as much as she wanted to hug her daughter, she didn’t want rick getting her sick in the process.
“We’re sorry Pinkie, we’ve just been busy for the past few months, I guess it just slipped our minds.” said Pinkie’s father.
“No I’m sorry, if I visited more often then maybe I wouldn’t have gotten so paranoid about it.” said Pinkie as she whipped the tears from her eyes.
“It’s all okay now, you here and you can see where’s all okay” said Pinkie’s mother before he sneezed “Well, for the most part” she added causing herself and the others to laugh. It felt nice, being able to laugh with her family again, she had missed this.
“I finished harvesting the stones out back Mr. Rock, what should I do…now…” A familiar voice ran through the home, from the living room entered another mare. The mare was a unicorn with cyan fur and silver mane, and her cutie mark was of a wand with a magical aura floating around it.
“Trixie?” Pinkie Pie said completely shocked to see Trixie of all ponies inside her home.
“P-Pinkie Pie, h-how nice to see you again…” Trixie said with a nervous smile on her face. The last time she saw the pink pony was when she stopped at Ponyville for one of her shows which ended up causing a mess.
“Oh, you know each other?” her father asked.
“Oh, yes, we met a long time ago. Isn’t that right, old chum?” Trixie had a nervous sweat starting to run down her forehead as Pinkie glared at her.
“Yeah…haven’t seen you since you stopped at Ponyville…” said Pinkie as she tried to hide her displeasure to see the boasting unicorn.
“Well how about you two catch up while mom goes back up to get some rest.” said Marble as gestured her mother to move.
“I keep telling you I’m-“ Marble’s mother let out a sneeze cutting her off.
“Don’t argue, come on now, let’s get you to bed, I’ll make you some soup afterword’s.” said Marble as she continued to lead her mother out of the room and towards the stairs.
“Trixie, why don’t you take a break, I’ll take care of the rest.” said Pinkie’s father as he turned to leave the kitchen leaving Pinkie Pie alone with Trixie. An awkward silence fell between the mares once they were alone.
“S-so, how are things in pony-“
“What are you doing here!?” yelled Pinkie trying to keep her voice down so her family wouldn’t hear her. “Are you trying to con my family, huh!?” said Pinkie as she took a step forward causing Trixie to back away.
“What, no, I would never!” said Trixie trying to stand her ground.
“Then why are you here!?” Pinkie demanded to know.
“B-because I have nowhere else to go…” Trixie’s bottom lip began to quiver as she fought back the urge to cry. Pinkie Pie took a step back, she didn’t know what Trixie meant, but she was shocked to see that it almost made her cry.
“Everything alright?” asked Marble as she walked back in to the kitchen after helping her mother back to bed.
“Uh, yes, Trixie and I were just going to walk around the farm so I could see what’s changed” Marble nodded as she went on to prepare the soup that she promised her mother. Trixie and Pinkie Pie exited through the back door putting distance between themselves and the home.
“Okay, what did you mean by you not having anywhere else to go?” Pinkie Pie asked breaking the silence between them. Trixie looked down to her hooves; she took a deep breath before she spoke.
“After what happened in Ponyville, my life became a downward spiral to tartarus. Word had spread everywhere, my reputation was completely destroyed. No matter what I tried to do I was unable to find work of any kind. Eventually all the money I had left dried up and I was forced to beg for food.” Trixie had begun to cry by now causing Pinkie Pie to feel sorry for the mare. She had wanted karma to get her for what she did back in Ponyville, but this was not what she had in mind.
“S-so how did you end up here?” Pinkie asked.
“O-one night during a storm I didn’t have any place for shelter so I had to sleep under a park bench. It was so cold that day; my body became numb to the point where I couldn’t even feel the ground I laid on. I didn’t think I’d make it through the night, a fear that intensified when I saw a bright light getting closer to me.” Trixie started to tremble; Pinkie Pie could only imagine how terrifying it must have been for her.
“Trixie, you don’t have to continue if you don’t want to.” recanting her story was clearly painful for Trixie; Pinkie didn’t want to open any wound that she may have already. Trixie shook her head and whipped some tears from her face.
“It’s okay, it gets better after that.” she assured Pinkie Pie. “When I saw the bright light that they I’m sure I blacked out, because the next thing I remember is waking up in a bed. Sitting right next to me was your mother.” Trixie began to smile. “I was told that your father found me under the park bench and carried me home, I had come down with a fierce fever, almost life threatening I was told. Back then your family wasn’t doing so well, and yet they still took care of me without a second thought. The moment I was healthy enough I convinced your father to allow me to repay my depth to them, he tried to tell me that it wasn’t necessary, but I couldn’t leave without showing how grateful I was.
“That was over a year ago.” Trixie looked back at the farm “I was told I repaid my debt a while ago, but as I said, I have nowhere else to go. Your family has been nice to me; they treat me like family, something I haven’t felt in a long time. Maybe the day will come that I can redeem myself, the day when my name isn’t a target for everponies scorn, but even if it doesn’t I don’t care, I’m happy here.” said Trixie as she turned back to look at Pinkie Pie.
“I know you must have some ill will towards me, I won’t blame you if you do, but please know that I got what I deserved for being who I used to be. Your family gave me another chance at life and I will not make the same mistakes I did before.” the two stood there for a while, Pinkie never once averting her gaze from the mare standing in front of her.
“I-I had no idea…I-I’m sorry…” said Pinkie as she bowed her head in shame, not long ago she had accused Trixie of trying to con her family, now she knew the truth.
“It’s alright; it’s not your fault.” Trixie assure Pinkie as she placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I’ve done some bad things in the past and I’m trying to put them behind me, so, if I you’re willing.” Trixie extended her hoof out at Pinkie. “Think we can start over?” Pinkie stared at Trixie’s hoof for a few seconds, the look on the mare’s face was real; she was no longer the Trixie that visited Ponyville long ago.
“I’d like that.” said Pinkie Pie as she shook Trixie’s hoof.
For the next few hours Pinkie Pie and her family shared stories of everything that happened after the pink pony left home. And Pinkie Pie was able to tell her family about everything she’s done in ponyville, the whole time she and her family held a smile on their faces. Even Trixie joined in telling Pinkie some of the funny moment she and Pinkie’s sisters have shared. It felt great to be able to sit with her family again and talk, she had missed it. Sure she had moments like this with her friends and the Cakes back in Ponyville, but it didn’t compare to what she was feeling now.
“I have to go to the bathroom.” said Pinkie as she got up from her sofa. Once upstairs, Pinkie entered the bathroom and noticed her reflection in the mirror. She had spent hours with her family, she knew they were okay, she knew Trixie and Marble have been taking care of her parents. So after finally getting the closure she thought she needed, why did she still look the same way she did the day before, what was the feeling in her chest that wouldn’t go away?
Once Pinkie Pie finished her business she returned downstairs to see that everypony but her father was gone. “Where’s everypony go?” Pinkie asked as she walked up to him.
“Marble put your mother to bed before she and Trixie went to town to pick up some ice-cream, they should be back later.” said her father as he patted the spot next to him on the sofa. Pinkie sat down next to her father as a comfortable silence fell between them. Pinkie could remember when she was a filly; she would sit in the sofa next to her father and talk. Sometimes she would fall asleep and wake up in her bed the next morning.
“So, think you can tell me what’s wrong?” Pinkie tensed up and stared at her father who looked back at her with an arched brow.
“Wrong, nothing’s wrong, who said anything’s wrong?” said Pinkie trying to hid the fact that her father was right.
“You can’t pull the wool over your old man’s eyes.” said her father as she patted her on the head gently. “I’m glad that you came to see us, but seeing how long it’s been since we’ve seen you on top of how you look right now, I just know that something is wrong. The little episode you had a couple hours ago was a hint too.” Pinkie wanted to know what it was about her that was so easily readable, but she figured that was something to figure out at a later time. Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and told her father what happened to Rainbow’s father and how it affected her.
“I got so scared, I was afraid that something could have happened to you too…” said Pinkie, her forelegs wrapped around her father as he rubbed her back gently.
“I can see how that could get to you…” he father said after Pinkie Pie finished her story. “Pinkie, I’d like to say that we’ll always be okay, but the truth is someday we might move on as well.” Pinkie tightened her grip slightly.
“But that’s how life works, it’s not something we can control.” her father continued as she moved Pinkie so he could look her in the eyes. “Your mother and I have come to terms with that, and you know what?” Pinkie stared at her father waiting for an answer. “Because we have three daughters who have grown up to be everything we could hope. Limestone has gone to school in Manehattan, Marble has become a better rock farmer than I’ve ever been, and you…”
“I what?” Pinkie asked as if the wait for the answer was going to crush her.
“You’ve made your dream come true, you make so many ponies happy by being who you are, and I could never be more proud of you.” Pinkie’s eyes began to tear up. This is what she was looking for, closure, to know that she had done right.
“I love you papa” said Pinkie as she pulled her father in for another hug.
“I love you too Pinkie, always have, and always will” unseen by Pinkie, Marble and her mother walked in from the kitchen, she had been listening in the whole time. Gently the two joined in on the hug, the combined warmth of her family’s love brining life back to Pinkie’s mane.
Once dinner was prepared, Pinkie had returned to her old self again, her cheering expression making it hard for anypony not to smile. “Fluttershy got so scared that the when she ran away the makeup she was wearing was left behind!” Pinkie finished as she recalled what happened to Fluttershy last nightmare night causing everypony to laugh.
“She didn’t take it too personal did she?” Marble knew about how sensitive Fluttershy could be from what Pinkie had described her in her letters.
“She was fine, she has a great sense of humor.” said Pinkie with a dismissing wave of her hoof. Soon enough dinner was completed and Pinkie favorite part of the meal was next. “Who want’s deserts!?” asked Pinkie as she reached for the box she put in the fridge when nopony was looking.
“Where’d that come from?” asked Marble, she had searched the fridge for things for dinner not long ago and didn’t see it there before. She was also uninformed about Pinkie Pie’s other special ability that nopony could quite explain.
“Cupcakes, I made these special, Mr. Cake liked them so much that he added it to our stock. I made a bunch so everypony di-“ when Pinkie opened the box she noticed something, most of the cupcakes were gone. “B-but there was at least over a dozen…” Pinkie said as the others circled around to look.
“Did the box ever leave your sight on the way here?” Marble asked.
“No, well…I may have fallen asleep on the train, somepony must have swiped some.” Pinkie looked sad, but after counting them she quickly smile again. “It’s not all bad, there’s one for everypony in the family” said Pinkie, but in fact, there were only four cupcakes in the box. One by one, Pinkie Pie passed out the cupcakes to everypony around the table.
“One for Papa, one for Mama, one for Marble, and one for Trixie.” Trixie was so surprised that she almost dropped the cupcake when it was tossed over to her.
“M-me?” Trixie was almost sure that there was some mistake. “B-but I’m not…I mean…” she wasn’t sure what to say.
“Of course you are, you’ve lived here for like a year, and you help take care of my family. If that doesn’t make you a part of it, I don’t know what does.” Trixie looked around the table to see everypony nod at her. Tears began to form around Trixie’s eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile.
“T-thank you.” said Trixie “I-I never thought I’d ever be welcomed anywhere like this” she added.
“No problem, and come by Ponyville the next chance you get, I’m sure everypony will give you a warm welcome, trust me.” said Pinkie as she gave Trixie a wink that clearly said ‘I’ll make sure of it’. With that everypony began to eat their cupcakes, each of them letting out moans of pleasure when the flavor the moment they took the first bite.
“Goddess, this is amazing…” said Marble unable to contain herself as she shoved the rest of her cupcake into her mouth.
“I’ve never tasted anything like this!” said Trixie as she did the same, Pinkie’s mother and father were also loving the taste of the cupcakes as they wondered just how well they must have tasted when fresh from the oven. Pinkie watched happily as everypony enjoyed the cupcakes, she no long had any feelings of dread. In a few days she’d return to Ponyville knowing that she wouldn’t have to miss her family when they were gone, because they’d always be with her in her heart.