Day 4
Spike approaches the Sweet Apple Acre farmhouse. The entire property around him seems to glow as dawn trickles it's way through the leaves. He hops up the steps and stands in front of the door. Before he has a chance to knock, the door swings opens, catching Spike by surprise.
"Woah!" he says, "Applejack! Uh, hello! I didn't expect...how did you-?"
"Ah saw you walking towards the property while making mah coffee," she says. Sure enough, the smell of a fresh brew catches up to Spike's nose. "Want some?"
"Uh, sure," he says, entering the house. Applejack closes the door behind him and trots over to the pot. She meticulously places two mugs on the counter and carefully pours the coffee into each of them. Spike takes the cup and brings it to his mouth. After a long sip, he exhales and sighs.
"Careful how you drink that, partner," Applejack says, "it'll stunt yer growth."
Spike chuckles. They stand in the kitchen, each with a mug in hand and hoof, for a few silent moments.
Applejack finally says, "Why did you come here, sugarcube?"
Spike takes another sip at the coffee. "I need you to do a favor for me. It's about Twilight."
"Why? Does she need some medicine? Ah don't know if it will work, but the Apple family's got this recipe fer-"
"...and Rainbow Dash."
"Oh." Applejack sets her mug down. "Ah see. What do you want me to do?"
"I need your help to lift the tension between the two. To tie up their loose ends."
Applejack sighs. "And how in the hay am I supposed to do that? Twi's sick, Rainbow Dash is being Rainbow Dash, and we still need to find Pinkie Pie. Why should we worry about this problem now?"
"Because if we don't fix it now we will not find Pinkie Pie alive."
Applejack stares at the dragon. She sighs again. "Ok. What do you want me to do. It's not like this will be easy for me."
"Listen, I know. But your the only one I can think of who can really get to Rainbow Dash clearly as of now. Plus, I figured you'd get the least mad at me for what I'm going to say."
Applejack is confused by his statement. "What d'you mean?"
Spike folds his arms. "Promise me this: you won't get mad and you won't interrupt when I'm finished talking. The next statement I will say will be shocking, but once I've elaborated myself everything will make sense. It will be very hard for you to comprehend, but hear me out: I will-"
"Spike, cut the crap. Ah'm sure Ah'll be fine."
Spike rolls his eyes. He leans is and says:
"Twilight's not sick. And, she could've found Pinkie days ago."
Pinkie Pie opens her eyes slowly. The sun just barely reflects far enough for her to see the other side of the hole. She looks at her leg. It has been wrapped up in a makeshift splint made from her raincoat and several sticks. She looks at the entrance of the hole again.
She lifts her head from her saddlebag. She takes out from it her journal and begins to write.
its morning again
i saw several critters maybe squirrels jump past the hole
maybe thats what the search party has been doing
glancing over me
this morning is prettier than usual
i know that it will rain again later
but the sun makes the trees above look pretty
the sounds of the forest woke me up
anything but the sound of rain get my attention now
a small silver lining for me
but it always fades
"Alright, ladies, listen up!" Rainbow shouts to the Air Force comrades. The captain stands by, not wanting to interrupt the pegasus. He doesn't want his other eye to be blackened. "It's noon now, which means we got about four to five hours of searching until the next monsoon stalls our progress again! In these four to five hours, I want you all to forget every search tactic you tried yesterday and try something different! I don't care if it's 'standard protocol'. IT SUCKS, that's what it is! And I ain't gonna be held responsible if we don't find her because of 'standard protocol'! Search! With! Purpose! Am I clear?!"
"YES MA'AM!" They shout in unison.
"Then let's get out there!" They all begin their flight to the forest.
"Rainbow Dash!" A voice shouts from below. Rainbow Dash stops and looks down. She sees Applejack calling up to her. "Rainbow Dash get down here!"
One of the comrades approaches Rainbow. "Should we, uh, wait for you."
She spins around and faces the group. "Yes, why don't you all wait for me, take your take, have a cappuccino NO DON'T WAIT FOR ME! What am I, your mommy? GET OUT THERE! ALL OF YOU! NOW!" The squadron turns head over heels and flies towards the forest. Rainbow floats down to her friend.
"Wow," Applejack says, "you've sure taken over command."
"Somepony's gotta give 'em some extra motivation. It's like they've never done something like this before! They've been doing this crappy 'sweep search' that looks more like crop-dusting! Anyway, what'cha want? I gotta get back out there before they start grazing the treetops again."
Applejack looks around and hushes her voice. "It's about Twilight."
Rainbow Dash falls silent. She turns her head from Applejack. "I'm listening."
"Twi's not really sick. She's been faking it."
Rainbow's face tightens, but regaining her composure, she says through clenched teeth, "Who saw that as a surprise."
"Rainbow, listen. She's faking it because she's scared."
"Scared of what?"
"Of you, Rainbow. Ever since you blew up at her, she's couldn't bear to face you again. She didn't want to go through that same shock."
Rainbow's voice rose. "Well that sounds like a shitty excuse to me! You sure about this? Honestly!?"
"Hey, look! That's just Spike told me! Alright? You want me to be honest? Ah think it's full of crap, too! But right now, you gotta go and apologize to her!"
"Why the fuck should I do that?"
"Because she's the only one who can find Pinkie Pie before it's too late! And the only way she'll snap out of it is if you talk to her and accept her forgiveness."
Rainbow stands and glares at Applejack. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Let me think about it." Rainbow spreads her wings and takes off. She darts in the sky and heads to the forest.
"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash!" Applejack shouts her name. She is long gone. Applejack stands alone.
Rainbow Dash mutters to herself, "Twi should be asking Pinkie Pie for forgiveness."
the sun is right over me
the sun is the only way i can tell time
time
time in the hole is different
time is blending together
there is no definite minute second or hour
time just moves and its not stopping
time is eating the day away
time is eating me away
second by second
minute by minute
hour by hour
time by time
i am numb to time and its constant perpetual motion
it is beating me down
senseless and unforgiving
everyone will succumb to time eventually i know
it will grasp onto me before them
and i now know the true face of time
that face is death himself
Spike watches the rain begin to drip from the clouds from within Twilight's library. Rarity approaches him and peers out the window.
"What are you looking at, dearie?" She asks.
"Nothing," he says, "nothing yet."
Rarity sits down next to the dragon and puts a hoof around his shoulder. He turns away from the window and embraces the her.
Spike speaks softly, "I want them to find her. Not only for Pinkie...but for Twilight. I...I...I just hate seeing her like this."
"Shh," Rarity says soothingly. "I know, sweetie, I know. This will all be over soon. We will-"
A loud knock comes from the door. Spike and Rarity jump in surprise. Spike rushes to the door and opens it.
"R-R-Rainbow Dash?" Rarity says.
"Yeah yeah, its me, big surprise. Now close the door! It's about to rain cats and dogs."
Spike does so and says, "Rainbow, why are you here? I thought-"
"Thought what, Spike? You knew I was coming." Spike closes his mouth. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to say something to Twilight..."
Rarity steps in front of her. "Rainbow, please! We don't want you to-"
"Don't worry, Rarity. I'm not gonna go at her like that again. I have...something else to say."
Rarity glances at Spike, who gives her a nod, before glancing back at Rainbow. She moves out of the way and lets Rainbow head up the stairs. Spike and Rarity follow close behind her.
Rainbow opens the door to Twilight's room. The sick unicorn looks at Rainbow and closes her eyes again. Rainbow approached the bed and speaks calmly to her.
"Look, Twilight. I know that I said some harsh things to you, an it probably hasn't left your mind, but I just want to say...I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I was just heated up by everything that was going on and I got carried away. But I don't hate you, and I'm sorry." Rainbow looks at Twilight's face for a response, but the unicorn doesn't move. "Ok, fine. I accept your forgiveness. I know that you thought you were on the right track, and I know that it was hard for you to accept that. A wise pony once said, 'The greatest mistakes can happen to the best of ponies.' So, yeah, I forgive you." Still no response. "Ok, Twilight, knock it off. I know you're not sick and I know you can hear me fair and square. What do you want me say? You don't have to be afraid of me anymore! What do you want?"
"I am not afraid of you, Rainbow Dash," Twilight finally says. She pulls the sheets off herself, gets off the bed, and stands defiant in front of her pegasus friend. He face is no longer pale and her eyes are not bloodshot. Rarity and Spike look on, awestruck. "I was never afraid of you. I could've handled you days ago." A dark, menacing aura fills the room.
Rainbow, standing her ground, asks, "Then why didn't you look for Pinkie?"
"You want to know why I didn't join you? Why I feigned illness and avoided you and everypony else? I wasn't afraid of you, Rainbow Dash," the aura dissipates and Twilight turns away. "I was afraid of what would happen to me. I was afraid what would happen when I found Pinkie Pie. Whatever state she would've been in, sick or injured or starved, how would I commit myself to tell her that I was the one responsible for her? How would I look her in the eye and say 'I didn't look for you because I thought I was right. It's my fault you ended up like this'? How could she ever look at me as a friend again? She...she wouldn't. No one could ever forgive such a selfish act like mine." Twilight begins to tear up. "So I decided to wait it out. I thought if they, or, someone else found her first, I could avoid that encounter long enough for me to think of something different to say to her. But I couldn't. And I still can't. There is no alternative explanation that I can think of. And as I waited for any sign of her retrieval, I realized my mistake. I was waiting for something that wouldn't happen...because I didn't go along. I could've done something...but I didn't. I grew more and more depressed waiting for her to be rescued, only to result in failure. All because of me. All because I-"
Twilight is interrupted abruptly when she is spun around by Rainbow Dash. She grabs Twilight and hugs her close. She speaks softly to her. "Shut up, Twilight. You stop making sense when you monologue."
Twilight tries to comprehend what is happening. "R-R-Rainbow Dash...what..."
"Twilight," Rainbow pulls away, still holding onto her quaking shoulders, and looks at her square in the eye. "It's not your fault. Ok? You are not responsible for this. Everything that has happened was not you. And I don't hold you responsible, okay? Nor do I hold anypony else responsible. Accidents happen. Shit happens. And no matter how terrible they may seem, nature will let them happen. Don't hold yourself responsible for what you can't control."
Twilight closes her eyes again, tears flowing, and falls into Rainbow's embrace.
"I-I'm w-weak...s-selfish..."
"You're not weak, Twilight, and you're not selfish. I know you. You just didn't know what to do, and that's fine. Not everypony knows what to do at the right time."
"R-Rainbow..."
"Shh...Twilight, it's okay. I still love you. You're friends still love you. And I can guarantee that Pinkie will still love you."
my waters gone dry
i drank the last sweet sips of my only salvation
i thought of how i couldve better resourced myself
but i have done all i could
i tried my best these last few days
i did everything i thought i could to survive
but survival isnt meant for just the fittest
but for the smartest too
and i know that im not the dumbest pony
but im not the smartest either
and i certainly was not smart these past days
Spike and Rarity exit Twilight's room, leaving the two friends inside to reconcile. Rarity wipes a tear from her eye, touched by the scene that had unfolded, but Spike still stands awestruck.
"It's working," he whispers. Rarity looks down at him, confused.
"What's working?" she asks.
"It's working. It's working!" Spike turns to Rarity. "Don't you see? My plan is working! Everything is gonna work!"
"Spike, what are you talking about?"
"No time to explain now! I gotta go get the rest of the gang!" Spike makes his way down the stairs. "Rarity, stay here and tell them that I'm getting our friends!"
"But, Spike, dearie! It's raining quite dreadfully hard out there!"
"Eh, I'll be fine. I've gone through worse!" And with that, Spike exits the library and closes the door behind him.
Rarity lets out a sigh and turns around. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle are standing right in front of her.
"Oh my! Oh, I mean, I apologize. You two startled me! Spike is just-"
"We know," Rainbow says. "We saw him go out."
"Do you think that it is a good idea for him to get the rest of the gang?"
"Absolutely," Twilight says. "I'm gonna need the support."
"Twilight? What are you saying?"
"I'm going to find Pinkie Pie."
i will never see my friends again
i lay here in sudden realization
i will never see the stars again
i will never see the moon again
i will never see tall grass again
i will never see the country again
i will never see the crystal empire again
i will never see ponyville again
i will never see baked goods again
i will never see apple trees again
i will never see forest critters again
i will never see fluffy clouds again
i will never see old books again
i will never see royal dresses again
i will never see my friends again
i will never see this beautiful world again
Spike looks on at the group of ponies from atop the stairs. They are all huddled around a desk with the map of the forest. Using the knowledge that they know from guidebooks and the Pies' family knowledge, they are pinpointing an estimated location where Pinkie Pie might have fallen. This might have been a difficult task days ago, but with Twilight's magic and knowledge little difficulty is shown. Twilight's back in her element.
Rainbow Dash flies up to one of the windows and looks outside. Spike turns to her and says, "What time do you think the rain will let up?"
"In a couple of hours," she replies. "so, at around 1 o'clock."
"Is that when you guys will head off?"
"Oh yeah. We aren't gonna be wasting any more time."
Spike thinks for a moment. "Hey, Rainbow, c'mere. I wanna ask you something."
Rainbow flies over to Spike. "Yeah?"
Spike turns him and Rainbow from the crowd below. "Did you really mean everything you said to Twilight?"
"Huh?"
"Be completely honest with me. I don't want any bullshit. I'm not gonna be offended, I just wanna know if you really meant what you said."
Rainbow pauses, but looks at Spike and says, "No. I was not honest for what I said. I am still sour at Twilight for being a pussy when it came to emotional crap like this. And I still don't like the way she handled herself the last couple of days with pretending to be sick and whatnot. But...y'know, for the situation that we are in, as a last-ditch effort in finding Pinkie Pie, I had to lie. I had to lie to her because it was the only way to get her back on board. Y'know what I mean?"
"Yeah. Yeah I know." Spike folds his arms. "But at least it was the lie she wanted to hear."
Rainbow scoffs. "Yeah, I guess you have a point."
"Well, I don't want to be a handle for you. Get back the group." A bright flash from below distracts Spike from Rainbow. He looks down and sees Twilight and her glowing horn.
"This is the right spell, yes? The 'Listener' spell." Rarity says over the low hum of magic. "Do you hear her?"
"I'm working on it..." Twilight says. Twilight squints her eyes shut and her horn glows brighter.
"Are sure you are-"
"Shush!" Fluttershy quiets Rarity.
A hush falls over the room. Twilight is focusing all of her magic on a concentrated source. A minute goes by. Then another. Three. Four. Five minutes and she does not move.
After eight minutes her faces changes. Her ears twitch. The group lean in closer and hear her whispers.
"I...I can hear her...I can hear her heartbeat...and...I can hear her breathing...it's quiet...but it's still beating...she's still breathing..."
END OF DAY 4