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// A horrible scene before me 
// Story: My little dream girl 
// by Slick Dash 
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It had grown dark, I finally slowed down as I reached the quiet town. I parked her as quietly as I could, she seemed to hold her breath for me as I crept up to the only house still with lights on. The library. Once I had stopped fully, I stroked the dashboard affectionately and she died down. I then left the car as softly and quietly as I could. I moved over to the window, peeping over the windowsill I saw a terrible sight. All my friends were there, they weren’t crying, they were simply spread around the room. 

Twilight sat there, on her favourite sofa reading a book. Rarity stood to the side of the kitchen entrance talking to Applejack. Pinkie and Fluttershy sat on the stairs up to the bedrooms and balconies above. The sight wasn’t terrible because of what they were doing; it was HOW they were doing it. The little details were what made the change so drastic. Twilight’s expression, instead of being exuberant at the prospect of learning something new, was glum and bored. She lazily flicked through the pages with her magic, leaving herself no time to read before moving on to the next page. Rarity’s coat was still clumped with bits of dust and mud from when I had passed her when leaving town. Her lack of obsession over her appearance was frightening. 

Applejack wasn’t wearing her hat. I couldn’t see it anywhere in the room. Her hair looked alien without the usual brown leather placed on her golden lochs. Fluttershy was completely huddled into a ball, she angled her head so she could whisper to pinkie, but for her to be THIS enclosed was terrible. And pinkie...Pinkie’s hair was straight. It hung limply and lifelessly, her usual grin replaced by a terrible pouting lip as she laid her head over her hooves as to cover her mouth.

The sight was horrible, Rainbow Dash would have to wait. I loved her but this wasn’t right. I came to the door, hoping it wasn’t locked. The handle turned easily, and made a heavy clunk as it fell. I heard the hushed conversations in the room go deadly quiet, I could feel all their eyes focused on where I was about to enter. I pushed the door, it creaked slowly, I didn’t peak round the wooden slab. I just simply walked in a few steps and stood still before my group of former close friends.

Unsurprisingly they all looked at me in shock, though Applejack’s expression seemed to be more joy than furious questioning. Pinkie was the first to move. She came up to me slowly, nothing could have broken my heart more than the sight of the sad party pony slowly approaching me with pleading in her eyes. “You...left.” 
“I know” that was all I could bring myself to say.
“Without saying goodbye to me, or Fluttershy, or Rarity or Twi”- she was cut short by my dropping to my knees in front of her and taking hold of her tightly, and hugging her pink body as hard as I could. She stayed still, but I still held her close. Silent tears were in my eyes, no sobs escaped me. But they began to drip from my nose as they ran down my face. 
“I’m...so sorry. I’ll never leave you guys again, you guys are my family, and I’ll never run again. I promise...” Pinkie stiffened as I said that.
“....Do you pinkie promise?” she whispered, I leant back. And with tears down my face, I took my hand, crossed my heart, then covered my eye. 

The pink mare looked at me emotionless for a moment. Then I noticed her lip starting to quiver up at the corners. And then with a huge “POOF!” her hair exploded back into its old self. “HURRRRAAAAAAYYYYYYY! YOUR BACK!” she squealed, as she flung herself onto me and squeezed me tightly. I laughed, hard, and I couldn’t stop. My laugh spread to Pinkie who started to giggle helplessly as she lay on top of my chest. The laugh then spread over the room to Applejack, who first began with a nervous chuckle, but soon became that usual country chuckle of hers. Three other ponies in the room smiled, but didn’t laugh. 

I stood once Pinkie proceeded to bounce off me and into the kitchen to make celebration cookies. I looked over at AJ who simply nodded at me with a smile, the glint in her emerald eyes showed how happy she was that I was back. But then I turned to the steps, Fluttershy had loosened up after all the laughter and was smiling. She watched with interest as I approached her and dropped to her level. I took hold of one of her hooves, “Fluttershy, you are the kindest pony I know, and after everything I’ve done today I would understand if you never spoke to me again. And I am so sorry for the ruckus I caused this morning it must have been hard on you to calm down all the animals after I went around like a lunatic. If I can do anything to put it right just tell me, I’ll even apologies to each creature in and around the entire town if I have to!” the yellow Pegasus looked at me and smiled widely.
“That was...nice.” and with that she sprang into the air and called out a little tune to show her happiness. She then flew into the kitchen to help Pinkie pie. 

I turned to the other three in the room, they all looked overjoyed. Even after everything I’d done. I opened my mouth to try and apologise, but before I began Twilight spoke. “We all know why you did it. We understand how difficult the last few days, hay! Even weeks! have been for you.” She smiled at me warmly. I knew she was thinking about last night. The devotion I had shown to a pony I thought didn’t even love me, and how I had been so careful not to hurt her feelings when I let her down. “You live here, I should have put two and two together, you suddenly got really upset after you heard about soaring, and the way you act around Rainbow.....”  She stopped, stunned. 

“R...ain..bow... she doesn’t know you’re back does she?” The purple pony asked me frantically. I was taken aback by this sudden change of mood, 
“Uuuuuhhhh no not yet. I wanted to put things right by you guys first.” Rarity took a step forward,
“You mean you haven’t gone and found her yet?!?!” 
“No,” I said quickly, fearing the wrath of this incredulous pony before me.
“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!” she yelled at me in shock, “SHE’S CARRIEING AROUND YOUR COAT! SHE WONT LET GO OF IT!” 
“So?” I was frazzled by the sudden yelling and couldn’t make the connection Rarity was pointing out.
“SO?!?! GO FIND HER! NOW! SHE’S LOST WITHOUT YOU!” I stood there dumb struck for a moment, before shaking myself from my reverie. I strode across the room, opening a door to one of the ground floor bedrooms. My room. I took out the drawer that held everything I owned here in ponyville. 

A minute later I emerged, I was wearing the long sleeve white button shirt. I stood at the entrance to the main room, holding my arms out and spinning on the spot for the ponies still in the room. “Very debonair Darling!” cooed Rarity. 
“Now that looks dang good on yah partner.” Applejack nodded her approval. I looked to Twilight for her opinion, she smiled lovingly at me, 
“Very handsome.” 
“Thanks guys...” I brought my hands up to adjust the collar slightly. And received a gasp from the ponies in the room. Pinkie who had just poked her head in carrying a bag of flour dropped it on her own hoof! Fluttershy immediately came to help her, but delayed for a second when she looked at my right hand.
“Oh...my...”

Twilight spluttered for a moment, “T-Th-that’s a...”
“I know.” I smiled at all their stunned faces. “I’ll be back soon. Once I find her.”
“Don’t rush darling. She’s been waiting for this as long as you have.” The platinum Rarity winked at me. Not bothering to ask how she knew that, I turned and left into the night. As the door closed behind me. Rarity sniffed loudly.
“You ok ther’ darlin’?” Apple jack put a consoling hoof on her friends shoulder. “What’s the matter?” Rarity’s lip quivered for a moment. 
“It’s...It’s...IT’S JUST SO BEAUTIFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL!” she began to sob like she was reading a romantic story. Applejack rolled her eyes at Twilight over her friends head, Twilight just giggled and moved to the window.