//------------------------------// // Something's Missing // Story: Picking Up the Pieces // by Shrinky Frod //------------------------------// High above Equestria, where only the pegasi could see them, six ponies were making the return trip from Canterlot to Ponyville. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were towing the balloon back home, while their four friends chatted in the gondola, enjoying the rare opportunity to see Equestria the way their pegasus friends did. "Ah can't wait t'get back home," Applejack sighed as she stretched her legs. "Canterlot's nice an' all, but Ah've got to make sure everythin's back to normal on the farm." "And fill in the holes Big Mac was digging," Twilight agreed with a giggle. "I'm just glad we're all back to normal again." "And I'm glad I'm done burping up parchment," Spike added. "Wake me up when we get home?" He asked, tucking himself under the flap of Twilight's saddlebag to take a desperately needed nap. Pinkie felt her right front hoof start tingling, and cocked her head as she looked at it. That meant she was forgetting something important... what could it be? Had she forgotten to feed Gummy? No, she'd asked the Cakes to take care of him when she had to go to Canterlot, that couldn't be it. It had something to do with home though, that's what had started her hoof tingling. "Of course, Spike." Rarity smiled. "Personally, I wouldn't have minded staying at the castle for a few days more. Everything was so delightfully regal!" "And it means you'd have longer before y'have to go hirin' somepony to haul that rock away?" Applejack grinned. "Actually," Rarity mused, "I've been thinking about that. I might be able to turn T- the rock into a delightful birdbath, with a little help. Oh, Fluttershy!" She called out to the pale yellow pegasus pony. "Do you think your little feathered friends would like a little spa of their own?" Pinkie, for her part, was only half-listening to her friends, if that. She was still trying to think of what it was she'd forgotten. Snippets of conversation were coming back to her as she thought about it. "Pinkie, honey, what happened to you?" Cup had been worried when she'd gotten back from Canterlot... of course, she'd been all grey and grouchy then, so who could blame her? Of course, being grey and grouchy, Pinkie knew she hadn't taken the concern so well. "I don't want to talk about it!" She remembered snapping at them, and stomping into the big freezer in the kitchen. Her tummy felt like it was twisting into a knot... maybe she'd left the door open after she'd grabbed her ice cream? That wouldn't be too bad, even if she'd been grouchy Cup or Carrot would have closed it. No, that couldn't be it. They would have closed it. It wouldn't be big enough that her Pinkie Sense would be telling her she'd forgotten about it; that would be like her tail twitching during the Running of the Leaves! "Well, I wouldn't want you to go to any trouble," Fluttershy told Rarity, having briefly flown back to the balloon to answer, letting Rainbow pick up the speed for a little while. The other five fillies were completely oblivious to Pinkie's concentration behind them, chatting with each other like everything was right with the world. "I mean, it would be wonderful, but...." "Pinkie, please, tell us what's wrong? Are your friends all right?" "What 'friends?'" "Well, Twilight and the others, of course!" "Don't know, and don't care!" "Oh, no trouble at all, dear!" Rarity beamed. "You'd be doing me a favor! I would get rid of T- that dreadful rock, and get a chance to redeem myself in the bargain! All it would take is a little carving, perhaps some nice silk drapes, just for effect of course, round out a basin in the middle, maybe a few small gems in the top... oh, I could even make it look like a miniature version of the spa itself, if the Sisters don't mind!" She clopped her hooves together enthusiastically, already picturing a delightful work of art coming out of her moment of Discord-induced weakness. "Pinkie! Stop it, this isn't like you!" "Oh? What's the matter, Cup? Don't like good ol' Pinkie when she's not just there for a laugh?" "Pinkie! Don't you talk to Cup like -" "Well, in that case, if you really don't mind, it would be nice." Fluttershy beamed before adding a condition. "But I want to help with it. I mean, if that's okay with you," she blurted out, blushing a bit. "Oh, shut up! I'll talk to you two any way I like! I'm not a foal, and at least I'm not -" "After all, I have to make up for all the horrible, mean things that I did, too!" Pinkie's hoof stopped tingling. But instead of relief, the sensation was replaced with a horrible clenching in her chest. Suddenly, the conversation up front was interrupted by a sound like a balloon deflating. Startled by the audible pop and wheeze, everypony spun around to look at Pinkie. The mare, who had been as upbeat as ever moments before, was sitting in the back with an expression of horror on her face, her mane perfectly straight, dangling down around her face as tears welled up in her eyes. Her coat was dull, not the grey that they'd seen when Discord had infected her with his magic, but just... not Pinkie Pie pink. "Pinkie, darling, what happened?" Rarity asked, eyes wide as saucers at the shocking change in the normally unmanageable coiffure of her perky friend. "I-I have to get home," she whispered, pulling her legs up and curling her front hooves around them. "If I still have a home to go back to...."