//------------------------------// // Fly West, Little Gray Mare. // Story: Finding Her Place // by 97xxfastbike //------------------------------// He had just missed his stop. He had been lost in thought again on the subway and the doors had closed on him just as he realized he was at his stop, trapping him on-board for another mile. Abacus silently swore at himself as the train began moving again. Briefly, he considered just catching the return train at the next stop, but he reminded himself that it was the inactivity that was paralyzing him. He needed to keep moving to keep himself from slipping into that stare that started with a dark thought about recent events or possible near future, and then just sank into depressive brooding. Life goes on. He didn’t think Ticker Tape was being trite when he had offered that cliché like a sage. He was sure he could hear Ticker’s genuine concern about his circumstance. When he was actually listening to him. But now, he felt as beaten down as a wilted plant in a torrential rain. He was living, but he couldn’t keep his head up, and his thoughts were driven down again and again, to wallow in the mud. Ditzy sat on her haunch on the landing to Abacus’ floor like the journey she had just taken down the hall from his room to the stairwell had drained her. She couldn't stay here any longer, she reminded herself. But where was she to go? As much as she hated the thought, it seemed that going back to Fillydelphia was her only option. She couldn't afford to stay anywhere in Manehattan. That much she knew. She didn't really have any other close friends. None that she felt were close enough for her to just drop in and ask them to take her in. She had just lost her one friend she knew she could count on. And Golden would hate her if she ever found out what she had done. So in less than one week, she had lost her two best friends, her apartment, her job, her virginity, and her fragile but growing sense of independence. Ditzy’s heart seemed to sink ever lower in her chest as she counted her failures and drew her hopeless conclusions. She may as well go back to Fillydelphia and living with her mom. Her mom told her how she could make some quick money. She told her that stallions always pay more for new and young faces. All she had to do was stand still and raise her tail. The lump in her throat made swallowing as painful as it was difficult as she considered that fate. Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad, she tried to convince herself. After all, it wasn't like she had anything more to lose. She already felt like a dirty whore, so she might as well make some bits. She might even be surprised at what stallions thought that she was worth. She put her hooves up onto guardrail and rested her chin on her fetlocks. Her eyes focused far beyond the grey concrete wall of the stairwell to her imagined future in Fillydelphia. A tear slid down her cheek and fell eight floors to splash unnoticed on the cold hard stone of the Manhattan apartment building. The doors had barely opened when he very nearly leapt through them at the next stop. He was running for the stairs to get back up to street level as fast as he could manage and not run anypony over in the process. Once back on the sidewalk however, the amount of ponies there prevented him from safely running and he was forced to walk again. Fortunately, this was Manehattan, and the collective pace was quick. When his apartment building finally came in view, he chanced a canter through the other pedestrians to relieve his anxiety. “No.” Ditzy whispered aloud to the vile scene she imagined. She knew she couldn't do it, couldn't let just any stallion touch her. She would cry, and probably vomit. That would make the stallion mad, and then he would hurt her and call her names. The pain in her throat was unbearable now as she swallowed her next thought. She was such a failure, she couldn't even be a whore. More tears fell from her cheeks to splatter on the ground far below, whispering their solution to her situation as they dropped. It will only hurt for a moment, and then you won’t hurt anymore. “I’m coming for you, Ditzy!” Abacus said aloud to himself as he burst through the front door and made for the stairs like a firepony charging into a burning building to save a trapped soul. A door slam echoed through the stairway from the bottom floor, jarring Ditzy out of her dark contemplation. The sound of heavy, rapid hoofclops coming up the steps told her some stallion was in a hurry to get somewhere. Hearing that activity stirred her into motion. There was no sense in her putting it off any longer, and she didn’t want to chance meeting any stallion right now. She sniffed, rubbed her nose with a fetlock and got to her hooves. As she did, the warm glow of natural light from the top of the stairwell caught her eye. She knew she was only two floors away from the roof, but eight above the ground floor. Normally, access to the roof is not open to tenants, but maybe somepony left the door open. If the door was indeed open, she could end this now. But if it was locked, it was no great loss, she could wait there until the pony left, and she wouldn’t mind delaying her final trip a few more minutes if it meant avoiding the stallion below, who was still running up the steps like somepony’s life depended on him. As quietly as she could, she began ascending toward the light. He had never been able to run up all eight floors before. But, he rarely had a reason to try. Now, even though he felt like his lungs would burst, he rounded the seventh floor landing still at a gallop, determined to walk only after he was through the door to the hallway of his floor. He would walk then, and catch his breath. Then, hopefully, they could find some way for them to help each other. Because, that’s what friends do. Ditzy reached the top of the stairway to find the door leading to the roof had several layers of industrial gray tape covering the latch, and preventing the door from completely closing. She peeked through the crack to see if anypony was up there, but she couldn’t see much. She turned her ear toward the door, but she couldn’t hear any voices, or any sounds beyond the wind. It seemed unoccupied. She must be alone. A few floors below her, she heard the slam of a door. The stallion must have reached his destination. And so had she. With a sigh, she pushed open the door, wincing at the shriek of the rusty hinges. Quickly she stepped through and closed the door behind her. She had only one thing left to do now. Breathless and spent, Abacus slammed headlong into the door to the eighth floor hallway, finding out at that moment that he was too exhausted to even use his magic to open a door. He had wait there till he could gather his strength. As he stood there panting, gasping and dripping sweat, he heard the opening and closing of a door with squeaky hinges above him. Some part of his mind thought that was odd. But his horn glowed in readiness after his next few breaths. He opened the door to his hallway and walked through. “Strange.” Ditzy thought as she looked around her. She had never remembered flags at the top of this building before. Of course, she hadn’t flown up here very often, but these were large enough to be seen from street level. If anypony bothered to look. But here, nopony bothered to gawk at the heights of buildings. There were no tourists in this area. So it was a mystery to her why anypony would fly a flag here. And stranger still, all of the flags were a uniform dark blue and without emblem, stripes, or even pattern. Indeed, the flags seemed to be a reflection of her mood: dark, melancholy, hopeless. She shook her head. Ponies did strange things in this town. There was no sense in her trying to reason it out. She walked to the edge of the roof next to one of the flags and propped her fore hooves up on the low ledge. It was her tears in the stairwell that gave her the idea. That and her backpack. She had a rough landing once, and she could have one again. She turned her head and bit the backpack’s strap clasp, loosening the strap on her left side. Nopony would think it was intentional. It would be obvious that she had been careless and gotten her wing caught in the loose strap just like she had happen to her once before. But now it would be from eleven stories up, and onto hard pavement below. Not even she could walk away from this. Maybe somepony would even see her spiraling out-of-control just before she hit. It would just be a tragic accident. Nopony would blame themselves. And she wouldn’t hurt anymore, or be in anypony’s way, or make any more messes that hurt little colts. All that pain could end here… Now. Abacus reached his room and knocked on his door. “Ditzy?” He said after hearing nothing in response. He knocked again. “Ditzy, it’s me, Abacus.” Still no response. With a sigh he fished into his saddlebags with his muzzle for his key and opened his door. The chain wasn’t on, and neither was the bolt closed. His blood ran cold. “Ditzy!” He called again as he threw open his door and ran to the bathroom. It was empty. “Ditzy!” He shouted to his empty room. There were really no places to hide, yet he frantically looked behind the kitchen counter, around the couch, to the opposite side of his bed, then even behind the door. She was gone. And so too were her saddlebags and backpack. A piece of paper on the counter now screamed for his attention. That was the only thing that looked out of place. He ran over and snatched it with his hooves and sucked in a breath as he read. Abacus, I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. I got in the way of you and Golden, and I’m so sorry about that. I’m leaving so I won’t be in the way anymore. Fillydelphia isn’t so bad. I’ll find something to do there that even I can’t mess up. Tell Golden thanks for putting up with me and for trying to help me with my landlord. And I thank you too for trying your best to help me. I’m sorry that I could never be the friend to you that you were to me. I hope that someday, you can forgive me. Ditzy Abacus looked up from the note and saw his bed, clean and turned down. There, in the center was a patch of washed-out, faded color where he knew that rusty brown stain should be. It seemed that Ditzy had cleaned up his mess this time. He looked to her note again and now two words jumped out at him: ‘I’m sorry.’ He swooned and fell back on his haunch as a realization hit him. “I never told her I was sorry.” He felt as if everypony in Equestria were suddenly present in his room, glaring at him with full knowledge of his contemptible omission. He had never assumed any responsibility for last night. Right now Ditzy was out there somewhere, unfairly burdened by all the guilt that was his alone to bear. “I never said I was sorry.” He repeated out loud like he was confessing his sin. “Why didn’t I at least tell her, I was sorry?” There was no answer. He sat in stunned disbelief, unable to even recognize himself. The last line of Ditzy’s note became his as he called out to her from the depths of his soul. “Ditzy, I hope that someday you can forgive me!” “Remember,” Ditzy told herself as she closed her eyes, leaned forward, and felt her last tear roll down her cheek. “It will only hurt for a moment, and then, I won’t hurt anymore.” She could feel herself almost at her tipping point. Her hind hooves were getting light and her wings popped out instinctively. All she had to do now, was… “Freeze!” Shocked, Ditzy obeyed the voice without question. “Lift your chin.” The voice commanded her. Ditzy immediately did as she was told. “Hold there.” The voice said. Ditzy thought she could hear clicking sounds. “Move slowly when I tell you to move.” The voice demanded. “Now bring your chin down into your chest.” Ditzy did as she had been instructed and brought her head down slowly, as if she were falling asleep. “Stop there.” Ditzy stopped. She heard more clicks. What is that noise? Who is talking to her? She turned her head toward the voice. “Don’t look at me!” the voice ordered. Ditzy’s shock gave way to puzzlement. But the voice was authoritative, male, and uncompromising. Every fiber in her was compelled to obey. She snapped back to her previous position. “Good. Now, lower your chin again. Stop.” Another click. “Lower… Stop.” Another click. “Good. Now open your eyes and look up to the sky like you are searching for hope.” That wasn’t a difficult pose or emotion for her to emulate. More clicks. “Great!” The male voice sounded pleased with her! Now, she wanted to please him. She set aside her questions and concentrated on following his every direction to the letter. They were issued in rapid succession and followed by the strange clicking sound. “Keep your eyes open, but start looking down.” “Lower your wings.” “Lower. Lower.” “Push out your lower lip.” “Keep looking down, but turn your head toward me.” “Look up at me with a sad puppy face.” Ditzy’s obedience was rewarded with her first glance at the one ordering her about. It was a photography pony. His face was blocked by the camera he had aimed at her, preventing her from seeing who had been her unintentional savior. One other camera dangled from a strap he had on his neck. “Look directly at me.” He ordered. Ditzy focused right on the camera’s eye. “Com’on, Look directly at me!” The stallion’s voice wasn't pleased with her anymore. Ditzy imagined herself boring a hole through the lens. She must do what he asked! “But you can’t.” The stallion sighed and lowered his camera. “A shame about your eyes, Honey. You were really in the moment. You can step back now.” Ditzy stepped back from the edge of the building, all thoughts of what she had been about to do having been erased by this unexpected encounter. “The name’s View Finder, by the way.” The chocolate colored stallion introduced himself as he tinkered with the two cameras hanging on his neck. “I hope I didn’t startle you too badly, I was hiding from you at first ‘cause I thought you might be the landlord, an’ I didn’t want to get kicked off yet. The light is just perfect right now with this light cloud cover, an’ any time I can get some great lighting outside of a studio, I’m taking it!” Finished adjusting his cameras, View removed them from their lanyards and set them on a clean foam pad. “But I’m being rude. I just took several pics of you while you were clearly experiencing some serious emotional…” View brushed his raspberry colored mane back with a hoof while he searched for a word. “…stuff.” It sounded obvious even he realized he had settled for a poor replacement. “Are you okay, Honey?” Ditzy wished he had just forgotten about that. She already had, and she wished she could have been spared the reminder. “Well… I had a bad week, an’ I decided I had better leave.” “Ohh, Honey!” Ditzy jumped at the sound of a sympathetic female from behind her. “Manhattan is a rough town. But don’t you let this one week get you down, you can make it.” A stunningly beautiful cream colored mare with a dark pink mane walked up beside her. “Hi! My name’s Passion Play, and that’s not my stage name. I’m going to be on Broadway someday, Honey. So don’t you forget my name!” “Yeah, Passion. We know.” Another striking mare, cerulean with a brilliant white mane, moved with an angel’s grace from behind Ditzy on her other side. Ditzy nervously fidgeted as she found herself flanked by these two stunning beauties who both seemingly shone like the sun. “I’m Summer Day, and I don’t think I heard your name?” “I’m Ditzy.” She said, almost wilting as she did. She was so insignificant next to these attractive, confident, and perfect mares. She wanted to find an excuse to leave; indeed, her very existence seemed to her to defile their splendor, but nothing came to mind. She was trapped. “Pleased to meet you, Ditzy.” Summer extended her hoof, which Ditzy accepted with a demure shake like she was trying to be careful to not rub any of herself off on Summer. “You said you had a bad week, do you want to talk about it?” Ditzy shook her head. She definitely did not want to talk about it! “Well Ditzy, are you sure you want to leave Manehattan?” Summer asked gently. Ditzy nodded. She was sure. “Where are you going?” Ditzy bit her lip, completely at a loss for an answer. That question seemed so hard! She crossed her hind legs to keep herself from tinkling. “Ditzy honey,” Passion interjected, rubbing her hoof on Ditzy’s withers with reassuring strokes. “We aren’t here to judge you. We just couldn’t help but notice that you seem to be hurting right now, and maybe you might need a bit of reassurance that your decision to leave is a good one.” Ditzy nodded her understanding. “So tell us; why do you feel you need to leave Manehattan?” “I lost my job and my apartment.” Ditzy blurted out, surprising herself. “An’ I can’t stay here, ‘cause I’ll be in the way of…” She fell back on her haunch and covered her mouth, shocked that she had revealed so much. Passion and Summer glanced at each other, then they moved around to sit facing her. This was starting to get interesting! “Who were you staying with Ditzy?” Summer inquired. Ditzy shook her head, afraid to uncover her mouth again. “Did you meet him here in Manehattan?” Passion asked slyly. She had experience in prying out juicy facts from reticent fillies. Ditzy shook her head. “Is he a friend from home?” Ditzy nodded. Passion smirked, yes-or-no questions were going to work. Summer picked up on the hint and followed Passion’s lead. “Were you staying with him here?” Ditzy nodded, apparently unaware she had just answered the question she had earlier refused. “Oh, Ditzy honey, let me look at you.” Passion reached up to Ditzy’s hooves and gently tugged them down from her mouth. “Ohhh, you are a beautiful filly. Now you listen to me, sister.” Passion said sympathetically, “You need to just forget about what happened here. That friend of yours is a fool to leave you so he could go and sleep with that stripper.” It was a stab in the dark, but a very possible scenario. Ditzy swatted Passion’s hooves away. “Golden is not a stripper!” She screamed, furious that anypony would dare to malign Golden Sweet’s character. “But Golden did sleep with him?” Summer interjected. “No!” Ditzy was full of righteous indignation and eager to defend her friends. Passion saw her opening and thrust. “So then, why did you sleep with him?” "I…" Ditzy stared at the two mares, still leaning in earnestly, hanging on her every word. Realization arrived too late, she had been tricked her into confessing her crime. "I didn’t mean to!" Ditzy wailed, then collapsed and covered her ears, awaiting the hurtful words she was sure would follow. Summer and Passion exchanged a somber look. This wasn’t as fun as they had expected. Summer moved around to sit next to Ditzy and draped a comforting fore leg across her shoulders. Passion got to her hooves and walked over to View. “I think our session just ended.” She said quietly with a backward glance. View looked up to the clouds. Breaks were indeed starting to form and let unfiltered sunlight through. Any minute now, shadows were going to be too harsh for his purposes. “Yep, you’re right. Get her information when you can. I’ll start cleaning up.” Then he started packing up his equipment. Passion began gathering up all the flags they had been using as backdrops. A shaft of sunlight broke through, causing her to squint against its’ brilliance. “Yep, there’s the sun.” View said without looking up. “Too bad, it was such a nice day.” “Yeah,” Passion looked over at Summer and Ditzy with genuine regret. “It was.” Summer waited silently until Ditzy picked her head up off the floor. “Are you feeling better?” She inquired gently. “No.” Ditzy sat up, sniffed and rubbed her nose. “Why… Why aren’t you calling me…” “We said we weren’t going to judge you.” Summer interrupted. “I’m keeping that promise.” Ditzy nodded, uncertain exactly how she felt about the mare next to her at that moment. She played like a comforter, then proved herself two-faced. But, she had refused to be a judge. Ditzy sighed with some resignation. Nopony’s perfect. “Thank you.” She said at last. Summer heard the unspoken message in her response. ‘I’m upset with you, but I forgive you.’ She seized on the chance to prove her worthiness. “Have you decided where you want to go?” “Away.” Ditzy answered with conviction. “I just want to fly away!” As soon as she had answered, she sat straight up and looked around. A sensation like déjà vu settled on her. She had said that before. A hope beyond her understanding sprang up within her. “I think you need to have a better plan than that, Ditzy.” Summer said, oblivious to the epiphany Ditzy was experiencing. “Why don’t we go over your choices?” “Of course!” Ditzy shouted, startling everypony with her outburst. The memory of Happenstance’s vision from last night returned to her like a warm blanket on a cold night to comfort her in her despair . “Abacus always told me I have choices. I can chose to follow my… promiscy!” Ditzy couldn’t quite remember the actual word, but that sounded close enough! Passion smiled at Ditzy and Summer as they worked together on Ditzy’s options. “You can do it, sister!” She shouted her encouragement to the gray pegasus and hefted her bundled load of flags onto her back. She opened the rusty door and started down the steps ‘Ditzy was going to be okay.’ Passion assured herself as the door to the roof squealed shut behind her. She resolved to free herself from the sick feeling she had from her earlier trickery. That was negative energy, and she didn’t need to carry that. Abacus decided he had languished in his disgrace long enough. He picked himself up and locked his room. He had two more classes he needed to attend. And now, he had no reason to stay here. Ditzy was gone. Back to Fillydelphia, and probably back to her mother. He would try to contact her later. But for now, all he could do is go back to school and pray he hadn’t broken his friend permanently. He was disgusted with himself! The realization came as soon as he realized he was storming down the hall at a brisk walk. He never walked this fast. He reached the end of the hall and magically threw the door to the stairwell open, fully expecting to march through without changing his gait. However, it opened only partway and hit something. His rapid pace preventing him from stopping in time and preventing his momentum carrying him into the door as it was rebounding. His impact sent it swinging back to slam into the obstacle on the other side again. From behind the door, an outraged mare profanely castigated him in no uncertain terms. Abacus cringed at the fact that he had offended another mare through his thoughtless actions. Guilt-ridden, he hung his head and slowly walked out to face the irate pony. She was beautiful, even with her face twisted in anger at his affront. It was obvious to him she was a model, she was done up too well to be hauling the bundle she carried. Even feeling as horrible as he did, he found it difficult not to stare at her. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss. I have no excuse for running into you like I did.” Abacus hoped that quickly assuming all responsibility would mollify her. “Please, will you let me carry that load down the steps to make up for the trouble I caused you?” She glanced at him. Her eyes went up and down, sizing him up in an instant. An eye roll and a snicker followed. He expected her to refuse, say something demeaning, and then go her way. To his shock, she agreed. “Okay,” She dropped her pack ungracefully at his hooves. “If you think you can.” Her disbelieving tone and slight head shake further evidenced her doubts at his ability. “Give me a minute, I have one more like this up there.” She turned and started up the steps, leaving Abacus to consider how he was going to handle the bundle. His horn glowed brightly as he tried moving it magically. It didn’t even budge. “Oh, great!” He said after he stopped his magic attempt. His eyes wandered up to her as she was rounding the next landing. He wondered if he should call up to her so she could say her insults to him now. Passion walked onto the roof just as Summer was struggling to piece together in a logical manner the flurry of information Ditzy had just finished relaying to her. “So Abacus is your best friend from foalhood. He was the pony that encouraged you to come to Manehattan, and he is the pony you were staying with here?” Ditzy nodded. “And you’re sure you want to leave now, after…” Summer let her voice trail off, unwilling to repeat that sensitive part Ditzy had revealed. Ditzy nodded again. “I only ask, because, if Abacus is all that you say he is, he might be hurting more than you think.” “The only thing I’m sure I need to do right now…” Ditzy voice cracked as she spoke. A testament to the extreme emotions and pressures she was under. “…is to leave.” Passion felt something brush against her side. Reluctantly, she tore her attention away from the scene in front of her. View had finished tying up the rest of the flags, and was holding them up to her expectantly. She crouched slightly, accepting the load. With a last glance at Summer and Ditzy, she started back down. Abacus heard the door squeal horribly again. “Oh great!” He panted, still struggling to lift the bundle to his back. He almost had it when Passion reached him. The bundle went lighter and settled on his back. “Uh, thanks.” He said, as he felt his face heat, and knew it wasn’t from exertion. “Don’t mention it.” Passion said and started down the steps. “Truthfully, I didn’t expect to find you here. I thought you’d just take off.” “I’d be a liar if I told you I didn’t consider doing just that after I tried lifting this.” “Well, I consider your earlier offense absolved. Mr…?” “White-collar.” Abacus breathed each word separately. He was already sounding like he was exerting himself. Passion stopped and turned to face him. “Well, Mr. Collar, my name is Passion Play, and that’s not my stage name. That is my name. You’re going to see me on Broadway someday, so don’t you forget my name!” Abacus was grateful for any respite at that moment, even if he had to hear a thespian recite her overdramatic introduction. But he had no idea how he should respond once she had finished and was staring at him expectantly. He nodded slightly. That seemed to satisfy her. She turned and started walking again. “I’m pleased to meet a chivalrous pony such as yourself, Mr. Collar.” “Uhh, it’s Abacus, White-collar.” He corrected her after he took a deep breath so he could be certain she wouldn't misunderstand him again. He knew that some ponies don’t like to be corrected, no matter how insignificant the matter, but he never expected Passion to react the way she did. It was the type of reaction he would have anticipated if he had smacked the rounded flesh just behind her cutie-mark and suggested a lewd act she could perform for one bit. He saw her head and ears perk up in shock, and in the very next instant, she was face to face with him. “Do you know a gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane?!” Despite their proximity, she very nearly shouted at him. Abacus couldn’t believe what he had just heard her say. “Yes!” He managed after he overcame his disbelief in his next breath. “Her name is Ditzy Doo. Have you seen her?” Passion nodded emphatically “She’s up on the roof.” Abacus couldn’t believe his luck! It was like getting a second chance at doing something right. Weighed down as he was, he struggled to turn around. “Oh, you can’t be serious!?” She exclaimed at seeing his awkward maneuvers. She bit a strap on his load and lifted it up. “Thanks!” Abacus shouted without looking back and galloped up the stairs. “You better run, she’s talking about leaving!” Summer didn’t want to let go. This poor sweet mare she had just met had melted her heart with her tragic situation and her pure, innocent soul. “I really hope you find what you are seeking, Ditzy.” She sniffed as she squeezed the pegasus tighter. “I know I will, Summer.” Ditzy couldn’t believe she was smiling through her tears. This was the right choice for her. She just knew it. “I don’t know how I know, but I just…Know!” She felt Summer’s embrace slacken and they seperated. “Are you sure you want me to send any and all proceeds from the photos I took of you to this ‘Abacus’ colt living here?” View asked her again. Ditzy nodded. “He’ll probably set up an account for me. But I wish he’d just keep it. I feel like I owe it to him. And besides, I don’t have any idea where I’ll end up.” “Okay, but it would be easier for you if I could just give you my address and you could send me yours.” Ditzy laughed. “Oh, you don’t know me very well, do you?” Then she laughed again at seeing View’s perplexed expression. “Well, I need to get flying.” Ditzy started trotting toward the edge. “Ditzy wait!” Summer trotted over and pointed to a loose backpack strap. “Do you need to cinch that up before you go?" “Oh for Celestia’s sake!” Passion exclaimed as Abacus started hopping up the steps in response to a cramping muscle. “Do you need me to carry you now?” She started massaging his affected leg. “You know something,” Ditzy said as she stared at the loose strap. “I don’t think I need this.” She shed her backpack and let it land heavily at her hooves. “That’s nothing but stuff from Fillydelphia, an’ I don’t think I’ll need it anymore. Also, I think I need to unload this.” She buried her muzzle into a saddlebag. “AARRRGH!” Abacus shouted in pain and frustration as he crumpled to the floor. Both of his hind legs had just cramped up, and the door to the roof was just up this last set of steps! “You better start calculating how much you are going to owe me for this!” Passion said as she shook her head, still in disbelief at what she was about to do for this stallion. She lowered her head and bit down on his tail just past the last bone and lifted his hindquarters up. “Mu beffer shtart mooffin!” She directed him through her teeth. Abacus clenched his teeth against the pain and stood up on his forelegs, beginning was by far the most desperate, and unconventional, 'wheelbarrow' race he would ever run. “It’s beautiful, Ditzy!” Summer exclaimed as she examined the shimmery gold formal gown Ditzy had just tossed at her. “Are you sure you want to part with this?” Ditzy nodded, her smile gone. “That’s the dress… I was wearing… when…” Summer nodded in understanding and tossed it aside. “It’s not as beautiful as you are.” She pressed in for one last embrace. “You fly, filly!” Summer heard her voice squeak. “You fly far and fast and find your dream and never look back!” One last squeeze and they parted. “Goodbye!” He made it! Abacus magically pushed open the door and heard its’ rusty groan with great relief. He scanned all around him for the pony he most wanted to see. Passion spat out his tail, dropping him on his face just as he saw her. “Ditzy!” he tried to yell, but his breathing so labored, it sounded like a moan. Passion was about to say something crass when she heard him moan. She peeked out the door over him and saw what made him sound so pathetic. “DITZY!” She screamed at the gray pegasus mare. "DITZY, COME BACK!" No! He couldn’t have come this close to fail now! He somehow found his hooves and stood, limp-running after a hope with feathered wings. “Ditzy!” He said as loud as he could manage. “Ditzy, come back!” He heard the other ponies now calling for her return, but there was no sign she had heard them. Yet, he pressed on, he must be heard. He had to find a way to make her hear him! He just had to get closer! “Ditzy, come back!” He was at the roof’s edge now, and leaning out as far as he could. Stretching out to give her the best chance of hearing what he need to say to her the most. “DITZY!” He was loud now. He was sure she would hear him. “DITZY, I’M SORRY!” Something pulled at him. He ignored it. He continued yelling her name. Hooves were on him now. But they weren’t helping him, so he resisted them. He called after her again and again. They were too strong. He was too weak. He was pulled back from the edge and held down. Abacus still screamed her name. He screamed until she was no more than a gray dot fading into the western sky.