//------------------------------// // Week One (Part Two) // Story: The Mailbox: Reloaded // by bats //------------------------------// May 21st Heya Fluttershy Super happy to hear that you’re having a great time. I was kinda worried that you’d be real nervous of a strange new land by yourself, but it sounds like I shouldn’t have needed to worry in the first place. And I hear ya on struggling to sleep. Happens to me almost every other day. You just gotta do something to tire yourself out. A few laps around Sugarcube Corner usually does it for me! But I don’t think a safari like yours is gonna be a walk in the park (mostly because there are no parks in the wild), so it’s likely you’ll be falling into your comfy sleeping bad every night, no problem! Oh, before I forget. If you get this before you leave, take the free soap from the hotel! It’s deadly important. We can’t have you all smelly when you come back. I’d love come to visit there sometime with ya, ‘cause it sounds really cool! But from what you’ve told me, I’d have to take my candycopter. It doesn’t seem kind to groundbounders. Try those sweets from the shop for me if you can! I wanna know if griffons like different flavors than we do, or if they have entirely new ones. Fabian sounds like a nice guy, and I’m sure he’s just trying to keep you safe. Can you imagine if you got eaten by a Let’s not go there. Just remember to be assertive if you think he’s holding you back from all the nice stuff. The old Fluttershy way, not the new Fluttershy way. Manehattan’s pretty good. It’s definitely ‘alive’, since there’s always something to do! But… I dunno, I think you’re onto something with not liking it very much. Even if it’s busy, it sorta feels a bit… ummm… stale, I guess? Like, in Ponyville ponies are always saying hi to each other and stuff, and in Canterlot everypony seems pretty happy to be in such a pretty place. But Manehattan? I dunno, everypony seems different here. Like they’re only going from A to B and not even bothering with C. You think I’d like the big cities, but something about this place makes me feel weird, if only a teeny weeny bit. I dunno, hopefully that feeling will change when the parade starts. Only a few days or so to go! The streets are starting to get all partied up, streamers and lights on the lampposts and stuff, so it looks like it’ll be a big event! All the others are probably telling you to be safe, and I’m not gonna lie and pretend I wouldn’t say that too. But I’m sure you’ve heard enough of that, so I’ll just say this: have fun out there! Write back as soon as you can, since mailboxes don’t grow on trees. (Unless they do in Griffonland.) Much lovey love back, Pinkie P.S. If you somehow run out of food, tell me A.S.A.P and a cupcakes relief package will be on its way! Dear Rainbow Dash, Don’t be so crude!!! I was just observing! I wasn’t trying to be like you loose! Ahem. If the quiet is really bothering you, maybe you could try the cantina on the far side of town? It’s this little tiny plain building sitting just outside Pier’s limits. It doesn’t have much advertising, but if plays nice music and the water there is free, I’d shy away from their garlic-fried leeks, they can really play rough with your tummy. I know a few of the old fliers that moved to Luna Pier use that as a hang out. Oh! You could take Buck there! He loved flying almost as much as you did, maybe the atmosphere will open him up? It has a lot of Wonderbolt and military memorabilia, I think the owner was a former flier before he retired. I do hope Buck is okay. Did he even do his “where’s your wings” prank? I can’t imagine him, well, not lively, he used to talk my ear off when he’d come by the grocery store, even when I said we were busy. Maybe he just needs the Rainbow Dash brand of energy to get him going again. And as for me, I made it to Griffalabella! I didn’t bring a camera but my guide told me you can buy them in the city, I’ll try to pick them up. There are plenty of griffons here, I even have two of them for guides, along with a hippogriff and a unicorn. You’d like Fabian, he’s the one who met me. He’s very suave and sweet-natured, if a little grandiose. Broch is really quiet and always has a look on his face like somebody stepped on his claw. He hasn’t said more than two words to me, but I think I’m okay with that. He is huge, bigger than Big Macintosh! Not as big as Bulk Biceps, but Fabian says Broch is the one who will haul our equipment around. I hope he doesn’t mind the extra weight from my things. Candis reminds me of you. He’s always in a “let’s go let’s go” state of mind, and I barely heard a word from his mouth when we introduced ourselves. He keeps reminding me that if I don’t pull my weight he’s going to leave me behind, and he seems more concerned with the schedule than if anypony’s ready. We barely started breakfast and he was annoyed that we weren’t on the trail already! Sir Dusty Tracks is our unicorn, and you have no idea how excited I am to meet him! He’s one of the greatest animal trackers in the world, and the one who approved of me joining! He’s really classy, and incredibly handsome in a silver fox sort of way. (And don’t give me this “slut” talk, you’d fall for his moustache too.) He’s been rather dour, but I think it’s because it’s so early. Celestia’s barely put the sun up and we’re already finishing our first meal and about to check our bags. Speaking of which, our lodgings? So cute! It’s all wood and rustic, out on the very edge of the city where travellers stay before the city gate opens in the morning. It’s a huge building, and there are griffons, ponies, and even zebras everywhere. I think I even spotted a Clydesdale running the distillery in the basement, and they’re bigger than you can think of. We’ve been eating toast and hashbrowns full of herbs and vitamins, and they even gave me cantaloupe when I asked. The cups are a little awkward, but the fresh squeezed orange juice is to die for. No milk though, milk is for inner-city “tightwads” (that’s what the bartender said, not me!). I’m so excited I’m barely eating - though that may be because I’m writing at the same time! - but we’re just about to get going. Candis is getting antsy so I’ll wrap this up. Please keep me updated on Buck’s health, and I’ll even send him letters if it’ll help. I’ll try and get ahold of a camera soon so I can take you some neato pictures, but I can’t promise they’ll all be cool. Much love, Fluttershy Dear Rarity, Anything, you say? Well... I need a cape. What? You said anything. Cape me, girl. And make sure it looks cool, like that Mare Do Well cape you made for the girls. That was sweet. But anyway, I totally feel you on the being bored part. Luna Pier is... okay, imagine if Ponyville was sucked of all vitality and plopped down next to a lake. Word-a-day calendar, check it out. Vitality’s my new middle name. Rainbow “Dangerous Vitality” Dash!™ So yeah, I’m just waiting impatiently for my dad to spill the beans on what he wanted to tell me so I can get out of here. I need flash and style and coolness! Luna Pier is... something Fluttershy would like. Oh, and speaking of Fluttershy, there’s another reason I hate this place. Apparently, Fluttershy’s parents are in this town somewhere. I’m just glad I haven’t run into them yet, because I really don’t need ‘decking someone right in the face’ on my record if the Wonderbolts still have their eye on me. I... okay, ‘hate’ is a pretty weaksauce word for how I feel about those two. You know how your parents dump Sweetie on you a lot? Imagine having parents who didn’t even give enough of a damn to dump her. They just left her to wander over to you and didn’t even have the decency to say when and if they’d be around. My dad was more Fluttershy’s dad and mom, really, and I think she knows that pretty well. So it really confuses me as to why she’d bother to even mention their existence to me, let alone go see them and tell them she says ‘hi’. And heck, it’s not like they’d care. Fluttershy’s dad is a loser who missed the cut for the Wonderbolts, so anytime I ever saw him, he tried to drown me with attention and try to live through me. Why? Because he’s a loser, and his wife is a bitter, ice-cold... Okay. I took a breather. I didn’t mean to get all ranty there, Rarity. I guess I’m just getting antsy because of this town and my dad. He’s not even twice my age, and already, he seems weaker than Granny Smith. I hope he tells me what’s up soon, because it’s getting depressing to be around him. When he gets up from his nap, I’m gonna tell him to fess up. The sooner he talks, the sooner I walk (...er, fly). When I get out of here, I got me some plans. I know first things first, I wanna see Twi in Cloudsdale. She’s probably wanting to pull her mane out as she speak due to the combination of boring meetings and griffons and pegasi being in the same room, and she’ll need The Rainbow Dash to come help her have some real fun. When I’m done with that though, what’s say me and you go see Applejack in Canterlot? I mean, yeah, she’s probably gonna be all mopey and bedridden, but she’s got some swanky digs we can totally use to party with. And if I’m really as contagious as you say I am, then you’ll break out all the hard stuff from your sock drawer (don’t deny it, I found it when I was trying to look for your diary after Sweetie Belle told me it was a real hoot return your diary from the clutches of that vile wench Sweetie Belle) and provide the beverages. I’ve trashed plenty of hotel rooms, but what’s say we trash a royal suite? You and me. Well, I’m getting hungry, so I’m gonna send this out and get me some food. I will give Luna Pier this: it may be boring and lifeless, but I’m never in short-supply of funnel cake and soy jerky. Let me know about progress on that cape. Your bud, Dash. Dashie, What you have there is a major case of ghost town, girl. Lemme guess: you’re seeing tumbleweeds everywhere, and hearing coyotes for no good reason? ‘Cause if that’s the case, then it’s not looking good for you at all… But a community is only as alive as its ponies are, and it just got delivered a bundle of awesome courtesy of Rainbow Dash! I know you can get the ponies there to do something fun. I’d start with something small, ‘cause the dearly departed don’t like being disturbed so much, if ya get what I mean. Be the ghostbuster you were born to be and inspire some ponies to have fun like you know how! I’d help but… yeah, Manehattan. I was actually gonna write to you first, but then I got your letter. I knew you were fast, but wowza, I didn’t think you’d beat me at this writing thing. You still remember the Academy, right? I promise I’m not constantly checking the city mailboxes, although I’m still kinda getting used to it all. The most I’ve had to write over long distance was to Maud. The rest of my family too, but mostly Maud. She expresses herself really well through words. Manehattan’s just like you remember it: busy busy busy! They call it the city that never sleeps and… yeah, they’re kinda right. Even in my cushty (that’s a fun word for ya) hotel room, I can hear all the ponies outside. Makes me wanna go out and join them, but I need sleep too, y’know? Of course you know. You’re always trying to sneak in a good nap. Don’t deny it, I’ve seen you. Maybe drawn on your face a few times too, heehee. I talked to the parade organisers. They said I can join in with my own float, but only if I have the time to build one. I’ve got two days… I think it’s possible if I work really really hard. But that’s not my problem. My deal is that I have no idea what to build! The ol’ pink think ain’t working so hard today, which sucks. There is a Daring Do float though, so that’s cool. So, about your Dad… I think he’s just getting old, Dashie. I know what that’s like, believe me. My parents have always been old. They had gray hairs when I was five, and probably before that too. Maud was always the one who did fun stuff with me (Inkie and Blinkie have always been their own little unit). Ma and Pa just want to get the work done. That’s just the way parents are sometimes. The first party we ever had together was fun, but we all knew it wasn’t gonna be a regular thing… so I packed up my things and went searching for bigger things. I’ll always love them, and they’ll always love me, but we’re just too different to mesh together well. We’d be like some sorta horrible cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yuck. Okay, so you can’t leave. That’d be real mean, and I know you’re not a meanie. You came to see your daddy, so that’s what ya gotta do. Remember to make sure that he knows you love him lots and lots, even if he has changed. And do some talky talk. And it’s not like old ponies can’t be awesome in their own way too. Just look at Granny Smith! Don’t tell anypony I said this, but I seriously think she’s a better baker than me. And she’s always fun to at least talk to. Hang in there for me, ‘kay? Like you said, it’s only a couple days. No biggie. And it’s definitely better than being stuck in hospital, right? At least you can fly around. That’s something. I miss all of you oh so much too, but the letters are helping with that. Hugging letters isn’t very fun though… aaand that’s a paper cut I think. Oopsie. Quick! To the en-suite! Free soap, don’t fail me now! Gotta dash, Dashie. Write back soon! Your funtastic friend, Pinkie Dear Twilight, Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle? Will other ponies get mad at me if I don’t call you princess? I hope they don’t return this letter if it’s addressed improperly. I was really scared of being so far away from my friends. I’ve never left Equestria before, and I’m doing it alone! I can’t even believe I put my hoof this far forward. It’s scary, but I feel safe with the team. Not like I feel with you girls, but I feel confident that everything will be fine. I really do hope that I meet some really interesting animals, one of my guides, Candis was telling me about what to expect. Our first stop is going to be the Griffalabella coast. A variety of rare birds and aquatic mammals make their homes in warm, temperate waters and along the cliff sides. The beachside has an extensive coral ecosystem that’s attracted a variety of fish, making it a desirable hunting spot for a lot of animals, including the Whiskered Griffala Dolphin, the Muddy Manta Ray, and the Black-Billed Harrier. Sir Dusty Tracks said he wanted to try and tag a Three-Striped Swooper while they were in the middle of their migration. Speaking of which, Sir Dusty Tracks is our safari leader! Remember the book I shared with you last year, Stripes of the Savannah? That was his book! I hope I can get some tips from him, I’d love to share my knowledge with the world like he did, but I have to find some animals first. As for Cloudsdale, I know you dislike the officialness of Canterlot, but Cloudsdale is better! I mean, only by a little. Cloudsdale is very proud of its athletic and military tradition, it’d be extremely polite to compliment any Cloudsdale’s officials on medals they’re wearing. If they talk about their ancestors, be sure to listen closely, and try to admire their great grandfather’s rank and military profile. Celebrity fliers are some of the most revered figures in Cloudsdale, I know you’re a princess but offering your respect is a good way to get in the pegasi’s good graces. When you don’t have to shake hooves and smile all the time, I’d recommend the Cloudfleet Museum on the western cumulus and the Cloudsdale Museum on Thunder Lane. The first is full of Equestria’s military history, with documents from the very first outpost set up in the badlands to a lock of Queen Chrysalis’ hair. The latter is all about how Cloudsdale came to be the pegasi capital in Equestria, as well as general pegasus history. If I remember right, the school quadrant is also home to all of Cloudsdale’s libraries, but I didn’t spend much time in the school quadrant after hours. You’ll also be able to find the astrology lab in the university but you’ll need special permission to see it (just ask the front desk). Cloudsdale is also the foremost expert on both weather and alternative farming. That basically means they try to set up farms on the clouds, and there was a story about one successful plot growing tomatoes in the university, I’m sure they could use some help from the smartest princess in Equestria. As for food, there are a lot of sandwich shops set up around the flying field. You’ll find sandwiches, grilled and fried foods, freshly treated salads, they even had a nice quiche place last time I was there. If you want a restaurant, I can’t help you much there, I didn’t eat in very much, I usually picked up something for home. Right now, I am very outside of my comfort zone. I’m in a wagon full of boys! I feel tiny, though they’ve been mostly pleasant. I wish you girls could be here to experience this with me, but I guess that would come into conflict with your other plans. Oh well, I’ll be back by the end of the summer and we can share our stories in person! With love, Fluttershy May 22nd Dearest Fluttershy, Has our dear friend Rainbow Dash been rubbing off on you? I must say, darling, I never thought you the adventuresome sort, yet here you are - hock-deep in the bushlands, surrounded by exciting new creatures and exotic ponies of all walks, striking out on your own! I am so very proud of you, Fluttershy. It thrills me no end that you've finally found a cause worth a little wanderlust. Modeling was perhaps not the world for you, and singing either, but this - this is you, Fluttershy, through and through. Speaking of exotic travels in foreign lands, I just know you'll keep me abreast of any interesting developments on the fashion front. So much of what I see from outside Equestria proper is third-hoof; the occasional traveler or foreign official haunting Canterlot is hardly enough material to base a clothing line upon, and a mare must be authentic, no? I know making this trip must've been a difficult decision for you, dear, but I do envy you in that. Did you know that save for our girls' infrequent (or all-too-frequent) forays into world-saving adventures, I've never left Equestria? I've been to Manehattan fewer times than Applejack and I've seen Canterlot far more times as a glimmer on the horizon than up close. I feel somewhat of a fraud, really. Here I am, designer par excellence to nobles and celebrities, and I'm more of a homebody than… well, than any of you. I play at coture, yet I've never even set hoof in Prance! Perhaps I'll remedy that sooner rather than later. I must do something soon, or I'll lose my mind, or my touch, or perhaps my battle with that bottle of Palo Coltado sherry I've been saving. My Spring and Summer lines debuted months ago, my Fall line was finished in a whirlwind of manic inspiration, and Sweetie's off with my parents while school's out. Little Ponyville's still bustling but minus you girls, it's somehow - drat, what's the word? - hollow, I suppose? I tried a spa day (pampering does cure many ills) but without you it wasn't the same. Aloe and Lotus send you their best, of course. I've rambled dreadfully, haven’t I? Apologies, Fluttershy. Here I am moaning about so very little while you're heading off on the trip of a lifetime. Enjoy yourself, darling - you've earned it. Yours, Rarity Hey Shy, I looked up a hippogriff. Knowing that ponies and griffons can have babies would've been useful in high school. Sorry if this is kind of brief. I have a hangover. I took Blaze to that Cantina. Good drinks. Lots of good drinks. He told me what's up and... he's fine. Fine. Seems he was just pulling one of his epic pranks, you know? Tricked me into doing his chores for a few days while he slept, but the jig's up. Now that he's told me... I think I'm gonna stay a while longer. To catch up and stuff, you know? And he also wants to get back into shape so that he can take a good picture for you. I mean, not that he's really out of shape and stuff, but he's just not needed to do some real exercising in a while and stuff. But yeah, don't worry about his health and stuff. I told him about it, and he says hi. He's been talking about you a lot. Misses you. Sorry about that splotch. Drool stain. I've got a really bad headache, so I need to go back to sleep. I'll tell you more later. Your friends sound cool, by the way. Seeya, Dash. May 23rd Dear Pinkie Pie, We’ve left Griffalabella already, though I wish we could have stayed. It was such a big and beautiful place, and you wouldn’t need your copter, actually! They have grounded entrances for groundbounders, but you’d have to be able to climb a lot of stairs to live here. I think it would be worth it for a vacation (I don’t know about staying though, it’s a lot of stairs). Fabian is really nice, and he’s constantly checking up on me. He’s our group’s cook and navigator, and he’s very good. I don’t think we’ve even needed a map, he seems to know all sorts of backwoods trails to get to our locations. I think we cut down on our way to Griffalabella’s coast by about two hours? We’re currently camped out at the top of the cliff, but there’s a town that’s only a forty minute flight away. I had a hard time convincing the others to let me fly there to mail my letters. Sir Dusty Tracks and Fabian seemed hesitant, but were okay as long as I was only mailing letters. Candis insisted that we were on a safari, and the only way to get the real experience was to rough it. He thinks we should be hunting and gathering our food and only going into town in places that were hard to hunt. Candis and I got into a big argument about hunting. I didn’t want to hurt any of the animals we were observing when we only had to throw some bits to a local butcher shop - I am trying to keep myself from screaming or being queasy, griffons have a right to eat - but he grew really angry and I think flustered when I stood my ground? He and Broch started growling at me, but I asked myself “what would my friends do?” and growled right back. I think I confused them. Fabian eventually got him to agree to hunt only animals unrelated to our safari, and got me to agree that I’m to only go into town to deliver letters, and not to buy food. Since I’ve learned how to scavenge, I’d agreed, but I feel like I got off on the wrong hoof already. Maybe I should have been more pliable, but this is a safari to to observe the animal’s natural behavior, not see how they’d react to the introduction of a new predator in their ecosystem. I’m sorry if I’m coming off as angry, I’m just frustrated. As for Manehatten, I felt the same way. It was certainly a beautiful place on the outside, but it felt cold, and empty on the inside. Like all the life was in the business and the commute rather than the ponies. I hope the culture faire brings out the best in everypony! I know Ponyville always got extra proud and happy whenever we were celebrating. Who knows? Maybe it just needs that Pinkie Pie touch to really bring the cattle to town. I wish you the best of luck with your float! Much love, Fluttershy Dear Rarity, I think you’re being too hard on yourself. You have such a broad knowledge on fashion, I mean, not just from your catalogues, your books, your photos, and your interviews, but you have a certain mind about you that tells you exactly what ponies will love to see and love to wear even more. Disregarding our embarrassing reaction the first time you tried to be nice to us, I can’t think of a single pony who hasn’t loved your clothing, and your attention to detail is tres magnifique. Fashion in Griffalabella is somewhat limited, most likely because they are all large fliers so clothing would get ruined rather quickly, but from what I’ve seen of it they seem to enjoy contrasting colors. I saw a couple on the street while passing through wearing robin’s egg blue coats with traffic cone orange undershirts and dress pants. There was a butler with his madam who wore the strangest black and white checkered outfit I’d ever seen, while the lady he was escorting was wearing eye-catching reds, greens, and yellows. I suppose if you’re going to live in a city full of fliers, something that is deliberately eye-catching would be appropriate to stand out. My current companions and I have been getting along. Mostly. Our disagreements have so far been the only bump in this otherwise wonderful trip. I won’t fill you in on the details but I’ve had to argue with them about hunting! I don’t want to stifle their appetite in their own home town, but we’re supposed to be observers, not predators. At least Fabian and Sir Dusty Tracks look at my point of view. They’ve been very pleasant, but our other companions, Broch and Candis don’t seem to want me here. Broch is very much like Big Macintosh, big strong and quiet, but a little meaner. Candis is, well, bossy, and really opinionated. I try to be accommodating but I have to put my hoof down somewhere, especially since he constantly tries to overrule our Safari Leader’s decisions. At the very least we’ll be doing our actual work this afternoon. We’re going to be down by the Griffalabella coast looking at the reefs, the birds, the fish, and the dolphins! I’m very excited to be apart of this experience, and can’t wait to see the animals in their natural habitat as opposed to pictures and stories. As soon as I get back, we can spend a whole day at the spa and I’ll tell you, Aloe, and Vera all about the trip! I’ll try and find you some swatches to bring you, and see if the clothes-makers will let me have some of their schematics to give you in the meantime. Until then, I miss you very much and can’t wait to see you again! Much love, Fluttershy Dear Rainbow Dash, I’m glad to hear Buck’s doing okay, even though that seems a little unlike him. He always liked the sillier pranks, he once told me that pushing your work onto others is immoral. He must be tired in that case, the poor stallion, always so busy trying to keep you in a good house with good food. Please tell him he doesn’t have to try too hard to give me a picture, I’ll love it no matter what. I just want to see him happy and healthy. Though exercise would be good for him, sleeping all day is terrible for your body. I’m sure he just needs a little while to get back into the swing of things. You on the other hand, missy, should know better than to go around getting yourself drunk! Especially around your father! Don’t you remember those old PSA’s they’d make us watch every week? Being inebriated hinders your flying ability and harms your depth perception, two things a pegasus very much needs when they’re a hundred feet above the ground! The drinks they serve at the cantina aren’t even that strong, how much did you drink? Were you and Buck having a drinking contest? Last time I was there, they barely served anything stronger than 3%. You’d better not have blown your whole summer fund on that cantina, Rainbow Dash! You still have a lot of mares to visit and keep company once you and Buck are properly caught up, and imagine how embarrassing it would be if you showed up at Applejack’s and you couldn’t even afford a ticket to see an aerial athletics show! Sorry about blowing up at you, I’m just a little frustrated with some of my safari companions. They’re nice, but we’re having disagreements on hunting and going into town. I spent nearly an hour trying to convince everypony to let me to mail this. I want an authentic safari experience too, but I think isolating ourselves from civilization is the wrong way to go about it. We’re here to observe and study animals, not cut ourselves off from everypony else. That’s just me though, and at the very least I’ve gotten permission to keep up to date with you girls. They don’t understand how important it is that I keep in contact with you, Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack. I guess there’s something to be said about a camping trip with just you and your friends, but I don’t think I would be able to stay away from you girls for the whole summer. Anyways, I need to check the snorkeling gear to make sure we can do our underwater observations. Please stay safe and don’t get yourself hurt up there, and tell Buck he’s in my thoughts. I’ll see you when I get home. Much love, Fluttershy May 25th Pinkie, I... haven’t written in a few days to you, and I’m sorry about that. I haven’t written to anyone. Things haven’t been good. They’re bad... awful. So, my dad and I went out for drinks a few nights ago and he told me what was wrong with him. He isn’t getting old, not really. He’s... dying. My dad is dying, Pinkie, and I don’t know what to do. I’ve been spending the last few days yelling at him, crying at him, telling him how much of a screw up he is for not telling me sooner. Just so much anger and sadness that I’ve just lost the energy to do anything else. Well, I’m writing to you, so maybe I’m getting better. Or maybe I’m desparate. I don’t know yet. He wants me to take care of him Pinkie. Wants me to, in his own words, help him run out the clock. In other words, he wants me to stay with him until he dies. And he also wants me to tell Fluttershy what’s going on. I can’t do any of this. I can’t watch him die, and I can’t tell Fluttershy he’s dying. I feel like I just need to go. Just get out of here and never look back. But I can’t, he’s my dad. I’m stuck. I’m helpless. What do I do, Pinkie? How do I help my dad? Damn it, how do I help myself? Or Fluttershy? What do I tell her? I’m sorry I’m laying this all down on you, Pinkie. I know it’s not right to bum you out. I just... I needed someone to talk to. Someone who knows how to put on a happy face and make everything seem like it’s okay. You’re good at that, you know? I should probably go to sleep. My dad’s been out for hours now, and I’ve been spending this whole time out on the dock. I don’t like sleeping in that house anymore. The sky’s clear tonight. Maybe I can rest easy on a cloud. Please write back soon, Pinkie. I need you. Your friend, Dash.