//------------------------------// // Week Seven // Story: The Mailbox: Reloaded // by bats //------------------------------// July 4th Pinkie stuck out like a pear in an apple orchard. Not that she didn’t normally, being a pink party animal and all, but now she was more so. A big sombrero kept her wild mane contained and her eyes were protected by sparkly blue shades. A rubber ring in the shape of a green dragon with multicolored polka dots was around her frame, a few bags packed with who knows what hanging on her side. Braeburn stood next to her on the Appleloosa train station. If he was weirded out by her get up, he wasn’t showing it. “You sure you gotta do this?” “Yes,” Pinkie replied in an utter serious that threatened the integrity of her outfit. “The letter sounded bad. Real bad.” Braeburn frowned in concern. “Well, I trust you’re doing the right thing.” He looked back towards the town proper. “But I don’t think everypony’s gonna agree with it. They might just see it as you givin’ up on them.” Pinkie looked down, the shades masking her expression. “Wasn’t like I was ever gonna get along with all the Apples anyway.” A small smile appeared and she wrapped a foreleg around Braeburn. “You’ve been great though! Best ‘cuz ever.” The stallion let out a small chuckle, returning the hug. “You’ve definitely kept things eventful ‘round here. You’ll always be welcome, least to me.” “Thanks, Braeburn,” Pinkie said, just as the train to Ponyville pulled into the station. With a loud exhale of steam, the doors swung open and ponies began to get aboard. Pinkie made a few steps forward, making sure she was on the train (it was a bit of a tight squeeze getting in), then turned back to face Braeburn. “I’ll be back! This is just something I really need to do right now.” Braeburn nodded. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me, Pinkie. When you’ve helped out your friend, we’ll be waiting, right back in…” The two of them flailed their forelegs in the air, at the same time shouting, “Aaaaaaaaaaaappleloosa!” The pair shared a laugh, before the conductor made the last call to get aboard. “I know you’ll do good, Pinkie. You’re a great pony, after all,” Braeburn said. “Yeah…” Pinkie gazed down the track, many miles leading to Ponyville. “I just hope I’m not too late.” She took off her shades, staring back at Braeburn, her eyes hinting at guilt. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you everything, but—” “I ain’t mad, Pinkie. Sometimes these things just happen.” He flashed a wide grin at her. “I’ll try to find a time to explain to the elder Apples when they ain’t so cranky.” Pinkie giggled, then squeaked in surprise when the door slammed shut on her. She hurried to a window and stuck herself out, waving at Braeburn. “Thanks for everything, ‘cuz! Be safe, ‘kay?” Braeburn tipped his hat politely, then started waving too. “Don’t get into too much trouble, now.” “I won’t!” Pinkie paused. The train puffed, huffed and slowly pulled out of the station. “Much! Byeeeeeeeeee!” She frantically waved at Braeburn for as long as she could see him, right until he was just a small yellow speck on the horizon. Then she sat in her seat and frowned thoughtfully. She dug in her saddlebags and found the last letter Dash had sent. It hadn’t been an easy decision to come back but Rainbow had sounded worse than ever. And with all of their friends on vacation, Pinkie was the only one who could come to her aid. She could forget about her troubles with the Apples for now—Braeburn’s friendliness was the exception, rather than the norm—and focus on what was right. Hopefully she wasn’t too late. Ponyville felt much emptier without her best friends around. Sure, they were still many many friends around for Pinkie to catch up with, but they weren’t her besties. Rainbow was presumably stuck in her cloud home, drinking herself sick, so the town even felt a little less awesome than usual. Pinkie returned to Sugarcube Corner first, for a quick catch up with the Cakes and Gummy, as well as giving them gifts she had bought on her adventures. She couldn’t stay long though and she told them a vague summation of what was going on, leaving out the private details. Dashie’s dad had cancer and it didn’t look like there was much chance for him making it. It had put Dashie’s relationship with him to the limits, but for a while they were getting along and Pinkie thought at least a little good had come from it. But then life had one more sucker punch for them. Another argument had torn down all the goodness that had built up between Dash and her dad. It all ended up with her dad calling her a failure as a daughter. Dash decided to call it quits and flew straight back home. Where she was now drinking herself to sickness. It had taken a lot of helium, but Pinkie managed to get enough balloons to float her up to Dashie’s home. Her house was so awkward, always hanging in the sky. Yeah, she was a pegasus, but that didn’t mean the clouds could be a little close to the ground sometimes. If anything, the house seemed higher up than normal. Pinkie didn’t need to guess a reason why. Pinkie’s hooves touched the cloud patio outside the front door. And they didn’t fall through. She kept facing forward, her eyes never trailing down. Doing that would break the illusion and as long as she was here, she’d have to trick the clouds into believing she was a pegasus. She cut the balloons off her and trotted up to the front door. Before she could knock she heard Dash’s muffled voice from behind the door. It sounded tired. “If it’s the pizza guy, just leave it on the mat. Money’s under the rock by the door.” “It’s me, Dashie,” Pinkie replied. There was no response for what seemed like forever, but then... “...Leave. Please, just leave me, Pinkie.” “And leave you all alone in there, drinking yourself stupid? Nuh-uh, missy,” Pinkie stated, shaking her head. “If you don’t open up, I’m gonna force my way in there.” What sounded like a loud sigh penetrated the walls. “Pinkie Pie, I’m not even drinking that much. I just... need to be alone. Please. If you’re really my friend, you’ll listen to me when I say I need to be alone for a while.” There was a long pause between the two, as Pinkie struggled to think of what to say. “But… I wanna see you.” Another pause, but then, another sigh. “I know you do, Pinkie, and believe me... I just need to be by myself. I don’t feel like I can look at anypony.” “You need somepony, Dashie. Maybe not me, but somepony. Anypony.” Pinkie walked up to the door and put a hoof on it. “I can tell you’re hurting.” “Uh hey.” Pinkie turned at the sound of the squeaky voice to see a greasy, teenaged stallion holding a box of pizza. “I, like, got a large, uh, mushroom and soy pizza for, uh, Rainbow Dash.” Dash was quick to respond. “Money’s under the rock. Leave the pizza on the mat.” “Oh, okay.” The pizza guy placed the box next to Pinkie and proceeded to ignore the conversation as he collected his dues. The smell that came from the box was incredibly enticing. Pinkie’s eyes were locked onto it and her stomach began rumbling. “Mhm-hm. That sure does look like a tasty pizza!” “Don’t touch it,” Dash curtly retorted. Pinkie licked her lips. “But I am feeling pretty huuuuuungry.” She bent down and started opening the box, making sure she was as loud as possible. “Pinkie, I swear to Luna, if you touch that pizza, I’ll... well, I don’t really wanna come out there, but seriously, leave me to my pizza in peace. I beg of you.” A few seconds later, she could hear the sounds of eating outside her door. The door slammed open to the sight of a disheveled, bloodshot-eyed Dash. “PINKIE PIE!” “Hi, Dashie!” Pinkie innocently replied, smiles all around. The pizza hadn’t even been touched. Dash’s eyes twitched before eventually shutting tight as she sighed, rubbing her temples. “You... are not gonna leave me alone, are you?” Pinkie shook her head. “Nopey dopey!” She held up the pizza right in front of Rainbow’s face, the smells wafting into her nose. “Here’s your pizza.” Dash quickly grabbed the pizza and sighed again. “Well... come in, I guess.” She turned and dejectedly trotted into her house. “You can bum a slice or two.” Feeling her victory, Pinkie bounced in behind Dash to see the state of her friend’s home. While it wasn’t the practical warzone she imagined, the presence of some empty hard cider bottles strewn about near the coffee table was pretty disconcerting. “Did you down all those in one night?” she asked, pointing at them. Dash plopped the pizza box on top of the coffee table before finding a seat on the couch. “I didn’t try to drink myself to death, Pinkie.” She rubbed her temples again. “But... yeah, I guess I might have gone a bit overboard. Good news was that I stayed in and didn’t try to do anything stupid. Silver lining, right?” Dash followed that with a sarcastic chuckle. “Yeah, that’s something at least.” Pinkie sat herself down next to Dash and wolfed a slice of pizza. “So I’m just gonna hang around and be here for ya and stuff. We should probably talk about,” she waved a hoof in the air, “y’know.” Dash grimaced. “You really didn’t have to do that, Pinkie. Look, I’m sorry I scared you, but...” yet another sigh. “I just need to be alone. There’s really nothing you can do for me.” “That’s what you think. And right now, you’re all sad, so that’s messing up the way you see things.” Pinkie gave her a hopeful smile. “I mean, you wouldn’t have written to me in the first place if you didn’t think I could help, right?” Dash contorted her mouth before replying “I... needed to vent. You’re good for venting at.” She chuckled. “You never get mad when I say something stupid.” “‘Cause getting mad wouldn’t solve anything,” Pinkie said, nodding sagely. Then she threw out her forelegs and wrapped them around Dash. “Hug time.” Dash grinned and shook her head. “Oy vey, Pinkie.” She couldn’t contain her chuckles. “Come on, seriously. Stop it.” “No,” Pinkie replied simply, somehow sucking up another slice of pizza so she didn’t have to let go of her friend. Dash saw this and didn’t know how to reply, opting to break from Pinkie’s clutches and grab herself a slice of pizza. “What’s with all of us being so stubborn?” She took a bite, and between chews, continued. “I mean, Applejack’s Applejack. I’m me. Twilight goes crazy over stuff and can never come down to earth. Rarity’s got the same problem, only over other stuff. And you can’t seem to take no for an answer. I mean, jeez, how do other ponies deal with us?” Pinkie proudly put a hoof on her chest. “I’m only stubborn ‘cause I care soooo much!” A teasing smirk then appeared on her face. Dash frowned. “Maybe you care too much.” Another sigh came as Dash’s eyes saddened. “I know you wanna help, Pinkie. I get that, and I think it’s awesome to have a friend like you... but you don’t wanna get wrapped up in this... crap I’ve gotten myself into. It was a mistake to tell you in the first place. You should be out having fun and screwing around, not watching me act like a depressed loser while scarfing down my pizza.” “Trust me, it’d hurt me a lot more if I wasn’t involved. And stop calling yourself a loser. You’re not that and you’re definitely not anything your dad would’ve called you,” Pinkie assured. Dash shook her head rapidly. “That was...” She paused to exhale. “A whole crazy thing. It was both of us at our worst and... I just wanna forget it if you don’t mind. I’ve got enough on my plate with what I said to Fluttershy.” Pinkie slowly blinked in comprehension. “What did you say to her…?” “I finally told her, and... I could have done it in a nicer way. Basically told her to forget about him and that he didn’t deserve to be mourned.” At that point, Dash refused to make eye contact. “This was the stallion who practically raised her, Pinkie. If she never talks to me again, I don’t blame her.” Pinkie brought a hoof to her face, sighing deeply. “Dashiiiie, that’s… that’s really careless! Fluttershy’s all alone in the wilderness with strangers, she doesn’t need that kinda stuff from you!” Her brow furrowed and she pushed the pizza away. “Come on, you’re gonna write another letter to her right now.” Dash frumped. “Alright, here’s how it goes: ‘Dear Fluttershy, go ahead and cry over Blaze’s death, but don’t expect him wanting to see me anymore, because I screwed up major.” “You can do better than that,” Pinkie said, then peered around searchingly. “Where’s your word-a-day calendar? You can use that.” “Look, Pinkie...” Dash stood up and stretched her wings. “I have got a loooooot of issues to work out with my dad, and I don’t even think they can be resolved. So unless something magically pops out of nowhere that changes my mind on this, the best thing I can do is just wait this out and try to move on with my life.” A knock immediately came at the door. Dash and Pinkie shared a perplexed look before Dash flew over to answer. “When opportunity knocks…” Pinkie called out after her. Pinkie couldn’t make out who or what was at the door or what was being said, but once the door shut, Dash returned with an absolutely stunned look on her face. “...This is from my father.” Pinkie got up and walked over, standing right next to Rainbow. “Ya wanna open it?” “Uh... I’m not sure.” Dash wobbled to the couch and plopped down in her original seat. “...You think you can open it?” She reached out the envelope to Pinkie. She took it and sat back down, holding the letter as if it were a priceless vase. “Are you sure you want me to do this?” “You wanted to help out.” Dash gave a shaky grin. “I kinda need your help on this.” Pinkie nodded. “Gotcha.” She tore open the envelope, being surprisingly delicate not to damage the letter inside. She unfolded it and spread it across the table, so both of them could read. Dear Rainy, I failed you, and I’m sorry I made you think I thought otherwise. ...Now that I got that part out of the way, I want you to haul your ass back over here. Heh. Sorry, but like you, I’m probably going through a lot of emotions, and it’s hard to keep consistency. Luna knows how much we’ve blown up at each other the last month and a half. I’m in pain, Rainy. Not just physically, but emotionally. You’re my kid, and you made a mistake. And I can’t help but feel like it’s also my fault. I should’ve been the one to tell Fluttershy... but like you, I was scared. I’m scared, kid. I truly, honestly am. Not for myself, but for you two. I haven’t seen either of you in a long time, and I’m afraid of dying alone. When the doc told me what was happening, I railed and screamed and broke shit. I mean, I’m barely middle-aged, and already, I was alone in an old lake town and dying. I used to be an arena hoofball stud turned superdad, and now this? I didn’t take it well, at all. And maybe that’s why I was so hesitant to tell you about my health when you first came to Luna Pier. You’re very much my daughter, Rainy. You and I don’t take bad news very well, and I thought you might up and run away. Thankfully, you didn’t, and I’m so grateful you had been taking care of me, but... I blew it. I blew it when I blew up at you the other day, and now I’m paying the price by swallowing my pride and telling you all this. I need you, kid. And I need Fluttershy. I’ve already written to her about it like I should have, so please don’t worry about that part. Just come back to me, Rainy. I need my little girl. The docs here says I need to get out of Las Pegasus and back to a more quiet locale, so Honcho and the others pooled together some money to get me a train ticket back to Luna Pier. For the record, they really miss you, too. The hospital also said I need more accessible medical care 24/7, so, and this is the really hard part... I’ve also written to Fluttershy’s parents. Yeah, I know, I don’t like it either, but that bastard and bitch are nurse practitioners, and I really don’t have the money to spend, so I know they’ll do it for free. After all, they owe me after I raised their damn kid, and... Ugh. My blood is boiling, Rainy. If nothing else, please come back to Luna Pier so that I don’t have to suffer alone with them. (Maybe even kick their asses for me, if need be) I’m sorry, kid. I really, truly am. You deserved better from me, and I said some things I can’t take back. Just to make it clear though: you did not fail as a daughter. I did as a father. Both for you and Fluttershy. ...But now, I just want you both with me. But if you’re too angry... I understand. No matter what, kid, I’ll always be proud of you. I’ve lived a pretty good life, and if there’s anything truly great I gave to this world, it’s you. If you can find it in your heart, though, I hope to see you soon. Your father, Buccaneer Blaze. After she had finished reading, Pinkie gazed at Dash, somewhat expectantly. She never said a word, merely waiting for some sort of reaction. Once again, Dash sighed. She rose up and cracked her neck, getting a new, determined look in her eyes. “So... wanna help me pack?” Pinkie’s eyes flashed full of joy and hope. “Do I?!” She hopped from her seat and zoomed right into Dash’s room, getting started. Dear Fluttershy, You might have heard a few things, and you might not. All I know is I made a mess of things, and it’s time I start setting it straight. I’m dying, kiddo. Terminal cancer. I tried everything. Heck, Rainy tried everything. I’ve known for a while, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, kiddo. I wanted you and Dash to both be with me to tell you, but she says you’re out on safari (how’s that going, by the way?). I’m not gonna lie, Shy, it’s kind of a scary thing. I haven’t even made a good dent into my forties, and already, I look like I’m in my sixties. That luscious rainbow mane of mine is fading to grey and darker shades of grey (if they’re chunks that haven’t fallen out, yet). I’m trying to put it off for as long as possible, but I know it’s coming. I just want you to know that whatever happens, I don’t want you to be angry with Rainy. She’s been helping me so much this summer, and it’d be a shame to make her feel guilty for not telling you sooner. It’s my fault for being so cowardly. I am so proud of you, kiddo. You know that, right? Rainy showed me pictures of you two and your friends. You kids have grown up so fast, it’s kind of trippy, but at the same time, it makes me so happy to see that you’re doing well. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, Fluttershy. There are things that I might have done differently if I had another go at them, but there’s never been a doubt in my mind that the one thing I don’t regret is raising you and Rainy. I don’t know if you feel the same, but I always considered you just as much my daughter as Rainy. I saw you through the good times and bad, and watched you grow into the beautiful mare you are today, and it makes me sad to have kept you in the dark about my condition for so long. Just know that I love you so much, kiddo. I hope to see you before I pass, but if I don’t, just know that I know you’re one of the best things to ever happen to me. Don’t forget about me, Shy. I’m not gonna forget you anytime soon. With love, Buccaneer Blaze.