Chronology notes:
Stop! You are reading the seventh story in the Bonds of Eternity Series.
The first story in the series is Family found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1307/
The second story in the series is Nihil Novi Sub Sole found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1444/
The third story in the series is Friends in High Places found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1716/
The fourth story in the series is Trust found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1973/
The fifth story in the series is Domino Effect found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2151/
The sixth story in the series is To Whom It May Concern found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2465/
Bridge over River Rijn
Chapter 1
Rainbow Dash found herself pacing back and forth on the balcony outside Twilight Sparkle’s room. She had quietly snuck out of bed and out into the cool, February air. Already February, Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it. January had passed them by; they had not noticed that the year 1001 and turned to 1002 during their trip to the Divide.
These were difficult times. Everyone living in the Ponyville public library couldn’t help but feel on edge. Rainbow Dash had already been having trouble sleeping, Nightmares of her old world death still haunted her, and sleep did not come easy for the pegasi mare.
Twilight too, did not sleep well, Rainbow Dash knew that many nights, Twilight would lie awake, quietly holding Rainbow Dash close to her, afraid that if she let go that she would be lost to her forever.
Even Vinyl Scratch spent many nights crying herself to sleep, though she would have never admitted it. Vinyl maintained that she was fine, but she had not been the same since Derpy Hooves’... make that Ditzy Doo now, last visit.
Rainbow Dash looked up to hear the flutter of wings, she smiled as her visitor landed on the balcony. “Thanks for coming on such short notice. I appreciate it.”
“Of course,” Princess Luna said as she sat down in the snow covered balcony. “What can I assist you with, Rainbow Dash?”
“I’m worried about Twilight and Vinyl,” Rainbow Dash said. “Well, to tell you the truth, I’m worried about all of us. I mean, it’s been nothing but constant conflict since we got back from the Hoofson bay, Legion, the Divide... all of it. I’m worried that if we don’t get a break, we’re all going to crack under the pressure... heck, you know things are bad when I have to be the voice of reason!”
Princess Luna nodded in agreement. “I have been keeping an eye and an ear on Vinyl Scratch since we returned from South Island. I find myself agreeing with you. This Legion... he is a threat to all in Equestria, and we rely on our heroes far too much. We put too much pressure on them.”
Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.
“But, Equestria will hold long enough for its heroes to take deserved rest,” Princess Luna said. “I think a holiday for you all is in store... I am thinking... the Low Countries! I will make the arrangements; Hadrian Goyle owes me a few favours.”
...
“No!” Pinkie Pie called out as she dug through her closet, which had already had many of its contents thrown about haphazardly about the room. “No! No! No! Not impressive enough!”
Pinkie Pie pulled her head back out of the closet and turned around to discover the huge mess that she had made about her room/sometimes laboratory. She had noticed that she lost Gummy somewhere under everything. The toothless alligator was however the least of her concern.
“I’m never going to impress Twilight at this rate!” Pinkie Pie cried out in frustration. Pinkie Pie sat down and let out a sigh. Pinkie Pie had a secret, one that she had never breathed to a living soul, apart from Gummy who was unable to tell anyone else about it. She was in love with Twilight Sparkle.
Her hobbies of explosive making and chemistry had stemmed from a desire to impress Twilight. That Pinkie Pie was not just the jarring, random, hyperactive, baker and confectionary, but that she could also be quite the intellectual, and that she had a skilled and steady hoof. The plan had back fired horribly, and Twilight had just attributed it to her randomness.
Well, that was the persona that Pinkie Pie had built for herself, now she had to live with the consequences of it.
Pinkie Pie in public was far different than Pinkie Pie in private, when she was by herself, Pinkie Pie was as normal as any other pony, when she was by herself, Pinkie Pie had much more in common with Fluttershy, while in public, she had more in common with say, Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie Pie looked around at the mess that she had created; she let out a sigh and began to pick it up. Pinkie Pie was different in public because she thought that her friends wouldn’t like her if they knew the real her.
The private Pinkie Pie was how she had been at home, before she had been kicked out and she had come to Ponyville. That had been the real her. She had had not a single friend at home; there had been fillies and colts that lived on nearby farms, real farms, farms that actually grew things. Pinkie Pie had lived a sad childhood, and as a result, none of the other children ever wanted to play with her.
After Pinkie Pie had thrown her first party, she didn’t want to work the “rock farm” anymore, she wanted to have fun. While her parents had enjoyed the party that she had thrown, they had not expected her to make a habit of it, when she did, they kicked her out.
She remembered that day well, for that day, had happened to be her birthday.
As a result, Pinkie Pie found her birthday was a day that she had wanted to forget. She thought back to her last birthday, Twilight and Co. had been secretly putting together a party for her. Pinkie Pie had not forgotten that it was her birthday, as she had claimed.
On the contrary, she had been trying to forget it.
Pinkie Pie shook the thoughts from her mind, thinking about it made her sad, she had to go out soon, she would be needing to put on her mask, and having a crying fit would just make it harder. She thought about Twilight, thinking about Twilight always put a smile on her face...
Or, at least it had in the past... that was before Rainbow Dash and Twilight had gotten together. Rainbow Dash and Twilight had sat all of them down and told them about the old world, and how the two of them had gotten together.
Pinkie Pie was starting to cry, she supposed, on some level, that she was happy that Twilight and Rainbow Dash were happy. She was happy that she was still friends with both... but she couldn’t help but feel jealous. She had loved Twilight since she had first come to town.
Twilight had said hello to her, and Pinkie Pie didn’t know what to say in response. (Though in hindsight, ‘hello’ probably would have been good enough,) she panicked and ran off, after calming down somewhat, and realising that she had probably blown her shot, she got the brilliant idea to throw the newcomer a party! That was sure to have worked!
It didn’t, Twilight had not been enthusiastic about the party, and once again, Pinkie Pie felt stupid for having blown her shot again.
Then Nightmare Moon came, and Pinkie Pie, along with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack banded together with Twilight to save Equestria! The rest, as they say, was history.
A knock came at the door, Pinkie Pie shot up in surprise. “Just a minute!” she cried out, and quickly ran into the bathroom. She couldn’t let anypony see that she had been crying. They would ask too many questions. Pinkie Pie hopped into the bathtub and turned it on, allowing cold water to run over her head and body for a few seconds before she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her, she then went back over to her door and opened it up. It was Rainbow Dash.
“Hey Dashie!” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully. “Sorry! You caught me in the middle of a bath, what’s up!?”
“Hey Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash said with just as much cheer. “Sorry, about that, didn’t mean to interrupt, I just wanted to let you know that we’re having a meeting at the Library today at three, if you could be there, that’d be great!”
“Of course!” Pinkie Pie called out. “I’ll finish my bath and be right over! See you at three!”
Rainbow Dash waved goodbye, and trotted off, Pinkie Pie closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. That had been close.
Pinkie Pie looked at the clock, it was one thirty right now. She figured that she might as well go ahead and take a bath. She had time to kill.