“Rarity opened her shop. And Rainbow Dash has the skies all cleared up.” Spike reported as he set a pile of books next to Twilight Sparkle's bed.
Twilight was sitting on the bed in a field of scrolls and open books. She would have been more comfortable down in the library, but she didn't want to be disturbed by anypony. Of course, Spike didn't count as anypony. “That's good. I was just reading that locking yourself away can extend the grieving process and even make a pony go a little crazy.”
“So. . . ?”
“What?” Twilight asked.
“Are you coming downstairs? Ever?”
“Oh, Spike. I'm not locked away like that. I just have to concentrate. I just have to understand what happened, and then I'll feel better. But I can't do that if ponies are always coming in to get books or ask questions.”
Spike didn't seem to believe her. He picked up one of the books he'd brought up for her, and held it up. “Did you know you asked for this one yesterday? And two days before that. The one you're reading now I just re-shelved last night. You've read every one of these books ten times this week.”
Twilight looked a little embarrassed. “Sometimes study takes. . . persistence?”
“And sometimes understanding something takes leaving your bedroom once in a while.”
Twilight looked down at her books. She had been reading them a lot. Everything to do with death, from pony physiology to stories of the deaths of famous ponies, to magic related to death. She felt like she knew more about death then anypony alive, but she still didn't understand why Granny Smith had to leave them.
There was a knock on the door, and Twilight was a little relieved. Now Spike would leave her to her books. Spike looked at her for a moment, then sighed and rolled his eyes, “Don't get up. I'll get that.”
“Thanks, Spike.” She said as he made his way down the stairs.
She tried to go back to her book, but Spike was right. She had read it before. She had read all of these books. She looked at her notes, cross referenced and color coded, feeling like there had to be something here that she was missing.
“Twilight?”
She nearly jumped at Spike's voice. She wasn't expecting him to be back so soon.
“Twilight, there's a new pony down here.” Spike said, hopefully. “I mean, I know you're really busy but you wouldn't pass up the chance to meet a new pony in town, right?”
Twilight searched for an excuse, but she couldn't think of one. And her studies were going nowhere, anyway. She put down her notes, “You're right. I should at least go down and say hello.”
Spike's face lit up, “Great!”
She got out of bed, glanced in the mirror to make sure she looked presentable, then made her way downstairs. As she got to the library, she saw the back of a white pony with a black mane and tail. She was wearing a black vest, and her cutie mark was a black symbol that Twilight recognized from her recent studies, called an ankh.
“Um, hello.” Twlight said, as the new pony turned around. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. What's yours?”
“Greener Pastures.” She said. Twilight noticed that her eyes were a dark black, and that the new pony was a unicorn like herself. Greener Pastures went on, “I like your library.”
Twilight smiled, “Thank you. It's not mine, really, but I live here, and I love it.”
“Living in a library sounds cool. Everything you could want to know, right here at your hooves.”
“Yeah. Everything.” Twilight said with a sigh. “I. . . think maybe I should be getting back upstairs. I'm kind of working on something.”
Greener Pastures smiled, “That was a short break, wasn't it?”
“I'm sorry. I'm being awfully rude. It's just, somepony died, and I'm trying to understand why. It's very important.”
“What are you trying to understand about it?”
Twilight sighed, “I mean, I know why. If ponies lived forever, there would be too many ponies in the world, there's simply not enough food to feed every pony who ever lived. And Granny Smith was very old, bodies can only last for so long, so it all makes sense. I just don't feel like I understand it. I wasn't ready. None of us were.”
“When would you have been ready?”
“I don't know, but not now.”
“I think I get it. Do you mind if I tell you a story? I think it might help you understand.”
“Sure, I guess.” Twilight said, uncertainly. She had been reading all week, and she doubted there was any story that could teach her more then everything she had studied.
“Story time? Awesome!” Spike said, pulling his basket over and hopping in, pulling his blanket up to his chin. “I'm ready.”
Twilight giggled, “It's not that kind of story, Spike.”
Greener Pastures smiled, “It can be. Now, here goes. Once upon a time. . .”
The story Greener Pastures told was fascinating, but it didn't seem to have to do with death. It started with a baby pony, and told of her travels all over Equestria, as she grew and changed and met new ponies. Twilight listened for hours. And hours. And hours.
It was late at night when Twilight finally interrupted. Her stomach was growling, and she could barely keep her eyes open. Spike was asleep and snoring loudly.
“Um, excuse me, Greener Pastures? Is this story going to be over anytime soon?”
Greener Pastures seemed wide awake, “Why, don't you like it?”
“Oh, um, it's great! But it's. . . well, a tiny bit long.”
Greener Pastures smiled, “You're right, it is. And even a really good story should end sometime, right?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, you have to sleep and eat sometime.” As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
“And there are a lot of great stories in the world. We can love so many of them while we hear them, but they all have to end.”
Twilight frowned. She'd forgotten her grief while listening to the story, but now it was coming back. For some reason, it didn't feel as bad as before. Twilight thought she understood why.
“Granny Smith was very old.”
“Yes she was.” Agreed Greener Pastures.
“You're saying, metaphorically, that it was time for her story to end.”
Greener Pastures nodded, solemnly.
“I understand.” Twilight said, looking down sadly.
She felt a hoof on hers, “But hey, there are a lot of stories that you still love. You should enjoy them, and the ponies who are telling them.”
Twilight looked up, and smiled a little, “Yeah, I guess I should.”
Greener Pastures stood up and stretched. “I guess I should get going. You look like you need some sleep.”
“Yeah. But, thanks for talking to me. And thanks for the story. . . um, how does it end?”
Pastures smiled sadly as she walked towards the door. “The same way everypony's story ends. But a lot more happens before that. I'll tell you the rest one day.”
Twilight frowned, but somehow the idea that the pony in the story, and Granny Smith, and everypony got nice long stories before they died seemed right. And she liked the idea that there was still more of the story to hear someday.
“Seeya later!” Pastures called as she walked out the door.
“Bye! And thanks!” Twilight called after her.
She caught sight of Spike, still snoring, and lifted his basket up to the bedroom. She was right behind and cleared off her bed, climbing in and snuggling deep under the covers. She still felt sad any time she thought of Granny, but at least things finally made some sense.
It was early the next morning when Pinkie Pie opened her door and peeked out. She was hoping nopony was there, because she really wanted to hop around and enjoy the sunshine, and but she knew that other ponies in town weren't in the mood for a happy, bouncing Pinkie Pie. She cared about her friends more then her fun, and would never make them feel bad, so she had been having fun by herself for the past few days. But that was getting really really boring.
The street wasn't empty, but what she saw was even better: A NEW PONY!
Her eyes went wide and a smile flashed across her face. She threw the door open and started to bounce up and down towards the new pony, “Who are you?”
She suddenly stopped in mid bounce. What if the new pony had heard about Granny Smith? By the time she hit the ground, her face was sad and she looked down. “I mean, who are you?” She said softly.
“My name is Greener Pastures. I'm new here.” The white earth pony with the black mane said with a friendly smile.
“I know! Did you know Granny Smith?” Pinkie said cautiously.
“Well, I know that she died, and that's always sad. But I know that Granny Smith wouldn't want everypony to be too sad to make new friends. So I'm not too sad to make friends.”
Pinkies eyes lit up, and she couldn't have grinned any bigger. She pulled her new friend into her house and slammed the door behind them.
“My name is Pinkie Pie, and I'm so so glad you're here, because I loooove new friends! And I love my old friends too, but they're all very sad right now and even I know better then to try to cheer up ponies who are sad because somepony died, but I wish I could cheer them up because I hate to see everypony so sad and I really don't know what to do, but I know what to do with a new friend!”
“What's that?” Greener Pastures said, smiling.
“Have a party!” Pinkie was suddenly shooting around the room, putting up balloons, pulling out a table of goodies, putting a record on, and slapping pin the tail on the pony up on the wall.
Pinkie pulled out the tub for bobbing for apples, then she suddenly stopped. She looked at the apples in the tub, and frowned in confusion.
“Something wrong?”
“No. And yes. But the yes is because of the no. I- I'm supposed to be sad.”
“You aren't sad?”
“I miss Granny Smith, and that makes me sad.” she said with a huge frown. “She was fun! And it's always sad when someone who was fun goes away. But I think that Granny is someplace else having fun,”
The frown gave way to a big grin, and Pinkie started bouncing, “So I'm not sad, because I want Granny to be having fun. Then I see Applejack, and everypony else being all sad, and I'm sad again.” The grin was replaced by a quivering lip and eyes filling with tears. “But then I see pie! And I love pie! And I'm happy again!” The grin came right back.
“But then it's apple pie, and that makes me think of Granny Smith, and that she's not here to make apple pie and I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM!” Pinkie finished with a loud yell, and a panicked expression.
“A pony.”
“Oh.” Pinkie stopped and blinked. "You're good."
“You should see my card tricks." Greener Pastures said with a grin. "But that's what you are, a pony. And ponies have a lot of different emotions. You can be happy and sad at the same time. You can miss Granny Smith and still have a party.”
“But none of my friends want to have a party.” Pinkie said sadly.
“Have you asked them?”
Pinkie's face snapped into a grin. “I have a great idea! I'll ask my friends if they want to come to your party!”
“Sounds like a good idea to me. But, don't be upset if they don't want to come. Everypony is ready for parties at different times.” Pinkie started to look worried again, until Greener Pastures went on, “I bet some of them are ready, though. And the rest will like to know there are parties to go to when they're ready.”
“That's right, they will. But. . . you can't help me plan your own party!”
“Then why don't I make myself scarce for right now?”
“Okay! But you'll be back later?”
“Yeah. I can promise that.” Greener Pastures said as she opened the door.
“Then hurry up and go! I have a party planning song to start singing!”
Greener Pastures laughed a little as she closed the door behind her. Pinkie started singing her song and dancing around the room.