I burst out of the classroom ahead of everypony else only seconds after the bell rang. I muttered a few sheepish apologies when my bulging saddlebags occasionally clipped somepony as I galloped past them. I forced myself to slow down only within sight of my locker. "You're not doing yourself any favors," I muttered to myself.
I glanced down the hallway. My last class of the day placed me close to the exercise field for the earth ponies and unicorns and the air track field for the pegasi. Way too many colts passed by for my liking. Sometimes other fillies hung out here, and I could just blend in. Other times ... not so much.
A pair of earth pony colts started by, chatting to one another. I took a deep breath and steadfastly ignored them. As I transferred books from my saddlebags, I heard their conversation halt and their hoof-falls slow as they passed. My heart raced as I fully expected at least one of them to start talking to me.
Neither did. I dared to glance at them as they departed. They had resumed talking and didn't spare me another look.
I sighed. Maybe I was being a little too paranoid. As a human, I had been no raving beauty by any means, but boys had paid some attention to me. I had no idea how "attractive" I was considered as a pony and didn't want to ask.
I promptly forgot about my relationship woes when I realized my count of books going in and out of my locker was off by one. I frowned and levitated four text books before me when there should have been five. My textbook for my Arcane Theorems class was missing.
"Oh, ponyfeathers!" I groaned as my gaze darted between saddlebags and locker. "Where is it?!"
"Hey, Candy!" a familiar cry startled me. "Looking for this?"
I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw a yellow-coated unicorn filly with purple hair and a similarly colored gemstone as her cutie mark trot over to me, levitating the missing textbook before her. "Sunny! Thank you!"
Sunny Sapphire smiled as she transferred the book to me. "I saw you drop it as you left your last class, but you'd taken off like a manticore was on your tail before I could call out to you."
I blushed faintly. I glanced towards where the pair of colts had gone. "I had other things on my mind."
"I would've brought it to you sooner, but, well ..." She also glanced down the hall. "I wanted to hold back just in case ... you know."
I raised an eyebrow as I closed my locker. "No, I don't know."
Sunny rolled her eyes. "In case one of them wanted to ask you out."
I groaned. "Sunny, that's the last thing I want. I thought I explained this to you."
She stepped closer. "You did, I just ... well, I wanted to see you socialize a little more, that's all."
I smirked. "Like we're doing now?"
Sunny laughed. "You know what I mean, wise-flank."
I had met Sunny on the first day of school, and we had clicked right away. We had one thing in common: she was a transplant from a big city (Baltimare in her case) and we both felt out of our element in a tiny town. She hadn't batted an eye when I described my origins, though I left out much of the drama. She was admittedly more outgoing than I was, and I had some vague hope it would rub off on me somehow.
"You know, Candy," Sunny said in that sort of lofty voice that I would usually expect to hear from Mom right before a lecture. "Dating doesn't necessarily have to lead to romance."
"I just don't want to give somepony the wrong idea," I said. "I don't want to disappoint them if they do want it, and I can't give it to them. Maybe I never will be able to, I have no idea."
"But how do you know if you don't try?"
Sunny meant well. Even with all my explanations, to her I was still more like a pony new to socializing with others her age rather than still getting used to being a pony in the first place.
Sunny looked thoughtful. "I have an idea."
I rolled my eyes. "Uh-oh."
"No, really, this is a good one, I promise!"
"You mean like the idea you had in chemistry class to use that spell to speed up the reaction and do the exercise in half the time?"
Sunny blushed. "Well, that spell works perfectly well in cooking."
"Yes, but this was chemistry."
Sunny tossed her mane. "Cooking is a form of chemistry, I'll have you know. The result really wasn't that bad."
"The mixture exploded," I deadpanned. "It took us the rest of the day to get the pink polka-dots out of our fur."
"Well, this doesn't involve volatile chemicals."
"Thank Celestia for that. What is it?"
Sunny smiled. "My little brother got his cutie mark a few days ago."
That statement didn't bother me as much as perhaps I thought it would before school started. Other than a few odd looks, I really didn't get much razzing about being a blank-flank. "Bet he must be happy about that."
"Won't shut up about it. He's been bouncing about the house so much I'm surprised he hasn't lost most of his feathers."
I tilted my head. "Feathers? Your brother is a pegasus?"
"Yep. Dad's a unicorn, but Mom's a pegasus." She sighed. "That's how we wound up here in the sticks. Mom got a spot on the Ponyville weather team. She's been looking for ages to get some training time under Rainbow Dash. Anyway, his cuteceañera is this Saturday." Sunny smirked. "Maybe stuffing some cake in his mouth will shut him up for a bit."
"Um, okay, so what does this have to do with your idea?" I asked.
"I'm inviting you to come, silly!"
"Oh."
"A few colts I know from school will be there," said Sunny. "You can get to know them without the whole dating thing hanging over you."
I ran a hoof through my mane and glanced to the side. "Well ..."
"Oh, no, I know that look! You're going to come up with some lame excuse not to go."
"Well, no!" I said. "I mean ... it's not lame."
Sunny sighed.
"I've just been working in the boutique a lot, and--"
"Then you deserve to take a break," said Sunny. "Come on, please? I'm sorry I'm harping on this, but you're a really cool pony to be around. I think a lot of other ponies want to be your friend, and not just to date you."
I wasn't convinced that a change in venue would rein in the boys, but maybe with enough adults around they would feel less inclined to hit on me. "Well ... okay."
Sunny drew me into a hug. "Thank you! You really won't regret this, Candy, I promise."
So was I really getting worked up over nothing?
That question popped into my mind as I meandered by the cafe that Mom liked to frequent as I headed home. I had glanced at the patrons sitting in the open-air part of the establishment and spotted Dr. Whooves and Roseluck at a table together.
I frowned slightly at the memory it triggered. Summer Wind had asked me out a few days ago. I had politely turned him down, and he had seemed to take it well. He had claimed he wanted to remain friends, but was he just holding out hope I'd change my mind? Why did I insist on worrying about it?
I glanced at the Doctor and Roseluck again. Were they leaning a little closer to each other than they were just a few moments ago? Or were my worries coloring my perceptions? Maybe the whole romance thing was freaking me out so much that I saw it where it wasn't, whether in school or a random couple at a cafe.
"There you are, Candy!"
Even as I heard Pinkie's voice, my gaze lingered. Roseluck apparently said something that made the Doctor look a bit like he had that day in the marketplace where he so very badly tried to cover up his interest in the flower pony. He smiled nervously at Roseluck as I turned and trotted away from the cafe. "Hey, Pinkie, what's up?"
Pinkie Pie quickly fell into bouncing step alongside me. "I got a liiitle favor to ask of you."
I gave her a wary look. "Uh, so long as it's not sampling those weird cilantro cinnamon whatever-it-was you were toting this morning as I left for school. I saw what happened to the mailpony."
Pinkie smiled. "Oh, no worries! I tossed those cupcakes. Um, in more ways than one. Anyway, Twilight wanted me to tell you to come see her in the castle later. Cherry wants to talk to you."
I tilted my head. "And Cherry doesn't want me to meet her at the farm?"
"Hmm, yeah, that is kinda strange," said Pinkie. "But maybe Twilight wants to talk to you, too."
I had not spoken with Cherry very much since I started school. Regardless of the venue, this would be my chance to prove her wrong about us drifting apart. I tried to quell any fears about what she may have to tell me; she could just want to catch up as well. "Okay, yeah, I'll head over there."
"And that's where the favor comes in," said Pinkie. "I want you to help me corner her and get her to agree to let me do a Welcome to Ponyville-Equestria-Being-A-Pony party!"
I smirked. "Well, I'll try, but when she gets her head set on something, it's hard to change her mind. She was never much for parties."
"Aww, I bet you could get her to do it!"
"We'll see. You want to head over right now?"
"Oh, no, not yet," Pinkie said. "You've got to go to the boutique first."
I tilted my head. "I do?"
She smiled. "Yep!"
"Why?"
"Oh ... no reason."
I raised an eyebrow.
Pinkie giggled. "I mean, it's not like Rarity has some awesome news or something. Nope, nothing like that at all."
I relaxed. At first I thought she was going to tell me that yet another weird disaster was about to befall Ponyville that I really didn't need to worry about but would be pulled into anyway.
The boutique was not far from there. As we entered, I started to call out, "Mom, I'm h--"
Mom rushed up to me. "Candy! I have absolutely fabulous news! I got it! I finally got it!" She cantered in place. "Oh, I am so excited!!"
"Yeah, I can tell," I said with a grin. "Just what is it you got?"
Her horn glowed, and she whipped a letter from the counter with a proud smile. "Only the most perfect location in all of Canterlot for a new boutique."
My eyes widened. "No way!"
"Yes, way!" said Pinkie, giggling.
"You've been waiting for that forever," I declared. "Wow, Mom, that's great!"
"Even better!" said Pinkie. "The rest of us girls are going to Canterlot with her to help with the opening."
Mom gasped. "You are??"
"Yep! Twilight thought it would be a way to show you our support."
"Oh, my stars, thank you!" Mom gushed. "And that gives me the perfect idea for a dress to inaugurate the new store. I do hope Twilight will consent to model it for me. Candy, I really wish I could take you, but with you having started school--"
I waved a hoof. "You're fine. Somepony has to stay behind and mind the store."
Mom gave me a wary look. "Well, yes, but you absolutely cannot neglect your schoolwork. Open the store for only two or three hours each day after school, and just take orders. Don't try to run yourself ragged even with the alterations and patching."
I rolled my eyes. "I won't, I promise." I paused. "And, um, I'll open it on weekends so--"
"Nonsense," Mom declared as she set the letter back on the counter. "You're to keep the store closed on the weekends."
"Er, what?"
Mom smiled. "I have no intention of cutting into your free time with your friends."
There went my excuse to avoid going to the party Sunny invited me to. "Are you sure? That's kinda a lot of lost business."
Mom stepped up to me. "I'm not hurting for cash at all. Considering I'm financing this with that bonus I received for doing Sapphire Shores' ensemble, I have a comfortable cushion."
Cherry wasn't the only one who couldn't be deterred when she was determined to have her way. Then again, I could have said the same thing about myself, which is why I turned to Pinkie and said, "But if you're going to be gone, who's going to be running the party on Saturday?"
"What is this?" Mom asked.
Pinkie smiled. "A cuteceañera for Humming Wing, little brother of Candy's friend Sunny."
"Oh, well, Pinkie, if you have a party to manage, you should tend to that," Mom said. "As much as I would love having all of you with me in Canterlot--"
Pinkie waved a hoof. "No problem! Mrs. Cake is handling that party anyway."
I managed not to sigh.
"And good thing Candy doesn't have to mind the store on weekends, so now she won't have to miss it," Pinkie chirped.
I blinked. "Wait, how ... how did you know I was going?"
"Because Sunny invited you of course, you silly-filly!"
"But how did you ... um ... never mind."
Mom placed a hoof on my shoulder. "Please, Candy, enjoy yourself at the party and don't concern yourself with the boutique."
Easier said than done, on both counts.
I entered the castle nearly at a canter as if in a subconscious ploy to distance myself from Pinkie as she went on and on about the party Saturday, yet she still bounced along beside me. "And then when I was helping Mrs. Cake with some of the planning, I accidentally jostled a bowl of melted chocolate and almost got it all over my fur, and we laughed because it reminded us of that time right before I started working there when I was just another customer, and I had dropped something in the store that I really really needed but didn't realize it was missing until they were closed, so I snuck into the place that night to find it, but I tipped a whole vat of chocolate over myself which hardened around me and trapped me kinda like the way the Elements turned Discord to stone, except it was chocolate, which was good because when they freed me the next morning, I could eat the chocolate, since stone would've probably not been as tasty."
I stopped and stared at her.
Pinkie smiled. "Yes?"
"How the hay did you do that all in one breath??" I cried.
Before Pinkie could reply, Twilight voice rose from further inside. "Candy? Pinkie? We're in the council room."
I trotted forward, happy to leave this one-sided conversation behind. As I stepped into the chamber, I saw Twilight seated on her throne, looking over the activated Cutie Map. She lifted her gaze and smiled. "Hello, Candy. Glad you could make it. I know you've been busy with school lately. I hope it's been going okay for you."
While I listened to Twilight speak, my eyes roamed around the chamber and came to rest on Cherry standing just off to the side of the table. Next to her stood an earth pony stallion with light red fur and dusky red-orange hair whom I had not remembered meeting before. She remained strangely silent, her lips drawn into a faint smile but a subdued look in her eyes. "Um, yeah, it's been fine," I said in a distracted voice. "Cherry?"
Cherry's smile widened slightly. "Hello, Candy."
The stallion smiled at me. "It's good to see you again."
I tilted my head. "Do I know you?"
"I'm Kevin, Miss Swirl."
"Oh. But ... why are you like this?"
Cherry stepped up to me. "I'll explain in a moment." I tried to ignore the growing sense of dread that welled up as she pulled me into a hug. "How have you been? I haven't talked to you in a while."
I sighed as I drew back from the embrace slightly, giving Kevin a nervous glance. "I'm really sorry about that, Cherry, I just--"
She lifted a hoof and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm not upset."
"Well ... maybe I am."
"You really shouldn't be," said Cherry. "It's what I said before. You have new interests and new friends."
I rubbed a hoof through my mane. "Well, yeah, I'm trying."
Cherry gave me a concerned look.
Pinkie Pie trotted around my side. "She's going to a party this weekend that her friend invited--" She suddenly leapt into the air with a huge gasp, her eyes wide, and she hung there in defiance of gravity for a full three seconds before falling back down on her hooves. "Cherry! You got your cutie mark?!"
I stumbled back a step and stared at Cherry, my ears flattening, my mouth dropping open but no words coming to me. Cherry simply turned her side towards me.
The old expression was "a picture is worth a thousand words," but a cutie mark was several orders of magnitude beyond. I stared at hers with a strange mixture of cheer, jealousy, and dread. The depth of that symbol could not be overstated. In that one picture, her life's path had been laid out before her, and all she needed to do was follow it. My mind raced with what exactly it could mean: a silhouette of a pony faced a silhouette of a changeling, each carrying in their hooves one half of a broken heart which they had fit together.
Pinkie bounced up and down. "Woo-hoo! Now I get to do her cuteceañera, too!"
Cherry gave Pinkie a forlorn look before turning back to me. "I'm sorry you couldn't be here to see it. It happened this morning. I didn't expect it myself."
I heard a clop of hooves as Twilight left her throne. "None of us did, but it just means that Cherry made the right decision."
I swallowed hard. "J-just what decision did you make? Or can I guess?"
Cherry shook her head. "No. No more guessing. I've made you do enough of that. Candy, I want ... I need to help the changelings more directly, and I can't do that here in Ponyville."
My throat threatened to close up, and I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the urge to cry or protest. I tried to be better than that. I tried to be more mature than that.
"Kevin has told me that--"
"Th-this is goodbye, isn't it?" I blurted in a shaky voice, my eyes misting.
"Wait, what?" said Pinkie in a small voice. "Goodbye? Cherry, you're ... y-you're going away?"
"Cherry, why?!" I cried. "Why do you have to do this?!"
"Please, everypony," said Twilight as she stepped up to the Cutie Map. "This has been a difficult decision for her. Please hear her out."
I didn't want to. All I wanted to do was see her back at Sweet Apple Acres, safe and sound, always there whenever I needed her. I again quelled another protest. Here Cherry was trying to be open and honest with me about what she wanted to do, and I was the one stopping her. I took another deep breath and nodded, not trusting my voice.
"Kevin tells me that there are more changelings like him," said Cherry. "Disaffected or exiled who don't want anything to do with Chrysalis anymore."
Kevin stepped up to us. "We want to find them and start a new hive. We hope we can find a new Queen, one that will want to work with ponies rather than use them."
"Okay, fine, but what does this have to do with you, Cherry?" I demanded. "Why do you have to be involved?"
Cherry smiled. "Remember when you were so surprised when I knew you were having trouble accepting what Wun had done? It seems I've inherited some of Wun's ability to sense emotions. Twilight has helped me confirm that it's the only changeling power I actually have, but I want to put it to good use."
Twilight's horn glowed, and a small sparkle of light detached itself, hovering over the Cutie Map. "I located a set of caves in an out-of-the-way area. There's a small town of mostly earth ponies nearby. They're pretty far removed from Canterlot, and news is slow to reach them. They have a lot less chance of outright rejecting the idea of changelings in their midst. They're also pretty far from the badlands, so less chance of Chrysalis trying to influence them."
"I want to be the liaison between ponies of that town and the new changeling hive," said Cherry. Her eyes glistened. "C-Candy, this ... this has been a very hard decision to make, but when my cutie mark appeared--"
"I-I know," I said in a choked voice. "I understand."
"Do you?"
I stepped over to the map. The tiny town Twilight had magically marked sat very far from Ponyville. I let out a ragged breath that threatened to turn into a sob. "What difference does it make?" I said in a tiny voice.
"It makes all the difference to me," said Cherry. "I want your blessing, Candy."
I whirled around, my ears flattening. "My blessing??"
"I want to make it very clear. I don't need your blessing. But I want it. Dearly. I want you to support me, even if only in your thoughts."
I swallowed hard. Tears welled up in my eyes despite every attempt to hold them back. I suddenly didn't want Cherry to see me like this, as if I were trying to use my emotions to hold her here.
"I don't know how much this will help, Miss Swirl," said Kevin. "I know how you felt about changelings when we first met, but I'm going to stick with your friend always and help keep her safe. I realized that I can't just keep hiding and hope things will get better between ponies and changelings. I have to do something."
I shuddered. That last bit sounded a lot like what Cherry had told me during the shared dream. "Cherry, h-how soon do you have to go? Do we have any more time together at all?"
"We want to leave by this evening," Cherry said.
I sighed. "Well, that gives us some time. But why so soon?"
Cherry averted her eyes for a moment. "Maybe this is foolish of me, but I didn't want a drawn-out goodbye. I know you too well. You'd try to convince me to stay, and I want to spare either of us that pain."
Yeah, she did know me too well. I likely would have done just that.
Pinkie's hair deflated slightly. "You mean I'm not going to get to do any of your parties?"
Cherry smiled. "Can I take a raincheck on that, Pinkie?"
"D-does that mean you'll come back?" I said in a strained voice, unable to stop the tears from blurring my vision.
Cherry turned to me, her own eyes misting. "I'll try, but I don't know when. I have to be honest with you ... I'm a little scared."
"So am I!" I cried. "I-I mean ... scared for you."
"No, that's not what you meant."
I wiped an eye with the back of a hoof. "You and your s-stupid emotion-sensing."
Cherry pulled me into a tight hug, and I didn't want to let go. I wanted to hold her until she changed her mind. Except all I had to do was glance at her cutie mark to know that was impossible. I could no more expect that than I could ask Mom to stop caring about fashion, or Fluttershy to abandon her animals, or Luna to stop raising the moon and entering dreams.
"It's dumb, I know," I said in a quavering voice. "I've done without you before, I can do it again."
"And you don't even need me anymore."
"You're wrong. I do." I sighed. "But I shouldn't."
Cherry gently broke off the embrace. "I think for too long you've believed I had to be your only friend."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, don't be silly. Look at Twilight and Pinkie here, and all the others!"
"You know what I mean," said Cherry with a tiny smile. "They're much older than you."
"Hey!" Pinkie cried. "I'm not that old."
Twilight chuckled. "I'm sure she didn't mean it that way, Pinkie."
"No, she didn't," I said in a forlorn voice. "But I do know what she means."
"And they initiated it," said Cherry. "I was told you have a friend at school named Sunny Sapphire. She approached you first, didn't she?"
I sighed and said not a word. I didn't have to, she could sense my answer in my emotions.
"Remember, when we became friends, you sought me out," said Cherry. "Well before you actually 'needed' me as a friend. You initiated it, despite feeling so nervous and overwhelmed."
I smiled weakly. "And another thing comes full circle, I guess, huh?"
Cherry gave me a sympathetic look. "I take it school has been kind of overwhelming?"
"That's an understatement," I muttered. "But I'm beginning to think some of it is my own fault. Seriously, Equestria needs a 'Friendship for Dummies' book or something!"
Both Cherry and Pinkie laughed. Twilight gave them a mystified look.
"Oo, maybe Twilight can write it!" Pinkie said.
"Pinkie, why would I want to write a book with such an ... insulting title?" said Twilight.
Now Cherry, Pinkie, and myself laughed. Even Kevin smiled, though perhaps he was just reacting to Twilight's increasingly perplexed look.
"I'll explain it to you later, Twilight." I turned to Cherry. "Cherry, I ... I'm really going to miss you, but if you feel you need to do this, then ... I-I wish you luck with it."
Cherry slowly smiled. "Does that mean ...?"
"Yes," I said. "You have my blessing."
Tears welled up in Cherry's eyes as she hugged me again. "I'll never, ever forget you, Candy. You were a wonderful friend across two worlds."
"H-hey, that was supposed to be my line about you," I said in a shaky voice. "And don't you dare think you're going to get away with not sending me a letter or something now and then."
"I promise, I'll send you something as soon as I can, and we can write to each other."
I heard Pinkie sniffle as I drew back from the embrace. I managed a tiny smirk. "And here I've been trying to figure out my own talent, and you get your cutie mark first, you big stinker."
Cherry laughed. "I honestly wasn't trying to, it just sort of happened that way."
I supposed I was partially responsible for her calling. I had been adamant about seeing her live again, and I had been the one to bring Wuntusix along to the confrontation with Sevfivtoo. I wasn't one to believe in fate, but I did wonder if perhaps everything had transpired for a reason. It was likely beyond my meager comprehension.
Twilight craned her neck. "Um, Pinkie, what are you doing?"
The rest of us turned. Speaking of things beyond comprehension, Pinkie was wandering around the periphery of the room, alternately hopping in place, tapping the wall with her hoof, or examining some minute facet of the crystalline columns. "I'm trying to find one of the hidden party cannons!"
I blinked. "Er ... hidden what?"
"If I can't throw a party for Cherry, I want to at least give her some sort of send-off!"
I looked at Twilight. "Is she serious?"
Twilight chuckled. "Actually, yes, she is. It's ... a bit of a long story. And, Pinkie? She is going to get a send-off. Applejack already knows about this, and she's going to fetch the other girls and meet us at the train station later today."
I turned to Cherry. "You can take a train to this town?"
"Only as far as Appleloosa," said Cherry. "But Applejack is writing a letter that I'm going to take with me and contact her relatives there. They'll be able to help me arrange some transportation."
"And just so you know, Candy," said Twilight. "I've already contacted Princess Celestia about this. She thinks this is a good idea, and that means she can likely help if things get really tough." She smiled. "I thought you'd want to know so you don't worry quite as much about your friend."
I smiled. "Thank you, I really appreciate that."
Twilight glanced to the side. "She, ah, also wants me to relay something to Spoiled Rich. She's, um, being summoned to an audience with the Princess. It seems Princess Celestia is ... um ... disappointed with her recent petitions."
Cherry raised a hoof to her muzzle. "Oh, my."
I snorted. "Hah! I'd love to be there for that!"
"We better get going," said Twilight. "Cherry wants to say goodbye to some other friends she made in town before we head to the train station."
"Are you coming along, Candy?" said Cherry as she fell into step with the others, Kevin trotting alongside her.
I smiled and fell into step with her. "Of course, I am. I mean ... yeah, this ... this is hard, but I want the same thing for you that you always wanted for me: to be happy."
Cherry smiled and paused to give me a hug. My hind legs stumbled as I was pulled into it, one rear hoof coming down a bit hard ...
... and in a sudden burst of air and a sound like a party noisemaker, streamers and confetti choked the air and rained down on us.
"Yay, you found one!" Pinkie cried as she bounced over to us to join the hug, her hair poofing back out fully. "I'm happy now, too!"
We all laughed as we headed out of the room.
Apple Bloom stepped up to Cherry on the train platform. "On behalf of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, I wanna congrat'late ya on earnin' yer cutie mark!"
Sweetie Belle's ears drooped. "Even if you have to leave."
Scootaloo sighed. "And go so far away."
Cherry's eyes glistened as she sat before the three fillies. She wrapped her forelegs around them, drawing them into a hug that made my eyes mist. "Thank you so very much. You were all so sweet towards me."
"Can ya tell us one thing?" Apple Bloom said in a hopeful voice even as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Did we help?"
"Did anything we did help you figure out what you wanted to do?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"All we ever wanted to do was help," said Scootaloo.
Cherry hugged them tighter. "I believe you did. I'm never going to forget any of you."
"An' yer gonna write," said Applejack. "Like Candy wants ya to, right?"
Cherry looked up and grinned. "Would I lie to you?"
Applejack laughed. "Now don't ferget what I told ya. You jus' take that there letter I wrote for ya and give it ta Braeburn. He'll take it from there."
Cherry released the Crusaders and stood. "I won't forget."
"I do wish there were more time to give you a proper ensemble, darling," said Mom.
"Uh, Rares?" Rainbow Dash said. "She's gonna be in the boondocks of the boondocks. I don't think they're gonna care about her fashions."
"She don't need more than what we provided her," said Applejack. "Some sturdy clothes ta protect her against dust storms."
Mom sighed. "Yes, I suppose she'll have to make do with the 'classic hobo' look."
Both Cherry and I giggled.
"Cherry?" came Fluttershy's soft voice. "Remember what I told you about the kind of animals you might come across in the wilderness. You shouldn't have any problems if you know how deal with them kindly."
I couldn't help but smile as I watched Cherry and Fluttershy. They really were so much alike in many ways. Back when the emotional wound of Michelle's death was still so raw, Fluttershy's presence could sometimes be as upsetting as it could be soothing. Those days were behind me now; I would look upon Fluttershy and remember only the good times I had with Cherry.
Rainbow suddenly flew up to Kevin. She hesitated, her eyes darting towards Twilight for a moment as she rubbed a hoof through her mane. "So, um ... Kevin ... uh ... I'm not great with this sort of thing ..."
Kevin gave her an inquisitive look. "What sort of thing, Miss Dash?"
"Just, um ... well, I wanted to say I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what?"
Rainbow sighed. "For things maybe I kinda sorta thought and said about changelings."
"Oh, that," said Kevin in casual voice. "Really, you don't need to, I--"
"No, I totally do!" Rainbow cried.
"But not to me."
"But I don't know any other changelings. And, well ... it would really make me feel better if you would accept it. Please?"
Kevin slowly smiled. "If it means this much to you, then, yes, I accept it."
Rainbow smiled. "Thanks. Oh, but that doesn't mean I won't buck your flank if I find out you haven't taken good care of Cherry." She winked.
Kevin chuckled. "Rest assured, Miss Dash, I will see to her safety." He cast an affectionate look at Cherry. "After all, we're friends, and that's what friends do."
I flinched when a sudden shout came from the train. "All aboard!!"
Cherry's gaze flicked towards the train as she stood alongside Kevin. "We have to go! Thank you, everypony, I've never felt more welcomed than when I came to Ponyville."
She turned to me. I swallowed hard as my throat threatened to close up, but I raced up to her anyway and drew her into one last hug. "I love you, Cherry. That will never change."
Cherry took a breath, and I heard it catch. "I love you, too, Candy. Please, take care of yourself. And make some friends!"
"I will." I smiled as I drew back. "Goodbye, Cherry. For now."
"Goodbye, Candy," said Cherry in almost a whisper. "For now."
She and Kevin waved one last time before boarding the train. The train whistle blew, and I simply stared as the engine chugged and lurched forward. I took a deep breath and tried to retain my composure. It lasted until the final car pulled away from the station. Tears spilled silently down my cheeks as Mom and Sweetie Belle hugged me.
"I-I'm okay," I whispered. "Just ..."
I couldn't get the words out. This meant much more than simply seeing a dear friend leave. Her departure had just closed one part of my life and opened a new one. My last ties with the past had finally been cut, and in a way that left me hopeful rather than bereft.
I wiped my eyes. Mom gave me a concerned look, but I smiled and touched my hoof to hers. I would talk to her about this later, when my feelings had settled, but I wanted to convey to her I was okay.
I really was. This experience had helped me. Cherry had found a way to fit in. That's all I wanted now, that's all I needed, and then I would be happy with my life here. Starting school had done everything to remind me of the opposite, and it brought back the fear that somehow I was defective as a pony, that maybe I never would find my own purpose.
Cherry proved me wrong. If she could do it, so could I. I owed it to her to at least try.
"Thank you, Cherry," I whispered as the train faded into the distance. "For everything."