It's a Wonderful Dashie

by Sparky Brony

Chapter 5. Pinkie Pie and Rarity

Rainbow Dash had to think hard while flying in the dark. Two of her best friends were completely different, she had no clue where Twilight was, and she had to find out what happened to all of her friends. As she had passed, she saw the carousel boutique wasn't open, and the windows were boarded up, so Rarity wasn't there. She only knew of one pony that she had an idea of where to find, and that was Pinkie Pie. She remembered where Pinkie's family's rock farm was, so she flew through the day, so focused she didn't stop to contemplate why the sun had not risen at all since she started this crazy adventure. Her flight muscles burning, she landed near the drab farmhouse of the Pie rock farm. She tilted her ears and didn't hear anypony in the building, so she took off towards one of the spots of light out in the massive rock fields.

As she drew closer she began to hear some pony talking, but in the light, she could only vaguely see one pony.

"It's okay Rocky, I'll get you turned, you need more time to crystallize." The figure nosed a rock over.

"Monsieur Rake, I know all these rocks have been busy growing on the farm, but you know they aren't ready for harvesting yet." The figure zipped over to a rake leaning against a large boulder, and the voice changed, a very fake Prench accent, "Ahh, but zee rocks take zo long to mature, we need to hurry zem up."

The pony moved away and started talking in her normal voice again, "True, Monsieur Rake, but you can't hurry perfection. And the Pie family farm always produces perfection, especially with Pinkamena doing the job."

"Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash called out as she came into the light. Both ponies stopped, Pinkie's eyes went wide looking at the new pony, Rainbow froze because of the appearance of her friend. Pinkie's coat was very nearly a dark gray like her sisters, her frizzy mop of mane wasn't frizzy, it was straight, and it too had lost most of its pink.

Pinkie Pie snapped out of the fugue first. "Well, hello there, stranger. What brings you to the Pie Rock farm? If you are interested in buying, I'll have to refer you to Rarity, our business manager."

Rainbow Dash finally spoke, "Pinkie Pie, it's me, your friend, Rainbow Dash."

The rock farmer put a hoof to her chin as she looked at Rainbow, "I'm sorry, but I don't remember ever knowing a Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash's ears fell at the words from her pranking buddy. "Pinkie," she whined, "It has been horrible. I accidentally hurt Scootaloo, and I wished I had never been born to hurt the poor filly. And that wish was fulfilled. But somehow it made things worse. All of my friends lives have changed. You aren't the super duper party pony that I remember. Fluttershy's never been grounded, Applejack never came back from Manehattan." She sighed and let the tears flow, "Applebloom now has Applejack's cutie mark, and the CMC has never existed. She's never even heard of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. And now you." Her sobbing was making words harder and harder to speak, "You’re a rock farmer. You aren't the bouncy flouncy pony that I knew." She collapsed to the ground, "You… I miss my friends."

As she was sobbing, she felt a foreleg around her withers. Pinkie drew her into a hug. Well, one thing was familiar, a Pinkie Pie hug was the same here, she felt her ribs creak from the strength of the hug. "Rainbow Dash," the slightly pink pony whispered in your ear, "I'll be your friend no matter what. You need a friend right now, and Pinkamena Diane Pie will never let a pony cry without helping. I wish I remembered what you are talking about, because that sure sounds like fun."

Rainbow dragged a fetlock across her muzzle, the sobbing starting to ebb. "Thank you Pinkie. No matter what, you are a true friend." She felt herself being drawn to her hooves.

"Well, it's been a long work day, let's head in." Rainbow followed Pinkie back towards the farmhouse. Which seemed to be bigger than she remembered. She spied Maude and Pinkie's other sisters as they were also heading in. Well, at least not every pony has changed.

After being introduced to the family, Rainbow sat to eat with them. She was interrupted by the door opening.
"Well, our sales are doing quite well," said the white unicorn with the long indigo mane. Rainbow just sat there looking at Rarity as she trotted to the table and served herself she sat down at the table and looked around.

"Well, hello there stranger. Did you come to buy from the wonderful stock of the Pie farm?"

"Erm, ehh." Rainbow Dash's mouth didn't want to cooperate with her mind. She looked at Pinkie, noticing for the first time her cutie mark, three rocks of different colors, and Rarity's a single large rock that was faceted like a jewel, very similar to Maude's.
She shook her head, "Pinkie, Rarity, you gals have changed from when I remember you."

Rarity reared back a bit, "I'm sorry miss, but I don't remember you at all. With your distinctive coloring, I'm sure I would recall a pony such as you."

"Well, it's a long story, but I remember you as a trendy fashion pony, and you, Pinkie, you were a super duper party pony. And now…" She pointed at her friend's cutie marks, "You aren't."

"I believe I don't know what you are talking about," Rarity responded. "I got my cutie mark when my horn dragged me into the mountains, and it slammed me into this huge boulder. I ranted at it, angry that my talent was rocks. But as I thought about it, I've always had good business sense, so I came to the Pie rock farm. I handle the business end of the farm, I sell our products, and make sure we stay profitable. I'm very good at it." This was confirmed by a chorus of nods from the assembled ponies. Rarity blushed, "Well, I like to think so, that is. The income has been higher than the outflow for a few years now, so I think we are doing well."

"We are doing better than ever, thanks to you, Rarity." This from Pinkie Pie, to intensified blushing from Rarity.
Rainbow Dash turned to her pranking buddy, "And what about you, Pinkie, what brought about your cutie mark?"
The barely pink mare sighed, "My cutie mark story, it's simple. We were out in the fields, I was pushing rocks to get them to grow. And I saw some that had broken open. They had all kinds of different colors. They were so pretty. I felt a connection to them. I knew that this life, farming rocks and making the best rocks for ponies was my talent, it was my destiny. So then my cutie mark appeared. "

Rainbow pondered her words. She looked into the mug of water she was drinking. "I've got to fix this. I need to find Twilight Sparkle."

"Who's that now?" Rarity asked.

"The alicorn that is our friend. She's the most powerful magic user I've ever seen." She lay her head on the table, "I miss her."
"I only know of one alicorn," Pinkie said, "and you really don't want to meet her, especially since she sent her sister to the sun."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped, "Nightmare Moon?"

A chorus of nods from everypony at the table.

"She wasn't defeated by the Elements of Harmony?"

"What are the Elements of Harmony?" Pinkie responded.

Rainbow Dash just groaned. "I have to find Twilight."

She moved away from the table. "I'm sorry about this everypony. I have to fix this, your destinies are wrong." She pointed to Rarity, "You are the best fashionista in Ponyville, your cutie mark is three diamonds," her hoof moved to Pinkie Pie, "You are pink, bright pink, you are Pinkie Pie, your cutie mark is three balloons. And both of you are some of my best friends." Shocked looks from every pony. "I don’t know how to fix this, but Twilight will, and I will track her down and fix this. I'm so sorry my friends." Without another word she once again fled, her destination, Canterlot.

Comments

[Raincloudboom]

Four friends down, one to go. I'm curious where you will take this past my original idea. Quite looking forward to it.

[Inferno demon Dash]

I'm half surprised nopony is trying to have her admitted into a mental hospital gods would that be such a dark twist and since Luna was never restored and Discord was never released, Rainbow will be hard pressed to get back home, then again Discord was releasted by chaos, not the Elements of Harmony so if she can release the god then she just might be able to get back home...but that's a huge might knowing that s he evil. Hmmm....