Flight

by TheUnknownPerson

II: Landing

Marble Pie laid in Pinkie's bed, wrapped in her blankets. Her body was enveloped with warmth, in contrast to her condition a couple of hours ago. Gummy- Pinkie's pet alligator, had laid down at her hind-hooves, chewing on her right hind-hoof softy, almost trying to lull the upset pony to sleep. Thank goodness Pinkie let me stay here. I-I thought she wouldn't want to be around us anymore after everything that's happened. Marble sighed, relieved. Even if things were spiraling downwards, at least Pinkie had some place she could crash, right?

Unfortunately for Marble, her anxiety seemed to disagree.

What if Maud or father come looking for me here? The questioned popping in her head, her right fore-hoof dully throbbing with her rising heartbeat. Pinkie'll could get pulled into, hurt. I-I can't let that happen- not after taking me in without question. I won't let that happen. She groaned as she forced herself to sit up, her right fore-hoof throbbing with every movement. Her hind-hooves refused to move from the comfort of the bed. She used whatever energy she could muster to get up, but her fatigued body refused. Gummy climbed onto her lap, rubbing against her stomach.

"No-" Marble weakly pushed him away, forcing her hind-hooves down onto the floor. "You sleep." She lifted Gummy up off of her, resting him in the mound of blankets. I just need to get outside- away from Ponyville.

Her hooves swayed as she struggled to keep her balance. She trotted to the door slowly, taking each step with caution. So dizzy!

Knock
Knock
Knock

The door in front of Marble pushed open. Pinkie stood in the doorway.

"Marble?" She questioned. "I thought you'd be asleep by now. What're you doing out of bed?"

"I have to go." Marble took a step forward, only to lose her balance. Pinkie caught her shoulders and head before she hit the ground, sitting her back up on her own hooves.

"You're in no condition to go anywhere. Not with your hoof, and especially when you can barely trot."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Pinkie turned Marble around gently, leading her back towards the bed. "You haven't slept in two days and you're exhausted- I can tell. I'm sorry, but I can't let you go out there when you can barely trot."

"They'll come!"

"Who? Father and Maud?"

"Mhmm." Marble glanced back to her. "I-I can't let you get pulled into it too. What if you get h-hurt?"

"Hey-" Pinkie scrunched her face up, stiffening her lips. "That's my job to worry about you, not the other way around." She said in a stern tone, before bursting into laughter with a large smile. Marble halfheartedly giggled. It did little to lessen her worries. "Now, go ahead and get in bed and I'll take care of that. Nothing to worry about."

Marble finally relented, nodding. She climbed into Pinkie's bed, gently pulling the blanket out from under Gummy. Pinkie gently wrapped the blanket, a warm smile across her face.

"Goodnight Marble. I'll make you a plate for breakfast tomorrow morning." She turned away from Marble, beginning to trot out of the room. Gummy jumped down from the bed, following Pinkie.

"Wait-"

Pinkie turned back to her, concerned. A blush spread across Marble's face.

"Yes?"

"H... how're you going to stop them?" Marble questioned. Pinkie's just one mare. What could she do against the two of them?

"Oh, well, let's see..." Pinkie turned, rubbing her chin as she trotted to Marble.

"I could use my party cannon- nah." She had a small grin to match Marble's. "Maybe the confetti traps? No- not that either." Her smile grew. "Ah- I've got it!" Pinkie turned back to Marble, a large smile.

"I'll ride Gummy out there! Of course! He'll scare them off!" Pinkie said with confidence. Marble giggled.

"He's too small."

"Gummy? Nah. He's a scary alligator." She leaned down to Gummy, rubbing her nose against his with a smile. Gummy licked her chin, pulling a giggle out of Pinkie as she stood. "He loves to chew on ponies. I'm sure he could drive them off!"

"Mhmm." Marble nodded with a small grin. Pinkie smiled, relieved that her sister felt better.

"Goodnight Marble. I'll set you out a plate for breakfast tomorrow morning." Pinkie quietly trotted out of the room, smiling as she pulled the door shut, making sure to be quiet. Marble rolled onto her back, laying her head to the right and resting her chin gently against her right shoulder. She grinned, peaceful.

"Goodnight Pinkie." Marble whispered. Thanks for being there for me.

=================

Pinkie Pie picked at her plate of peas and carrots over rice quietly, something the Cakes weren't accustomed to. She only took a few small bites here or there. The only ponies who were making some sort of noise were Pound and Pumpkin Pie, babbling happily as Carrot and Cup Cake finished eating their soft peas, Carrot feeding Pumpkin while Cake fed Pound in her lap. He picked up a small napkin at his side and wiped off the green, gooey residue of the peas that had accumulated around Pumpkin's mouth. Cup Cake lifted a small bottle to Pound's mouth, a fifth of the way full after the night's dinner. He pushed it away, yawning and stretching his fore-hooves.

"C'mon, you're up first. You've got to go get ready for bed." Carrot picked up Pumpkin. Pumpkin whined in disagreement. "Aww- don't be that way. You need your sleep." He cooed as he trotted towards the staircase up to the loft. Carrot began to trot up towards the staircase. Once he was out of Cup's sight, he leaned down to her.

"Okay, maybe a bit more playtime." Carrot whispered into her ear with a chuckle as he carried her up the staircase. Pumpkin clapped her fore-hooves together, pleased with her father's change of heart.

Pinkie picked at her plate again, this time biting into a carrot. She took half of it into her mouth before returning the fork onto the plate.

I've never seen her like this before. Even when Applejack knocked the Holder's-

"Pinkie?"

"Huh-" Pinkie glanced up from the rice. Cup was staring at her, her lips twisted into a frown. She had a concerned look in her eyes. "-yes Mrs. Cake?"

"Are you all right, dearie? You've barely spoken at all tonight."

"Oh- I'm sorry. Just this whole thing with my sis has me worried."

"Why? Is she all right?" Cup asked. Pound yawned over them, stretching out his wings before he resting his head against her lap.

"Yes, she's fine, but-- my family's-- it's personal." Pinkie huffed with a small giggle. "She got into some trouble there and ended up dislocating her shoulder. But she'll be fine. Just needs to rest here for a while until she's on her hooves again."

"Oh dearie... I'm so sorry. She can stay here as long as she needs." Mrs. Cake extended her left fore-hoof to Pinkie, resting it atop her right fore-hoof. Pinkie nodded with a smile.

"Thank you. I really appreciate this."

"It's no problem. You'd do the same if something happened to Pumpkin. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, thank you. I can handle everything else- you've done enough already."

"You're welcome. She's a good mare from what we've heard." Cup carefully lifted Pound, gently resting his head on her right fore-hoof and lifting his body with her left. She cradled him in her fore-hooves as she looked back up to Pinkie.

"She is. But she's really shy, so if she doesn't talk to you, she's not trying to be rude."

"I understand. Thank you-"

Tap
Tap
Tap

Pinkie and Cup looked over to glass window, seeing somepony standing outside in the darkness. Their face wasn't visible, nor their body. Cup looked to her, with a confused gaze. "Strange for somepony to be coming at this time of night."

"I'll go check who it is." Pinkie stood, pushing back her chair.

Cup nodded as she stood and trotted towards the stairs, making sure to trot slowly while holding Pound. Pinkie stood up and trotted out into the front counter, and out towards the entrance. She pushed the door open and stepped outside.

"Hello?" Pinkie called out, tracing the street for somepony. Nopony was in sight.

"Anypony there?" Pinkie asked as she stepped outside the light of the shop, closing the door behind her. She trotted down the street, looking for anypony.

"Hello-"

Somepony jumped out from the alleyway to her right, grabbing her and pulling her in. They pushed her against the wall.

"What the hay, Pinkie?"

The pony released her. Pinkie opened her eyes, seeing that the pony who had grabbed her was Pinkamena. She wore a brown cloak and hood that covered most of her upper body and face. Her wings stuck out at her sides. She pulled down the hood. Her mane was cut short, combed to the right, and was slightly spiked at the end, similar to Limestone Pie's.

"Pinkamena! You scared the hay outta me!" Pinkie whisper-yelled at her. Pinkamena shot an angry glare at her.

"We were supposed to meet earlier. Sat up over here all bucking afternoon and you haven't breathed a word for me to come down. You can't just ditch me on something you asked me to do. That's not what we agreed to." She tapped her fore-hooves against the ground, awaiting an explanation.

"Look-- I'm sorry. I've been really busy today. Some stuff with Marble happened and--" "Wait- with Marble? What happened?"

Pinkie covered her mouth. I had to say it... horseapples. She's not going to be happy.

"Pinkie, what happened?" Pinkamena gently pulling Pinkie's left fore-hoof away from her mouth. Pinkie sighed, dreading telling her about the topic.

"Marble found out what happened to you."

"What?" Pinkamena looked at her, then glanced down at the ground. Pinkie nodded.

"She doesn't know the full thing, but she knows that something happened." Pinkamena looked back at her in disbelief and almost horror.

"Oh no... I-I hoped we wouldn't have to go through it again." Pinkamena's face paled. "Please tell me she doesn't know the whole thing."

"She doesn't know anything specific, but she knows something happened."

"Thank Celestia..." She released a relieved sigh. "Did anything else happen? Is she okay? Can I see her?"

"She's fine, trust me. I'm letting her sleep right now, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow. And..." Pinkie's voice lowered, trailing away from the subject of her shoulder.

"Please, Pinkie. I need to know."

"Dad tr... he tried... um..." Pinkie knew that Marble was a sensitive spot for Pinkamena.

She won't be happy. We've worked so hard to try to get her to move on and accept it. This could break her-- all our work to keep her calm and happy.

"Please?"

"You won't like it." Pinkie warned.

"Give me some credit, Pinkie. I'm not all that bad anymore." Pinkamena said. Pinkie nodded.

"You're right- sorry." She took a deep breath. "They tried to hurt her. Dad and Maud."

Pinkamena's ears fell flat atop her head as her mouth widening in horror. She turned away from Pinkie, tears stinging her eyes.

"I-I'm so sorry Pinkamena. I know she and Limestone mean a lot to you-- to us."

"Please tell me Limestone is with you..." Pinkamena's voice waned in strength, trembling with fear and anxiety.

"Oh--" Pinkie glanced downwards. She's still at the farm! She glanced back up to her, shaking her head.

"Horsefeathers..." Pinkamena huffed.

"I'm sorry. I'll go check up on her tomorrow. Hay-- I'll even bring her here if I have to."

"No, you have to work tomorrow. Applejack and Fluttershy will need you at her cottage the next day too for the Winter Cleanup. I'll go do it."

"Pinkamena..." Pinkie stared at her. She's learned a lot in the past year and a half. I still don't trust her going there. She might go ballistic if Limestone gets hurt.

"I promise I'll only go in to check on Limestone. If she's in trouble, I'll get her out of there, and only that. Those things don't deserve my scorn." Hidden under Pinkamena's voice was an undertone of anger. Pinkie stared at her, deciphering her words to see if she truthful. After a few moments, she nodded.

"Okay. Just get in there and get out. You and I both know you shouldn't be in there for too long."

Pinkamena nodded with a smile. "Thank you. I've got to go now. Keep my cool, y'know?"

Pinkie nodded.

"Goodnight."

"'Night" Pinkamena waved back to her as she trotted out of the alleyway, unfolding her wings and flapping, ascending into the air. Pinkie watched her until her coat and brown cloak blended into the night. She turned back onto the street and trotting into the shop, cutting off the lights inside as she went through.

=================

Comments

[Arcanum -Phantasy]

And the story of Pinkamena continues. I love the direction this is going so far. I especially love the route you decided to take in developing Pinkamena's character. You have no idea how refreshing it is to see someone make her more than a senseless killing machine. Keep up the good work.

[TheUnknownPerson]

8399539
Thanks .

[RandomGuy101]

9284790
Yes, it is.