The Truth About Girls (Vol. 2)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

Ending Pages and New Chapters (part 2)

The sadness one of them could feel had always an impact on the rest of the group. They were working like the connected parts of the same body: what affects one limb was resounding with those linked to it.

It was even more true when it was about Pinkie Pie. She had one particular role inside their gang. Her overwhelming energy often was enough to reinflate the soul’s punctures of their age. Seeing her slowed down and defeated branded her friends deeply.

All morning long, she hadn’t uttered a word, her eyes lost in the vague, and all morning long, she had rejected her friends’ help. No matter how much they insisted, the arguments they used, Pinkie Pie refused to cross the bridges they were building along her way.

At lunch time, she had gathered her stuff and announced the girls she was going back home to sleep in what still was her apartment until the end of the week. She wasn’t focused at all, and she didn’t want to be a burden for the rest of the group with her mood as flat as her hair was straight.

Nothing had stopped her. Pinkie Pie had hit the road.

The whole day had gone with the slowness of heavy weather, yet when strolling in the streets, the sky was dark and a frosty smoke was going out of the lips.

By the end of the courses, however, the girls had finally envisioned a solution for their friend. She didn’t want to meddle with everyone’s family life, this they knew. They all lived with their parents, and although Rainbow Dash’s father was more absent than the opposite, this house was his.

Nonetheless, they had a friend who wasn’t bothered with such a problem.

Without stopping by in town in order to drink something hot, they called Big Macintosh, who hadn’t seen his girlfriend for days, and went directly to the Carrousel Boutique, where Rarity was expecting them.

None had explained the young woman the reason of their visit, but as soon as they pushed the door of the boutique, she immediately noticed something was missing. Like an odd empty space, an air pocket shocking by its lack of substance.

She let her assistant Sassy take care of the costumers, and told her friends to go upstairs in order to have a well-deserved hot tea.

Sitting at a desk, they found Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s little sister, busy doing her homework. She, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had subscribed to different after-school clubs and their activity as Crusaders was focused on the weekends.

After they all settled down in a silence worthy of funerals, and that their friend had served them something to get warm, she asked what was their visit about and where was Pinkie Pie.

“The building she’s living in is going to be destroyed by the end of the week…”

“And her parents are out of reach.”

“We all offered her to come at our places but she’s refused.”

“Yar the only one that can help us, Rar’…”

The fashion designer suspended her action, her teapot half the way between her cup. Out of all the news which regularly shook their students’ lives, this was one of the worse. Being without a roof above the head was of another level than an issue with rumors, or a heartbreak. Pinkie Pie was fundamentally benevolent and didn’t deserve such a fate.

“What can I do to help her?”

“Well, maybe you could accommodate her for some time? You’re on your own, so she’ll probably be less embarrassed because of your “family life”.”

Of course, they were asking for this favor without the certitude that Pinkie Pie would agree to this solution… It didn’t mean they couldn’t try. With a bit of persuasion, who knew, maybe they’ll be able to get her to listen to reason.

“Oh My, I’d love to do her such a favor! Unfortunately, my parents are travelling abroad and I got Sweetie Belle home. I don’t have enough space to accommodate three persons. Maybe I could ask Sassy…”

“She doesn’t want to come at our places, so she’ll never accept someone she knows as barely as Sassy to welcome her home”, Rainbow Dash declared in a defeated voice.

This weariness reached each of the girls present, and they all looked down, not even touching their smoky cups.

From her chair, Sweetie Belle witnessed the rare vision of the group on the verge of the point of no return, that the decrease of perspectives turned into ragdolls thrown in a dumpster.

In their minds, they were actively looking for a resolution, too much drown into their own thoughts to realize they were doing this at the same time. Yet, a sigh pierced through the listlessness, full of surrender and fatalism.

“It’s hopeless!” Fluttershy said right after. “Pinkie Pie’s going to be homeless.”

Big Macintosh was sitting on her left. He hadn’t said a word since they’d arrived, only holding his girlfriend’s hand for comfort, and glancing sadly at Applejack.

His reaction made Fluttershy jump, when he let go of her hand in an unfriendly way. It was so surprising from him it even drew the whole gang out of their intense reflections. In the same way, he got on his feet, and a frown outlined on his ordinarily impassible face. When he opened his mouth, his voice had notes even deeper than usually.

“How is that possible to be so negative and coward?! Can’t ya even try to say sumethin’ that help for once?”

After those words, he grabbed his things and left the boutique unapologetically.

This completely inconceivable behavior from the shy tall blonde boy rooted everybody to their chairs, Sweetie Belle included. Big Macintosh losing his temper was very sporadic, and generally, it never was in front of witnesses.

Fluttershy, once the shock passed, couldn’t help but bursting into tears. She couldn’t understand what she had said or done to make him so angry. It seemed to her like her behavior had been nothing different than how she always acted, and he appeared to be rather used to it now.

The person who really needed help was Pinkie Pie, and she was mad at herself for gathering so much of everyone’s attention, especially as all her friends surrounded her in order to comfort her. If only she could control her tears, she would do it without the least hesitation… but she couldn’t. She couldn’t at all.

----------------------------------------

Once again, the cleaning lady might have felt sorry for her and her pitiful culinary talents. Covered by a shrink wrap that shone under the fridge’s light, she found a sweet potatoes and tofu curry, a lentils soup and a piece of vanilla cheesecake with a raspberry coulis. That was perfect, since her stomach was agonizing!

But before even thinking about eating – hoping she would be able to eat more than during lunch – Rainbow Dash had a very important mission to fulfill.

It was an idea she had on her way home, riding her scooter.

After Big Macintosh’s feat, the group had decided to go home, and to think about what they could do in order to help Pinkie Pie and her sticky situation.

When she’d found, Rainbow Dash had called all the other girls, before she even took off her coat and shoes, and they all had agreed. Nothing told her it would work, but once again, it didn’t cost anything to try.

So, she had put her stuff in her room, and had gone down to see what she could have for her dinner, before having a shower, doing her homework – if she thought about that – and going to bed thanks to a sleeping pill, since she knew she would never fall asleep naturally with everything that was on her mind.

Because her phone was still upstairs, she grabbed the landline to make the number she wanted.

A few rings resounded, and Rainbow Dash thought he would never pick up the phone. But just when she was about to give up, she heard on the other side of the line this voice with a Western accent, typical of her boyfriend.

“Sorry, honey, I was having a shower… I had practice tonight.”

“Why are you apologizing, silly? You answered, didn’t you?”

“Well… Yeah, I did. I don’t know”, Soarin finished with a little embarrassed laugh that made her roll her eyes.

As much as he could be smart and quick-witted, sometimes he still was the current klutz she’d met twelve years ago. Well, that was rather attractive… most of the time.

“There’s more important. Something really serious has happened and I need your help. Well, in some kind of way.”

“What’s happening? Are you feeling bad?”

“This isn’t about me. It’s about Pinkie Pie…”

It probably wasn’t right, but Soarin was a bit reassured. Of course, he wished nothing bad to Pinkie Pie, who never missed to make him laugh and who he was fond of, but since he knew in details what Rainbow Dash had been through since her mother’s death, he was always worried about her health.

After all, he’d done a small investigation and now he knew all it took was a little unpleasant even to ruin years of treatments in the case of PTSD, which was his girlfriend’s illness.

Nonetheless, not to offend Rainbow Dash, he showed nothing of his relief, and instead asked what was happening to the other young woman.

Rainbow Dash told him a summary of the facts… What didn’t make him understand how he could help Pinkie Pie.

“The apartments of your block aren’t expensive, are they? Do you think there’s one that would be free for her? I’ll pay the rent until her parents are back.”

Soarin didn’t ask her with what money she wanted to pay such a spending… There were things with her that were best to expect from her own mouth.

However, he was no fool and knew Rainbow Dash never spent all the money her father gave her… She wasn’t that fond of shopping sprees, and when she bought herself clothes, it almost never was on the Silk Street, she didn’t buy eccentric and useless gadgets unless it was to satisfy her long-time passion for cinema, and she never ate in fancy restaurants.

And as far as the apartments of his block were concerned… It was easy to know whether one of them was free since the corridors were narrow and when someone was moving out or in, the noise was such that no one could pass it by.

“I’m sorry, Dashie, there’s nothing free. Maybe once we’ll have to grades of mid-term exams…”

“Shoot! It would’ve been perfect. She couldn’t have used the excuse of our family life and everything.”

“Well, I still can try to inform and tell you as soon as I know something gets free, but I doubt it would be by the end of the week.”

“Thank you, Soarin.”

“It’s nothing special, and I haven’t really been helpful.”

“Thanks, anyway… Do we see each other tomorrow? We could prospect apartments for her together.”

“Alright. I’ll pick you at school by the end of the day.”

After a few commonplaces, they both hung up.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help a smile. No doubt, her boyfriend had a big heart! They were scarce to accept to spend the end of the afternoon looking for a studio for someone else, instead of making the most of their lover.

Wonderful things didn’t always happen in her life, but as long as Soarin and her gang were a part of it, she was convinced that nothing could ever bring her down.

Provided that they didn’t lose Pinkie Pie forever, of course…

----------------------------------------------------------------

This morning, more than any other mornings, Fluttershy was impatiently waiting to see Applejack meet the rest of the group in the corridors.

She was miles away since last night. Her night sleep had been restless, peopled with nightmares of misery and on many occasions she had woken up with the feeling of having two hands clenched around her throat.

There were many things frightening her… The least new event, the least defy, insisting look, suspicious sound or dark corner had her heart beat faster into her chest, starting cold sweat and the desire to curl up somewhere safe.

But this was something shaking her differently. A new kind of fear, like she never experienced before. The kind of fear which could change everything. Making everything no longer the same, forever.

To be able to win over this love affair had been an everyday struggle. At each minute she had to face things that were new for her, fears she had never thought could exist. They were different, more insidious. And they hurt more as well.

Now that she had gained a piece of her dream, Fluttershy dreaded it to shatter in her hearts like crystal glass.

The most awful of it all was that she didn’t know at all what she’d done or said to start the crisis. It seemed to her that in no way she had acted differently from the Fluttershy she always been.

Of course, Pinkie Pie’s situation worried everyone. And after all, she and Big Macintosh had known each other for a long time and they also were friends. It was rather logic for him to be thin-skinned because of it. But all the same… It wasn’t the first time their group had such a pressure to go through, right?

As soon as she saw the blonde teenage girl in her field of vision, Fluttershy’s eyes sparkled. Applejack was with Rainbow Dash and both were talking in a way that seemed rather grave.

In fact, the first thing they did when they arrived was asking the other girls if they had news from Pinkie Pie. And the answer was the same for each of them – no.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t worried about her friend’s concerns… but now, Fluttershy could no longer dare asking Applejack the question on the verge of her lips. Yet, she knew, if she didn’t ask, it would take over her thoughts and cause an interference with the thread of her day.

She really wanted to get over it so she could focus entirely on Pinkie Pie.

Eyes and head low, she came closer to her friend, and pulled on her uniform’s sleeve with a small hesitant gesture. Yet it was enough to draw Applejack’s attention.

“Did… Big Mac talk to you?”

Applejack scratched her head and looked at her friends one by one. None of them had forgotten about the surprising plot twist of the previous day. It had taken a lot of patience and diplomacy to reassure Fluttershy after the blonde boy had left, and it only contributed to hang heavy in the already oppressive atmosphere.

It happened again at this moment…

The teenage girl shook her head no before explaining.

“When Ah tried to talk ‘bout it with him, he said he had work to do at the West orchard… After that, he’s left home and Ah haven’t seen him again yet.”

“I see. He answered none of my messages so I wondered…”

Applejack could see how her friend was disappointed, just by the look on her face. She wished she could tell her words of comfort, saying this dark episode was nothing but a rough patch. But she had to be honest with her. She didn’t know anything more than her friends did.

Except maybe one thing: Big Macintosh, just like her, had inherited the stubborn side of the Apples. It meant that there were chances for things not to get better anytime soon.

It was nothing pleasant to feel Fluttershy’s anguish, and to know that none of them could do anything to help her, but all they could do was to wait. Romantic relationships required understanding and communication, and things about love couldn’t be forced.

She tried to smile in order to reassure her group of friends but the weak grimace she gave them wasn’t even able to work as a sham.

Right now, the young woman was feeling as miserable as ever. She wasn’t even able to pretend in order to spare those she regarded as sisters. Pathetic. She was pathetic.

Suddenly, like from out of nowhere, Sunset Shimmer arrived in front of the group, breathless, with her cheeks red. Her hair seemed to be scarcely brushed and she hadn’t buttoned her coat properly.

“I’ve just received a message from Pinkie Pie!”

Just by looking at her, her friends knew she wasn’t here to announce a good news. Her eyes had bags, and her makeup failed to hide her waxy complexion of bad nights.

If Rarity had been there, she’d rushed to make some adjustments, certifying her nothing could justify to get out in such a pitiful state.

Nonetheless, her general appearance didn’t matter to her four friends. It was the message she was bringing which caught their complete attention. They all seemed to have their hearts on the verge of their eyes.

“So, what is this message saying?” Twilight urged her.

“Since she has nowhere else to go, and doesn’t want to go to a Group Home, and CHS doesn’t have a boarding, she’s decided to go back to her parents’ farm. She’s leaving on Friday! We have to find a solution before Friday…”

“With Soarin, we’re going to look for an apartment for her to rent…”

“What if you guys can’t find one? You need a lot of documents in order to rent an apartment”, Sunset Shimmer questioned.

“I thought we could get an arrangement with the owner, like putting my name on the lease first, and then changing it for Pinkie Pie.”

“And what if no owner agrees to this stuff? And what about yar father? Would he agree for ya to put yar name on a lease in town?”

Eager to help her friend at any cost, Rainbow Dash hadn’t thought about this possibility. And Soarin already had his name on a lease, and according to the law, owners were the only ones allowed to live in several accommodations.

It was a nightmare. Each time they thought they came up with a solution, something came and thwart their plans, and they were back where it all started. They felt as if being trapped in an endless labyrinth.

“But what are we going to do? We can’t let Pinkie Pie leave this far!”

“I know Fluttershy, but I think we’re running out of solutions. After all, our friendship can resist anything, can’t it?”

“Do you know where Pinkie Pie’s family live when not working?” Rainbow Dash asked. “There’s no internet connection and no phone line. And mails are weeks long to arrive, since their postal service waits for a certain number of letters before distributing! If she were going to Fillydelphia or even Las Pegasus, I don’t say, but…”

“Wait. We haven’t explored all the possibilities yet”, Twilight suddenly intervened, her eyes bright as if she’d just found the most incredible invention of the century.

“Really? D’ya think ‘bout anythin’ else, Twilight?”

The young woman nodded. Her self-confidence puzzled the others, but since they were here, they could as well listen to what she had to say.

“I haven’t told about what’s happening to Pinkie Pie to Shining Armor yet. He’s a policeman, he has a lot of connections… Many owners can thank him for his interventions on robberies and aggressions, and feel they owe him something. It’s worth the try, don’t you think so?”

When Twilight had evoked her older brother, all had thought this was about asking his charming fiancée to accommodate Pinkie Pie. Of course, their reactions had been to think it was going to be another failure. But none of them had envisioned things under this new angle.

It was what drag such a discerning reflection out of Rainbow Dash:

“This is why you’re the smartest one in the room…”

A reply Pinkie Pie wouldn’t have denied.

Twilight blushed, and wrapped locks going out of her bun around her forefinger, before returning to a more dignified behavior. After all, she was the number one student of the number one class…

Nothing said her plan would work, but it almost was one their last resort as a try, the ultimate gamble before the final victory or the personal failure, and they wanted to give it a shot. Anyway, it was best than staying with their arms crossed, crying over how cruel life could be, sometimes.

Author's Note:

Those 8 downvotes and 14 upvotes annoy me... Lets new reader think the story's so-so

Comments

[Midday Giggle]

Shoot.

[Dusk_Writer]

“Since she has nowhere else to go, and doesn’t want to go to a Group Home, and CHS doesn’t have a boarding, she’s decided to go back to her parents’ farm. She’s leaving on Friday! We have to find a solution before Friday…”

FrIcK PiNkIE nO
DoN'T
DoOooOoN't
dOoooOOooOoOoOn'T