Under The Light of Dusk

by applejackofalltrades

Sugarcube Corner

"Put one hoof on your head, and one hoof on your belly!" Pinkie Pie showed the activity to the group of baby ponies sitting in front of her. Only a few of them attempted to copy her. "Okay, now rub your belly and tap your head!"

She attempted to do the action she had explained, but couldn't coordinate well enough to do it. Instead, she'd rub both her head and belly, or pat them. No matter how hard she concentrated, she just couldn't do it. With a final, tongue-out-of-mouth burst of concentration, she managed to do it. For a few seconds at best.

"See! I did it!" As soon as she said it though, she messed it up again. "Aw sprinkles," she exclaimed with a fake frown. "Oh well!" Pinkie laughed at herself and put her hooves on the floor, waving her hind legs from side to side as she sat like a bear, or at least, what she thought a bear sat like. She’d seen Fluttershy’s bear friend Harry sit before, and it kind of looked like what she was doing. Yes, she was sitting like a bear. “I wish I was a bear,” she thought aloud to nopony.

It had been a regular day for Pinkie Pie. In the morning, she helped the Cakes get their shipment of baking supplies for the week. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make food to fill most ponies' bellies later in the day. Pinkie offered, as was normal for her, to help bake the bread that would be a critical part of somepony's day.

There was no need to make it pretty, or even tasty for that matter, but to Pinkie, the quality was always important, even if it took all her efforts. The ingredients were there for the bones of bread, but the flavour would have been missing if not for Pinkie. She was resourceful, she knew just what she could add to give it some flavour. There was no time to fool around, after all.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. There was always time to fool around, especially if Pinkie had a say in it – and she did. She took time out of her day to play with the foals, or keep the older ponies entertained. Some days, she did both.

"Just because we're stuck in a cave hiding for our lives doesn't mean we can’t have fun," Pinkie Pie pointed out to the foals that definitely did not understand. One of them cooed at her, sticking a hoof in her mouth. "No, Pumpkin Cake!" She reached forward to take the hoof out of the little pony's mouth. "Your hooves are dirty."

Pinkie Pie glanced over to the tunnel leading outside. The light that shone through it cast an orange glow on the wooden planks on the floor. It must almost be sunset! She gasped in realization. That means I can go get my party supplies with Applejack soon! She giggled eagerly at the foals who watched her with curious eyes and continued to play with them.

"You know, when you're all grown up and this has been long over, you're going to have a really fun story to tell," she told them. “Well, maybe not a fun story, but it’ll definitely be interesting!” One of the unicorn foals blabbered something and magically lifted another foal up. Pinkie Pie reached up to bring the floating pony down with a smile. "No, don't do that, silly."

As she continued to play with the foals, she hardly noticed the time passing. Eventually, their parents came by to pick them up. It was a relief to have somewhere to leave them from time to time, or so Pinkie assumed. To her, playtime was the best part of the day. Well, the whole day was the best part of the day, but playtime was always a blast.

Finally, she was left alone with Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake, two of the foals she was closest with. They belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Cake, the ponies who gave Pinkie Pie a home when she first moved to Ponyville. Oh, how she loved working at the bakery and brightening ponies' days with smiles and laughter. And sprinkles.

"Hi, Pinkie Pie," a familiar voice greeted.

Pinkie Pie rolled her head over to look at the source of the voice. "Oh, hi Mrs. Cake! Are you here for the twins?" She glanced over at them as they stumbled around, mumbling almost-words to each other. "They're getting so big!"

Mrs. Cake nodded with an adoring smile. "Yes, I know. They love playing with you," she pointed out with a thankful smile. "It's so great that you take time out of your day to watch other ponies' foals for a few hours to play with them."

Pinkie Pie waved her hoof dismissively. "I love playing with foals!" She made a silly face to the Cake twins who giggled at her. She looked back at Mrs. Cake and leaned closer to her. "See? They get me," she whispered loudly.

The older pony laughed. "I can see that," she joked. "Anyway, we should be on our way. Thanks again for taking care of the twins." Mrs. Cake reached down and picked them up one at a time, placing them into the side carriers she wore with a grunt of effort. "Oof, they're certainly getting heavy." She started stepping away. "Anyway, bye Pinkie Pie! I'll see you later?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Yuppily duppily!" She waved goodbye to her and turned around. "Just another fantastic day," she hummed happily to herself. She looked at the not-light funneling the tunnel. Wait. Where's the light? She gasped in sudden realization. "Oh hay!" Her voice was shrill and loud. Several ponies turned to look at her. Her face flushed into a darker pink at her outburst. "Uh, never mind!"

She ran throughout the crowd of ponies with an onslaught of apologies and pardons up into the darkest tunnel. It was Pinkie Pie's favourite tunnel. Not even she knew why, it just seemed to call to her. The lack of natural light in the main clearing made the tunnel even darker, and Pinkie Pie was happy to encounter the light of the meeting room. Which meant that the debriefing had already started. Aw, rats.

She walked in awkwardly with a smile on her face. "Hey, everypony," she greeted with a laugh. "Sorry I'm late! I was playing with the Cakes' twins. They're really fun to play with, especially peek-a-boo!"

Applejack leaned over to Rainbow Dash. “And you said Icouldn’t be late.”

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, commanding attention. "Okay, well now that we're all here," she started with a glance at Pinkie Pie, "we can start our debriefing." She chuckled slightly. "There's not much to say, so it'll be brief for sure."

Pinkie Pie was not among the many ponies who groaned. She thought the pun was hilarious. "Good one, Rainbow!" She laughed even louder. "Brief," she echoed, turning to Applejack who stood next to her. "Can you believe her?"

Applejack rolled her eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Now, I don't mean to be rude, Rainbow Dash, but I was wonderin’ if Pinkie Pie and I could get goin' now." She gave Rainbow Dash a stern look that only she could get away with giving her. She was basically the second-in-command, or at least Pinkie Pie thought so.

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah, that actually seems like a good idea," she agreed with a shrug. "You two go, I'll fill you in on the meeting later." With a smirk, she snorted. "Well, if there's anything to say."

Pinkie Pie jumped in place. "Yay! Let's go, Applejack!" She put her hoof around Applejack's neck, dragging her backward.

"Okay, okay, Pinkie Pie. No need to go draggin’ me like a sleepin’ piglet," she muttered, shoving Pinkie Pie off. "Well, see y'all later then.” Applejack waved to the rest of the group with a tip of her hat.

The entire way out, Pinkie Pie remained in a silence that was so loud, it was eating her up not saying anything. She was so excited to go back to her top-secret Party Planning Cave that her face held an almost scary smile. She knew that they had to be careful about Twilight’s ponies, but that didn’t mean that the pair couldn't have fun.

"Aren't you just super duper excited to go back out? Being stuck in this dark, brown cave is kind of boring," Pinkie asked, hopping circles around an unamused Applejack.

"I go out every day, Pinkie. I'm an Apple," Applejack reminded her. "Besides, we're goin’ pretty much directly into enemy territory with Sugarcube. We need to be careful," she reminded the overly excited Pinkie Pie.

"I know, I know. But I love getting to go places! I mean, sometimes I'll go up for some fresh air, but I'm getting kind of tired of just seeing apple trees," she admitted. Applejack shot her a look. "No offense," Pinkie Pie added with an embarrassed blush.

"Yeah, I get what you're saying, I guess." Applejack's voice dropped, seemingly following her vision to the ground.

Pinkie Pie was an energetic pony. Silly, at the best of times. But she knew how to be serious when the situation called for it.

"What's wrong, Applejack?" Pinkie Pie slowed down to walk alongside her friend. Her face that usually held a smile of some kind was now full of concern. It took a special kind of pony to make her shed that layer.

Applejack exhaled sharply as she blinked slowly. "I'm just worried," she admitted. Her gaze in front of her turned hard. Pinkie Pie would hate to be on the receiving end of that look. "Whenever we risk being attacked by Twilight’s patrols, I get scared that we'll see ponies that were with us," she admitted. "I'm afraid I'll see Cloud Chaser, or Thunderlane, or !" Her voice cracked at the last pony's name.

"It's my fault she got taken. I insisted she come with me to clean the pipe opening last time," Applejack muttered. "Hay, I thought it'd be good for the silly filly. I pushed Rainbow Dash into agreein’ and now she’s gone." With a sigh, she shook her head, trying to clear the troubles that infiltrated her mind.

Pinkie Pie wanted to laugh at something, anything. But it was not the right reaction, and she knew that. Sometimes, you just had to let your friends feel bad because it's the only way they'll feel better. Other times, you had to say something sad, too. She looked down, kicking a rock as they walked along the long tunnel. Pinkie Pie bit her lip nervously, a tic she had developed early on in her foalhood.

"I know how you feel," she muttered quietly.

Applejack looked over to her, her eyes soft and understanding. "Pinkie, you don't—"

Pinkie Pie shook her head, quieting Applejack. "No, I need to say this." She took a deep breath and effectively steadied her voice. "I'm always afraid I'll see Maud on their side," she finally spoke up. She looked over at Applejack with a slight, sad smile. "I shouldn't have let her take Boulder out for a walk." Her voice faltered. "He's just a rock, after all."

Pinkie Pie loved her sister to bits, and she always loved Boulder as well. She knew that he was a rock, but as long as he meant something to Maud, that was good enough for her. Being in such a difficult situation, Pinkie Pie learned that some things you just have to take at face value, even if you don’t want to. Now, because of her, her own sister was on the wrong side of everything against her will. Pinkie Pie wondered if the brain-controlling magic hurt. She really hoped it didn’t, for Maud’s sake.

“How are we going to stop her, Applejack?” Pinkie Pie’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet. She looked at her friend, eyes brimming with tears. If there was anypony that Pinkie Pie could expect an honest answer from, it was Applejack.

The orange pony hesitated, looking at the floor. “I dunno, Pinkie. But we are gonna have to find out,” she decided. Pinkie Pie noticed Applejack chewing on her lip as well. Maybe it runs in the family, she thought. If we even are related.

Pinkie Pie said nothing in return. Applejack was right, after all. They would have to find out sooner rather than later. It’s been far too long already, and they couldn’t risk losing anypony else. With one last sniffle, Pinkie Pie forced a smile back on her face.

Granny Pie always said if you fake a smile, sometimes you’ll trick your brain into making you happy. It always seemed to work for her, and it was already starting to take effect. She perked up, and if Pinkie Pie could glow from good spirits, she would be doing so right then and there. “Hey, Applejack,” Pinkie spoke, bouncing in front of Applejack once again.

“Yes, Pinkie?” Applejack followed her bouncing friend’s eyes up and down as she walked.

“Do you want to help me plan the party? I could use all the hooves I can get,” she asked with a big smile on her face.

Applejack simply couldn’t resist her huge smile, and Pinkie Pie knew it. No one, pony or not, could say no to that face. “Sure. Just so long as I finish my farm chores, I don’t have anythin’ else to do anyhow. I’m as free as a heifer at a free-range ranch.”

Pinkie Pie squealed in excitement. “Yay!” She positioned herself back at Applejack’s side, hopping next to her instead of walking. “So I was thinking maybe I could do a It’s Been Three Weeks Since Our Last Party Party,” she suggested. “What do you think?”

Applejack stared at her with a squint and a raised eyebrow. “Honestly, Pinkie, I have no idea. You’re the expert on this sort of thing, so you should be the one to decide,” she stated simply. “Whatever you come up with will be great.”

Pinkie Pie nodded, content with Applejack’s answer. She understood where she was coming from. I mean, if she asked me about farming stuff, I’d probably tell her the same thing, she thought. The two ponies had completely different hobbies and interests, but it was still nice to ask each other about it in her opinion.

They kept walking, and Pinkie Pie pointed out things in the tunnel that she was sure Applejack had never even thought of. Things like earthworm colonies (she was sure there would be a worm war soon), and the support beams’ weird angles because they weren’t put up straight. Applejack said they’d have to fix that and told Pinkie Pie that that was a good observation. Pinkie Pie smiled in response.

The tunnel started to angle upwards, and so did Pinkie Pie’s excitement. “We’re here! Can you believe it?”

Applejack placed a hoof over Pinkie’s mouth. “Hush, Pinkie,” she whispered. “We need to be quiet or else somepony’ll hear us.” She looked into Pinkie Pie’s eyes, serious as ever. “I’m gonna let you go. Don’t be loud, okay?” Pinkie Pie nodded wordlessly. Not like she could talk. “Okay, good,.” She brought down her hoof to reveal Pinkie Pie’s excited face.

She held back another excited scream, knowing that the risk was real. Once again, Applejack made an excellent point. She didn’t want to be responsible for either of them getting caught. Applejack motioned for Pinkie Pie to stay where she was and ran up quietly to the brim of the opening. She cleared the blanket of leaves made to cover the entrance with a hoof, then ducked low to the floor and extended her neck slowly, looking around. After a few moments, she came back down next to Pinkie Pie.

“The coast is clear,” Applejack confirmed quietly. “I mean, there’re some ponies up there but they’re all facing the other way. If we’re quiet enough, it should be easy to get to Sugarcube Corner and into wherever you need to go.” She motioned for Pinkie Pie to follow her as she crept forward.

Pinkie Pie passed a hoof in front of her own face, changing her expression from excited to serious. This was a job for serious ponies after all. Party supply retrieval was no joke. They stayed low to the ground, barely moving as they climbed through the leaves as quietly as possible. Pinkie Pie pulled the blanket of camouflaged leaves over the hole again, ensuring that their path wouldn't be found. The leaves sparkled with magical residue before completely disappearing into the background of the ground.

"Do you think I have anything left?" Pinkie Pie whispered to fill the eerie silence. She walked slowly alongside Applejack, looking around them to be certain they wouldn't be seen.

Applejack shrugged. “I’m not sure.” Her expression hardened. “But there better be somethin’ there, Pinkie. We shouldn’t even be here in the first place,” she pointed out dangerously.

Pinkie Pie nodded slowly, turning her gaze to the ground instead of the surrounding area as they dashed toward a bush. Applejack lifted her head slowly, peeking out from the top. She glanced back down at Pinkie, giving her a quick nod. Pinkie Pie nodded back, letting her know that she understood the message.

Her mind wandered as they advanced closer to the shop she once called home. They had to enter through the nearest natural clearing, which was a little ways away, but it was no problem. For the umpteenth time that day, Applejack was right again. They shouldn't be at Sugarcube Corner. It was too dangerous and silly. Not in the good way silly, either.

Maybe if it was to get something actually important it'd be worth the risk. But Pinkie Pie just wanted party supplies. It seemed like a good idea to her at first; she could cheer up the ponies back under the farm, but maybe she was being an idiot. You don't need streamers and banners and balloons to have a party. That's something that she would have stood by when things were simpler, but things were not simple at all.

They were there already, though, so it was too late to change her mind. Plus, she didn't want to risk Applejack being mad for wasting time on a fruitless mission, although she ran that risk already. What if there's nothing left? What if they raided my supplies? Pinkie Pie's frown deepened as she stepped on a twig. Crack.

"Oh cupcakes," she hissed under her breath. Her gaze shot back up to Applejack, who had the same idea and glared at Pinkie Pie with furrowed eyebrows. The two of them darted behind a nearby building, and Pinkie Pie swore she could hear Applejack mutter obscenities she had never heard come out of the mare's mouth before.

Pinkie Pie looked over the side of the house as the silhouette of another pony moved toward the now broken twig. The pony seemed to move unnaturally, in an unnerving way that neither mare liked. Pinkie Pie strained her eyes, trying to see who it was. She knew who she hoped it wasn't, but couldn't quite tell who it was until they stepped out into the light.

Applejack gasped softly above her, putting a hoof over her mouth. Pinkie turned her gaze back to the once silhouetted pony who now was easy to distinguish under the light of the moon. Pinkie Pie shook her head slowly, putting a hoof on Applejack's side, trying to comfort her friend as they both looked on at the gray-coated mare standing in front of them.

Applejack swallowed dryly. "Ditzy," she whispered.

The two looked at their friend; once a part of the rebellion, now a part of Twilight’s army. Her eyes looked even more glazed over than usual as she observed the twig with the same grin on her face that she always held. She lifted her head almost robotically, staring straight ahead for a moment. Her ears were perked up, listening closely. Pinkie Pie couldn't help but force her own hearing as well and noticed the subtle background noise of crickets.

Ditzy suddenly twisted her neck in Pinkie and Applejack's direction, forcing the two of them to duck back behind the wall as silently as possible. The two held their breath instinctively. Pinkie Pie shut her eyes, childishly hoping that if she couldn't see Ditzy, Ditzy couldn't see her. Applejack kept her eyes wide open, fixating on a brick from a wall in front of them.

After enough moments passed without any kind of disturbance, Pinkie Pie heard hoofsteps retreating from where they once were, indicating that Ditzy had walked away. She craned her neck around the wall of the house they used as cover slightly, trying to catch a glimpse. Her assumption was correct, Ditzy had left. They both exhaled in relief, filling their lungs with air once again.

"I can't believe that was Ditzy," Applejack whispered, her voice laced with an emotion Pinkie couldn't quite place. "She had to have stationed her there on purpose, right?"

If Twilight was interested in mentally tormenting her friends, and Pinkie Pie knew she was smart enough to consider the possibility, then the answer was probably yes. She didn't want Applejack to assume that, though, so she shrugged.

"It was probably a coincidence then." Applejack looked away, toward the entrance to Sugarcube Corner, swallowing what Pinkie Pie assumed to be guilt. "How do we get in quietly?"

Pinkie Pie thought for a moment, trying to decide what would be the best course of action. They couldn't go in through the main door since it had a bell, and while Pinkie didn't know if it worked, she wasn't willing to risk it. She forced herself to remember how she got in and out on the days she snuck out for whatever reason she had. It was usually to attend a party. Or to plan the party.

Then, an idea struck her. "Oh, we could use the hidden entrance," she suggested as if it was a simple matter of fact.

Applejack looked annoyed. Surprised, but annoyed. "There's a secret entrance?" She rolled her eyes.

Pinkie Pie laughed. "Of course there's a secret entrance!" She put a hoof over her chest. "I can't believe you'd assume any less from me. How do you think I used to sneak out to plan night parties?"

Applejack scratched her foreleg. "I guess you're right," she responded with a slightly confused grin. "Okay, so how do we get in?"

Pinkie Pie looked around, then rushed to the right wall of Sugarcube Corner in a pink blur. She motioned for Applejack to follow her. Applejack made sure nopony would see her, then galloped quietly next to Pinkie Pie. She motioned to the wall, then to Pinkie with a shrug.

With a confident look on her face, Pinkie Pie shook her hooves, then pressed up against the wall, standing on her hind legs. She felt up the wall's wooden planks. Applejack quirked her head to the side in confusion. Pinkie Pie nodded at her once, then pushed a loose plank, sending it spinning and launching the pair inside the shop with a yelp.

Applejack covered her mouth with her hooves almost immediately, stopping her surprised squeal in its tracks. "What the hay?" She looked around, recognizing the familiar shop. "A warning next time would be mighty appreciated," she scolded her.

Pinkie Pie took a look around herself, brushing layers of dust off of empty shelves and displays. There was something somber about it, Pinkie thought. The once brightly coloured walls decorated with posters and ingredients and delicious-looking pastries were now dark, empty, and with a distinct lack of saturated colours. Instead of smelling scrumptious, it smelled old. Forgotten.

Pinkie Pie prodded a tangle of spider silk in the corner of one of the shelves. "Wow, I'm glad there were no guards inside. We would have totally been caught," she giggled.

"What?" Applejack ran up to Pinkie, a horrified look on her face. "You mean you didn't check through the window before you launched us in here?"

Pinkie Pie smiled. "Nope!"

Applejack pursed her lips, taking in a few deep breaths. She brought her hat over her face for a few moments. "Okay," she exhaled. "Don't matter now. We're in. Now you lead the way.” She pulled her hat back to the top of her head, looking calmer than she did previously.

Pinkie Pie nodded eagerly. She decided to look around before going up the stairs. "I haven't been here in so long," she exclaimed. "It's practically the same!"

"If by the same you mean completely different, then sure," Applejack noted with a snort. She looked inside a room, hoping to find something interesting, but ended up with a muzzle full of dust.

Pinkie Pie looked under the island where she had stood so many days serving ponies their orders. Instead of being filled with treats and flour or sugar, it was filled with piles of built-up dust and other things she didn't want to try to recognize. But still, she just didn't want to admit that it had changed. So she shook her head.

"Nope. I think it's the same. It might look a little different, but it still has everything it used to have," Pinkie Pie pointed out. She looked at Applejack with a big, trademark Pinkie smile. "It just needs some love, is all."

Applejack said nothing but offered Pinkie Pie a small nod. She turned around, inspecting the area to make sure there were no hidden ponies. Pinkie resumed her snooping around if you could even call it snooping, that is. It was her home once.

Applejack emerged from where the kitchen area once was. "Okay, everythin’ seems clear. So how do we get to this uh… cave o' yours?"

Pinkie Pie bit her lip, holding back yet another excited squeak. "We need to go up to my room," she stated. "You're lucky you can see your room whenever you want," she added, although there was no malicious tone to her voice. "I wonder if everything is how I left it."

Applejack bared her teeth in uncertainty. "Don't get yer hopes up, Pinkie. Judgin' from the state of the rest of the store, they mighta ransacked your room.”

Pinkie Pie felt herself deflate a little. She knew it was silly to have hope that for whatever reason Twilight would have ordered her ponies to leave her room alone. Maybe she did remember that they were friends. Nopony actually changes that much, right?

But walking into her room told a different story. Everything seemed to be there, just not at all how she left it. All of her stuffed animals were no longer stuffed, and instead, the cotton fillings were strewn about the room. The balloons that were once full of air were on the floor, almost as deflated as Pinkie felt. Although, the balloons were probably not entirely Twilight’s ponies' fault.

It was a horrible sight – if she could say that about her own room. The paint was chipped and peeling off the walls, but the thing that unnerved Pinkie Pie and Applejack the most was the writing on the wall, in once bright red paint. Or at least, they hoped.

“'Where's your smile, Pinkie Pie?'," Applejack read. "That's just horrible, ain't it?" she muttered, taking off her hat and holding it to her chest. Maybe she was paying her respects for Pinkie Pie's room.

Pinkie Pie blinked absently at the writing, tears forming in her eyes. The Twilight she knew was not a monster like that, and that's when she knew that whatever pony was causing this to happen, it wasn't really Twilight. It might have her body, and her voice, but it certainly wasn't her friend.

Author's Note:

Sorry this one’s late! I fittingly (kind of) had an ice cream mishap which took up the last hour of my life haha. But here’s this week’s chapter phew

Comments

[Silver Mint]

“ 'Where's your smile, Pinkie Pie?' "

I wish I had words to express what this made me feel, just... wow. I can't wait for more of this story.

[applejackofalltrades]

10850207
haha omg thank you, im glad youre enjoying it! i definitely feel like that line was one of the ones that kind of hurt me to write, glad it resonated with ya

[thunder_strike1029]

Really liking the story so far!

[applejackofalltrades]

10853608
Thank you! I'm glad to hear it :)