The Spirit of Loyalty

by Matthew Penn

Chapter 18

Sweetie Belle listened as Apple Bloom recounted the Apple clan’s adventure to Winsome Falls. It was great to see her and Scootaloo again after days of separation. They hadn’t return to Ponyville until early midday, so Sweetie spent the previous day with Rarity and the rest girls, along with Spike and gathered at Fluttershy’s home to catch up on lost time. Fluttershy apologized to everyone for missing the funeral, and to Twilight for her harsh tone on the day before. On the next day, when Sweetie learned that the other two Crusaders were back in town, she rushed to Sweet Apple Acres to call for a meeting (which was really a reunion) at the clubhouse.

“Winsome Falls looks even better the more you see it,” Apple Bloom said. “The sunlight makes the colors jump out and shine right off the rainbows. It really amazing!”

“I’d love to go again,” Sweetie said. “When you go camping next time, can I come too?”

“Sure, the more the merrier.”

Apple Bloom went further into detail about their camping trip; from the scary campfire story contest which was surprisingly not scary, to the part where Big Mac unwittingly found himself trapped in a patch of poison joke which made his voice high-pitched. Somewhere across the room, Scootaloo sat in a corner, her gaze exchanged from them to the open window.

“Applejack missed a really great trip,” Apple Bloom said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that. I understand why she had to stay behind. You know, with Fluttershy and all.”

“I’m just glad she’s doing okay,” Sweetie said. She smiled. “You should have seen the look on Rarity’s face when they saw Fluttershy. She was so happy, and was crying a little, but she was happy all the same. I’m glad they’re all doing fine.”

“Me too,” said Apple Bloom, “and I’m just glad we’re back together. Isn’t that right, Scootaloo?”

When Scootaloo didn’t answer, Apple Bloom said her name again. She turned and saw Scootaloo sitting by the opening on the clubhouse, looking outside. Apple Bloom slowly walked to her and tapped her arm.

“Oh… I’m sorry, what are we talking about?” she asked.

“I said isn’t it great that we’re back together again?”

“Oh yeah, it’s very great,” said Scootaloo, and forced a little smile on her face.

Sweetie rubbed her chin with her hoof, then an important thought came to her. “You know, August will be here in a couple of days,” she said. “You know what that means, right?”

“I know; one more month then school will be starting,” Apple Bloom said gloomily.

“No… well, yes, but there’s something else. Can you guess?”

Apple Bloom thought, but the only pony in the room who knew the answer was Scootaloo. Her birthday is in August. She will be nine years old this year. However, due to recent events, she almost forgot that about her birthday. It came to a point where it didn’t matter if anyone celebrated, or remembered. Birthdays just didn’t mean anything to her.

A moment later Apple Bloom remembered, then she and Sweetie grinned at Scootaloo. “You’re turning nine, Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom said happily. “That’s one more number away from ten!”

“Yeah… nine,” she said sheepishly.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged confused glances. “Aren’t you excited?” asked Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo thought for another moment. “Well, I’m not sure.”

“You’re not excited for your own birthday?” Sweetie asked.

Scootaloo shrugged.

“But birthdays are great!” exclaimed Apple Bloom. “There’s friends, cake, games, and everyone gives you presents. It’s a celebration for you just because you were born! How come you ain’t excited?”

“I’m just not, okay? It’s just… I don’t think I can be excited about anything now.” She sighed while looking out the window. “After everything that’s happened this summer, everything seems… you know, shallow.”

“What do you mean by shallow?” asked Apple Bloom.

“I don’t know. All I know is that I don’t feel like having a birthday party. It doesn’t seem right.”

“You don’t feel right having a birthday party?” Sweetie said. “That doesn’t make any sense. Everyone should feel good on their birthday.”

“I appreciate that you care, but I don’t want a party this year,” said Scootaloo. “I’m just not in the mood. Besides, I’m only turning nine. Nine’s not very important.” She sat up and let herself out of the clubhouse. “I’m going to go grab a hayburger, then I’m going back to the farm. I’ll you guys later,” she said, then she was gone. Apple Bloom watched her go with a scowl on her face.

“Nine’s not very important,” she mimicked. “Of all the things I heard…” She turned to Sweetie. “We’re still throwing a party for Scootaloo, whether she wants one or not.”

“How will we do that?”

“I think I know someone who can help us.”

Sweetie knew whom she was referring to. “Are sure about Pinkie Pie? She hasn’t been herself after what happened. Maybe we should leave this one alone.” Apple Bloom approached Sweetie and placed on hoof on her, and gazed straight into her eyes.

“Scootaloo is our best friend; you know that, right? And it’s our duty as her best friends to give her the best birthday party ever. I can’t stand by and let the date of birth of my best friend pass by like it’s nothing. I’d consider myself a terrible friend if I didn’t do anything. I know Pinkie hasn’t been Pinkie recently, but we need her help to make this happen.”

Sweetie didn’t say a word. After taking a moment to think about what Apple Bloom said, she simply nodded in agreement. As it seems as though some things will never be the same, Scootaloo deserves a birthday party for all the difficult times she’s been through.

---

Pinkie returned to Sugarcube Corner after mailing her letter to the Pies. Before setting off to the mailbox, she read it several times, retouched it, edit, and read again several times again until she thought it was perfect. She didn’t know why she did that. They weren’t going to care for her penmanship. Still, she believed she had to choose the right words. Once a week she will send a letter to them, Pinkie decided. Maybe the Pies will write her back. She predicted that out of everyone at the rock farm, Maud will send a letter, or Limestone. After much thought, her mind was in favor of Limestone. Maud never had too much to say, although she could be wrong.

Of course, there was her father, Igneous Rock. As a child, Pinkie would catch glimpses of him writing or reading whenever he wasn’t doing any chores. She would love to read a letter from him, especially if it was written in the very old-style Equestrian. He was old fashioned to the extreme, but a simple pony nonetheless.

Pinkie wondered if Limestone ever thought about leaving the farm. It was clear she had no intention of venturing to the outside world, but she would have been interested to see how Limestone would manage in Ponyville. It was strange how she was the only one out of the Pies who actually remembers the first party they had together. If Pinkie had known how much that party was important to her, she would have offered Limestone to come with her years ago. It sounded like a great idea: the Pie Sisters having adventures across Equestria, bringing smiles to everypony they meet. Pinkie pictured Limestone among the Elements of Harmony. Even though she wasn’t an element bearer, she would’ve been great friends with all of them. Including Rainbow Dash.

“Someday,” Pinkie muttered.

If she could, Pinkie will take her friends to her old home, have them meet her family. Thinking about it, she might have to bring them one-by-one. Her sisters wouldn’t mind, but having all five of them would have been too much for her parents. They were not used to outsiders visiting the farm. Pinkie imagined the utterly confused look on her friends’ faces when they try to wrap their heads of how she came from a family so deeply old-fashioned while she stuck out like an orange in a pile of apples. That’s something Applejack would say.

She worked the counter with Mr. Cake while Mrs. Cake attended to the foals. The smell of fresh confectionary goods was always pleasing to Pinkie’s senses, like entering a flower shop and your nose caught the scent of roses in bloom. Mr. Cake approached the oven and pulled out a tray of baked muffins, and immediately she was hypnotized by the smell.

“It smells so good,” she said. “Blueberry?”

“Yep. It’s a special order for Derpy Hooves. You know how she loves her muffins. She places an order every morning.”

A half smile formed at the edge of mouth. Derpy Hooves was a regular at Sugarcube Corner. At least once a week she orders a baker’s dozen of muffins, and each week in a different flavor depending on what she was in the mood for. Her favorite memory of her weekly visits to Sugarcube Corner was of her niece, Dinky Hooves. One day, when Derpy was ordering her usual batch of muffins, Dinky sang Do you know the Muffin Mare. It was simpler time.

“She’ll be coming any minute to get these,” Mr. Cake said, placing them inside a white box, then sticking a nametag on the top. “The post office has been keeping her very busy.”

“She works very hard,” Pinkie added.

The bells on the door chimed. Mr. Cake and Pinkie saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle approaching the counter, but Scootaloo wasn’t with them. That’s strange, Pinkie thought. Those three were always together from what she have seen. She greeted them politely and asked for what they wanted. The fillies noticed her pink hair remained straight. They ordered two chocolate donuts, with cream-filling. Sweetie wanted sprinkles on her donut. Pinkie watched as they sat at a table and spoke to each other in low voices. She wanted to ask about Scootaloo. She sent them separate plates with their donuts on them. There was silence between before Pinkie made the first move.

“So, I was wondering… where’s Scootaloo?” she asked carefully.

“She’s around,” Apple Bloom answered. She swiped a napkin and wiped her yellow face clean of chocolate and cream smears. “She’s doing something, I guess.”

“Is she okay?”

“Sure. But Sweetie and I wanted talk to you about something. You don’t mind if we talk, do you? If you’re busy, we can come back later.”

“I don’t mind at all. It seems kind of slow today.” Pinkie joined them at the table. “So did you want to talk about?”

“It’s about Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said.

“Are you having a friendship problem? I think Twilight is the better pony to talk to than me.”

“Our friendship is perfectly fine, but we only need your help,” Apple Bloom said.

“What’s going on?”

“In a couple of days it will Scootaloo’s birthday. She’ll be nine years old this year. Nine. That’s one number away from ten. But for some reason she doesn’t feel like celebrating it. She said it’s too shallow, whatever that means. I don’t know about you, but as her best friend I ain’t gonna let her birthday pass like that. Scootaloo deserves a birthday after all the mess she’s caught up with. But the only thing is… we were wondering if you can help us.”

“... You want me to plan a party?” Pinkie asked.

The fillies nodded. “We can’t do it by ourselves,” Sweetie said. “And, well, you’re the best party planner in Ponyville.”

“I don’t know. It’s been awhile. I’m not sure planning a party is the right thing to do now.”

The fillies looked on gloomily. It wasn’t the answer they wanted to hear. Pinkie tried to explain how she couldn’t plan a party if her heart wasn’t in it. And right now, as her world was slowly crumbling around her, she didn’t know when she’ll ever get back in business. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle silently finished their donuts, then Apple Bloom placed some bits on the table to pay for both. They were almost to the door until Apple Bloom turn toward her.

“Can you at least give it some thought?” she asked politely. “I understand if it doesn’t seem right, but Scootaloo needs this. She needs to know on her birthday that it’s not the end of the world.”

They didn’t say anything. Slowly, Apple Bloom stepped outside, and the door closed. Pinkie watched them off from the window. Mr. Cake approached her side.

“What was that about?” he asked.

“They asked me to plan a birthday party for Scootaloo.”

“And you said no?”

Pinkie glanced at him briefly, then turn back to the window. “I didn’t exactly say no. But I don’t think throwing a party is the right thing to do now.”

“Well… you’d never know. Maybe a birthday party is just the thing we need. A birthday is a celebration of life, and right now is a good time to celebrate those who are still here with us. Come to think about it, I know a certain pony who’d want a birthday party for little Scootaloo.”

Mr. Cake smiled at her when Pinkie glanced at him, then he returned to the back. It was a thought that didn’t occur to her when talking to the fillies. She imagined her right now, standing where she was, floating short inches from the wooden floor, demanding that a birthday party be held for Scootaloo. Pinkie could practically hear her voice, loud and clear as the colors on her mane.

When the sun settled over the horizon Pinkie stepped inside her “office” which was located in the lower part of Sugarcube Corner. It was underneath the basement. She opened a file drawer to look at something important. Pinkie grabbed three folders with tabs that were labelled May, June, July. She looked at the May section, and there was a checkmark next to each name from May 1st to May 20th. Other names remained, but there were no checkmarks. She scanned the June folder and July, and once again there were no checkmarks beside the names. Pinkie scanned other files with other special occasions: weddings, newfoals, retirement, graduations, family reunions. This was supposed to have been a busy summer for her, and a great one. She sighed, and reached for a folder which had the birthdays in August. It didn’t take long to find Scootaloo’s name. She was one of the first few names on the list. Then she thought of something. Pinkie believed she’d seen a name on one of the folders. She swiped the folder labelled July and scanned the names. She found it. Pinkie stayed on it for a long time.

July 24 - Rainbow Dash.

Her birthday had already passed; without notice, without fuss, like she was nothing. There wasn’t so much as a silent gathering at her memorial. Pinkie gazed at the name written in black ink. How could she have let this happen? Her eyes watered and she closed them while tears tried to push their way through. Then her decision was made. She pulled herself up. Scootaloo will have her birthday party, and Pinkie will deliver. It’s what Rainbow Dash would have wanted.

Comments

[mrvash]

[mbpony 512]

Touching. Just truly touching. Mr. Cake was right and the fact that the girls missed Rainbow's own birthday just added more fuel to the fire that is the grief in their lives.

This would be something that Rainbow would request for Pinkie to do. No need to answer.

Maybe it could be the thing to snap the rest of the girls out of their funk.

Please do keep up the good work upon such a great tale as I cannot wait to see what happens next in this story.

[Crimson Dawn]

I actually think Pinkie might be a good surrogate for Rainbow Dash with Scootaloo. I think she would be very supportive of the sort of things Scoots likes to do and they both were very close to Rainbow Dash. Pinkie cannot naturally fly but perhaps that is something in a way they could share where Pinkie helps Scoots fly one way or another.