Chapter 15 - Love and War (Part 3)
Chapter 15 – Love and War Part III
“Pinkie?” Macintosh repeated, squinting confusedly, bringing the wagon to a stop as he eyed the usually talkative mare, her face turned away from his. He looked towards the hedgerow Pinkie’s eyeline was directed at, wondering if she’d been distracted by a wild bird or squirrel. Nothing appeared to be moving and Pinkie’s gaze still eluded him. “Ah say, what’cha lookin’ at, Pinkie?”
Pinkie turned towards him momentarily before clenching her eyes shut with a panicked expression and turning away, shivering and muttering to herself.
Macintosh stood for a while, trying to process the situation. “Pinkie, have Ah upset you somehow?” He unhooked himself from the wagon and made his approach, curiosity getting the better of him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing! Hello Mac! Good day!” Pinkie cried back, still facing the opposite direction.
Macintosh furrowed his brow, about to return to his duties when Applejack cantered out the farmhouse door. “Hey there, Pinkie.”
“Oh, hi Applejack,” Pinkie chirped in her usual cheery voice, bouncing up to the other mare and greeting her with a hug that more resembled a rugby tackle. “Are you ready for a day of fun and excitement!? Did you know the traveling circus is here!?” she beamed.
“Well ‘course,” Applejack replied, chuckling as she pried herself free of Pinkie’s grip. Her eyes rose up. “You okay there, big brother? You’re lookin’ more bamboozled than a hedgehog in a hay maze.”
Normally, Macintosh would’ve brushed his sister’s comment aside and gotten back to the task at hoof, chalking Pinkie’s attitude up to some game that he was unaware of being involved in, but he was tired, dehydrated, and had been genuinely pleased to see a friendly face standing in the pathway as he dragged this month’s harvest of carrots to their destination. Being ignored was a little too much for him that day, and he managed to speak up. “Just that Pinkie’s been awful quiet just now. You okay there, Pinkie?”
“I’m fine! So Applejack, which act d’you wanna watch first? I hear they have a bat that can juggle! Isn’t that amazing!?”
“That’s… somethin’ alright,” Applejack replied, stoking her chin with a hoof. “Pinkie, you’re not ignorin’ Mac, are ya?”
“Yes, I mean no, I mean, shouldn’t we get to the circus right about now? If we’re late they might stop serving the–”
“Pinkie,” Applejack said sternly, planting a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. The mare gasped under the farm pony’s gaze. “You’re bein’ a little rude to Mac, don’t ya think?” She inspected the shivering mare with a discerning eye. “Has somethin’ happened Ah should know about?”
Macintosh shrugged in response, looking back and forth between Pinkie and his sister with a bemused expression.
“Nothing!” Pinkie cried, stretching her mouth in a massive grin. “Nothing at all, my good friend Applejack! I didn’t even look at Big Mac, and I made sure to plan our day out like a good friend should, not like that Rosemary girl, and I knew you needed cheering up, and the circus is in town, and I know you wanted to–”
Applejack placed a hoof over the mare’s mouth, cutting her off. “Did you say…?” She mulled it over, eventually rolling her eyes and emitting a faint chuckle. “Ah see what it is.” She turned to Macintosh. “Go on, now. Ah’ll explain later.”
Macintosh raised an eyebrow, wondering what it was he could’ve missed, but Applejack’s honest smile told him enough and he trudged onwards with his wagon until he was out of earshot of the two mares.
Applejack sighed mirthfully, releasing Pinkie from her grasp. “Ya gone an’ took what Ah said way outta context, didn’t you?”
“About what?”
“Rosemary,” Applejack said, shaking her head and chuckling again.
“Oh yes, I know all about that!” Pinkie jabbered, nodding furiously. “I can’t believe such a mean old mare would do that to you when you considered her your good friend! Such evil! And wickedness! And evil!”
“Pinkie.” Applejack once again shushed her friend. “The reason Ah stopped talkin’ to Rosemary was ‘cause she lied to me. She only pretended to be mah friend ‘cause she was crushin’ on Mac an’ tried usin’ me as a way o’ gettin’ close to him. That much became obvious soon as she started comin’ to visit, an’ she didn’t even wanna talk to me! An’ Mac was gettin’ real uncomfortable around her, started avoidin’ her, an’ even still she kept pesterin’ me at school, pretendin’ to be mah friend. Ah told her to take a hike.”
“Uh-huh, you told me before,” Pinkie replied. “And as your loyal friend and companion, I would never do such things. A friend to the end!” Pinkie placed a hoof on her chest and raised the other in salute.
Applejack laughed, shaking her head. “That don’t mean ya have to ignore him, ya dolt. He’s gonna think he’s upset you.”
“You mean…” Pinkie tapped her chin, deep in thought. “I don’t need to keep myself at a ten-yard distance at all times, avoid making eye contact for more than a second, exchange as few words as equinely possible and pretend he doesn’t exist if there’s no-one around but the two of us?”
“Fer land’s sakes, ‘course not,” Applejack said, giving her friend a jovial slap on the shoulder. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Well, I was really worried because you told me about Rosemary, and I was like, what if Applejack doesn’t want to be my friend anymore because she thinks I’m only in it to be with her brother? And then I got all sad, because you’re such a good friend, and if we stopped being friends I’d just want to bash my head against a tree over and over again for being such a bad, bad pony!”
“Ya darn fruitcake,” Applejack chided. “You’ve known Mac for years! Ya talk to him all the time! It ain’t like Rosemary who only came to see me ‘cause she wanted to crawl all over him.”
“Oh, but I’ve jumped on him before during a game of tag!” Pinkie cried fearfully, raising her hooves as if she was about to be struck. “I’ve even hugged him! Multiple times!”
“Ah know,” Applejack replied flatly. “Ah’ve seen it.”
“And you’re not mad?”
Applejack sighed and rubbed between her eyes. “Ya really think Ah’d stop bein’ friends with you over that? Ah’d rather you be friends with Mac than have to avoid him like the plague! An’ you hug everypony. That’s just who ya are! D’you really think Ah’m stupid enough to have a misunderstandin’ like that?”
Pinkie sniffed. “No.”
“Alright. You’re a good friend, Pinkie Pie. Ya just need to stop worryin’ so much.”
“I’m sorry,” Pinkie said, wiping away a lone tear and smiling once again.
“That’s better. Now let’s head on over to the circus like we planned.”
Pinkie’s spirits returned in a flash and she bounced along the path, thankful to whatever force on Equus had given her such an amazing friend like Applejack. The thought of losing her had been crushing, but now Pinkie knew she had nothing to worry about.
While Rainbow Dash had darted back to Fluttershy’s cottage, Applejack and Pinkie trudged along the dirt paths and sprawling expanse that surrounded Sweet Apple Acres, having not shared a word between them. Despite the glorious sunshine and cloudless sky, the atmosphere felt thick and foggy. The light breeze, distant harmonic chirps of birds and trotting of hooves was like a deafening orchestra, primed to send one of them into fit of rage.
Fluttershy’s trail had proved difficult to follow. Though a few obvious hoof-prints could be seen here and there, the dry, arid grass and dusty dirt roads offered little in the way of help, and the fact that many from the Apple family had left their own tracks threw them off Fluttershy’s path. Even taking to the skies, Rainbow Dash couldn’t make out her form, and for all anyone knew, the mare could’ve flown her way out of the village and escaped to the mountains.
Pinkie and Applejack galloped along at a steady pace. The silence between them seemed to drag on, each mare bottling up a maelstrom of emotions but having no idea how to express them. Applejack grimaced and made the first move. “Ah’m sorry for this, Pinkie.”
Pinkie didn’t reply, merely sighing and checking around for signs of Fluttershy.
Applejack felt a lump in her throat and steeled herself for another attempt. “Ah shouldn’t have gone along with Mac’s stupid plan. Ah knew it was crazy, but…” She looked to Pinkie for sympathy but found none. “Ah could never have expected this.”
Pinkie slowed to a trot, finally turning to face her friend. “What plan?”
“It’s gonna sound stupid,” Applejack replied, her face aflush. “He thought we could set Fluttershy up with Braeburn an’ this whole mess would sort itself out. Ah wasn’t keen on it, but… He can be pretty persuasive when he wants to be. Ah thought the worst that could happen was Fluttershy said ‘no’ an’ we could all just move on. Ah guess that makes me a real lug, right?”
Pinkie gradually slowed until finally coming to a complete stop at the summit of a hill. After gazing across the landscape, she sighed, wiping away some rogue tears that had formed. “No, not really,” she replied sadly. “I made the same mistake, remember? Trying to get Fluttershy and Big Mac together in the first place. I thought I could make them both happy, but all I did was cause this mess.” She clutched at her chest. “I wish everything was simple.”
“Me too, sugarcube,” Applejack replied, putting a hoof on her friend’s shoulder.
“But Mac’s plan… Why Braeburn?”
“Oh, that?” Applejack remarked, scratching the back of her neck bashfully. “Well accordin’ to Mac Ah ran mah mouth a bit after your last party. Not the – you know – but the one Ah last saw ya at. Rainbow Dash was tryin’ to tease me by sayin’ she had the hots for Braeburn an’ got Fluttershy involved. Thing is, Fluttershy turned fifty shades o’ scarlet soon as Rainbow brought up that time we all visited Appleoosa. Seems Ah wasn’t the only one to notice her wings’d shot up like flagpoles way back then. Ah don’t remember it but Ah must’ve said a bunch o’ that stuff to Mac on the way home. He said he heard it in a dream or some such, got it into his head that Fluttershy would just fall for Braeburn an’ everythin’ would sort itself out. Darn fool.”
Pinkie inhaled and exhaled deeply. “And I was supposed to see it happen so I’d jump into Mac’s hooves, or at least have some kind of leverage over Fluttershy so she’d let me do it.”
“Pretty much sums it up.”
“And Rainbow Dash helped because–”
“Cider,” Applejack finished. “A whole big barrel of it. Now don’t look at me for that one, ‘cause Mac already did the deal before Ah had any say.”
Pinkie smiled mirthfully and broke out into a chuckle. “It’s all so ridiculous.”
“Yeah.” Applejack let out a small laugh of her own. “Ain’t that true.”
There was a brief moment of well needed, comfortable silence. “Well,” Pinkie began, pulling herself onto her hooves. “We’d better get going. I hope Fluttershy’s okay.”
“Wait, just a second,” Applejack called, biting her lip. “Ah need to ask ya somethin’. Ah have a pretty good idea what’s been goin’ on, but… Ah need to know. D’you feel the same way? For Mac, Ah mean.”
Pinkie looked over her shoulder, gazing pensively, the wind swaying her mane across her eyes. “Does that really matter?”
“Pinkie.” Applejack exhaled. “It matters. Ya did all that for Fluttershy an’ yet… How long has it been?”
“Since what?”
Applejack gulped away an imaginary stone. “Since ya felt that way about him.” She stepped a little closer, feeling a sudden chill in the pit of her stomach. “Has it… Can it really have been ever since–”
“We should go,” Pinkie said abruptly, trotting away. “Fluttershy needs us.”
“Yeah.” Applejack licked absentmindedly at her lips, trying desperately to quell her frail, unsteady heart and quivering chest. Blinking hard a few times, she returned to searching for her friend.
“You’d better run on home soon,” the pegasus stallion called out, taking a quick moment to gesture to his colleagues. “It’s gonna be a big one. You’ll be soaked through if you’re not careful!”
“I’ll be okay!” Pinkie chimed back, peering up at the mass of greyish clouds that the weather team were collating across the skyline. She knew she had ample time to make it back to Sugarcube Corner, and being in the rain wasn’t all that bad, actually making for a most satisfying hot bath upon her return.
Trotting cheerily around the outskirts of Ponyville, Pinkie skimmed past the rolling hills and crop patches beside Sweet Apple Acres. It was always a visually pleasing trail, different sizes, shapes and colors of trees and sprouting shrubs that changed and shifted over the months, a veritable diorama over time that Pinkie had grown to appreciate.
On the cusp of turning a corner towards the town proper, Pinkie spotted something unusual close to the horizon. A large metal plough shone in the descending sun, barely moving an inch. A lone red stallion busied himself around it. Rather than deftly pulling it through the ground, churning up the grass and dirt, he pawed at the ground in an odd fashion. Pinkie’s curiosity was piqued.
Trudging over the fields – making sure not to stamp out any budding crops – Pinkie approached Macintosh, who was digging into the ground with his hooves in a panic, his coat stained with soil. “Hey there!” Pinkie greeted, the stallion jumping with a start at Pinkie’s sudden voice. “What’cha doing?”
Taking a moment to steady himself after a mini heart attack, Macintosh dusted himself off. “Tryin’ to get the plough through but there’s a whole pile o’ rocks.” He gestured towards some weighty stones caught against the plough’s vast blade. “Ah thought it was all cleared out but now Ah’m stuck.”
“Looks like you’re in a jam! But have no fear, Pinkie is here!” Pinkie leapt into the dirt and began whirring her hooves like a windmill, soil cascading behind her like a fountain. “I know a bit about rocks, too. Like, did you know, bigger rocks tend to be much heavier? Look at this one! It’s huge!”
“We can roll it out the way over here,” Macintosh instructed. “So long’s Ah can get the plough down the line ain’t no worry.”
“Aye-aye, Captain plough!” Pinkie cheered with a quick salute.
A few minutes of work later and the pair had managed to shift the offending rocks out of the way. Macintosh wiped the sweat from his brow, a motion that Pinkie copied in unison. “Thanks a bunch, Pinkie,” the stallion said. “Ya didn’t need to go an’ get yourself dirty just for me.”
“Heh-heh.” Pinkie rubbed the back of her neck, blushing slightly. “I’m just happy to help! I didn’t want to see you struggling, especially since it’s just about to–” The heavens above emptied themselves, drenching the two ponies almost immediately in a heavy shower. “–rain.”
“Ah, darn,” Macintosh said. “Let’s get outta the rain; there’s a shack just up here.”
Pinkie knew she could get back to the Cakes soon enough, and with a hot bath waiting for her, mug of cocoa, and the fact the rain would probably last for an hour or so, it made plenty of sense to shrug off the invitation and say goodbye. But curiosity – or something else – made her do otherwise. “Uh, okay!”
The shack was only a thirty second walk away, and quickly the sensation of cold droplets crashing down onto Pinkie’s coat and mane was replaced by the soothing pitter-patter against the wooden roof, and the crunch of hay scattered across the stone slabs beneath her hooves. The two ponies sat two yards apart, watching the landscape get drenched through the doorway.
“Wow, it’s really coming down, isn’t it?” Pinkie remarked, gazing over Sweet Apple Acres as the view grew hazy under the blanket of water. “I suppose that’s good for you though, right? It means your apple trees will grow and grow to the size of a castle!”
Macintosh chuckled. “Somethin’ like that.”
Pinkie nodded contently, imagining vines and branches sprouting from the ground and forming luscious fields of bright green grass and enormous trees bearing brightly colored apples that glistened in the sun. Like something from a fairytale. Minutes carried on until Pinkie remembered something important. “So, um… it’s your last year at school, isn’t it?”
Macintosh nodded. “Eeyup.”
“Wow! Time sure does fly by, doesn’t it!? Only a couple weeks away! What’re you gonna do once it’s over? Take over half the land and start your own rival farm called Mac’s Mean Green Apples, and go to war against Applejack?”
“Don’t know. Ah might be movin’ away.”
“O-oh,” Pinkie remarked, feeling a slight twinge in her chest. “That sounds exciting! Where will you be going?”
“Appleoosa, maybe.” Macintosh shrugged. “Or Manehattan. Not sure yet.”
“A-ha! Traveling the world, are we? In search of bigger and brighter things? That sounds so awesome! You know, I moved away from my hometown too, and I was really nervous at first, but I came to Ponyville and met Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and got to bake muffins and eclairs and peach and apricot pies, and it was great! Maybe the same thing will happen to you?”
“Eeyup,” Macintosh said quietly, smiling to himself.
“But you better promise to come back and visit, okay? I’ll really miss you!”
“You will?” Macintosh asked curiously.
Pinkie gulped, pulling an even bigger smile. “Of course! I miss all my friends from far and wide! But I know no matter how far apart we get, we’re still connected, and that’s what really matters.”
Macintosh smiled back before returning his gaze to the downpour. “It might not happen, anyway. If it’s just Applejack an’ Granny runnin’ the farm, might run into some problems. Applebloom still needs carin’ for, o’course.”
“Ooh! But I can help!” Pinkie chirped excitedly. “And I can persuade all the other ponies to help too! Whatever the task, all you need to do is ask.”
“Mm.”
The conversation ended there, nothing but the rainfall and their own breathing to break the silence. Pinkie scratched absentmindedly at her hooves, scraping away flecks of dirt, before ruffling her coat and twisting her tail to rid it of moisture. It was peaceful. Serene. Letting herself relax, Pinkie’s shoulders slumped a little. Thoughts of a scorching bath to cleanse her soul faded – merely living in this moment was refreshing in its own right. She felt content. Sated. Almost as if she wanted the rain to carry on for an eternity. She shook slightly, pulling her forelegs closer to her body.
“You cold?” Macintosh asked.
“No, I’m fine.”
“You’re shiverin’.”
“No, I’m really not,” Pinkie retorted. “I’m fine, honest.”
Macintosh rose to his hooves and approached. Pinkie clenched her eyes shut as she heard his slow movement towards her – slow, deliberate hoof-steps to her side, closing in. Her heart leapt into her throat as she envisioned the stallion wrapping his hooves around her, pulling her close, running a hoof along her spine and warming her body and spirit. His hoof-steps reached behind her. Pinkie held her breath, steeling herself for his embrace, clenching her teeth as her mind raced with thoughts of right and wrong, Mac’s plans to leave, the haunting beauty of the raindrops against the backdrop of rolling hills, the burning in her chest…
Macintosh passed her by, reaching the edge of the shack and rooting around an assortment of boxes and tools. Finishing up, he brought forth a large piece of cloth made from sack. Flicking it like a whip to remove dust and hay, he made his return, draping the coarse fabric over Pinkie’s shoulders like a blanket. “There.”
Pinkie jolted as the cloth enveloped her, instinctively drawing it close and pulling her forelegs around herself. “Uh-um, th-thanks,” she stammered.
“Don’t mention it.”
Time passed on and the clouds performed their duty, fading into a light drizzle before stopping entirely, the sounds of nature returning to its usual symphony of distant chirps and buzzes from the local fauna. Unwrapping herself and stepping outside, the pair said their goodbyes.
“Let me know where you end up travelling to!” Pinkie hollered. “I’ll look after Applejack while you’re gone, not to worry! Maybe I’ll see you around school!”
The two waved to each other and went their separate ways. Pinkie enjoyed her hot bath in the end, and went to sleep soon after, holding her pillow close as she drifted off to the land of nod.
Braeburn cocked his head. “What d’you understand?”
Fluttershy took a long, deep breath, trying to force a smile, but failing. She felt light-headed, and yet entirely focused, more so than she’d ever been before. The swirling mess of thoughts that plagued her finally began fitting themselves into a neatly ordered puzzle, painting a picture that Fluttershy couldn’t bear to see, but also couldn’t deny. Without even realizing it, her plight began to pour out of her with untold vigor.
“This is the first I’ve told anyone about it but… for the past few months I’ve been feeling an intense longing. I was doing the same as I always did, caring for my animals, spending time with friends, living life like I always did. I was happy before. I had my place in the world and that was that. But then out of nowhere I started feeling something else. I was lonely. I was afraid. I saw my life flashing before my eyes with nothing to show for it. But more than that, I wanted someone who could be there for me, not just as a friend, but as a true companion.
“I spent hours on end lost in my own imagination, dreaming up fantastical scenarios. I saw this other life, one I was missing out on, but one that others around me had managed to find. I thought of coming back to my cottage after a busy day to find a loving stallion poking at the fire, smiling at me, welcoming me into my – no, our – home. Then we’d embrace, share a kiss, eat dinner together, then fall asleep in each other’s hooves. But that was all make-believe. I’d wake up back in the real world and feel pathetic, worthless.
“The yearning I felt grew more intense by the day. Couples I’d seen around Ponyville a hundred times suddenly made me feel oppressed and distant any time they showed the tiniest modicum of affection. A brush through the mane, a hoof on their shoulder, a peck on the cheek… It all fell into the pit of my stomach. I should’ve felt happy to be surrounded by such love and compassion, but I didn’t. I wasn’t me.
“It was as if there was a pane of glass that stretched from horizon to horizon, and infinitely up into the sky, unbreakable and impossible to fly around. I stood on one side, and on the other was everyone else in the world. They could all mingle amongst themselves, find one another and form relationships with relative ease. I could talk to them, make friends with them, laugh with them, but I’d always be on my side of the of the glass, never less than an inch away, unable to touch or feel, left alone to my world with my things.
“Then everything changed. I was at one of Pinkie’s parties, my anxiety growing as my friends started talking about relationships and love-life. I felt so out of place, being surrounded by so many who cared about me but still feeling all alone. I ran from the party and… he was there. I stumbled right into him, and everything clicked. All those daydreams about faceless, colorless, imaginary stallions were replaced by Big Mac. Memories I had that seemed entirely benign grew into stepping-stones for my feelings for him. The smallest of greetings, the tiniest of exchanges… I began to think of all the good he had done, every act of strength and kindness spilling over into my fantasies. He had made them whole.
“Of course, I didn’t think there was any chance, but Pinkie… She did everything she could to make it work. She instilled me with hope. The pane of endless glass was starting to fall. I could feel myself reaching out to the other side, Big Mac calling out to me, ready to welcome me into the rest of our lives. When we finally met again, with all the support from my friends, I felt so happy. We danced together, my body against his, and I truly thought that was it. But when the spell broke, I broke with it.
“It hurt. It still hurts. I still think about him, wishing for the life I’d told myself was just around the corner. Then I found out Pinkie had feelings for him too, and I thought we were the same. But Pinkie, she…” Fluttershy took several deep breaths before continuing. “Not only had she done all that for me, but she threw away her chance to be with him so I wouldn’t fall even deeper into despair. We grew a lot closer through that, and I truly believed it was all for the best. But now…” A tear trickled down Fluttershy’s cheek. “I wonder what would’ve happened if it hadn’t been Mac. What if it had been anyone else? What if it had been you?”
“Me?” Braeburn said confusedly. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Fluttershy smiled sadly. “I kept thinking about it. What if, on that night, after running out from the party, I had crashed into someone else? Would I have been struck with the same feelings? Would the blank slate that made up my daydreams have been taken over by that one stallion? Would I have trawled over scant memories finding all I could to rebuild my fantasy?” Fluttershy paused, rubbing at her eyes. “I tried to deny it, but if I’m truly honest with myself, I think it would’ve been the same. If, for example, you had showed up at that same time, I think those feelings would’ve been piled onto you instead. I was in love with a dream, with a future I so desperately craved, and all that dream needed was someone to play the starring role. It just so happened to be Mac.
“But Pinkie? It’s completely different for her. She never spent her days pining for marriage and foals. She was happy to just be around others who were happy, not writhing in envy because they had things she didn’t. She had feelings for Mac. Strong feelings. She did her best to hide them from the world, not thinking for a moment that the two of them could’ve had a chance. She did everything she could to make me happy, seeing a chance for my dream to come true. But if I hadn’t bumped into Mac on the way home, and Pinkie had made a move, none of this would’ve happened.”
Fluttershy wiped at her leaking eyes, trembling as the realization careened through one edge of her heart and out the other side. “I wish I could go back. I wish I could stop feeling the way I do. But there’s no way back, and now I’m stuck here…” Fluttershy clutched at her chest, taking deep, labored breaths. “I’m so pathetic.”
Braeburn furrowed his brow, gazing over the troubled mare pensively, his own heart quivering at this revelation. Sighing deeply, he sat down next to her, resting his back against the tree. “I don’t understand what you’re goin’ through. I’m not sure I can even relate. But from what you’ve told me, I’d never think for a second that you’re pathetic.”
“You’re just saying that,” Fluttershy croaked.
“No, I mean what I say,” Braeburn said sternly. “I’ve met pathetic mares, believe me. You’re nothin’ like them. Your biggest crime here is bein’ equine, nothin’ more. An’ more than that, you’ve admitted all this to yourself all on your own. You didn’t need someone tellin’ you what to do to come to that cold, hard truth. I don’t think even I would figure that out for myself, not for a long, long time.”
Fluttershy sat for a moment in silence. “Thank you. I’m glad that I’ve finally done something right. But it doesn’t matter anyway. I can’t solve this.”
“Solve? What do you mean?”
“Where can I even go from here? Even if I lay it bare and realize how stupid it is, I still have feelings for Mac, and I can’t just wish those away. And Pinkie… She chose not to be with Mac because she thought it was the right thing to do, and I thought maybe it was. I could be standing in the way of their happiness, and that hurts, but thinking of them both together hurts too. But then if Pinkie shared his feelings, it would’ve hurt her to pair me with him, and she still gave him up.”
“Would you let them be together?” Braeburn asked.
“I have no reason to stop her. Big Mac chose her, not me, and my feelings for him are just…” Fluttershy sighed, closing her eyes in an attempt at meditation. “Pinkie won’t do it though. I told her once before, let her know she had every right to pursue him, and she talked herself out of it, not wanting to ruin our friendship. And I just let it happen because it was easier for me. I could accept them being together, but I know Pinkie. She won’t change her mind just because I ask nicely. And… I don’t know what to do.”
Braeburn pondered on this for a moment, wiping at his brow. “What if you already had a stallion of your own? Surely she couldn’t talk herself out of it.”
“I suppose.”
“Then how about we let that happen?” Braeburn’s expression grew somber. “I’m sick and tired of bein’ hounded by my family. I’m sick and tired of havin’ all these expectations on me, bein’ paired up with mares I’m supposed to fall over myself to be with, but endin’ up by myself again and facin’ the same judgmental stares. What if we go on a date?”
“You’re saying we fake a relationship?” Fluttershy muttered, shaking her head disapprovingly. “That’s not a solution, that’s a problem, and Pinkie wouldn’t fall for something like that anyway.”
Braeburn’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching slightly. “Pardon my rudeness, Miss Fluttershy, you may be very kind but you’re also a tad naïve.”
Fluttershy’s eyes jumped open, shocked to hear such an accusation. “N-naïve? How?”
“It’s not about faking it.” Braeburn stared intently for a few seconds. “You and I may hardly know each other, and there’s no way we could suddenly sprout feelin’s for each other just to solve some grand problem, but Fluttershy, what do you actually think a date is?”
Fluttershy’s mouth opened but no response came. She had no idea what answer to give.
“Look, I’ll be honest with you. When I first showed up to this reunion and got told, once again, I was bein’ paired up with someone, I was dreading it. And when we met on the dancefloor, all I was doing was what others told and expected of me. I wasn’t bein’ myself, and I just wanted it to end. But talking to you here, I feel like I’ve learned a lot. I can tell that you’re a kind mare, and you’ve been put into a real tough situation.
“We don’t need to jump into each other’s hooves and profess our undyin’ love. What if we were to spend a day together, just for the sake of it? A date don’t have to mean anythin’ else, Fluttershy. I’ve been on dates, so many, and there’s this horrible pressure to do the right thing, make a good impression, follow the rules so that I’m a perfect gentleman who also has to flirt just the right amount to some standard set by someone else. What if there was none of that, and we just talked and did somethin’ fun?”
“I… I don’t know,” Fluttershy said, her face downcast. “It sounds like you’re just pretending.”
“If you don’t want my company, that’s fine,” Braeburn replied. “You can forget I ever said anythin’, and I won’t take offence. But after what I’ve done, and how much this has hurt you, I feel like I owe you somethin’. I could see you weren’t enjoyin’ yourself at the dance but I kept goin’, playin’ up the act. I was pretendin’ then, but not now.
“I’m not askin’ ‘cause I think there’s some fairytale in store for us, and I’m not tryin’ to make a move on you so I can wear you like a badge of pride.” Braeburn shook his head, exhaling sharply. “I rarely have a chance to be honest like this with anyone. I feel like we shared a lot, and I feel better for it. Maybe nothin’ will come of it and we’ll just decide to stay friends. Maybe even that won’t happen. Maybe we’ll realize we just don’t get along, then part ways and never speak again. But at least–”
“At least we’ll be doing something,” Fluttershy finished.
The wind picked up, sending a breeze rolling past them, rustling the leaves on the surrounding trees and disturbing thin layers of dust that blew up into miniature clouds floating just above the ground. A lone squirrel scampered up ahead, grabbing onto a small berry and fleeing. The world was quiet and hazy, washing over Fluttershy like an airborne relaxant, lulling her into a drowsy stupor. Her left wing throbbed, but that barely even registered. Fluttershy felt clean, detoxified, as if a heavenly force had pulsed through her body, leaving her weightless and floating. The anger and sorrow she’d felt were still present, but had dissipated – dissolved, almost – into her psyche. The fibrous bark of the tree she was leaning against seemed all the comfier.
“That’s what normal ponies do, isn’t it?” Fluttershy mused after the long pause between them. “I guess I never really saw it that way. It’s not romantic or heart-warming. If I’m honest, I looked down on others who would do such things, thinking they were shallow or promiscuous. As if I had any say in how relationships are supposed to work, having never been in one myself.” Fluttershy smiled sadly. “And I spent all that time expecting a fairytale. You’re right. I am naïve.”
“Maybe so,” Braeburn said, “but you’re more than willin’ to be a better pony. Everythin’ we’ve discussed so far has led me to believe that. You should be proud of yourself.”
Fluttershy smiled and raised an eyebrow. “With flattery like that, are you really sure you’re not just coming onto me?”
Braeburn chuckled. “Hey, you’re the one who said you could’ve fallen for me.”
Fluttershy emitted a faint giggle. “Yeah. I suppose I did say that.” She sighed, raising to her hooves and stepping beyond the shade of the tree into the crisp, afternoon sun. “You know, I used to think there was no rhyme or reason for bad things to happen, but maybe something like this was simply meant to be.” She took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“I’ve figured out what I have to do next.” Fluttershy began walking back up the path. “Perhaps you could join me? I’ll need your help.”
“Ah feel like we’ve been goin’ in circles,” Applejack muttered, momentarily removing her Stetson and wiping sweat from her brow. “Ain’t there a chance she’s gone to your place?”
Pinkie nodded concernedly. “But if Fluttershy went looking for me, the Cakes wouldn’t know where I am and neither would Twilight or Rarity. If I were in her position, I know what I’d assume.”
Applejack gulped worriedly. “Shoot, Ah hope she don’t do somethin’ silly like leave Ponyville. What a royal mess Ah’ve made.”
The thought of Fluttershy wallowing in utter despair flashed through Pinkie’s mind but she shook it away. “Rainbow Dash is helping us too,” she said determinedly. “She already knows the best places to look. We should have faith in her.”
“Havin’ faith in friends,” Applejack mused, her eyes downcast. “An’ Ah don’t even deserve that mahself.”
“Applejack, just stop,” Pinkie said with a hint of irritation. “Feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to help us find Fluttershy.”
“Hey! You guys!”
Pinkie and Applejack turned around at the call, an exasperated Rainbow Dash dexterously swooping in for a landing.
“Rainbow!” Applejack exclaimed. “Did ya find her? Is everythin’ okay!?”
“Everything–” Deep breath. “All–” Deep breath. “Fine–” A bout of desperate panting. Rainbow rose and cleared her throat. “Fluttershy’s over this way,” she said, pointing south-east. “You two went off in completely the wrong direction. Lucky I spotted her from way up there.”
“So Fluttershy’s okay!?” Applejack cried, shaking Rainbow Dash by the shoulders.
“Calm down! Sheesh!” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, pushing Applejack away. “You can stop your panicking, alright? I spoke to Fluttershy not two minutes ago.”
“Really?” Pinkie asked.
“Yeah, she’s doing pretty great, actually.” Rainbow Dash blushed a little, scratching absentmindedly at her left foreleg. “She… said she wants to talk to you both. Come on, we’d better get going.”
Pinkie and Applejack shared a confused glance before chasing after the cyan pegasus, galloping through fields and orchards. The dark, heavy atmosphere should have dissipated at Rainbow Dash’s news, but Pinkie still felt a weight on her heart, a lingering dread that no matter how hard she and her friends would run from it, there was a breakdown ready to occur behind every corner, that no matter how hard they might try, things would never be the same again.
“Look, there they are,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.
The moment Fluttershy came into view – waiting expectantly, a smile on her face – Pinkie felt a sudden burst of emotion. Barreling along like a freight train, she leapt onto her friend, wrapping her forelegs around her neck, a line of tears down each cheek, spouting a string of comforting words as Fluttershy brushed a caring hoof through Pinkie’s mane.
“Pinkie,” Fluttershy whispered. “You can let go of me now.”
Pinkie tentatively obliged, surprised by Fluttershy’s straight-forward demeanor. “O-okay.”
“Look, sugarcube,” Applejack began, rubbing the back of her neck guiltily. “Ah’m so sorry for gettin’ you involved in all this. Ah should’ve realized you were hurtin’, an’ Ah went an’–”
“Shh,” Fluttershy hushed, shaking her head. “You don’t need to say any more. I forgive you.”
“Well,” Applejack replied bashfully, planting a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Ah’m just glad you’re okay. Coaxin’ ya along, tryin’ to pair you up with Braeburn, all ‘cause of Mac’s crazy scheme… Please, let me make it up to ya somehow.”
“Oh, there’s no need for that,” Fluttershy replied. “I actually have some news I’d like to share with you all.” She took a deep breath. “As of right now, I’m dating Braeburn.” The three other mares’ jaws dropped in unison, Rainbow Dash spluttering a question that failed to escape her lips while Pinkie cried out in shock. Braeburn himself even looked taken aback by the statement.
“Wait, hold on!” Applejack balked. “Lemme get this straight – Mac’s hair-brained scheme actually worked!?”
“Not exactly,” Fluttershy said, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I wouldn’t have made the decision if Braeburn hadn’t convinced me.”
“You maniac!” Rainbow Dash screamed, storming up to Braeburn and holding a hoof to his neck. “You’re telling me you managed to charm the flank off her just like that!? If you used a love potion, I’ll rip your tail clean off and force it down your throat!”
Pinkie slammed a hoof down angrily. “Yeah! I’m not buying it! Is this some stunt you’re trying to pull!?”
“It… it’s not what y’all think,” Braeburn said anxiously, instinctively pulling his neck inwards. “Fluttershy, I don’t think you’re doin’ a great, erm, job of explainin’ the situation.”
“All of you, back off,” Fluttershy said sternly. “How dare you accuse Braeburn of such terrible things?”
“Because it doesn’t make sense!” Pinkie cried, marching towards them. “Fluttershy, I’ve seen better than anyone else here what you’ve been going through because of Big Mac, and I know for a fact you wouldn’t be able to just forget all that and jump into bed with the first stallion who comes along!”
“What bed!?” Braeburn exclaimed, looking as if a hoard of muggers were about to bludgeon him into a pulp. “Y-you’ve got it all wrong!”
“You hear that!?” Rainbow Dash cried, her teeth bared. “What bed? He’d rather just pin her against an apple tree and… Well, that actually sounds kind of…” She shook her head vigorously. “I mean… you’re a monster!”
“I told you both to stop it!” Fluttershy demanded. “You’re making this out to be something it’s not! Braeburn offered to take me out on a date and I complied of my own free will. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Yes!” Pinkie exclaimed, putting her hooves on Fluttershy’s shoulders. Pinkie took a deep breath and clenched her eyes shut for a moment. She knew that no matter what, even if Fluttershy was going to be upset, or even furious with her, the right thing had to be done. That’s was what friends were for. “Fluttershy, you’re confused right now. You’re dealing with all this stress, and you think maybe you can just forget about Mac by replacing him with someone else.” Be strong, Pinkie. Tell her what she needs to hear, no matter how much she doesn’t want to hear it. This is the right thing to do. “You need some more time out to think about all this. You’ve never even been in a relationship and now you’re rushing into one. That’s not normal, and it’s not who you are. Come on, let’s go back into town. I’ll… get you a bottle of that wine you like.” Pinkie put on her best smile. “What do you say?”
Fluttershy stayed silent for a moment, her lips pulled in tightly, eyes slightly glazed over. She sighed, casting her gaze aside. “Pinkie, I know you’re trying to do the right thing right now, but the truth is, you’re not.”
The world stopped. Pinkie’s heart caught in her throat. “But I…”
Fluttershy slowly brought Pinkie’s hooves to the ground. “I’ve not gone crazy, Pinkie. In fact, I… I think I’m seeing things clearer than I ever have before. I didn’t come to this decision out of desperation, and I’ve not deluded myself into thinking I no longer have feelings for Mac. I still think about him, and no doubt I’ll still think about him from time to time.”
Pinkie shook her head. “Then don’t do it.”
“Don’t do what?” Fluttershy asked. “Carry on with my life?”
“No,” Pinkie muttered, everything she expected and knew falling apart like a house of cards. “That’s not the same, and you know it!”
“Pinkie, how is it any different from what you tried to do for me? You saw me share a single moment with Mac, one that he barely even registered, and decided you had to bring us together.”
“Th-that was different,” Pinkie sniffed. “You weren’t going through all this emotional stuff, and–”
“Yes I was,” Fluttershy interrupted with. Her eyes grew wide and sorrowful, but a smile appeared on her face. “But thanks to you, and thanks to everything that’s happened, I’ve finally come to terms with it. I need to overcome these hurdles myself, and I’m going to make the decisions I think are for the best.”
Pinkie was almost speechless. However, one question burned in her mind. “Don’t tell me, you had feelings for Braeburn too?”
“No,” Fluttershy said simply. “Can’t say I ever have, or even now, for that matter. But he’s been kind to me today, and I think we’ve come to an understanding. Plus, he knows all about what happened with Mac, so I have nothing to hide or feel awkward about. It could work out.”
“If I may,” Braeburn cut in with, having managed to pull himself away from a perplexed, but still visibly irate Rainbow Dash. “We’re not tryin’ to force anythin’, here. We’ll spend the day together and see what happens.”
“You say that,” Pinkie said, remaining indignant, refusing to back down, “but it sounds like a setup. You live in Appleoosa! That’s hours and hours away!”
“About that,” Braeburn said, chuckling. “I was already plannin’ on hepin’ my cousins here in Ponyville for a while. I’m not exactly tied down, and makin’ a train ride or two ain’t nothin’ at all.”
“Excuses!” Pinkie chided, pointing an accusatory hoof, a wry smile on her face. Her inner detective was springing forth, ready to bust the case wide open! “You could just be saying that! And what a coincidence it is that you just so happen to have a chance to stay when Big Mac makes his plans. What are you gonna tell your family, huh?”
“Well that’s the thing,” Braeburn replied with a shrug. “My family’s been on my case not findin’ a mare at my age for over a year, now. If I tell them I have a date planned, shoot, they’d tell me not to come back.”
“A very clever ploy!” Pinkie exclaimed smugly. “But I can see the puzzle pieces fitting together! This is all just a conspiracy to set me up with Mac, isn’t it? Some rather excellent acting on all of your parts,” Pinkie continued, gesturing to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, “but I’ve found you out! So let’s all go back to the way things were. Show’s over, everypony!”
“Pinkie,” Applejack said in a hushed voice. “You can stop now.”
“Stop what?”
“Ain’t none of us been in on anythin’. You’re overreactin’ right now, an’ Ah think we should respect what Fluttershy an’ Braeburn just said.”
“Oh?” Pinkie remarked with a mock gasp. “What a surprising thing to hear you say, dear Applejack! I know you wouldn’t purposely try hooking up your friends with you family members, am I right?” Pinkie began jovially nudging Applejack’s ribs. “Not to worry! Say, Rainbow Dash, how’s about sharing some of that cider you got?”
“Pinks,” Rainbow Dash said, looking on morosely. “Are… you okay? Is this a joke, or something?”
“J-joke? Oh no, I’d really like s-some of that, um…” Pinkie struggled to force the words out. “Cider! Th-that’s it!” Everyone was staring at her. “B-because…” They weren’t laughing. They weren’t even smiling anymore. “Y-you know, we c-could all have a picnic!” Even in this open space, grass under hoof, surrounded by glistening trees, the walls were closing in. “I just thought…” She knew it wasn’t true. Deep down, she knew it was all make-believe. “Maybe…” Her friends wouldn’t lie to her, not like this. “It just…” And now she was the center of attention, the fool in the king’s court. “…” Just trying to do the right thing.
“Pinkie,” Applejack said worriedly, reaching to place a hoof on her back, but refraining in the last second. “Why aren’t ya acceptin’ this?”
Pinkie didn’t respond. She didn’t know how.
“Look,” Applejack continued. “Ya might be right in a sense with what ya said. Truth be told, Ah can’t say Ah relish the thought of mah friends hookin’ up with close family members. Ah struggled to accept this back when Mac was goin’ to that party, an’ Ah wasn’t keen on pullin’ this whole stunt off. But that… is somethin’ Ah know Ah have to deal with on a personal level, because Ah also know it’d be wrong to get in the way an’ stop y’all from doin’ what is well within your right. If Ah feel weird about it, then, well, that’s mah own problem.”
“Not to mention,” Rainbow Dash cut in with, approaching Pinkie, “what you said doesn’t make any sense, Pinks. You knew Applejack was in on this whole thing, and if there was actually some problem with it, you’re the one who tried hooking Fluttershy up with Big Mac in the first place. So… I don’t get it. Am I missing something?”
“B-but…” Pinkie stammered, her heart pounding like a drum. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. “Fluttershy’s only doing this as an excuse for me to be with Big Mac.”
Fluttershy frowned, not with anger, but with disappointment. “Pinkie, it’s true that I’d like you to be happy, and if getting between you and Mac is going to prevent that, it’s only right of me to step aside. Like Applejack said, it hurts, but it’s my problem that I need to deal with. More to the point, I’m not just doing this for you, but for myself. Is… that really so hard for you to believe?”
“Wow,” Rainbow Dash remarked, raising her eyebrows. “This is getting pretty heavy. But Pinks, I think what they’re saying is, you can date Mac now if you want.” She snorted mirthfully. “Fluttershy won’t exactly have grounds for complaint if she’s just bagged Braeburn, can she? Why not–”
“No.”
Everyone was shocked into silence. Applejack was the first to speak. “Sugarcube? Ah… Ah don’t understand.”
“I said no.”
“Pinkie?” Fluttershy said, shaking her head in confusion. “How can you say that? I know you have feelings for him. We all know it, and he’s tried everything to be with you. Why would you give up on that?”
“Because!” Pinkie yelled, tears appearing at the edge of her eyes. “That’s what I’m supposed to do! I’m here for all of you, to help my friends, to make them smile! We had such a good thing going, Fluttershy. No worries, no drama, everything was getting better. We’ve gotten even closer! I was finally making it up to you after ruining it all at the party!”
“And you’ve been great,” Fluttershy replied, forcing an uncertain smile. “But I don’t see what your point is.”
“Look what can happen!” Pinkie cried, flinging her hooves up as if gesturing to the world itself. “Everyone getting upset, nopony knowing what to do. How many tears has all this caused!? But I can fix that! I already had it fixed before, and I won’t let it happen again!”
“Sugarcube,” Applejack whispered. “What are ya afraid of?”
“What am I afraid of!?” Pinkie exclaimed. “Isn’t it obvious!? What happens if Mac and I don’t get along!? What if we split up!? That means all this fuss and all this hurt was for nothing! How could I look Fluttershy in the eye after dating the stallion she wants to be with, only to say ‘nah, didn’t work out. Waste of time, oh and now we’re not speaking to each other again.’ And Applejack! What if things go really wrong!? What if we end up getting a divorce and it tears your family apart!? What if we can’t be friends anymore!? No more smiles, no more laughter… How could I let any of that happen!?” Pinkie’s breathing grew sharp and rapid. Tears streamed down her face. “Why do you think I never made my move when I had the chance!? Because I didn’t like him? Every single day, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I wanted to be with him more than you could ever know, but I didn’t let it happen! I held back, for my friends! So none of those horrible things could ever come to be! So I wouldn’t hurt anypony! Now can we all go back to the way things were, have a round of cupcakes and just forget I ever said anything!?” Pinkie descended into a myriad of sobs, wiping over her eyes with a foreleg and coughing weakly. She had said it. She had finally said it. What she feared more than ever. What she couldn’t bear to let happen. I’m doing the right thing…
As Pinkie continued to cry, her chest contracting and expanding with an almost searing pain, she felt a warmth envelop her. Then, a slight matting of her coat, just above her nape. She began to hear soft whimpers aside from her own. Slowly, after several deliberate blinks, the blur of the world grew solid again through her bloodshot eyes, and she could see the truth for herself.
“Ya darn fruitcake,” Applejack blubbered, resting her forehead against Pinkie’s own. “That ain’t how it goes, sugarcube.”
“Pinks,” Rainbow Dash muttered, wiping at her eyes as she griped Pinkie’s midsection. “You can’t do that to yourself. I won’t let it happen.”
Fluttershy nuzzled her nose against Pinkie’s cheek. Though all were tearful, she was the only one who wore a genuine smile. “I’m so happy you were honest with us. Now we can finally help you.”
Pinkie chuckled awkwardly, letting her body completely relax against the other mares. “Look at this awful mess I’ve made. I made my friends cry.”
And then came another torrent of tears, more ferocious than the last, and the four friends wept together in a loving embrace as the sun dipped behind the tress, basking them in a soft glow.
Three Weeks Later
“Oh, and there’s this one!” Twilight exclaimed, flipping to another page in the scrapbook. “This is me and Octavia at the entrance to the Griffstonian museum.” She turned to the next page. “And this is me and Octavia buying the tickets to get inside.” Another turn of the page. “And this is the two of us in the lobby just beyond the entrance!”
“This sure is a lot of pictures,” Pinkie remarked cheerfully, taking the makeshift photo album into her hooves and gazing over picture upon picture of the two mares stood next to various exhibits, smiling giddily. Pinkie pulled a hoof in close to her chest, blushing a little. “These are so sweet. You guys look like you had a lot of fun.”
“You bet we did!” Twilight affirmed. “I just wish we could’ve stayed there a bit longer. They have the most incredible collection of pre-Chevalian war memorabilia. Just turn a few pages in and you’ll see all the pictures I took. Oh, would you like another drink, by the way?”
“Another Earl Hay, please,” Pinkie replied.
“You can have some wine if you like,” Octavia offered, brandishing a ruby-colored bottle from under the table. “It’s not too dry and incredibly sweet. It’s rather lovely.”
“I know you are but what am I?” Twilight said coyly, wrapping her forelegs around Octavia and kissing her on the neck.
“You’re a sneaky little pony who wants a very special cuddle,” Octavia replied, responding with a playful nuzzle.
Just behind them, Spike was making intense retching noises, a claw pointed down his throat.
“Thanks for the offer,” Pinkie said, “but an Earl Hay will do just fine.”
“Coming right up,” Twilight announced, retracting herself from Octavia and trotting off towards the kitchen. “Spike, I thought you were going to dust these shelves?”
Spike rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the rows of books that lined the library. “Alright, I’m on it,” he said, continuing to mutter under his breath.
“Wow, you two really went on some adventure, huh?” Pinkie said, flicking through various photographs.
“It’s always an adventure when I’m with Twilight.” Octavia smiled to herself. “There’s a few photos we took she wouldn’t let me put in there.”
“Oh.” Pinkie raised her eyebrows, sheepishly avoiding Octavia’s gaze.
“Nothing like that,” Octavia said, chuckling. “In fact I think Twilight might send me to the moon if I took any secret photos while we’re… ahem. No, Twilight has this habit of embarrassing herself in public and glowing as red as a tomato. It’s so adorable, and I know she hates me taking photos of her like it, but I just can’t help myself. She tries so hard to make the best impression even though she keeps failing, but that’s one of the reasons I love her so much.” Octavia’s eyes sprung open. “Oh, but please don’t use the ‘L’ word in front of Twilight. We… haven’t gotten that far yet.”
“You haven’t?” Pinkie asked. “I should think it’s pretty obvious.”
“You say that,” Octavia continued, checking over her shoulder as Twilight moved about in the kitchen, clinking crockery and humming to herself. “But it’s just one of those things. I’m scared that it’ll shock her if I say it, and she won’t know what to say. I don’t know if she really loves me back, and I wouldn’t want her to feel awkward.” She sighed. “I spent so much of my life without a special somepony, not even caring about being single, and now I can’t imagine life without her. The last thing I want is to ruin what we have.”
Pinkie smiled pensively. “I can relate to that.”
“Drinks, anypony?” Twilight called, marching in with a silver tray hovering over her head, a white teapot and china mugs resting on top.
“Thanks, Twilight,” Pinkie said, carefully blowing into her newly poured, piping hot drink.
“It’s really great of you to come by,” Twilight said, pouring the other two drinks. “Maybe we should organize an outing somewhere? Nothing too distant or expensive though.”
“Oh, please,” Octavia said, rolling her eyes. “Princess Celestia’s prized pet surely couldn’t amass some free time and funds for a little excursion.”
“That’s not…” Twilight began to say, turning red. “You know it’s not that simple! I can’t just ask Celestia for a sack full of coins to go gallivanting across the globe!”
“What about the trips we’ve been on these past two weeks?”
“That’s different,” Twilight replied indignantly.
“You have told Princess Celestia about me, haven’t you?”
“Yes. Kind of. A little bit. Maybe.” Twilight’s blush grew even brighter.
“You told me she needed very detailed reports about all you’ve learned in the friendships and relationships you’ve made.” Octavia sidled up to Twilight, a sadistic grin on her face. “So I’m sure you’ve been sharing every last, tiny detail in those letters you send.”
Looking as if she was either on the verge of exploding or passing out, Twilight emitted a half-scream, her teeth clenched and bared, before falling to the floor with a groan. “Octavia! You’re so mean!”
“See?” Octavia said with a smirk, nonchalantly sipping tea. “Isn’t she cute when she’s like this?”
Twilight jumped to her hooves, glaring with exaggerated ire. “You’re such a terror! A demon! A scourge upon this planet!”
Octavia moved in close and planted a kiss on Twilight’s lips, the unicorn losing her spine in an instant and flopping helplessly into Octavia’s hooves. “I liked it better when you called me ‘pudding.’”
Pinkie began giggling violently, clutching at her chest. Managing to calm down, she wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m so happy for you both. I really am. Seeing you like this…” Pinkie spent a moment in thought before readying herself. “It’s really awesome.”
Twilight and Octavia exchanged glances, quickly mimicking Pinkie’s smile. Spike made further fake vomiting gestures, shooting Pinkie a furious glare as if to say ‘not you too.’
“Thanks,” Twilight replied, appearing a lot more composed. “It means a lot.”
The trio talked for a while longer, reminiscing on stories from their past, laughing and joking, even managing to involve Spike, (who remained incredibly stubborn) until Pinkie announced it was time for her to leave.
“I’m glad you could visit,” Twilight said at the door, giving Pinkie a hug. She looked away for a moment. “I… may have an inkling what you have planned tonight. I really hope it works out for you.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie replied. “Me too.”
A flurry of goodbyes and Pinkie left the sanctity of Twilight’s library. She looked to the skies, the sun onward to its descent below the horizon. Taking a deep breath, she trotted on towards Fluttershy’s cottage.
Big Mac knocked tentatively on the door in front of him, a breeze delivering the slightest chill against his chest. He was tense, anxious, unsure if he should even be here, but something inside told him it needed to be done. A few seconds later and the door creaked open, the head of a mare appearing in the crack. Her smile swiftly dropped, replaced with an expression of pure alarm. “Mac? What are you doing here?”
“Hey,” Mac greeted feebly. “Ah don’t suppose we could talk? Ah won’t be long.”
Cheerilee mulled over this for a short while, appearing distressed. Mac was on the cusp of taking his leave and apologizing, when Cheerilee pulled the door open, gesturing to the hallway. “Sure.”
Mac traipsed his way through the cottage, everything so familiar yet so distant, like retracing steps in a dream. He took his usual place on the sofa while Cheerilee brewed some coffee. The ticking of the mantlepiece clock was almost deafening amongst the silence. Cheerilee returned, Mac readying himself for what was to come.
“Ah hope Ah’m not intrudin’.”
“Not at all,” Cheerilee said with a sigh, cradling her mug.
“Ah was worried it’d be too soon, an’ you’d have wanted to make contact first.”
“Oh, that.” Cheerilee chuckled sardonically. “I suppose there was never going to be a good time. And if I was to sit here waiting for my feelings to fade before talking to you again…” She stared into the depths of her coffee, as if waiting for an answer to come bubbling to the surface. “No, I’m happy you came to see me. If you’d just forgotten all about our friendship, that would’ve hurt the most.”
“Mm.” Mac fidgeted in his seat. “Cheerilee, Ah don’t know how you’re feelin’ right now, about us. Ah mean, Ah can kinda relate, but… Ah want us to stay friends, but Ah don’t wanna just cause you more pain.”
“The fact you even thought of that means a lot. I don’t know what I want next, but we’ll figure it out. Though perhaps next time I should be the one to decide when to meet.”
Mac nodded. “It’s true Ah have missed our time together.” He took a deep breath. “Cheerilee, Ah have to be honest, there’s also another reason Ah stopped by.” He looked up at his companion, expecting confusion or apprehension, but she stared back with an air of understanding and acceptance. “Ah wanted to let ya know, that, um, tonight, Ah’m, uh…”
“Seeing Pinkie Pie?”
Mac recoiled for a moment before nodding. “Yup.”
“I thought as much. You didn’t have to tell me that.”
“Ah’m sorry! Ah just, didn’t want it to be like this secret Ah was keepin’ from you, an’ then ya go an’ hear it from somepony else. Ah just wanted–”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m actually grateful, in a way. Not that you’re actually planning on going out with that basket-case who messed with your heart,” Cheerilee huffed, quickly composing herself once more. “But you told me when you didn’t need to. It would’ve been entirely within your right to see anypony you wanted without letting me know. I’m not your keeper, never have been.”
“But you are mah friend. Mah best friend.”
Cheerilee leaned back into her seat, wiping her eyes. “You see how easy you make it for mares to fall for you?” She sipped at her coffee. “Though I’m glad you still see me that way. You’re still my best friend too.”
The pair sat together for a few minutes in silence as the sun began to set and darkness creeped around Ponyville. It was clear beyond words that their relationship had changed, that things would never be as easy as they were, that pain was inevitable, that there was no cure for suffering, but Mac was determined to set things right no matter what it took. Even if it was only wishful thinking, he saw a bright future just up ahead that was worth fighting for.
“One thing, Mac,” Cheerilee finally said. “Promise me you won’t let her hurt you. I know that sounds like I’m trying to split you up with the hopes I can jump in and take her place, but that’s not it. I know there’s no hope of that happening now. I just… want things to go right for you, and if she ends up destroying you, I’m warning you, I’ll probably end up doing something crazy.” She quickly put on a smile. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be acting all scary like that.”
“O-oh, nah, you aren’t,” Mac replied, doing his best not to display an ounce of fear, as if he was staring down an enraged beast. “Um, Ah should really be goin’.”
“Alright.” Cheerilee leaned in for a quick hug. “You behave yourself, okay? And don’t go messing this up.”
“Yup.” Mac nodded, more to himself than to Cheerilee. “Ah know.”
“It was a nice surprise,” Fluttershy continued, nibbling away on her carrot cake, resting her head in one hoof with Pinkie sat at the other side of the table. “I did try to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but I think he was a little disappointed in the choice of restaurants in Ponyville. It’s not like we have much else here, either.”
“You could’ve come on over to Sugarcube Corner,” Pinkie suggested, lapping at the last of her drink. “I’d have whipped you up a special treat and gotten the party cannon a-firing!”
“Um, thanks for the idea. Maybe we’ll come on over sometime. Oh, did you want another drink? I can offer you some of my Earl Hay tea if you’d like.”
“No thanks. Another wine, if you please!” Pinkie replied jubilantly.
“Of course.” Fluttershy poured out the next set of drinks. “I have to admit, the two of us stuck out like a sore hoof in Canterlot. I’m not sure he noticed the looks he was getting just for being friendly.”
“Yeah, they can be pretty stuck up over there,” Pinkie replied, giggling. “So, did you do anything else after the meal?”
“We went on a boat trip along the canal that runs through the south side. It was really peaceful, and we got to see all the amazing architecture throughout Canterlot. The streams were filled to the brim with fish, too. Watching them swim around, all different shapes and colors, bobbing in and out of the crisp, clean water… I was so excited I almost wanted to jump in with them. Is that strange?”
“Very,” Pinkie said with a shrug. “But that’s our Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy chuckled. “You know, before boat left the port, Braeburn got into this big argument with the ticket seller, thinking he was trying to overcharge us. He was saying ‘just because we’re from out of town you think you can swindle us!’ It turns out he’d read the sign wrong and took the entry fee for foals instead of adults. He was so embarrassed when he realized the truth, he looked like he wanted to jump in the river himself.” Fluttershy began giggling incessantly, spewing crumbs over the table.
“Well I’m glad you had fun. Where’s the next trip gonna take you?”
“Oh, I don’t think we’ll be going on any trips for a while. I think that was maybe the last straw for our budget. Look.” Fluttershy reached for a brown paper bag nestled under the table and reached inside. “He got me this lovely scarf ready for the winter months.” She unraveled the long piece of pinkish fabric – the silhouettes of deer plastered throughout – and slung it around her neck. “One hundred percent cotton, and it looks so adorable. I think it’s really sweet of him.”
Pinkie observed Angel bunny stood just behind Fluttershy, pointing a paw down his throat, making soft retching sounds. “Huh. Déjà vu.”
“What’s that?”
“Nothing, just a glitch in the matrix,” Pinkie said dismissively. “So if you’re not heading off on any trips, what’s next?”
“Oh, that’s right. I was planning to cook dinner for him next week, something to repay him for spoiling me. I mean I’ve helped pay for things before, but Braeburn is pretty stubborn when it comes to that. Family tradition I guess.”
“Oh, ho, ho!” Pinkie exclaimed, smiling mischievously. “Coaxing him into your seductive clutches, I see! Bringing home the bacon!”
“What!?” Fluttershy yelped, clasping her hooves over her mouth. “No, no, no, that’s not true! I j-j-just wanted to treat him!”
“I bet you do!”
“No, Pinkie!” Fluttershy gasped, turning a shade of crimson deep enough to make a vampire bat faint. “We’re not like that! Oh gooseberries, you don’t think that’s what he’ll think I’m after!?”
Pinkie began giggling away once again, thumping at the table. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but… A-ha-ha-ha-ha!” She brought her breathing under control, wiping a tear from her eye. “I was only teasing you, Fluttershy. Just a little joke!”
Fluttershy was hyperventilating into the brown bag exasperatedly, until with one big breath the bag exploded, Fluttershy fainting onto the table, threads of steam hissing from her forehead. “Of course… I knew that…”
“But in all seriousness,” Pinkie said, her expression growing solemn, “are things with Braeburn going okay?”
Fluttershy raised her head and mulled it over. “Well, I suppose they are. We’ve only been on a few dates.” Fluttershy scratched at her mane. “It still feels really strange to say that. I guess technically that makes him my boyfriend. In a way, I don’t even believe it.”
“But you sound like you get along really well.”
“We do. It’s never awkward between us, and I can just be myself without worrying. He’s kind, he’s polite, and somehow, we always find something to talk about. I was worried it would all fall apart, but I do enjoy being with him. How do I describe it?” Fluttershy tapped at her chin. “It’s like I’m riding on a train, and I’m looking out the window, watching everything pass me by. I’m not stressed, I’m not thinking about where I’m going to end up, I’m just sitting quietly to myself, waiting to see what happens next.
“It’s strange. I don’t know if I’d call it romance. He doesn’t shower me with flowers and affection, but I always look forward to being with him. It’s like I’m taking a day off from life, just riding on a train, gazing out on the hills. I don’t even have to try; I just stay where I am, and I get taken on this journey.”
“So, do you like him?”
Fluttershy slipped into a subtle grin. “He makes me smile. And I doubt there are many stallions who I’d feel as comfortable around. This is… very personal, by the way,” Fluttershy buried her hooves into her lap, “but there are times when he touches me.”
Pinkie instinctively gulped an entire mouthful to stop herself from spurting wine across the room like a sprinkler, releasing a trio of coughs. Angel bunny looked as if he’d been petrified by a burst of dark magic, collapsing to the floor with his face contorted in horrific agony, foaming at the mouth.
“He nudges me on the shoulder,” Fluttershy continued. “Sometimes our hooves come into contact when we sit down next to each other, and he hugged me after our trip to Canterlot. It just felt like… that was the most normal thing in the world, and I didn’t even have to think about it. And I want to return that gesture. Am I… Am I making any sense?”
“Perfect sense,” Pinkie replied, smiling proudly. “You sound like you’re having a wonderful time with him.”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“And you totally think he’s a handsome stud?” Pinkie added, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Fluttershy giggled. “Well, I’ll admit he is pleasant to look at.”
Pinkie quickly finished up her wine. “I’m really glad things are going well. So, um… I had another reason for stopping by.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Pinkie nervously rubbed her hooves together. “I wanted to let you know that I’m planning on meeting Mac. Tonight. And… I just wanted to make sure that was okay.”
Fluttershy smiled, stepping around the table and wrapping a foreleg around her friend. “Did you really think you needed to ask for permission?”
“No, I know that, but I–”
“Pinkie.” Fluttershy drew their eyelines together. “I’m not going to deny that deep down, I still have feelings for Mac. I’m not going to pretend that he means nothing to me, or that the thought of him being with another mare – even you – doesn’t make my heart ache. But I have no excuses anymore, and neither do you. It’s up to you if you go and see him. It’s well within your right. Like we all told you before, you don’t need to cater to me or to anyone else. If you’re meeting him tonight, I wish you the best of luck. You deserve all the happiness you can get.”
Pinkie exhaled deeply, biting her lip and gazing out of the window. The sky bore a dull, reddish hue. Nighttime was steadily approaching. The meeting Applejack had helped plan was just around the corner. It had been almost an entire month since she’d met Big Mac, pleading with him not to pursue her, pledging her allegiance to Fluttershy. It now seemed so long ago.
“I’m scared,” Pinkie whispered.
“That’s okay,” Fluttershy said, pulling Pinkie into a cuddle. “I have faith in you. We all do.”
Pinkie left the cottage a short while later, cheerfully waving goodbye before trotting lightly down the stone path. She heard the door close behind her and slowed her walk, taking small, deliberate steps. Her grin faded. Butterflies billowed about in her stomach. Her pulse rang in her ears. What came next was up to her. Nothing had to be inevitable. She could turn tail, make her way back to Sugarcube Corner, and bury her head into her pillow, shrug off that future, letting it become just another ‘what could’ve been.’
Stopping at a fork in the path, Pinkie glanced to her right, the streetlamps of Ponyville proper being lit up, one by one, the community slowing to a gentle crawl, distant windows lighting up as ponies retired to their homes. Their families. To her left lay a very different path, one bearing towards the countryside, past woods and farmland, to a small lake that marked the designated meeting place.
Pinkie stood stock still for a minute or so, peering down each path, as if she was bearing witness to two separate dimensions vying for control over reality. Trembling, she took two steps towards Ponyville. In her mind, this was a test of spirit. The warm glow of the town was comforting and dependable. It would be so easy to just wander home.
Pinkie took a tentative step back. Then another, her eyes still looking ahead, down the path she realized she would be abandoning. Then another. Until finally, she clenched her eyes shut, grit her teeth, pulled a hoof across her face and turned on her heel, running, sprinting down the path to the unknown, eyes watering in the autumn breeze, refusing to look back, getting as far away from that world as possible, as if a ravenous beast lie in wait, ready to tear her up. She was afraid. So very afraid. It was almost too much, but a burning desire spurred her on. A desire to see what was on the other side of the curtain, no matter what might happen. Not for her friends, but for herself.
The lake stirred, basked in pale moonlight. A pond-skater shimmied itself through a shrub of reeds, causing a series of weak ripples to emanate across the water. An owl hooted from the nearby woods. Fireflies buzzed, partaking in their silent ballet. The nearest streetlamp sat between a pair of sycamores a fair distance away, just barely enough to keep the scene from descending into a hazy gray.
Pinkie sat expectantly with her back to the pathway, remaining as calm and collected as possible, remaining in the same spot, simply watching the small ecosystem run its nightly course. A million things ran through her head, but at the same time, she felt an air of peace. There was no turning back now. To accept it was to move forward, and that was worth a great deal. No regrets, Pinkie said inwardly.
There was the sound of distant shuffling off to her left, building to slow and steady hoof-steps, followed by the rustling of fallen leaves, soft thuds against the patches of green that surrounded the lake until finally, the creature stopped two yards away and sighed, taking his place next to her. There was a moment of silence, both ponies’ eyes to the ground.
“Ah’m glad you came,” Big Mac said in a hushed voice.
Pinkie looked up. The stallion before her was tall and bulky, his face sunken and sorrowful, eyes shining like saucers under the pale light. Her heart leapt into her throat. “Yeah.” She took a deep breath. “I see you didn’t bring me any flowers.”
“Ah!” Mac gasped. “Sorry, should Ah have brought some? Ah didn’t even think–”
“No, it’s okay, really,” Pinkie replied. “I didn’t want any flowers. I’m not sure what I’d even do with them. In fact, it would’ve been awkward if you’d handed me a bunch, expecting a response. I don’t know why I even brought it up, I’m just…” Pinkie furrowed her brow, a dull pain in her forehead. “I’m confused. About you, about myself. I just wish I understood.
“You know Twilight? She’s happier now than I’ve ever seen her, all because she’s been going out with Octavia since the party. Well, more than going out, I guess. They can’t get enough of each other. You’d need some kind of giant crowbar to pry them apart! They gel together just right, like they were born to be together, like everything that came before it was nothing. And it all just happened to them. They met at my party and hit it off, just like that! No worries, no stress, just started talking, and it’s like they’re already a couple. Twilight wasn’t even looking for a partner, didn’t even seem to care because she was too busy doing her studies with her nose in a book. Then Octavia shows up and everything changed. They just clicked, and that was it. They had to be with each other no matter what.
“Then there’s Fluttershy. She’s been seeing Braeburn from time to time, eating out, going to Canterlot. She obviously likes being with him, but they’re taking it really slow. Not even on purpose, just letting it happen as it goes. Anyone might look in from the outside and think, ‘well, they could just be friends,’ and they could be. But I see something in Fluttershy I don’t think she’s realized, that she’s growing, that her feelings for him are just a small seed right now, but it’s beginning to sprout, and Fluttershy is enjoying the ride. She doesn’t have to worry about watching some stallion from afar, fantasizing about some better life taken out of some romance novel, when she can just feel comfortable being with someone. She’s the kind of mare to scream in fright over the thought of spending the day with a stallion, always worrying, putting on a brave face, but with Braeburn, it’s nothing like that. She just enjoys being with him, and she can’t stop smiling about it.”
“Ah’m glad to hear that,” Mac cut in with. “They’re… findin’ happiness.”
“But where does that leave us!?” Pinkie exclaimed. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do! I can’t imagine just… going on a date and everything working out like it has for them. After everything that’s happened, my brain is all jumbled up, like someone’s been shaking it over and over like a snow-globe. My friends told me I had to take a risk, but what if it doesn’t work out? Are we supposed to be together?” Pinkie took several deep breaths, managing to hold back the waterworks. “What do you like about me?”
“Ah’m sorry?”
“I mean it!” Pinkie said with exasperation. “We’re such different ponies, aren’t we? We’re… hardly anything alike. So I want to know. What do you like about me?”
Mac stood for a moment, eyes shifting left and right. Then he swallowed, took a quick breath and began his answer. “Ah suppose… ‘cause you’re always happy. Any time Ah seen ya, you’ve got a smile on your face, doin’ everythin’ ya can to cheer everyone up. An’ when Ah’m around you, Ah feel mah spirits liftin’ along with yours.
“Back when mah ma and pa passed on, Ah was crushed. Ah was keepin’ mah head high, tryin’ to be the stallion o’ the family, but it was real hard. An’ then you popped up, bein’ friendly, not bein’ awkward or worryin’ that Ah’d get upset, an’ it was like Ah’d been pulled outta this horrible place in mah head. Ya made me wanna enjoy life, an’ at the same time Ah knew if Ah ever broke down in front of ya, you’d still be there for me. An’ even after Ah dealt with it, ya were still the same. Ya weren’t just actin’ that way for the time bein’, that was just who ya are. D’you remember singin’ that song about smilin’ all through Ponyville?”
“Yeah,” Pinkie replied. “When I jumped in the back of your cart and you pulled me through the streets?”
“Ah wouldn’t normally do anythin’ like that, not just on a whim, but it’s like…” Mac’s lips twitched as he searched for the right words. “It’s like there’s this aura around you. An’ when Ah get close enough, Ah wanna be like you. Ah’m not the biggest party pony out there, Ah’m sure ya know, but when you’re around, Ah feel like Ah wanna let loose, do somethin’ a little crazy, try things Ah ain’t tried before. Ah look at you, an’ Ah see somepony Ah can count on to make me happy, no matter what. An’ you’ll always surprise me, an’ Ah’d wanna see what that surprise is. An’ you’re smarter than ya let on, too. Ah just… wanted to know more about ya. An’ from there, Ah wanted to be with you, more than anythin’. Is that a good enough answer?”
Pinkie’s head was dipped, tears threatening to burst forth any moment. She nodded her head.
“An’ what about you?” Mac asked shakily. “What d’you like about me?”
“I don’t know, it’s… complicated.” Pinkie shuffled on the spot, scratching at her foreleg. “I always admired how strong you were. Not… like, muscles strong. You were just always there, like this great pillar nopony could topple over. You cared so much for your family, worked so hard, pushing yourself so they’d be alright. You never slowed down or hung back. Most ponies couldn’t be like that, especially not after what happened with your folks.
“You’re not like most other stallions. You keep to yourself, but you’re also loving and caring. I feel like, you couldn’t treat a mare badly even if you tried, and you’re always polite and respectful, and I’d think to myself, ‘wow, this guy is no-nonsense, he just keeps charging ahead.’ Though you did kind of lose your head with your recent scheme.” Pinkie chuckled a little. “But I still saw that in you then, and I realized, there’s a real fire inside you that I barely caught glimpses of before.
“You’re just so… stable. I can be wacky, dress up like a clown, but around you I felt like it wasn’t so bad being down to Equus. I could be myself, and you wouldn’t judge me, and instead of racing around all the time I wanted to slow down a little, just so I could join you. That if I was with you, everything would be okay, and maybe there were other fun things I’d not seen before, but you could teach me.” Pinkie’s cheeks flushed. “And I thought you’d make a wonderful Dad. Those foals wouldn’t know how lucky they were. And I think that’s it. That’s the best way I can describe it.”
Mac blinked several times. “Wow. Ah… never thought you’d see me that way.”
“Same to you. So… It looks like we’re both a couple of freaks who got way in over our heads right?”
“Nope. Ah think it means there’s hope.”
Pinkie closed her eyes, bringing a hoof to her quaking chest, desperately trying to temper it. “I just don’t know how we’re supposed to begin this. Twilight and Octavia basically fell into each other and never tried to break free. Fluttershy and Braeburn… they’re just paddling along, not a care in the world, one tiny step at a time. But how do we fit in all of this!? I’ve felt things for you for so long, and then everything happened, and I’m completely lost. I just want to do what’s right, and I don’t want to screw it up. How can we even–”
A brisk breeze rolled in, whistling through the trees as it passed. Pinkie pulled both her forelegs close to her chest, closing them around herself as a chill ran up her spine.
“You cold?” Mac asked.
“No, I’m fine.”
“You’re shiverin’.”
Pinkie’s head throbbed. “N-no.” She gasped for air. “I’m really…”
Pinkie was shocked into immobility as Mac’s hooves wrapped themselves around her, pulling her against his chest. She took several deep breaths, trying to gain a grip on reality. She looked up at the stallion, his mane blowing limply in the wind, his eyes giant and deep, piercing the very depths of her soul. “Mac,” she croaked. But he didn’t need to say a word. He knew. She was sure of it. In an instant they were young again, huddled together in the toolshed on Sweet Apple Acres, the rain clattering down outside, the two of them alone, cut off from the rest of the world.
“Ya know back then,” Mac whispered, running a hoof through her mane. “Ah was talkin’ about leavin’ Ponyville.” He paused, leaning in closer. Pinkie could hear his heartbeat accelerate. “Ah never told anyone why Ah decided to stay.”
There was the striking of thunder in Pinkie’s mind as the whole world went quiet. Then the dam finally burst, a swirling maelstrom of emotions spilling out of her, like a flood gushing over a riverbank. Tears spilled down her face as the years flashed by, memory upon memory, times she didn’t even know she’d kept locked away in her heart, all spewing forth. Moments spent at school, catching a passing glimpse, meeting him out on the farm, every smile flashing by, every shared hug compounding together, the moments of levity, of sadness, each gaze into his gentle eyes, every wish she’d had to be with him, every moment spent envisioning a life with him, huddled up with her duvets, relishing the fantasy as just another story to make her smile. Years and years rushed by, snapshots of times wasted and chances lost. She held on for dear life, grasping Mac’s chest with everything she had, sobbing at the top of her lungs into the cool autumn night. It kept flowing, and flowing, no chance of reprieve, every nerve in Pinkie’s body firing off like cannons. Tears spilled out like a fountain against Mac’s soft, warm coat, his loving embrace, no signs of stopping until the burst dam was finally empty, not a drop left behind. Amidst the chaos of sorrow and regret, as Mac kissed her gently on the neck and caressed the ridges along her back, she realized he was crying too.
The night grew darker, the moon rising in the sky, growing full and bright. There was little else besides the scurrying of nocturnal creatures and fish bobbing just above the surface of the lake, distorting the moon’s reflection. The wind began to pick up, casting a chill over Ponyville as its denizens yawned beside the fireplace, soon to retire and sleep until morning.
It was the end to a normal day.
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This came back to life? I'm happy it's back, this was one of the first MLP fics I ever read, it's just, dang, was not expecting this.
Wow this was a really good chapter and I am really excited to see this new chapter. It was good to see Fluttershy figure so much out and have to explain to Pinkie. Pinkie was being stubborn and melodramatic but that makes a lot of sense for her as I can certainly see her that way. I cannot wait to see the epilogue.
Great chapter, glad it continued.
Would you hate me if I told you that I totally forgot I was following this story?
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I'm hoping to have the epilogue posted within the next week, and then it'll finally be finished, just as I envisioned it all those years ago. 
Sorry if it's not quite what you were expecting.
Considering I hadn't posted a new chapter in almost 5 years... I'm not surprised.
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Thank you very much.
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I'm glad you came back to it after all this time.
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I actually really liked it. Hope that it can finally come to a close.
Four long years, and I'm glad we're finally getting closure.
Totally worth the wait. A touching chapter that resolves a lot of issues I had honestly thought couldn't be resolved though I do still hope poor Cheerilee doesn't end up old and alone.