• Published 21st Jun 2014
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The Cheval Glass - Wintergreen Diaries



Tensions erupt as Pinkie realizes her dream will never be, and Rarity is forced to come to terms with what she's allowed herself to become.

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Chapter 4: Wrong

Regardless of one’s social standing, temperament, occupation, training, or relationship to the mare known as Pinkie Pie, there are few more startling ways to regain consciousness than being catapulted from the bed. Being fast asleep and fairly exhausted after staying up half the night doing her best to help her dour sister in any way she could, Inkie hadn’t a moment of preparation before Pinkie bounded into her room and cannonballed onto the slumbering mare’s bed. It wasn’t until she had completed one and a half flips that Inkie realized that she awake, and it wasn’t until she landed that she came to terms with the fact that she had started her day airborne, though the delayed squeal of alarm that sounded full seconds after Inkie had landed confused Pinkie to no end.

“Wakey wakey!” the rambunctious party pony sang out, bounding circles around her poleaxed sibling. Disoriented from her unexpected and unintentional impersonation of an uncoordinated pegasus and unable to hear much over the pounding of her heart, Inkie could only manage to squint in the direction of her sister’s blurry image. Finding it difficult to discern whether Pinkie Pie was spinning on account of lingering dizziness or actually hopping circles around her, Inkie rubbled half-heartedly at her eyes and took a second look: it was both.

“Nnngh… P-Pinkie?” Inkie groaned, bewildered by the mare’s inexplicable reversion to her usual self.

“Pink-uh-mee-nah, that’s my name! And I think I’ve gone insane!” she chanted, plopping down next in a giggling heap next to Inkie. “What do you think, Inkie? On a scale of porpoise to chandelier, how chocolate do you think I am?”

“Wha…” Inkie had been lost well before porpoise, and it occurred to her that the only plausible course of action would be to accept the fact that Pinkie was making less sense than usual without dwelling too much on the details. Unfortunately, details were something that seemed to be sticking out at her that morning, and she couldn’t help but regard the perky sky-blue eyes directed her way with skeptical interest. “Well, um, she certainly seems to be feeling better than she was last night,” Inkie mused to herself, “but her hair is still all straight. It’s gotten really long, too…” In fact, the limp locks were practically serving as her blanket, and while it occurred to her somewhere in the back of her mind that she had been asked a question, Inkie quickly became distracted with the lengthy tendrils of pink hair draped around her hooves and hair. “I… u-um…”

“C’mon, sis,” Pinkie chortled, “you can tell me! I promise that no matter how loco in the coco you think I am, I won’t be upset. Unless you say ‘innertube,’ because there is no way I’m anywhere near that crass!” As much as she would have loved to deliver unto her sister an acceptable answer, Inkie couldn’t for the life of her understand a lick of Pinkie’s babble. Again, she wouldn’t have found such nonsense out of place were it not for the fact that she had spent much of the night attempting to coax a smile out of an utterly immovable frown, and with the remembrance of Pinkie crying herself to sleep the night before still fresh in her mind, Inkie was hard pressed to manage any coherent thought, let alone answer such a difficult inquiry. Fidgeting nervously as she watched her scattered thoughts dart about like dragonflies on a summer’s day, she let her eyes roam from her sister’s and hesitantly named the first thing that happened to leap out at her.

“...socks?” Pinkie’s eyes widened at this, and for a brief moment Inkie feared she had somehow mispoken, but whatever worries might have arisen were laid to rest as she was snatched into eager hooves and held close with undeniable affection.

“Awww, Inkie, you’re too sweet!” Pinkie cooed, nuzzling against her sister’s cheek before leaping upright. “Hey, that’s it!” she cried. “I should totally make you for breakfast!”

“W-wait, wha-”

“Sweet treats for everypony!” Having stated her intent with every intention of following through, Pinkie bolted from the room. Dazed and most assuredly confused, Inkie made no motion to sit up, choosing instead to listen to the rhythmic pounding of hurried hooves and startled exclamations of her less than energetic parents from the relative safety of her bed. Perking her ears as the sound of more measured hoofbeats sounded somepony’s approach, Inkie met her rather disheveled looking sister standing in the doorway with a sympathetic smile.

“Did, um… did Pinkie happen to you too?”

“Mmf,” came the less than enthusiastic reply. Having elaborated as much as was necessary, Blinkie trudged over to the bed and flopped down onto her belly, burying her face in the bedding and snorting as an extraordinarily long strand of pink hair attempted to infiltrate her nostril. “How can she possibly have this much energy after last night...” Blinkie mumbled, accepting the comforting pat of Inkie’s hoof with a muffled sigh: it was a well known fact among the Pie family that Blinkie was not a morning pony.

“She slept with you last night, right?” Inkie inquired, scooching closer.

“I don’t know how much sleeping either of us managed, but yes, she did,” Blinkie commented sullenly. “I couldn’t understand much of what she said, and I don’t think any of it was directed at me. She didn’t quiet down until early this morning.” They both paused as the distinct sound of a balloon blowing gratuitous raspberries grew louder before the brightly colored object shot through the door, hit the ceiling, and gave one last death rattle before plopping to the floor. “It’s going to be a long week…”

“Oh, come on, sis,” Inkie urged in encouraging tones. “I know that she’s acting a little strange right now, but it’s always been a lot of fun the few times she’s come back to visit. Besides, she’s already starting to feel better, and-”

“No, Inkie, she’s not.” Startled by the force behind her sister’s interjection, Inkie fell quiet as Blinkie slowly eased herself upright, her eyes trained on the balloon. “If she were feeling better, then she wouldn’t be showing off the way she is.”

“Showing off?” Inkie repeated, tilting her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“Remember when she got her cutie mark?” Blinkie asked, knowing that none of them could ever forget that magical time. “She couldn’t stop smiling, making jokes, and laughing over anything and everything, even things that weren’t funny at all. Especially the things that weren’t funny…” Blinkie recalled, her frown disappearing for a brief moment. “Even though she had been so sad, seeing her that way just… felt right, like that’s who she was supposed to have been all along. But now, her smile, her laughter… it all feels fake.”

“Like one of Trixie’s shows?” Inkie offered, grinning hopefully as Blinkie scoffed.

“Just like one of Trixie’s shows,” Blinkie confirmed with a quiet chuckle, reaching over and pulling Inkie into a side hug. “If she’s hiding herself, even from us, then that means she’s probably afraid to let out how she really feels.”

“Well, that just means that we have to make her happy for real!” Inkie exclaimed, standing upright and stomping her hoof. “The laughter that she’s given us has kept us smiling through the good and the not good at all, and now it’s time for us to give it back to her! I don’t know how we’ll do it, but… but we’re gonna do it!” Though her appearance was one of meekness, Blinkie knew that there was little that could stand in Inkie’s way once she put her mind to something, and the determination burning within her eyes spread like wildfire between them both. They knew that their goal wasn’t one that would be easily reached, but they would have tackled a changeling army if it meant getting to see Pinkie smiling on the other side.

“Fortunately,” Blinkie thought as she collected the deflated balloon, “I have the best sister in Equestria to work with. After all, we shatter rocks for a living. How tough could it be to crack Pinkie?”

“Whaaaat’s cracking?!?”

“Bwah!” Yelping at the sudden intrusion that completely ruined their two-pony pep rally, Blinkie leapt back to find Pinkie standing in the doorway with an oafish grin stamped on her muzzle. “Pinkie, you- I, er… nothing’s cracking. Nope.”

“Are you sure?” Pinkie asked, adopting a contemplative look that Blinkie couldn’t find anything other than disconcerting.

“Heaven help us if she has learned to read minds- anymore than she already does, I mean,” Blinkie corrected herself, taking a breath. “You’re as unexpected as always, sis,” she chuckled. “Was there something you needed?”

“Uh huh! I need you!” she declared, gleefully booping Blinkie on the nose, “and you!” she added, paying Inkie in kind. “Breakfast is just about finished. Ma and Pa are already waiting at the table, and it just wouldn’t be the same without my two conniving sister’s that totally aren’t plotting well-meaning things behind my back.” Having ruled out the most absurd thing that could possibly be happening, Pinkie left the two mare’s in stunned silence as she cantered out the door and skipped down the steps. Though she wasn’t the first to speak, Inkie could only nod in agreement as Blinkie stated what they both beginning to realize more fully with every passing moment.

“This… is gonna be difficult.”


While certainly more pleasant than waking to the gruff shouts and grating clamor of city bustle, the groggy mare splayed out upon an unfamiliar couch found the melodious trill of birdsong rather disorienting. Rarity couldn’t remember ever having gone to sleep the night before, or even discussing her bedding arrangements with her host, but that didn’t make her any less comfortable. Yawning fitfully while the remnants of her food coma dispersed in scattered memories of utter indulgence, Rarity grinned as she sat up and stared at her gut, no longer distended and fortunately no visibly greater in girth after her meal.

“And what a meal it was!” she remarked whimsically to herself, running a hoof over the blanket draped around her. “Merrymint could headline his own gourmet restaurant with cooking skills like that. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had such exquisite cuisine! This blanket is quite soft, too.” Absentmindedly pawing at the fabric while taking a few moments to deduce what blend of materials had yielded such pleasant results, she let her mind wander hither and yon until it fixated upon a most tantalizing aroma coming from nearby. Smiling warmly as she glanced over to find a freshly brewed cup of tea resting on the end table beside the couch, Rarity decided that she could postpone asking about using the shower long enough to enjoy her cup.

“Oph-! Goodness…” she exclaimed quietly, pulling a face and staring at the contents of her mug. “While not quite as jarring as it was yesterday, this certainly isn’t something that I could just slurp down. Not like that tea she served after dinner, yesterday. Why, that was practically dessert! Still…” she thought with a smile as she raised her cup and accepted the bitter taste with far more grace, “I can’t imagine somepony as talented as Chai brewing my morning tea this strong by accident. She must have a reason.”

With nopony to engage in conversation and an unexpectedly calm morning, Rarity soon found herself reflecting upon the matter at hoof, that being the coaxing of Pinkie Pie into returning to Ponyville. As dearly as she would have loved to think that she’d be boarding the afternoon train bound for the place she knew they both considered home, she knew that it wasn’t going to be as simple as merely asking politely. For as long as she’d known the fun-loving bundle of smile-powered fluff, Rarity had never once seen her as undeniably angry as she had been the night before. Certainly, Pinkie hadn’t been very pleased with Applejack’s apparent transgression of her Pinkie Promise the last time they’d all visited Dodge, but even then, her behavior had never struck Rarity as particularly worrisome.

“But yesterday…” She found herself drawing an odd sense of comfort from the bitter taste filling her mouth as her hooves brought the glass to her lips, and she barely forestalled a shudder as intense floral notes seemed to sharpen her focus. “While I cannot say for sure, I do not think that I am to blame for her anger, at least not in full, but if not I, then who? Our friends- no, all of Ponyville cherishes the mare for the joy that she brings, so who could possibly think of doing her harm?”

“I just don’t understand, Pinkie,” Rarity whispered, peering through the tea at her murky reflection. Her makeup had smeared, her fake eyelashes likely wouldn’t hold through the day, and without the proper product, maintaining her trademark curls would be impossible. What still remained, however, was the pony underneath it all, and it was she that hardened her gaze in accordance with the determination filling her heart. “But I will. Even if you’re stubborn, more stubborn than you’ve ever been, I will find a way to bring you back to where you belong. I’ll bring you back even if I have to drag you all the way home, through forest, swamp, mud, and dirt! I’ll-”

“Wake your host with battle cries?” a demure voice interjected, causing no end of embarrassment on Rarity’s part. Vanilla Chai couldn’t help but show the slightest hint of a grin as her guest chuckled sheepishly, fidgeting uncomfortably over her lack of manners. “Don’t fret, Rarity, I’m quite used to being woken at any hour of the day; Minty’s clock doesn’t ever seem to wind down. Even when he sleeps, he’s always moving a little, or mumbling to himself… he’ll even sing, on occasion,” she finished with a grin.

“That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest,” Rarity replied, grateful of Chai’s ever-present calm. “He really is a sweetheart, if a little overly affectionate.”

“Not used to being licked, hmmm?” Chai chuckled lightly, cracking a smirk as Rarity’s cheeks adopted a rosen hue. “In his defense, you did have quite the smudge on your cheek.”

“A tissue would have sufficed,” Rarity attested, though she couldn’t help but smile at the recollection. “Anyways, I am sorry for disturbing you with my shouting.”

“I wasn’t bothered,” Chai stated plainly. “As I said, I’m no stranger to ruckus, and if I may be honest, it sounds as though you have quite the trying day ahead of you.”

“One that would have started much more poorly were it not for your superb choice of tea,” Rarity returned, relishing the grateful smile being directed towards her. “You really have quite the knack, you know. Had you asked me what I would prefer, it would have been something light and sweet, not the bitter, bold brew that I found waiting for me when I awoke. And yet… somehow this tea seems like just the thing I needed.”

“I’m glad that it was pleasing to you,” came the charitable reply, though the stoic mare couldn’t stow her thankfulness for the praise. “When you’ve finished with your tea, you may use our shower if you would like. It’s just down the hall,” Chai continued, pointing towards the restroom. “I’ll see if I can have breakfast ready by the time you return.”

“Your hospitality continues to exceed my expectations in leaps and bounds, Ms. Chai,” Rarity swooned, causing notable consternation in her host. There was something about seeing the admittedly reserved mare light up that brought Rarity no small measure of enjoyment, though she hadn’t the time to really entertain the intricacies. Directing an admittedly flirtatious wink in Chai’s direction and trying not to think about how naturally the action seemed to come, she cantered off and began her shower in earnest.

Being mindful that she was using somepony else’s resources and not wishing to try her host’s patience, Rarity limited herself to a frugal thirty minutes of shower time before shutting off the flow. Arriving at the table after a mere half hour of time spent taming her mane, she cantered into the kitchen to find breakfast ready and Chai with an infuriatingly coy grin playing at her lips. Pretending to ignore the mare, Rarity walked over to the dining area with a leisurely stride, took her seat, and found herself unable to leave the challenge unanswered.

“...What?”

“I do believe you may have forgotten to leave some water for the fishes,” Chai answered calmly, meeting Rarity’s half-hearted glare with quiet amusement.

“I’ll have you know that I quite purposefully cut my time bathing short out of consideration for you,” Rarity retorted, feigning offense as she motioned to take a bite of her toast. “You should be thanking me, really.” Rather than resorting to words, Chai chose instead to simply smile as her guest took a large bite out of her toast and then pulled away, staring blankly a moment before looking back at her host.

“Cold?”

“Quite. How long ago did you make this?”

“Perhaps… fifty minutes ago?”

“Fif- why in Equestria would you begin making breakfast so early if you knew that I’d be showering?” Rarity questioned, honestly baffled by the calculating mare’s lack of foresight.

“Why, indeed,” she mused, finding it difficult not to laugh. “I do suppose it was silly of me to think that one would shower for the purpose of getting clean.”

“Alright then, missy,” Rarity snapped back, “how long do you typically spend in the shower, hmmm? One minute? Two, perhaps?”

“Five.”

Rarity could only stare, aghast. She had been purposefully sarcastic in her estimates, and couldn’t rightly fathom being in and out of the shower in such a short span of time. And, for all her practice smooth-talking her way up the social ladder, the only thing she could manage was, “...Really?”

“Yes.”

“A-and your mane?” the floundering fashionista asked, her head tilted to the side in confusion.

“About the same.”

“Really?” Nod. Rarity looked the mare over, noting how not a strand appeared to be out of place in either her mane or her tail, glanced at her own tail which was but a shadow of its usual glory, and then back at Chai, innocently sipping on her tea. “...I think I’m jealous now.” There were admittedly few times when Vanilla found herself so genuinely amused that she was able to let go and laugh, and Rarity couldn’t find it in her to be upset with the mare across from her, beaming bright. Giggling a little herself, Rarity returned her attention to her breakfast, feeling that, perhaps, she could tolerate cold toast another morning if it would again bring Chai the gift of laughter.

Following shortly after was the notion that she would gladly tolerate far worse inconveniences were it for the benefit of one with whom she had shared many a memory, both foul and fair. No longer concerned with the rather bland taste of unadorned and slightly soggy toast, Rarity cleared her mind of extraneous information and focused all her thoughts upon possible ways to combat Pinkie’s obvious displeasure. This proved difficult, however, as the suddenness of Pinkie’s shift in temperament, compounded with her usual inability to come right out and say what was on her really on her mind, left Rarity with more questions than answers. Thanking Chai and exchanging a few parting pleasantries, she stepped out into the expectedly warm and dusty streets of Dodge City and started towards the rock farm.

“All right, let’s see,” Rarity began in her head, paying little heed to the goings on of the townsfolk. “It’s been obvious for quite some time now that something has been bothering Pinkie. I’ve noticed it, our friends have noticed it, and every time we’ve attempted to talk to her about it, the question has been effectively, and literally too, I suppose, dodged.” Glancing out of habit at the sound of another’s raised voice, Rarity watched one pony greet another with a flying tackle and quietly prayed that she wouldn't be mistaken for somepony else along the way, lest the same fate befall her.

“While there’s much I don’t know, what I do believe is that she’s become quite lonely,” her mind continued where it had left off. “There is little reason she would have to take any kind of special interest in me or my work, and yet that is exactly what she has been pretending for months now. Having somepony around the boutique has been pleasant at times, I’ll admit, but there’s simply no reason that I can see why she would. She’s always been closer to Rainbow Dash than anypony else, though I suppose with Dash being in the Wonderbolts, she hasn’t had much time with her. Being pregnant hasn’t helped either, I’m sure.” Pausing her steady trot just in time to avoid being run down by a carriage, Rarity opened her mouth to shout something, thought better of it, and settled for discontented mumbling instead. Her mind, however, hadn’t dropped the subject, and in fact seemed to be driving her onwards.

“Come to think about it, she and Twilight had grown quite close as well before Cerulean came along, but now they hardly spend any time together at all…” Though she couldn’t place why, there was something about the thought that she found exceedingly worrying. Stitch by stitch, her mind worked diligently to thread together some framework for what was driving Pinkie to regard her with such bitterness, but while every step brought to mind another instance where her cheery friend had acted slightly estranged, the quilt that formed was still full of holes. Rarity could feel that the answer was laid out before her, that she had all the information necessary to understand Pinkie’s predicament, though as she left the city behind her and trod the dusty trail leading to Rambling Rock Ridge, leaving her more discouraged with each wearied step.

“I… can’t help but feel as though I’m failing her, even now,” Rarity thought with a dejected sigh. “It’s almost as though I’ve no excuse to have any questions, like I should know exactly what it is that she’s going through, but I just… can’t quite figure it out.” An uncomfortable crunch brought the mare slowly to a halt. She remained still for a time, staring at the ground that had gradually changed from a fine reddish dust to a bleak grey coated with jagged pebbles and stones of varying sizes.

“Whatever it is that I’m missing, it… must be something terrible if she would sacrifice a life surrounded by friends just to return to this…” Her head bowed slightly lower for just a moment before her eyes leveled with the horizon. “I cannot accept that this is where she wants to be. She belongs in Ponyville, with us, and it’s my responsibility to bring her back - for her own good as much as everypony else’s.”

Rallying her faltering resolve and leveling her gaze with the horizon, Rarity slowly panned around until her eyes came to rest on a trio of forms a good distance away. Though she only recognized the other two in passing from her brief visit to the rock farm the day before, there was with them a pony of brilliant pink that couldn’t have looked more out of place amongst the desolate downs. Maintaining her bravado grew increasingly difficult as Rarity neared, only to have all movement and chatter cease among the three sisters. Her heart sank as the grey one shrank away well before she had come close, hiding behind the other pony whose coat was of dusty lavender, and it with great strain that she continued to walk. When she did come to a stop, a few pony lengths from where the others stood, she found herself feeling as though she were wrapped in the ghastly glow of the limelight, alone on stage with an audience that had condemned her from the start.

“I…”

“Why are you here?” Stopped cold as the question was all but growled, Rarity fell silent as Pinkie’s question dealt her good intentions a stinging blow.

“That’s… twice now she’s asked me that,” Rarity recalled, scrambling to straighten her thoughts. “Well, you see… naturally, I’d…” Stammering seemed to be all the eloquence she could muster, but Pinkie Pie wasn’t making any effort to help or hinder her. She was waiting, something that Rarity found somehow more disconcerting than if she had made some jibe at her expense. Finally, Rarity managed to say, “I… came here to see you, Pinkie.”

“Hmph,” Pinkie snorted, “It’s always about looks with you, isn’t it? Well, if that’s all you came here for, then take a good look… and get out.” Pointing her snout in the air in a manner that would put anypony from Canterlot to shame, Pinkie Pie made an about face and began sauntering away.

“P-Pinkie, wait!” Rarity cried out desperately. Her hoof lifted as if to give chase, but she found herself rooted in place, transfixed by Pinkie’s withering glare. “I… I want you to come b-”

“Back to Ponyville?” Pinkie finished, sneering back at the prissy pony quaking in her non-existent boots. “And why in Equestria would I do that, huh?”

“What… ‘why?’ I don’t…” Rarity stammered, completely at a loss. “What do you mean, ‘why?’ Pinkie, you love Ponyville!”

“Oh, do I, now?” Pinkie shot back, beginning to stalk a circle around the hapless mare. “Since you seem to know me sooo well, how about we play a little game, Rarity? After all, I’m sure you know how much I love games.”

“Pinkie, I-”

“What’s my favorite color?” she barked. There was nothing about anything happening that hinted at even the slightest shred of fun. Rarity knew she couldn’t stay quiet, but neither did she know for absolute certain that she knew the answer to something so fundamental, and her stomach lurched as she opened her mouth to speak.

“...Pink?”

Wrong,” Pinkie spat back, her scowl darkening. “What’s my favorite instrument?”

“Tam- no, the tuba, it’s-”

Wrong!” Pinkie shouted, her hoof falls becoming heavier with every incorrect answer.

“S-sis?” Pausing midstep and whirling at the sound, Pinkie looked over at the distraction to see Inkie cowering behind her sister. “Y-you’re being really s-scary…”

“Oh, there’s no need to be scared, silly!” Everypony, even her sister’s, felt their fur stand on end at the pleasantly cheerful tone of Pinkie’s voice. “I’m only all spooky when I’m dealing with ponies that claim they’re my friend when they actually don’t take the time to know me at all and only want me around because I know how to make them smile. That’s all! Don’t worry,” she chuckled, “you two are real friends. Unlike somepony,” she glowered, peering behind her at the quivering mare. “Now then, where was I?”

“Pinkie, stop this! This… this isn’t you!” Rarity pleaded, shrinking back as Pinkie encircled her once more and resumed her march.

“Not me? And who are you to say what isn’t me, huh?” Pinkie muttered darkly. “There’s no reason I should listen to what you think you know of me if you don’t even know the me you think you know!”

“Pinkie Pie, that doesn’t-”

“Make any sense?” Pinkie preempted, suddenly thrusting her face close. Recoiling out of sheer reflex, Rarity fell onto her back in a cloud of dust, but the discomfort at having shale grinding into her coat couldn’t be compared to the disquiet in her heart as Pinkie looked down at her. “Isn’t that just sooo me, though? Not making sense?” Her question went unanswered. Rarity was beyond herself, her worry moving closer to panic faster than she dared to think. “Don’t go getting all shy on me now, Rarity. That’s not like you at all. Let’s keep playing, shall we? What’s my favorite place in the whole wide world?”

“I-I don’t…”

“Just guess,” Pinkie demanded. “After all, if you get just one of these questions right, the game is over and you’re free to go. Juuust one. So go ahead! I can’t wait to hear your answer.” There was nothing else Rarity could do save cede to Pinkie’s demands. After all, she was dealing with the mare that could predict coincidence and chase down Equestria’s fastest flier.

“T-the rock farm?”

“...Huh.” For just a moment, Rarity thought that she might have a glimmer of hope, but that moment proved ephemeral. “Close, but no pickle sandwich. Next! What kind of clothes do I like wearing?”

“Y-you actually like wearing-”

“Well, duh! It’s like you don’t even think I’m a mare,” Pinkie scoffed. “Lemme guess, you don’t know that one, either?”

“W-well…”

“You don’t? Oh, what a surprise!” Pinkie wailed dramatically, holding a hoof to her forehead. “Lucky for you, I just love surprises… right?”

“Wrong?”

“Wrong!” Pinkie shouted, pounding the ground with a hoof. “Wrong, wrong, wrong! That one should have been easy! It’s like you’re not even trying! Like… like I never really mattered at all...” For the first time since she had begun her tirade, Pinkie’s expression softened as the anguish within seeped to the surface, and it was at that moment that Blinkie’s doubt was banished; Pinkie Pie hadn’t changed. There was no danger for anyone present but herself, and her behavior was starting to take its toll. “Last… last question,” Pinkie Pie murmured in a hoarse whisper. “What… is most special to me?”

Struggling to steady herself, Rarity eased herself upright and looked upon the one who had moments before appeared to have been in the midst of a towering rage, but who now looked as ravaged as she felt. The pounding of her heart and churning of her stomach made it difficult to think, but the question posed was one that anypony who had spent any amount of time around Pinkie should be able to answer. “I…” Rarity began, her voice quavering. “‘I give a smile, I get a smile… and that’s so special to me.’”

“That’s… that’s what I thought, too,” she barely managed to choke out before averting her tear-stained muzzle. “But I… I was… wrong.” The undeniable depth of sorrow contained within Pinkie’s parting words filled the disheveled wreck of a mare with enough urgency to shake how she had been being treated just moments before, at least in part. It stung, having a friend whom she’d only just recently begun to try and understand more fully suddenly lash out, but Rarity liked to believe she had more tenacity than the average mare, and if all she could do was stand, then that’s exactly what she was going to do.

“Pinkie Pie, wait,” Rarity said softly, struggling to rise to her hooves and failing the first time. “Pinkie, please, don’t walk away,” she begged, this time a little louder. Fighting tooth and hoof to wrench back control, she forced her drained body to her whim, shakily managing to stand. “Pinkie?”

“...Leave me alone, Rarity,” Pinkie whimpered, not bothering to turn around. “I can’t… I just can’t.” Hearing a mare that always strained to help others believe in the silver lining sound so defeated was almost enough to drain the strength from Rarity’s hooves. Though one could hardly blame her under the circumstances, she couldn’t fully realize what was at stake. With every retreating step, Pinkie moving falling further from the pony that she had known herself to be.

Having not the faintest notion of what she could do to mend whatever had left Pinkie Pie in tatters but overtaken by the overwhelming urgency to act, regardless of the outcome, Rarity motioned to give chase. She hadn’t even made it a single step before something swept over and forcefully shoved her away, toppling her to the ground. When the dust settled and the dull throb in her chest had eased to a point she could open her eyes, she looked up to find Blinke barring her path with no small amount of fury kindled within her searing gaze. Remaining at a distance and speechless with fright, Inkie clasped her hooves over her ears and turned away; the old Blinkie was coming out, and if fortune favored that poor white unicorn at all, then she would be blessed to return home without any broken bones.

“L-leave…” Blinkie rasped out, barely able to speak for the anger that swirled within. “Leave… Pinkie… alone.” Rarity could feel her limbs snapping under the overpowering animosity scourging her being. “I don’t care who you are. You’ve brought Pinkie nothing but sadness both times you’ve been here, and I’ve… had… enough.”

“I… I o-only wanted to help,” Rarity sniveled, shrinking away.

“Take a look at what your ‘help’ has brought!” Inkie roared, the chains on her temper snapping one by one as her trembling hoof pointed towards towards Pinkie’s downcast form. “If you were actually trying to help, she’d let you; Pinkie knows when she’s reaching her limit, and she’s been pushed far beyond what any friend would ever allow to happen!” Stung by the accusation, Rarity looked towards Pinkie expecting a rebuttal, but her heart could only shatter further as the mare cast her gaze elsewhere, confirming Blinkie’s harsh words without a sound. “If you thought that coming out here would be able to reverse what’s been done, then you were wrong. Pinkie hasn’t been this upset since-”

“Don’t say it!” All activity ceased as Pinkie’s mournful cry echoed across the landscape. Straining to quell her wrath, Blinkie gritted her teeth and pulled back on the reins; she’d nearly broken her Pinkie Promise just then, and that would make her no better than the mare trembling at her hooves.

“I’m sorry, Pinkie, I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Blinkie said softly, motioning for Inkie to tend to Pinkie before turning back to find Rarity had managed to stand. “You’re not welcome here. It’s for Pinkie’s sake that I haven’t resorted to violence, but if you take even one more step towards her, I… I will end you.”

Were she asked how she were feeling at that moment, Rarity would have been entirely honest to answer that she couldn’t say. With her heart dashed to dust over the growing realization that she and the rest had failed Pinkie in a most fundamental way and her body barely able to keep her standing on account of her emotional exhaustion, the idea of taking any steps any direction seemed to her too dreary a task. And yet, there was a choice. What she decided then, at that very moment, would forever change the course of her life those of all the ponies present. Her eyes roamed from face to face, from terror, to fury, and to sorrow, before falling to find the image of her hooves swaying upon her vision. The whimper that came as she lifted her hoof was one born of acceptance for the consequences of the act she was about to take: consequences that she had believed she would be able to accept. It wasn’t until their paths had been irrevocably decided that she realized, yet again, that she was wrong.

Author's Note:

"And lo, a great rift was torn between the elements, scattering harmony to the four winds and enshrouding all under a mantle of sorrow..."