> Abstratum > by Tori Boshi > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Eternal Bliss > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laying in her bed, Pinkie stared dully at the ceiling. A cyan shaded bedspread curled beneath her as she rolled around. “Hmm…” she sighed. The room was illuminated only by glimmers of light that bled through the curtains. Pinkie sat, unable to resist fidgeting with the fuzzy blanket beneth her. Slowly, the mare rolled to her side and curled up into fabric, hiding her snout within it. “What am I doing?” She murmured. “What is this feeling I have?” Her eyelids shut and her mind drifted off, letting in all sorts of abstract thoughts. Disorganized meshes of unrecognizable faces flooded her consciousness. Pony after unrecognizable pony raced across her thoughts. The muscle in her legs twitched but settled quickly. Her mind felt fuzzy as she gently rocked from side to side in her bed, the features of her face relaxing. The thoughts and imagery began to envelop her, tightening their grips of her reality. However, just before she succumbed to her dreams, a blinding white light pierced her mind. The mares eyes popped open and she sat up, flinging the blanket off of her in the process. Pinkie rose her hooves to her eyes and rubbed them gently. "What in the world? Where did that light come from?" The mare snatched the blanket back and slid underneath it, hiding herself within the fuzz. She rolled onto her stomach and twisted her neck to the left, focusing on the room. It was pink and pretty like always, dispite the gloomy darkness. Rubbery balloons along with beautiful glittery streamers and the posters of famous comedians she enjoyed—and often mimicked—hung on the walls. Various party and social planners lay spread out on top of the dresser to the right. It was important to know that even with a memory like her own, Pinkie would never be able to keep every party and social event she had planned inside her head. Taking a quick glance at the journals, memories of a party seemed to flash before Pinkies eyes. Vague images, blured by time, wisked past as fleating thoughts. The party was sort of… Oh, what’s the word? I think there was a party, but why can’t I remember anything from it? she thought. “UGH!” Pinkie cried. Rolling onto her back, Pinkie clumped together the blanket into a ball and tossed it upward. The fabric unfolded as it hit the ceiling and floated back down, covering the mares scrunched face. “Why? Why do I feel this way?” she pouted, muffled by the blanket. “What is this feeling… I don’t think it’s my Pinkie Sense... What is it?” She shoved the blanket away, kicking it toward the board at the end of her bed. It crumpled together, stuffing itself in the little crevice between the mattress and the frame. Pinkie forced herself out of bed, groggily making her first step onto the floor below. She began pacing around the tiny room, making an effort not to stop. Climbing over her bed, rubbing a hoof against the dresser, she felt her room out with each revolution. Ending the small trek, the mare sat against the window. Staring blankly, Pinkie reached up towards her forehead. An oil-like slickness was stuck into the tuffs of fur and little droplets of sweat formed on her brow. She twisted her body a whole one-eighty to look at the full-body mirror sitting to the right of her bedroom door. The mirror reflected her familiar image clearly, showing the usaual curly pink hair just as bouncy and poofy as always. It was her trademark hair style that seemed like it wouldn't ever break down. Even after all that messing around in the bed, it still looked nearly untouched. Poking and prodding the ball of hair yeilds an equally slick and greasy texture, same as her forehead. “A greasy mane is not a candy-storing mane,” she said quietly. Pinkie turned back to the window, but noticed fog had built up on the glass. Taking her hoof, Pinkie made short work of it revealing the town below. Peering down, the city was quite lively. Roseluck watering her plants, Ditzy flying by with a stack of letters, some of which had fallen prey to the wind. Suddenly though, out of the corner of her eye, Pinkie spotted a lavendar pony down the street. Twilight walked briskly down the pavement, smiling. Her heart jumped, and she ducked under the window. She stared back with only with her eyes exposed. Oh what do I say? should be like, “Hey, Twilight! How’s i’ goin’?” or “Hi Twiley, wanna go do something?” maybe, “Twiiiiiiiliiiiiight, look over here! Hey!” That one sounds kinda fun! Pinkie thought, giggling. There were so many choices of things to say. All of them were wacky, silly and full of fun just like she wanted. She pondered which words would be the best at making Twilight happy but before she knew it, Twilight had turned to look her way. Pinkie jerked suddenly to the side of the window, and studied the unicorn in great detail through the glass. That heartwarming smile, that violet mane, and her lavandar coat. Twilight stared back at her through the window with her soft, purple eyes, and waved at her. Pinkie gasped lightly and smiled back at her, waving as intently as her friend. Without warning, Twilight jerked her face away. Her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed. Her face bent into a frown as the wind blew her hair to the side. She darted down the street past Sugarcube Corner and Pinkie lost sight of her. Pinkie’s smile sagged a bit, her eyes widening as her mouth gaped open ever so slightly.   Did something happen? Pinkie thought. Should I ask her about it? Pinkie laid a hoof on the window hatch, but hesitated in pushing it open. She kept herself glued to the handle. Her face grew more grim as she waited. What do I do? Why do I feel like… She wasn’t telling me something? Pinkie shook her head. “I-I think I’m gonna go take a shower.” Turning around, Pinkie walked up to her door and opened it and headed into the hallway. She held her head low as she tip-toed to the bathroom. Defeated? Is that this feeling I feel? Pinkie thought. No, no, silly. I’ve not been defeated! I’ve just got to stay positive! I’ll figure out what this feeling is soon enough, I think! Pinkie blanked for a minute, bumping her snout into the bathroom door. She winced a bit but giggled just as much. A smile crept back on her face, just as she opened the door to the bathroom. The fruity smell of bathroom cleaner was in the air. Pinkie coughed and gagged on the overpowering scent. It was strong, like body spray or perfume. Pinkie turned the light on to reveal a sparkly, porcelain tub and shiny linoleum floors. She grabbed a towel off the rack and spread it out on the floor next to the tub. Adjusting the shower head a bit, she turned the hot water on and stuck her fore-leg into it. Pinkie shot her leg back and shook it about, letting the water fly off her hoof. “I think I’ll let it warm up a bit first.” Pinkie said. She sighed again, but tried to keep her grin up as long as possible. She zipped over to the window and slid it open, letting out all the overpowering scent. She stuck her face out the window, breathing in the cooling fresh air. Pinkie noted that the sun was only a few dozen minutes away from touching the horizon. Starlight could be vaguely seen through the red-tinted sky. The twilight seemed to drag on forever as Pinkie peered out over the town. Cold air wafted inside as Pinkie held her face out of the window. Feeling its chill bite against her skin, she pulled herself back inside and quickly closed the window. Out of the corner of her eye, Pinkie spotted a familiar face. Rarity sat outside, practically glowing in the sunset with a purple purse of sorts strapped around her shoulder. Another pony—a stallion—joined her. Pinkie crept toward the window, keeping her eyes trained on Rarity. She looked to be talking to the stallion. He wore a black suit with the collar faced down and a small pocket watch in his hoof. His blue mane was tinted red by the sun. “Do I know him? I don’t think I do! But I know everyone in Ponyville! Maybe he’s from Canterlot, here to give Rarity some award! Yes! Maybe I should…” Pinkie’s eyes grew distant and strained. Her grin was gone and she remained silent. Her hoof was twitching, gravitating towards the latch on the window. She gasped as her body seemed to move on it’s own. Shaking her head, she pulled her leg back in and took a deep breath. Pinkie’s mind wandered about, in and out of clarity. The sounds of water rushing up against the porcelain tub rang in her ears as she stood. Rarity and the stallion spoke to each other with such a glimmer in their eyes. Pinkie felt her heart ache again, holding a hoof to her chest. She stared at the two intently, wishing for this feeling to subside. All she could do was sit paralyzed, letting the steam from the shower drift out from above the curtains. Pinkie pushed herself away from the window for a moment, heading over to the shower. She turned down the water a little bit and pulled the curtain back. Hot steam poured into the bathroom steaming up the window and mirror. Maybe one last look. Gotta make sure that stallion is trustworthy! Pinkie desperately though. Going back back over to the window, Pinkie wiped away the fog with her hoof. She peered back over to Rarity. In an instant, Pinkie felt a sharp pain in her chest as she stared down. Rarity was alone now, standing perfectly still, and staring straight up through the window of Sugarcube Corner. She held a look of despair in her eyes and she looked up to the window. Plastering a grin on her face, Pinkie stiffly waved to her. Rarity stood unmoving, like a statue. She didn’t say anything, didn’t move or gesture. She just sat there—staring, with those eyes. Pinkie couldn’t help twinge at those eyes. Pinkie Pie let her false smile fall and backed away from the window. Her hooves trembled beneath her. Taking only a few deep breaths, she moved along to the shower. She got into the tub and closed the curtain behind her. The steamy hot water rushed down her body, making the hairs on her coat sag. Cautiously wetting her mane, Pinkie stared ahead of herself, letting her mind wander again. The beige wall became a portal into her thoughts. Colored outlines of ponies crept into her mind. Minutes or hours, time seemed to stand still as she stood lifeless; her mane dropping down into a wet mess just below her chest. I...I wonder if Rarity was alright, Pinkie thought, Was something wrong? Can’t I usually tell when my friends are upset? Maybe it was yesterday’s party? Wait, was she even there…? Pinkie felt the rush of water down her head, past her cheeks, dripping from her chin and onto the plastic mat beneath her. She grabbed the shampoo from the sill and began to lather it up in her hoof, spreading it all over her head, kneading her hair into a ball of fluff and foam. I wonder what even happened at yesterday's party? Pinkie thought. Wait, was it even a party? Pinkie finished up washing and rinsing her hair. Springing to her hooves again, she turned off the water. Grabbing the towel from the ground, she dried herself off and tossed the towel on the rack. She started off to the door but stopped short. Her eyes slowly trained themselves on the window. S-she couldn’t be, could she?  Pinkie tip-toed toward the window, keeping her head low as she approached. The second she peeked over the windowsill, her heart sank. Illuminated solely by moonlight, stood Rarity. Her deadly stare was locked onto the window, staring right into Pinkie's eyes. Pinkie flung herself against the window, trying to open it, but it somehow became jammed. She began to bang on the window, but it was no use. Her face grew more and more distressed with each moment she stood helpless. All of a sudden, Rarity jerked away and began to cough. Pinkie’s face returned to normal as she watched. She took her eyes off her and rubbed them. Looking back, Pinkie felt a blow to her chest.  Rarity lay on the ground coughing and wheezing. She fell down on her side and gasped for air. Pinkie felt as solid as a slab of ice, frozen and paralyzed in place. Her mind spun faster and faster as she watched her friend suffer. Her face contorted, and she ground her teeth. She felt her eyesight fade, casting Rarity as a dark silhouette against the background. Pinkie closed her eyes. What does it mean? What does it mean? Where did they go? I-I still feel this way. What is this feeling? Maybe... I think I’m scared. No, I’m terrified! Pinkie panicked. She took a big gulp of air and opened her eyes. When she looked up again, Rarity was gone, nowhere to be found. D-did she recover from her fit? She must have just gone home, right? Pinkie tried to reassure herself. She sighed. “I’ve gotta go make those pastries for tomorrow’s customers… That’ll take my mind off things.” Pinkie made haste for the door. I’ve gotta calm my nerves. I just gotta take things one step at a time! I can do this! she thought. The hallway seemed narrower than she’d remembered as she trotted down it. She stared ahead and tried not to think about it. Pinkie made her way down the flight of stairs and through the shop. She opened up the kitchen door. Just as always, the oven was situated to the right, at the end of the counter, with some cabinets hanging just above it. Heading to the left, Pinkie found the various ingredients for cupcakes in the walk-in pantry. She’d memorized all the recipes in the cookbook long ago, so she didn’t bother grabbing it. She laid out the ingredients on the table that sat in the middle of the kitchen and went over to the cabinets above the stove. She swung the old wooden cupboard door open to find a glass measuring cup. “Well hello there, Mr. Measoire, I’m afraid I will need your assistance today! I hope it doesn’t cut into your plans!” Pinkie said, giggling. “Oh, no, Ms. Pinkie, of course I can help! You’re my best friend, after all!” Pinkie said using a French accent. Pinkie bounced over to the sink. “It’s nice of you to say so, Mr. Measoire!” Pinkie started humming one of her favorite tunes as she poured water into the glass. Cupcakes, so sweet and tasty… When the glass filled to the two-cup line, Pinkie turned the water off and bounced back to her table of ingredients. She stood mere feet away from the table before a bolt of lightning struck the ground outside. It shook the shop and sent an explosion of thunder throughout the store. Pinkie jumped at the sound and tripped over her hooves. She fumbled with her glass, trying to catch it. The glass flew through the air and crashed onto the floor and shattered it into a few pieces, spreading water all over the ground. Pinkie stood frozen as she gazed down at the broken pieces. Tears welled in her eyes as she stood over the glassware. “M-Mr. Measoire…?” Pinkie murmured. Her eyes widened as her hooves began to shake. Her legs moved of their own volition. Her limbs reached down and limply pushed the little bits of glass into a pile. Small cuts and nicks formed on her hooves without much notice. She hesitated picked up the pile of glass from the ground. She paused for a long minute, looking forlorn at the mess. Pinkie sniffled gently and whipped her nose. She finally noticed the tiny red stains in her hooves and pushed away her hoof. Hesitantly, she walked over to the plastic waste basket under the counter. She opened the door and dumped the carcass of Mr. Measoire inside before closing it again. I-it was just a glass… Pinkie told herself. Her eyes grew distant and developed an empty look. Vacant spots filled her once-vibrant blue irises. She dragged herself over to the window sill. Storm clouds gathered around Ponyville. The night sky’s beautiful stars were nowhere to be found. Pinkie sighed, trying to collect her thoughts. She lay her hooves across each other on the window sill. She played around with the fur on her coat, twirling it around in circles. Why don’t I understand anything anymore? Twilight runs away and Rarity disappears but… Why am I here? Pinkie thought. Hmm? I’m here because… Because this is my house! Mr. and Mrs. Cake are here! This… This is my job! I... “I… Wanna go to sleep.” Pinkie cut her own thought off. Pinkie looked up from the window. Her heart shook again. Predictably, another one of her friends was in sight as if following a destined pattern. Just below the cloud level, Rainbow Dash flew around, collecting and pressing together the storm clouds, packing them in. She moved like the wind as she worked, darting around the night sky. Why is Dashie working so late? Pinkie wondered. Straining her eyes, Pinkie attempted to peer through the darkened night sky. Rainbow’s Wonderbolt-in-training uniform was easy to discern from the blackness, at least. I-if I look away and back… She’ll be staring at me. She’ll stare at me and I’ll wave and she’ll wave. I’ll go to bed, and I’ll wake up. That’s what I’ll do, she thought. Pinkie crept away from the pegasus. The light from the window dimmed and rain started to pour down. Condensation already started to form a light fog on the window. Little tiny droplets of water formed around the glass, blocking the view. Pinkie’s eyes moved down toward the floor. The sharp reminder of Mr. Measoire’s demise lingered in her head. She fought the urge to look out the window. Her muscles tensed up but Pinkie shook her body; moving one muscle at a time. She looked back toward the window, stained with water and moved her hoof to it, pressing it against the glass. What if… Something happens…? What could happen, though? Rainbow will just stare at me like usual. Wait, ‘Usual’? Does Dashie usually stare at me? Why… her thought trailed off. Without warning, her hoof twitched and removed a good portion of the mist. Rainbow Dash’s figure could be seen across from Sugarcube Corner, on the other side of the street. Pinkie could see little more than her silhouette. Rainbow was staring at her, her eyes squinted and her mouth bent down into a frown. Wait, why is Dash getting herself and her uniform wet? She hates getting wet, doesn’t she? Is that why she’s so angry? Just move out of the the rain, Dashie. Pinkie strained her mind for an explanation. Her eyes focused on Rainbow’s ghastly expression. It was a glare. A sharp glare that pierced her soul. As the rain poured down, harder and harder, Rainbow’s expression faded more and more. Her scowl grew neutral, and her eyes vacant. She lifted a foreleg in the air and waved the stiff appendage in Pinkies direction. Pinkie’s eyes studied Rainbow’s hoof. The hoof waved back and forth like a hypnotic pendulum and Pinkies own hooves twitched, forcing themselves upward. It was like someone was guiding her—moving her along this narrow path with few options. She strained her mind to think. She twirled around in a half-circle attempting to fight it. Her hooves tightened up as she moved backward towards the door. She bolted out of the kitchen. Her heart thundered inside her chest as she climbed the stairs as fast as possible. She slid on the carpet outside of the door to her room and fumbled with the knob. As soon as she got a hold of it, she rushed inside and closed the door. She panted as she stood in the dark, but flipped on the lights with haste. She closed the curtains to her window as fast as possible and jumped into her bed curling up tight into a ball, hiding under her covers. Her mind couldn’t focus. Her senses dulled as her mind swam with thoughts. Memories of ponies, her friends, her family, all of them found a way to fill her mind. Angry faces lashed out at her. All of them with sadness in their eyes. Ever so slowly, the faces grew into shapes that outlined their person. Abstract shapes filled the halls of Pinkie’s head. They grouped together, forming an outline. Sense or aesthetic function was lost. All that was left were fragments. Lines and angles forming shapes. Colors blending into a fray of warm emotion. As she watched, the yellow and orange lines stood out from the rest. They built upon each other, forming bigger more apparent outlines. The image of two silhouettes smiling bled into her mind. Why was I left? Why did they leave? Where did the lines go? Who are they? Why am I here? Why are they smiling? Why did they wave? Why are they angry? Tell me! Someone please tell me! I— Pinkie’s eyes popped open. Her body felt wet and slimy again. She tore off the blanket and sat up. Her eyes darted around the room. The colors seemed less vibrant, like the color had been draining from them. Pinkie blinked rapidly and rubbed her eyes with her hoof. Was it all a dream? She wondered. She stared down at her hoof, looking at the patches of reddened fur. No… It wasn’t a dream. She turned toward her dresser and grabbed the party planner off her desk. Something happened at the party, I’m sure of it. I just need to remember. The pages flew past each other as Pinkie read. April. 5th “We have a picnic to go to with Twilight and the gang. It’s gonna be so fun! I can’t forget to bring anything! Twilight said to bring the games and some food! I can do that, right? Ha! Do you even know who you’re talking to, Planner? Of course I can!” I remember this… We had all sorts of fun! Up until the end, I think… Someone said something. April. 13th “Rainbow Dash is having some sort of get together. Looks like it’s a going away party for ///////////////// I don’t know how I feel about ////////////// leaving but I know I’ll miss her. She’ll come back eventually, anyway, so I’ll throw a super duper big party when she comes back! It’ll be sweet. Everyone is invited!” I’m pretty sure something is missing here… What could it be? Who left? Pinkie turned the page to find that the rest of her planner was missing its pages. “Who’s the what? Where did all these pages go?” Pinkie said, flapping the book about. Pinkie threw the party planner on her desk and grabbed the social binder she kept. It was more of a diary than it was an organizational tool. She opened it up to the matching dates of the party planner. April. 5th Today we had a picnic at the park with everyone. It was really fun! Twilight was looking a little down, though, so Rainbow offered her some flight time. The two of them looked really good as they flew up in the air. It kind of makes me jealous, but that doesn’t matter. I just want to make my friends happy as can be! But I think Twilight is going away. She’s going to The writing stopped. Pinkie’s heart skipped a beat when the sentence ended. A picture of a picnic basket surrounded by Pinkie and her friends was drawn just below the text. She rapidly moved to the next time stamp. April. 13th I’m really upset now, Mr. Diary. Twilight is gone now, and I don’t know when she’ll be back… I miss her so much and I have no idea what to do. Rainbow threw a going away party for her but all it did was make some ponies cry. I don’t wanna see my friends cry. I don’t like this feeling. I just wanna stay here with them. Why are they leaving? Pinkie held her breath for the entirety of the paragraph. She gulped down air as she hesitantly turned the page. April. 20th Rarity //////////////////// in the ////////////// Small blotches of aqua blue crayan were drawn surounding the sentence That was all that was written. Three words and two blank spots. Pinkie’s body grew numb as she continued. May 26th I can't believe this! It's all my fault, I couldn't save anyon ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////// Most of the words had been scratched out. Pinkie wiped the sweat from her brow. She couldn’t even hold the book steady anymore. She felt a huge lump in her throat and her eyes twitched as she turned the page; It was the entry for the day before. May 25th I am alone. Some have left me, some I had left. They’re gone, and I won’t ever see them again. I am sad. Sad—that word lingered in Pinkie’s mind. Sadness, loneliness, abandonment, and defeat. All of these words stabbed at her mind. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She closed the book and threw it to the ground. Where am I? She thought. Why can’t I remember anything? What really happened yesterday? I know it wasn’t any ordinary party! Her hooves dragged her to the window. She eased the curtains out of the way and peered outside with a piercing gaze at what was beyond. From one horizon to the other, the whole town of Ponyville was bathed in a deep blood-red light. Only one place stood out, basking in white light that shone from above. Just outside of Sugarcube Corner were five mares, bathing in this white light that poked a hole in the red sky. Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity all stood at the front. Applejack and Fluttershy stood firmly in the back. All five of them stared in one direction. They stared at Pinkie Pie. Putting a hoof to her mouth, tears ran down Pinkies cheek. I am alone. That is this feeling. Why am I so alone? Why do my friends make me feel abandoned? she thought. I-I need to ask them! I need to know what’s happening… Help me! She raised her hoof to the latch on the window and pushed. A soft click was heard and the window swung slightly ajar. Pinkie was left with her hoof just inches away from pushing the window open. She winced and looked away for just a moment. Her eyes fought against her, forcing her head downward. She felt the cold air rush past her hoof as she pushed little by little on the window. The window creaked open. Pinkie, for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, heard the voices of her friends. “Wake up. Wake up. Come join us.” They all said in unison. She recognized it as her friends’ voices. She jolted up to see them all in the same, still, position. The voices echoed again. “Wake up. Wake up. Come join us!.” Pinkie pushed the window all the way open. “Help me! Help me, please!” Pinkie cried. None of them answered. All five stood like statues. Never blinking, never moving. Just watching. “Hello? Guys? Can you hear me? Please… Don’t ignore me…” Pinkie sunk down on the windowsill. Her eyes flooded with tears and her voice cracked with a gentle whine. “Please… Help me… Why would you leave me like this? I need your help,” she said so low not even she could hear it. Red light started to leak into the room. It shaded the once-pink walls deep blood red. Pinkie bolted away from the light that fell over the room like a shadow. Pinkie grabbed the doorknob and flung it open. She dashed down the hall as her heart raced to keep up with her. Red light leaked through the hall windows. The hall expanded and contorted as she moved. She ran and ran but the end of the corridor never got closer. Red light streamed down onto her. Searing pain shook her back as the light hit it. Her attempts to yelp were met with but a simple gasp. Pinkie looked down as she ran and shut her eyes tight. Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy? Why won’t anyone help me?! Pinkie’s mind screamed out. She smacked straight into a wall. Her eyes buzzed with stars as she tried to focus. Beside her was the staircase leading downstairs. She jumped down the stairs and put a hoof on the door that led outside. She paused and looked up and around her to see the cascade of shadow-like red light streaming down. She winced and opened the door, rushing outside. Everything went dark. Her body became numb and her mind swam. Vivid abstractions flowed into her mind. They were forming colors, lines, and angles accumulating and growing into blobs of information. She tried to scream but no sound came—no feeling of her voice escaping was sensed. Her thoughts and memories finally seemed to stream back to her. There was never any party. It was a funeral. I was at a funeral. My funeral.  Everything bathed itself in white. Lights flushed her senses as feelings started to embrace her. Thoughts pooled into her again as she came to. Her head felt like it’d been cracked open. Blinding light bounced all over her, shining directly into her. “W-where am I?” She said in such a soft voice that even she could barely make it out. “You’re here. With us.” a voice called. Pinkie’s eyes shot open. She couldn’t focus. All she could make out was the outline of a unicorn. “Us…?” Pinkie said. “Don’t be silly, Pinkie. Us. Your friends.” The voice said again. Pinkie rubbed her eyes. She pushed against the wall next to her to balance herself and squinted. She made out the familiar lavender coat. The familiar purple mane. It was Twilight. “T-Twilight? Is that you?” Pinkie asked. “Of course it is. Rainbow and Rarity are here, too. Fluttershy and Applejack will be coming shortly. Don’t you worry about that.” Twilight said. Pinkie’s vision finally adjusted. She looked ahead to see Rainbow Dash and Rarity standing just behind Twilight. They too, had heartwarming grins on their faces. Pinkie couldn’t hold the tears in any longer. “Oh come on, Pinkie Pie! Why the sad face?” Rainbow said. “B-Because we’re… We’re not…” Pinkie sobbed. “Shh Pinkie. We know. But it’s okay, no one blames you.” Twilight said holding onto Pinkies shoulder. “I never wanted to make you worry or hurt you! I-I’m so sorry. I couldn’t…” Pinkie cried. Pinkie sprang at Twilight, taking her within her hooves and embracing her. Twilight patted Pinkie on the head as she wept tears into her coat. “There there Pinkie, you’re not alone anymore. We won’t go anywhere again. We can have another party just like old times. Would that make you feel better?” Pinkie sniffled and wiped away her tears. “I don’t know. I just… I wanted to make you smile. I never…” Rarity gently put a hoof on Pinkies shoulder. “Sweetheart, we are happy. We’re together aren’t we? We just have to wait for Applejack and Fluttershy!” “We’ll party when Fluttershy and Applejack get here.” Rainbow said, grabbing onto Pinkie. “It’ll be lovely, dear.” said Rarity. Pinkie rubbed the tears from her eyes as she hugged the three mares. “I—I’m still so scared. Where are we anyway?” “We’re somewhere much better. We’re in the Abstratum.” Twilight said. “Nothing can stop us here!” Rainbow added. “What about Mr. and Mrs. Cake? Sugarcube Corner? The party store?” Pinkie asked. “What will they do?” “None of that matters now, dear. They’ll be with us here eventually but, what matters is that you’re here. Believe you me, the possibilities here are endless.” Rarity said. Pinkie stood there, unable to speak. A smile crept onto her face and her eyes grew large. She had a light chuckle to herself. The chuckle slowly turned into a giggle and then it transformed into a fit of laughter that lasted minutes and ended just as slow as it had began. “I…” Pinkie trailed off, a tiny tear forming on the side of her eyes. Pinkie stared off. Before her was a pure white expanse. White light filtered into her vision with the only deviation being the three mares who stood before her. She didn’t even know where that wall went. She didn’t know there was even a floor. Everything was pristine and without boarders. “Yeah… Mhmm. Let’s have fun, girls!” Pinkie began, taking a hold of all her friends in a big hug. “We’ll have a really nice party for Fluttershy and Applejack! We’ll make them happy when they get here and that’ll make me happy!” Pinkie said. “That’s a good way to look at it!” Twilight said. “I can't wait! This is going to be so cool, Pinkie!” Rainbow told her. “I can fly much faster here, you know!” “That’ll be really awesome, Dashie, I can’t wait to see you fly. Or see the beautiful dresses you make here, Rarity!” “Oh yes, Pinkie, I’ll make things here I would have never dreamed of! Just you wait! Dresses are just the stepping stones, in this place.” “We’ll all be happy here!” Pinkie proclaimed. In a softer voice, she added, “I’ll be happy here.” The quartet of mares turned around and started walking into the nothingness. They faded in and out of definite shapes. Lines and colors blended into the background forming abstractions within the void. Pinkie Pie joined them. Her vision meshed everything together. Her pink mane twisted into lines and shapes. Her hooves dissolved into little bits and dots. Her face was left with but a heartwarming smile and then blinked out into the void. Pinkie Pie was happy.