//------------------------------// // The Party // Story: He Was Number One // by Acoustic Pulse //------------------------------// The kitchen fell silent. At that point, they were enjoying the fritters and each other's company. Granny Smith had baked a pie and another batch of muffins to add to the arsenal of apple flavored desserts. The silence was getting on Babs Seed's nerves. "Hey, have you guys ever tried blueberry muffins?" she asked, taking a bite of another apple cinnamon muffin. "Of course. Just 'cause we specialize in Apples don't mean we don't use no other fruits. The only fruit I won't eat is pears. I can't stand no pears," Granny Smith replied. "Pears are gross. I tried one," Apple Bloom agreed. "At least you tried something new. That's always a good thing," Rotten Core smiled. "Yeah, I reckon so," Apple Bloom laughed. Applejack sat silently, not even touching her plate. Rotten Core noticed this and spoke, "You alright?" Before Applejack could respond, there was a knock at the door. Granny Smith hobbled slowly towards it, "Y'all enjoy the snacks, I'll get the door." The others simply rose and peered through the kitchen's threshold to see who it was. Granny Smith opened the door to see Pinkie Pie on the other side. "Hey, Granny!" "How d'you do?" Granny Smith smiled. "Doing great! We got everything set up for RC at Sugarcube Corner, we were waiting for everypony else in town to show up before we dropped by to get him," Pinkie explained. "That's a mighty kind thing you did for him. You've always been such a sweetheart," Granny smiled. "Oh, it was no biggie, G-Smithy," Pinkie giggled. Granny Smith shook her head, but smiled goodnaturedly, "G-Smithy?" "I dunno, I just thought it sounded good," Pinkie shrugged. "Well, lemme round up the rest of the crew and we'll head on over there," Granny said. "Alright, see you there," Pinkie waved and turned to head back to Sugar Cube corner. Granny Smith turned to head back to the kitchen, "Pinkie Pie's throwing another one of her shindigs and she wants us all to be there. Bring the desserts." Applejack sighed, getting up, 'I hope this party will get me out this slump,' she thought. Big Mac retrieved the apple pie. Babs Seed put the muffins into a basket and carried it out. They left the fritters for Applejack. Apple Bloom took off in full gallop to catch up with Granny Smith. Applejack and Rotten Core were the only ones still in the kitchen. She turned to her cousin, "I never answered your question, I do apologize. To answer it, no. I keep tryna tell myself that this is another sick joke you're playing on me and that you'll be okay. I keep tryna trick myself into believing that you got a way out of it, because you always had a Plan B for everything. It just hurts me to see you suffering like this." Rotten Core looked up from the table at his cousin, "I'm afraid this is the last leg of my journey. I wish it wasn't so short. It all went by so fast, he told me I had a month. This last month has dragged and I'm glad. Part of me wishes I wasn't dying and that I could stay here with you, Granny, and your siblings. The other part is beginning to accept that I don't have a lot of time left and that I'll have to end this journey in order to begin a new one." Applejack fought to hold back tears and then stapled on a smile, "Let's just get you to this party. I think it'll help us both feel a little better." Rotten Core nodded in agreement, letting her lead the way. She retrieved the plate of fritters and exited the house. Rotten Core locked the door and exited the house, closing it behind him. Rotten Core was the last to enter Sugarcube Corner. He entered the front hallway and froze in shock. "You look like you've seen a ghost," a familiar voice rang out from ahead of him. He looked up to see Quick Draw, "What are y'all doing here? I thought y'all had gone home." "That's what we wanted you to think. Pinkie Pie had this planned the entire time. We all left the train to get on other ones that led straight to Ponyville so we would already be here by the time you got here," Quick Draw explained. Rotten Core shook his head, a bewildered look on his face. Victory Lap entered the room, "Oh, I was wondering where ya disappeared to, buddy." He turned to Rotten Core, "The stallion of the hour! We were wondering when you were gonna show up. Good to see you." "You too. This is wild, I wasn't expecting anything like this. I knew Pinkie Pie was unpredictable, but this is a whole new level," Rotten Core replied. He looked into the dining room. Applejack was talking to Cherry Jubilee. Granny Smith and Mrs. Cake were swapping dessert recipes. Apple Bloom and her friends were trying to stop Babs Seed and Derpy from fighting over the muffins. True Grit was also in attendance. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were holding Maud Pie back from attacking him again. He seemed to know the right buttons to push. There were unfamiliar faces as well, though he felt like he recognized a few. Seated at the same table were a white mare with a curly purple mane and tail and a yellow mare with a pink flowing mane and tail. He looked at another table to see Lyra Heartstrings and Golden Harvest sitting with another unfamiliar face, a cream colored mare with a purple and pink striped mane. 'That must be that Bon Bon she was talking about,' Rotten Core thought. He took a deep breath and prepared to be bombarded by greetings. He entered the dining room. Maud Pie had finally calmed down and was now sitting and talking with True Grit. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie approached Rotten Core. "I bet you weren't expecting almost everypony on the train to be here!" Pinkie giggled. "I wasn't. I'm surprised you pulled this off," Rotten Core scanned the room. Somepony was missing. "Of course. She's Pinkie Pie. This is what she does," Rainbow laughed. "Where's the little guy who made the get well card? I thought he would be here, considering you two got along so well," Rotten Core asked. He scanned the room again. He saw an empty chair with a black balloon tied to it. Nopony would go near it. He looked up at the Elements of Loyalty and Happiness. Their facial expressions went from happy to somber. "Well, apparently, there was a serious accident back up on the mountain. Next Level was waiting for the other train to Ponyville to show up. Another stallion was running behind and was hauling flank trying to catch it. He didn't see the little guy standing there. He bumped into him and Next Level fell onto the track. The train couldn't slow down in time and the stallion wasn't fast enough to get Next Level back up onto the platform. He was struck by the train and he was killed pretty much instantly," Pinkie Pie explained. Rotten Core was in shock. He felt numb. He still had his saddlebag fastened. He reached into it and took out the Get Well card. He trotted over to the chair, leaving it there. He reached into his bag again for a pen and paper. He began to write. To the family of Next Level, I never really got to know y'all's son, as I had very little interaction with him. However, he made this get well card for me. He found out I was sick and went out of his way to do that for me. I just wanted to thank you both for raising such a fine young stallion. It pains me to know his life has ended before it even began. My time is limited as well, I was expecting to be gone long before him. Finding out what happened has left me completely numb. I offer my sincerest condolences. Enclosed in this letter is the get well card he made for me. I figured since it was the last thing he did before he passed that y'all would like to have it. I hope it brings you both solace, as it did for me. Take care of yourselves, Rotten Core He looked for Derpy. It appears she had won the battle for the muffins because she was guarding the basket with her life. "Derpy, could you deliver this for me when you get a chance?" Rotten Core gave her the letter. Derpy nodded, coughing because a crumb went down the wrong pipe, "Y-yeah, I'll figure out where they are. No worries." "Thanks, Derpy. Also, you need to drink something. You're going to choke yourself," Rotten Core chuckled. Derpy giggled, "Oh, I almost forgot." Rotten Core went over to sit with Applejack and Cherry Jubilee. Cherry waved when she saw him, "We were wondering when you would mosey on over here." "Fashionably late, that's how we Apples operate. Ain't that right, RC?" Applejack joked, knowing they were never late to anything. "Oh, for sure. That's how we roll," Rotten Core stapled on a smile, but he looked dazed. "Are you feeling okay?" Cherry asked. "No, not feeling well at all," Rotten Core admitted. "What's going on?" Applejack asked. "Found out a friend of mine passed away," Rotten Core sighed. "Who?" Cherry asked. "The little guy who was on the train with us, Next Level," Rotten Core answered. Cherry Jubilee froze, "I got off the train with him. I heard some commotion, but I didn't realize what happened. Did he fall and get hit?" Rotten Core nodded, confirming her question. "I'm at a loss. I can't believe somepony so young can be gone that quick," Cherry sighed. "You never know when your number's going to come up," Rotten Core replied. "That's true, you're never too young," Applejack added. "I think I'm gonna head back to the orchard. I don't feel like staying here, it's just weird. It's like I'm attending my own wake before it even happens," Rotten Core said. "Do you want anypony to go with you?" Applejack asked. "I think I can manage, it ain't that far," Rotten Core declined. "Suit yourself. I'll see you at home," Applejack waved. "Alright," Rotten made his way for the exit. He didn't speak to anypony. As he trotted, he began to feel light headed. The dull pain in his side became sharper. He kept moving, determined to make it back to the farm house by himself. He lost his balance and collapsed.The impact knocked the wind out of him. He tried to get up, but he was too dizzy. He fell again, hitting his head on the ground and knocking him unconscious. End of Chapter 11!