Solem Perditum

by PropMaster

- XXV -

- XXV -

---

Celestia and Light Stride arrived at Sugarcube Corner without incident. At the threshold of the shop, Celestia paused, one hoof on the door handle. Light Stride glanced through one of the front windows of the bakery, then back at Celestia. “What is it?”

“Be warned. Though this may appear as a place you know... things will be different. The illusion will have twisted it in some way,” Celestia said quietly, before pushing open the door to the bakery.

Celestia took a few measured steps into the bakery, inhaling the scent of chocolate, warm pastries, and the strong scent of baking spices like cinnamon. A smile spread across her face. Light Stride sidled up to her, grinning as he looked around. “This place seems pretty familiar to me.”

Celestia nodded. “Perhaps I’ve been assuming the worst. This Ponyville is meant to play on my subconscious and fears therein... but maybe there is something different about this place?”

Light Stride smiled and walked over to the little silver service bell placed atop the front counter, and tapped the top of it lightly with his hoof. A light chime rang through the quiet shop. Celestia chuckled. “Were you expecting—”

“H-hello?”

Light Stride and Celestia froze, glancing at each other. Celestia slowly turned in a circle, searching for the source of the tremulous voice, and Light Stride frowned, murmuring, “That sounded just like—”

“We’re... closed! Please go away!”

Celestia turned towards the door to the kitchen and walked towards it. “Yes. Pinkie Pie.”

Light Stride looked surprised, but Celestia ignored his confusion, pushing open the door to the kitchen.

The kitchen was a mess, with confectioners sugar, flour, oats, and other baking supplies strewn about in a chaotic swirl. In the middle of it all sat a pink earth pony with a straight mane that hung like so many wilted flowers. She faced away from the kitchen door, but her ears swiveled to point towards Celestia’s soft hoofsteps. A shiver ran through Celestia as she stared at Pinkie Pie.

“Hello? Is somebody there?” asked Pinkie Pie.

Celestia cleared her throat, hoping that she sounded more certain than she felt at that moment. “Yes. Hello, Pinkie Pie.”

Pinkie Pie’s mane quivered, and she spun around in a blur, a huge grin spreading across her face. “Princess Celestia!”

Celestia gasped as Pinkie Pie turned to face her. Pinkie Pie’s eyes were white. There was no iris, no color, just blind orbs. Despite this, Pinkie Pie got to her hooves and trotted over to Celestia, burying her face in her chest and giving the Princess a huge, warm hug. “Heya Princess! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here! It’s been so lonely and dark, and I was getting worried about everypony, but now that you’re here I know everything’s gonna be okie-dokie-lokie!”

Celestia smiled. “Of course. I’m here now, and so is Light Stride. You remember him, don’t you?”

Pinkie Pie laughed. “Pff, yeah! I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville! Plus, he’s kinda a cutie, and I love a stallion in uniform. Don’t tell Ponky, but I think Stride’s armor looks better than his missionary tie.”

Celestia chuckled, shaking her head in befuddlement. “Indeed. How about you follow me, Pinkie, and we’ll see him.”

“Oh, I’d love to see him! It’s so dark in here, and I can’t seem to get the lights to work, or the candles to light, or anything.”

Celestia shivered. “Pinkie?”

The pink pony blabbered on, oblivious. “At first I was like ‘Oh, it was Rainbow Dash! That crazy filly, always playing pranks!’, but I called and called for her, and she never showed up, even when I laughed and said she was the best prankster in Equestria, and that always works!”

“Pinkie, if I may?”

“So, then I figured that maybe the Cakes had forgotten to pay the power bill again, so I tried to find them, but they don’t seem to be home, and so I thought that maybe Twilight had done something and caused a spell to go all wrong and maybe she’d turned off the sun! So I got really worried, because usually the girls all come to get me when things like that happen, and I would have gone to find them but it’s just so dark and I can’t see anything and I’m scared.”

Pinkie Pie’s last words came out in a rush, and she clung even tighter to Celestia, quivering. Celestia put a hoof around Pinkie Pie. “I’m sorry, my little pony. This is my fault.”

Light Stride walked into the room, glancing at Pinkie Pie with a concerned frown, and then at Celestia. “What happened.”

Pinkie Pie turned to regard Light Stride, flashing him a trembling smile. “Heya Lighty!”

“Sweet C—uh, I mean... hey, Pinkie.” To his credit, Light Stride covered his shock reasonably well.

Pinkie Pie turned back to face Celestia. “Princess Celestia, I promise I don’t blame you for turning off the sun. I mean, after all, it’s totally your sun, and you’re a big pony that can do what she wants... but maybe I could get a teensy-tiny-itty-bitty bit of light?” Her smile faltered. “I haven’t seen Light Stride in a while, and it’d be really great... t-to... see him.”

“I’m afraid that the problem isn’t the sun, Pinkie Pie. It’s me.” Celestia nuzzled Pinkie Pie dearly. “Little pony, I like to think that I know my subjects very well... especially you and your friends... but that is not true. I have lived a long life, and met many ponies, and... it means that I sometimes... forget. Not everything, just little important things, like coat color, or how they style their mane, or even... what your eyes look like.”

Light Stride looked horrified, understanding bright in his eyes, but Pinkie Pie smiled. “That’s okay, I forget things all the time, too!”

Celestia smiled. “Your willingness to forgive is comforting, Pinkie Pie. How about you walk over to Light Stride and hold his hoof, and he’ll help you through the dark.”

“Okay,” Pinkie Pie giggled and turned, not quite facing Light Stride, and extended a hoof his way. “C’mon, Stridey-widey, help a gal get around in the dark?”

Light Stride mustered a smile, taking her outstretched hoof. “Of course, Pinkie Pie. You stick with me.”

Pinkie’s grin widened slightly, and Celestia nodded at Light Stride, unable to meet his concerned gaze when he glanced her way. “Thank you, Light Stride.”

“Where are we going, Tia?” chirped Pinkie Pie, seeming more at ease now.

Celestia turned, heading for the front of the shop. “Carousel Boutique.”

Comments

[Skeeter The Lurker]

So she's finding the Elements in her own mind?

Hmmm.

Also... Ponky, huh? Nice touch.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[RoboRed]

Don’t tell Ponky, but I think Stride’s armor looks better than his missionary tie.”

*snerk*

[Swirls]

2838320 *ponkponk*

[Skeeter The Lurker]

2838516

Heh, if it isn't Kaidan's favorite stalker. Seems great minds think alike, yeah?

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Swirls]

2838582 SKEETY THIS http://www.fimfiction.net/story/37198/everything-is-fine

[Skeeter The Lurker]

2838609

Oh boy... That... I recall that.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Swirls]

2838620 I forgot to favorite it!

[That_one_guy]

I've come to really fucking like this fic, you know?

No? Well you do now, punk.

[PropMaster]

2839128
Thanks very much!

[RazgrizS57]

Don’t tell Ponky, but I think Stride’s armor looks better than his missionary tie.

You are damn well certain I'm telling him. In a year and a half.

I had an idea this sort of thing might take place with the fake Ponyville. All the mane six, I presumed, either be acting as directly their polar opposites, but instead you appear to be going a crueler route. Instead of just making the ponies "sick," with Pinkie Pie at least you seem to be taking away from them what they loved about themselves the most. With Pinkie, it's the inability to see all the smiles she causes. Let's see if that guess of mine holds out.

[Super Trampoline]

Don’t tell Ponky, but I think Stride’s armor looks better than his missionary tie.”

heh, that was the story I originally came here for.

[FashionablyHospitable]

Oh, Pinkie...

This is not good.

[Draco Dei]

2838609
Is Ponky a character in that?