Pinkie 1

>"Anon?"
"Here."
>Miss Cheerilee scribbles a check mark next to your name
>"Bon Bon?"
>"Here."
>You've heard this roll call so many times, you can literally mouth the names Cheerilee says as she's saying them
>It's a nice little ritual, though
>You've always liked hearing your friends say "here"
>It reminds you that you're not alone
>"Fluttershy?"
>"...Here."
>You smile as you scribble mindlessly with your pencil
>What's for lunch today?
>It better not be lasagne
>Granny Smith makes really shitty lasagne
>"Pinkie?"
>...
>Nothing
>That's odd
>Pinkie never misses school
>She's shown up to school with a 103 degree fever before
>You turn to Fluttershy and give an inquisitive look
>She shrugs
>You shrug back and continue scribbling

>God damn it, it's lasagne day
>You sit down with your normal crew
"You guys know where Pinkie is today?"
>The five of them shake their heads
>Rainbow Dash pulls out her phone
>"I texted her this morning and she didn't respond. She's probably sick."
"That hasn't stopped her from coming to school before."
>Dash looks at you as if she's wondering why the hell you care so much where Pinkie is
>"Well she's probably just really really sick. Pinkie's diet and hygiene habits aren't exactly the best."
>That's true
>You sit through the rest of your classes and decide to check up on her after school
>You make sure to pick up a half dozen cupcakes on your drive to her house
>There's nothing a sick Pinkie Pie likes more than cupcakes
>It's already getting dark
>Winter fucking sucks
>When you get to her place, you notice that both of her parents' cars are gone
>On top of that, it looks like all the inside lights are off
>Whatever
>You ring the doorbell anyway
>You hear some really frantic shuffling going on inside for what feels like an entire minute
>Finally, you hear someone approaching the door

>The door opens to a very familiar smile
>"Hi Anon! What are you doing here?"
"I noticed you weren't at school today, and I thought you might be sick. I brought cupcakes!"
>"Oh, you're the best Nonny. Come on in!"
>You follow her inside and plop down on the couch
>Pinkie sits down next to you uncharacteristically carefully
>Something's not right
"So, what, do you have a cold or something?"
>"What? Oh. Yeah! I just woke up with the sniffles this morning. No biggie!"
>She's lying
>You were getting a really bad vibe from this situation
>All of Pinkie's smiles seemed completely forced
>As if it took all of her energy to pretend to be happy
"Where's your family?"
>She took a sudden deep breath
"They just had to go out and run some errands. So what kinda cupcakes are these?"
>Her voice is wavering
>Also, the cupcakes are in a clear plastic container
>It's pretty obvious what kind of cupcakes they are
"Just some cheap chocolate ones I found at the store. I thought they looked pretty good."
>She just stares at them
>The whole house is dark and quiet
>All you can hear is the ticking of a clock from another room
"Pinkie."
>She looks up with glazed over eyes
"Is everything okay?"

>She forces out the most pathetic giggle you've ever heard
>"I told you Nonny. I just have the sniffles."
>Yeah right
>This is going to be harder than you thought
>You aren't sure whether or not you want to press the issue
>You know that as soon as you get to the bottom of this, there will probably be crying
>But it's going to happen eventually anyway, so why delay the inevitable
"Pinkie, I'm your best friend. You can tell me."
>"It's... nothing."
>Those words come out as a squeaky whisper, obviously right on the edge of tears
>You finally pull her body to yours in a tight embrace
>As soon as you do, her body begins to hectically convulse in an outburst of crying
>Her hands are clutching your back tightly, to the point of pain
>Her eyes are buried in your shoulder, which is quickly becoming soaked in tears
>You still don't know what she's upset about, though
>You can tell from her body's convulsions that, whatever it is, it's serious
>But that doesn't matter right now
>Her trembling voice was uncontrollably whining
>Every time it felt like her tears were coming to an end, they'd only come back stronger
>Every breath she took turned into a gut wrenching wail
>It was torture to see your best friend like this
>And it went on for almost twenty minutes
>But you wouldn't even dream over letting her go
>You couldn't

>"I... I'm so sorry..."
>She finally let you go, but she was still sobbing
"Don't be sorry"
>You don't even know why she's apologizing
>"I'm... just so scared..."
"It'll be okay, Pinkie. Don't be sorry."
>You hand her a tissue from the end table next to you
>As she wipes her face, dreadful whimpers are still pouring out of her body
>You've never seen Pinkie Pie this upset before
>Every once in a while, she'd go into one of her isolated depression phases, but never like this
>"It's just... what if she doesn't come home..."
>She falls crying into your shoulder again
>This poor girl
>She's entirely in shambles
"What if who doesn't come home, Pinkie?"
>She starts mumbling into your shirt between sobs, going in and out of intelligibility
>"Maud... she started shaking, and... then I saw her... down the stairs... hit her head on the table..."
>Her words drift back into whimpering as she grips the back of your shirt
>You look over at the table near the bottom of the stairs
>Below it, the hardwood floor is very obviously stained with blood
>A lot of it
"Oh my god, Pinkie. I'm so sorry."
>Her arms wrap around you even tighter than before
>You're horrified at the thought of what could had happened
>You can't even imagine how she feels

>Eventually, you lead her into a different room in the house
>The last thing she needs is to be starting at her sister's blood during all this
>You assume from what she told you that Maud had a seizure at the top of the stairs, and that her family brought her to the hospital
>Slowly, Pinkie is calming down
"Where are your little sisters?"
>"My dad told my mom to drop them off at my grandma's house and then meet him at the hospital."
"So they just left you?"
>She nods her head helplessly
>You grip her hand in yours and look into her tear-filled eyes
"I won't leave you."
>She let's out a breathy sob and squeezes your hand
>"I'm sorry, Anon."
"Don't be sorry. Why do you keep saying that?"
>"I'm supposed to be your friend. I'm supposed to make you smile."
"Pinkie, you are my friend. You're my best friend. Which is why if you're ever upset, I'll be with you until you feel better."
>She takes a second to process that, then turns and hugs you once again
>Even though she's still crying softly, this embrace feels slightly less sorrowful than the last
>"Thank you so much, Anon"

>It's almost midnight now
>You've been with Pinkie for hours
>Between the bouts of tears and occasional silence, she's told you the whole story
>Pinkie and her sisters were getting ready for school
>Maud was standing at the top of the stairs
>Pinkie looked up and saw her begin to seize
>But Pinkie didn't know what a seizure was
>She thought Maud was messing around
>But then Maud fell
>She crashed down the stairs
>Hit her head on the corner of a table
>Her dad heard it and ran in
>Called for their mother, who scooped up Pinkie's two younger sisters
>And just like that, they were all gone
>All the while, Pinkie was just silently watching
>Petrified
>Horrified
>Alone
>She was left alone with her thoughts, for over eight hours, after watching her older sister have a seizure and receive possibly fatal head trauma
>Left alone with her imagination
>Alone with her fears
>And still, in the midst of feeling the most pain she's ever felt in her life, she still put a smile on her face when she saw you
>Your happiness was still more important than hers
>That's friendship

>The heavy silence of the house is finally interrupted by the front door opening
>Through it walk Pinkie's mother and father
>No Maud
>Pinkie immediately descends into tears again
>So does her mother
>The two of them rush to one another and embrace
"She's fine. Maud's going to be fine."
>What a sensational sentence to hear
>Maud's going to be fine
>"Pinkie, we're so sorry we left you."
>Pinkie wipes away her tears
>"It's okay. I understand why you had to."
>An air of pride comes over Pinkie's mother
>"Are you okay?"
>Pinkie glances at you
>"I think so."
>Pinkie's mom smiles and hugs Pinkie once again
>Her father gives you an approving nod
>You return the gesture
>You decide it's about time you take your leave
>Pinkie's in the hands of her parents now, and you don't want to stifle the situation by being there
>You manage to slip out amidst the commotion
>After a very long day, you drive home and try to get some rest
>Your head is spinning
>Maud's going to be fine
>You really hope so
>Either way, you're sure this affair is long from over

>You managed to get a few hours of sleep
>It was hard to relax, though
>Seeing Pinkie in that kind of disarray was traumatic to you
>The whole scene was traumatic to you
>You wonder if Pinkie got any sleep
>Probably not
>Just as the thought crosses your mind, your phone lights up
>It's a text from Pinkie
>"Please come sit with me at the hospital"
>Ten seconds later
>"Please"
>You get dressed as fast as you can
>Pinkie isn't someone who normally asks people for help in situations like this
>The fact that she did tells you just how devastated she is
>But the fact that she's comfortable asking you makes you happy
>You start up the car
>Glance at the clock
>4:39 AM
>The roads are desolate
>You drive past the high school on your way
>School isn't happening today
>You find a parking space and walk into the emergency room lobby
>You see Pinkie huddled alone on a chair in the corner
>Again, alone
>The sound of the door slamming shut grabs her attention
>She looks at you with an all too familiar pair of watery, tired eyes
>Exhausted and defeated, she slowly rises and extends her arms in your direction, looking helpless
>You rush to her and hold her tight
>"Thank you, Anon"
>Thank you
>Not 'I'm sorry'
"I'll never leave you alone, Pinkie. Never."

>By now, she's told you the whole story
>Maud did have a seizure
>From her fall, she suffered a fractured skull and severe traumatic brain injury
>She was unconscious from the time she fell until around 10 PM last night
>About sixteen hours
>Upon waking up, Maud was responsive but remained confused and couldn't concentrate
>Swelling in her brain approached dangerous levels, but turned out alright
>They still don't know what caused her seizure, and there's a possibility of permanent brain damage
>As Pinkie told you all of this, her voice was gruff and her thoughts were sporadic
>She was obviously drained, both physically and emotionally
>Fortunately, she's now finally asleep on your shoulder
>You wanted her to rest for as long as possible
>It's been long overdue
>And even though this wasn't about you, you couldn't help but feel very satisfied with yourself
>Seeing Pinkie peacefully asleep was a huge relief, and you like to think that you had a lot to do with it
>In fact, this is the first time you've been at peace yourself since this began
>Pinkie's snoring along with the murmur of the hospital sounded to you like a beautiful lullaby
>But you know that this serenity was fleeting
>Soon enough, Pinkie would have to wake and once again face this terrible reality
>So you relish the moment
>As tired and uncomfortable as you are
>You cherish every second of it

>After almost an hour of sleeping, Pinkie jerked awake
>She sits up, dazed
>She looks at you
>Then around the lobby
>A few seconds later, you watched her recall where she was
>You watched the horror of reality spill back into her mind
>This wasn't a dream
>It was real
>Her eyes welled up as she slumped back into your shoulder
"Do you know where your parents are?"
>"They're meeting with the hospital people."
"When's the last time you ate?"
>"I don't know"
"You should eat."
>Pinkie sits up
>"Yeah."
>The two of you follow the hospital signs to the cafeteria
>You get a burger, she gets chicken nuggets and fries
"You should drink more water, Pinkie."
>"Yeah."
>She lowers her mouth to the straw
"I'll be right back"
>You swing back to the counter and buy two cartons of chocolate milk
"Here."
>You put a carton in front of her, complete with a bendy straw
>She smiles takes a sip
>Her smile sent a shiver down your spine
>It's the first real smile you've seen on her face in a while
>"At least this beats lasagne day."
>You both snicker
>You're amazed that she's able to make jokes right now
>She is still Pinkie, after all

>"She's always been my rock. I get really crazy and out of hand a lot, and she's always been the only one who could calm me down. Even when we were babies."
>You had never understood Pinkie's relationship with her sister, but you're beginning to
>"That's why I'm so scared. I don't know how I'll deal with it if she's gone."
>You're on your third round of chocolate milks
>It was the first thing that put a smile on her face
>You'd buy a thousand chocolate milks if it meant keeping a smile on her face
"She's not going anywhere. The doctors told your parents she'd be fine."
>"But what if they're wrong?"
>You aren't sure how to answer that
"I don't know."
>The two of you head back to the lobby, where Pinkie's parents are waiting
>Her mom hugs Pinkie
>"The doctors say you can go talk to Maud."
>Pinkie broke into tears again, but tried to keep herself composed
>"Is... she okay?"
>"She's fine. We just spoke to her. She really wants to see you."
>Hearing that makes her lose her composure as she begins to sob uncontrollably
>"I really... want to see her too."
>Her mom takes Pinkie's hand
>"Come on. I'll go with you."
>A hysterical Pinkie disappears through a pair of double doors with her mother, leaving you in the lobby with her father

>"How is she?"
"She's getting better. But it was a long night yesterday."
>"Uh huh."
>You've always liked Pinkie's dad
>Even though he's very stoic and pragmatic, he was never intimidating
>You could tell he's a genuinely caring person
>"Pinkie's really lucky to have a friend like you, Anon. We're all lucky."
"Thanks."
>"No. Thank you."
>We let that sentiment ring out as we both intently watched the door through which Pinkie and her mom had gone
>Eventually, the two of them emerge
>As you and Pinkie's father stand, Pinkie runs right into your arms
>"She's okay. Maud's okay."
"I'm so glad to hear that, Pinkie."
>There are tears in Pinkie's eyes, but you sense it was more from being overwhelmed than sadness
>Pinkie's mom speaks up
>"The doctors have to run some tests, so no more visiting for the day. Anon, would you mind driving Pinkie home? We have to stay here and work out some financial details."
"Sure."
>"Thank you, Anon. You've been such a huge help."
"It's no trouble, really."
>You and a very exhausted Pinkie walk out to your car

>When you get to her house, you're surprised to see that it's only 10:15 AM
>It feels like it should be bedtime
>Apparently Pinkie agrees, because the two of you immediately slump down on the couch and begin to doze off
>With her head resting on your chest, she finally seems content
>She's finally not on the edge of tears
>The sight of it brings a smile to your face as you drift to sleep
>
>"PINKIE, WAKE UP!"
>Apparently Pinkie's little sisters are home
>"Hi Marble! Hi Limestone! I missed you so much!"
>Pinkie squirms onto the floor and hugs her sisters
>You can't help but smile
>You sit up and look at the clock
>4:02 PM
>Wow, you really were tired
>"Marble, Limestone! Come talk to me in the dining room, please!"
>The girls scamper after their mom out of the room, as Pinkie's dad sits down across from you
>"So here's the situation. Maud needs to stay in the hospital for at least a week. That's standard procedure for brain trauma. The good news is, the doctors expect her to make a full recovery. And you can visit her every day after school until she comes home."
>Pinkie seems okay with the news
>"Is she feeling good? Did you see her smile before you left?"
>"She smiled when I told her that you were doing well, Pinkie"
>Pinkie lit up when she heard that
>It looks like this nightmare may finally be over

>The next week went exactly as you expected
>No surprises
>Pinkie was a bit less excitable at school than normal, but she held up
>You made sure that if you couldn't be with her, that Sunset or AJ was
>They're the only ones you really trusted with this
>You drove her to the hospital every day, and every day she emerged with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face
>After a week, Maud came come
>Full recovery, no brain damage
>Pinkie is with Maud in her room settling her back in
>After Maud falls asleep in her own bed, Pinkie joins you on the couch where this whole mess began
>She gives you a confused look
>"Anon, I have a question."
"Shoot."
>"Why did you take so much time out of your life just to listen to me cry?"
"Because you're my friend, and I wanted to make you feel better."
>She wraps her arms around you and rests her head on your shoulder
>"You're the best friend I've ever had, Anon."
>You both smile
>You wrap an arm around her waist
"You too, Pinkie."
>"Please never go away."
"I'll never go away, Pinkie."
>"Promise."
"I promise."
>The two of you fall asleep together once more
>Only this time there's no tears
>This time there's no sorrow
>Instead, there are smiles on your faces
>Joy in your hearts
>And a best friend in your arms

End.