Rain

>Be Anon in Ponyville.

>You've been around for the past two years now.

>You never took part in the Mane Six's adventures really, but you were always there to pick up the mess.

>They're your best friends really. You're part of the group.

>It's almost midnight now, Ponyville has gone to bed.

>You live almost on the outskirts, right next to the road.

>Street lights shine dimly through your living room window, illuminating the street as well as the heavy rain cascading down on the little town.

>You're sitting on the sofa, just watching the rain, you spot a flash of pink outside.

>There's only one mare in this town who's that colour who'd be crazy enough to go out in this rain.

>You shake your head wryly, before walking over to your front door.

>Opening it, you pop your head out to see if you can catch any sight of her.

>Conveniently enough, you can see her sitting on the bridge right up the street.

 

>Your features twist into a frown.

>Even Pinkie wouldn't be out without an umbrella in this weather.

>You think that perhaps you should see what's going on.

>It only takes a few minutes to get your shoes and find your fashionable black umbrella.

>A Carousel Boutique product of course.

>Putting the umbrella up, you step into the street, making your way to the bridge while avoiding the minefield of puddles which now littered the street.

>Damned dirt and cobble roads without proper drainage.

>Pinkie's form grows less blurry the closer you get to the bridge.

>You can see now that she's sitting on the edge, her hind legs dangling over the side

>Her mane is dead straight, the water clinging to it and making it glisten.

>Now you know something is wrong.

>Even in the rain, Pinkie's hair is always fluffy.

>Cautiously, you step up to the side of her, making sure you're not right behind her.

>Wouldn't want to scare her and knock her off, not now you know she's upset.

 

“Pinkie?”

>She looks up sharply, surprised.

>Her hair covers one eye, the other shines with unshed tears.

>Your heart melts a little.

> “Oh, hi Anon.”

>Her voice is meek, quiet. Not like Pinkie at all.

“Why are you out here Pinks. I don't know if you've noticed, but it's a little wet.”

>She snorts, she's one of the only ponies you ever knew who really grasps the humour of sarcasm.

> “I just thought I'd get a shower, that's all.”

“Really now?”

>You turned around and leaned next to her, your legs on the bridge.

>You didn't feel like risking a dip in the river.

“Don't they have a shower at Sugarcube Corner?”

>She just smiles, although it fades quickly.

>You wait for perhaps a minute like that, her looking forlornly into the river, swinging her legs, and you looking at her.

>Fuck it, you decide to be blunt.

“Pinkie.”

>She looks up again.

“This isn't like you, what's wrong?”

>She trembles slightly.

>”I'm fine Anon. I. I'm fine.”

>She looks down again.

>After a few more moments, you begin to hear her cry, her sobs shaking her cold, wet body.

>Fuck it, you'll take the risk.

>You jump up next to her, your feet dangling over the bridge now as well.

>You hold the umbrella with your left hand above the two of you, while you wrap your right arm around her and pull her close.

>You've never seen Pinkie Pie cry before.

>Hell, you've only seen her hair down once or twice in your two year stay.

>She sobs into your shirt, which had up to this point been spared getting wet.

>You sit there, awkwardly holding her head to your chest, letting her cry into it.

>You have no idea what to say.

>Luckily she speaks first, unprompted.

 

>”I'm just sad, I guess.”

“Why Pinkie? What's wrong.”

>She pulls her head out from your chest and wipes her eyes with the back of her hoof.

>”It doesn't matter, you'll just think I'm being silly.”

“I won't Pinkie, I promise.”

>She looks at you expectantly.

>You sigh.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

>You went through the hand motions awkwardly, one hand was still holding the umbrella after all.

“Happy?”

>She nods, still sniffling, but your antics made her smile again.

>You'd do anything for that smile right now.

“Now what's wrong?”

>The smile disappears, and she sighs.

>”I'm just... I haven't been feeling happy these past few months.”

“Why though, what's wrong?”

>”I don't know, I guess I'm just feeling a little... lonely.”

>Now that was something you didn't expect.

>Pinkie was friends with everypony in town.

>She must have caught your look of surprise.

>She starts to tear up again.

>”I told you you'd think it was silly...”

 

>SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT.

“I don't think it's silly at all Pinkie, but you're the most popular pony in town. I'm just a little confused.”

>She snorts again.

>”They don't know me. They just see Mrs HappyMcRandom bouncing around town. They don't know me like you and the girls do.”

>”Twilight's become a Princess, so she's off in Canterlot all the time doing Royal Work.”

>”Applejack's been expanding the farm, so she has next to no free-time anymore even with the hired help.”

>”Rarity finally got awarded the Royal Seal by the Royal Goods Committee so she's always working or going to balls in Canterlot.”

>”Rainbow Dash is in the Wonderbolts. We haven't seen her in four weeks Anon! She's my best friend and now I never get to see her anymore!”

>”Even Fluttershy is busy with her relationship with Big Mac, and I never felt that close to her anyway.”

>By this point she was crying again. Choking out complete sentence between sobs.

>”It's like I'm losing all my friends, one by one.”

>She looks up to you, her eyes glowing once more in the dim streetlight.

>”All I have left is you Anon, you're the only one.”

 

>The umbrella falls with a clatter to the ground.

>You envelop Pinkie in a hug, pulling her tight towards you.

“I'll never leave you Pinkie.”

>A lone tear makes it's way down you face, mingling with the rain that now drenched the two of you.

“Whatever happens. I promise you this. I'll never leave you Pinks. No matter what I end up doing with my life. I'll always make time for you. I'll always be there for you. Always.”

>Her sobs grew heavier, and soon enough you joined her as well.

>Two Kindred Spirits, crying on a bridge in the pouring rain.

>It had taken until now for you to realize it, but your little group of friends had been unraveling before your very eyes.

 

>Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours.

>Soon you were shivering, the rain finally letting up into a slow drizzle

>You turned to Pinkie, wet through, her mane still straight.

>You had both stopped crying ages ago, but still you had yet to say a word since your promise.

>You had both just sat there, you with your arm around her and her head on your chest.

“Pinks?”

>Yet again, she looked up.

“I like a good cry as much as anybody, but can we do it out of the rain next time?”

>She smiles, her hair going back to it's normal, fuzzy state as she giggles.

>Water sprayed everywhere, you were amazed.

>”I'll bare that in mind next time.”

>You grin, hoisting yourself of the bridge onto the ground below.

>Pinkie quickly follows, hopping beside you.

“But seriously Pinkie, if you ever feel that way again, come to my house. Any time.”

>Pinkie nods, smiling up at you with the most thankful smile ever to grace a living being's lips.

>”Thanks Anon, you're my best friend.”

>You feel good.

>That is until more cold water hits your face.

>Pinkie laughs as she bounds into more puddles, crossing the bridge and making her way into town.

>You shake your head and smile.

>You wouldn't trade that sound for the world.