>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.