It was a very nice morning in Ponyville, sun shining and birds chirping and only a few fluffy white clouds could be spotted amongst the great big blue overhead the town. Twilight Sparkle herself was simply walking across the bridge over the river that passed through the far end of Ponyville; it was quiet and empty except for the babbling brook below and her hooves on the wood. She was tired.

When she reached the other side of the river, she was going to keep going but she saw a figure in the corner of her eye so she stopped and her head turned sidelong to the right. Aha! As she’d thought, the pony sitting there on the river bank, rump on the grass, was one of her friends; Pinkie Pie’s distinctive cotton candy poof of a mane was recognisable anywhere. Twilight smiled and resolved to go say hi, so she turned and started to trot over.

She did notice two odd things as she walked, though. For one, Pinkie wasn’t looking up, and was sitting rather still. That wasn’t that strange, though; maybe she was just focused on what she was doing. But that was the other thing, whatever the party pony was doing; Twilight couldn’t quite figure it out.

Next to Pinkie there was something big and black, like a big trash bag or something like that, and she kept reaching over and pulling something out of it. As Twilight got closer, she could see that whatever Pinkie was pulling out, she was tossing. Unceremoniously. Into the river.

“Hey, Pinkie!” Twilight called out, once she was close enough that she didn’t have to shout. “Whatcha doing?”

Pinkie threw another small object into the river, and Twilight could hear it quietly splash out of sight. Then, the pink mare looked up, and in those blue eyes there was some inscrutable emotion—not quite a blank look, but something close to that. She stared for a few moments, but not very many, and then reached back into the bag.

Another splash.

“P-Pinkie?” Twilight bit her lip. “What’s up, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Twilight,” Pinkie said. Her voice was quiet and dull, not filled with her typical vim and vigour. “Just busy.”

“Busy with what?” Twilight asked, stepping closer. As Pinkie pulled another item from the bag, this time Twilight could see what it was: an aluminium beverage can. Pinkie threw this one too, and there was another soft splash as it hit the river’s current.

“What does it look like?” Pinkie Pie looked back to Twilight, tilting her head slightly.

“I...” Twilight gulped. “I’m not sure?”

Pinkie’s head tilted as she reached back into the bag. Another can, another splash. “Just getting rid of stuff.”

Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath, her hooves shuffling on the ground as she stood near Pinkie, just a few feet away. “Um... but isn’t it bad? To throw cans in the river, I mean, for the fishes.” She coughed. “Celestia set up this whole program for magical recycl—”

“I know,” Pinkie said, cutting her off. “But that’s different. It feels different.” She threw another can into the river. “This feels better.”

Twilight exhaled. “Where... where are they from?”

Pinkie Pie looked to Twilight, and shook her head. She threw another can in the river.

“They’re... your sister’s, aren’t they?” Twilight whispered.

“No,” Pinkie replied, and her tone was ice cold. Her blue eyes were even colder, piercing into Twilight’s flesh. “Mom already got rid of those.”

Twilight didn’t say anything for a minute or two, just watching as more cans were tossed into the river. “ ” she finally asked.

Pinkie didn’t answer her question. “I found them all over town. Garbage cans, recycle bins, stuff like that. Nobody wanted them, not enough to stop me.”

Twilight, holding her breath, nodded. “I... guess that makes sense.”

“Doesn’t matter if it makes sense,” Pinkie said. Sploosh. “It’s what happened.”

“Er... yeah.” An uncomfortable silence fell between the two mares as Twilight just stood there, staring, and Pinkie Pie threw cans into the river. She was close enough that she could see how they landed; some floated, bobbing up and down as they travelled down the water, and others apparently hit the river the wrong way and filled up with liquid and sank.

“I’m gonna be fine, Twilight,” Pinkie said. Her head turned, and she looked the unicorn in the eye once more. “I’m not trying to make a big thing of this, I just... it needs to happen.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Is... is it making you feel better?”

“No.” Pinkie looked away. “ ”

“Hm. Okay.” Twilight was about to say more, but at that moment she heard the flapping of wings and a, “Hey!” from above.

Pinkie said nothing, and just reached back into the bag. Twilight looked up, to see Rainbow Dash hovering a couple metres in the sky. She looked nervous, her eyes kind of darting around to nothing in particular. Or maybe she was just like that, Twilight could never remember.

“Hi Rainbow Dash,” she said, smiling slightly. “What are you up to?”

“Oh, uh...” Rainbow scratched the back of her heaad. “I’m actually going to go perform a new trick right now, in the middle of town. Probably the coolest trick I’ve ever done, honestly. You girls wanna come see?”

Twilight looked back to Pinkie, who had thrown another can in the river and was back to fishing around in the bag. “Um... well...”

“You can go on ahead with her,” Pinkie said, not looking her way. “I still need to finish this.”

“Well I’m not just going to leave you here by yourself,” Twilight shot back. She looked back to Rainbow. “Um... Idon’t suppose you could hold off for a bit, or maybe do the trick again later?”

Rainbow’s face fell. “Heh... no can do. This is a once-in-a-lifetime show, believe me.”

Twilight sighed. “Then I’m going to have to miss it. I’m sorry, Rainbow.”

“Y-you sure?” Rainbow’s voice cracked. “It’s really cool, I promise.”

Twilight could only offer her an apologetic look. “I need to be here, to support my friend.”

Slowly, Rainbow nodded. “I understand. Catch you on the flipside.” Without another word, the pegasus sped off towards the centre of town.

“Seriously, you didn’t need to do that,” came Pinkie’s voice from behind her. “You could have just gone to see her trick, I’m fine.” Sploosh.

“You don’t seem fine,” Twilight retorted. “Even if I can’t do anything directly... I still think it’s better for you to have somepony with you for support. You of all ponies should agree with me about the benefits of friendship at a time like this.”

“Mm.” Pinkie paused. “I’m thinking about leaving.”

Twilight blinked. “Wh-what? What do you mean?” She shivered; the breeze either had just gotten colder, or maybe she was just noticing it.

“Like, leaving town. Don’t you go getting any ideas.” Another can.

“Ah...” Twilight trailed off, not quite sure what to say. “Like, going back home? I’m sure your parents—”

“No, not there,” Pinkie said coldly. “Too many memories.”

“Then where?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know.” The pink pony held up a can to her face, apparently reading the label. “Who knew ponies still drink Squirt?”

“My mom used to love that stuff,” Twilight remarked. “Though I guess she stopped drinking it at some point.”

“ ”

“Why?”

“Because maybe then I wouldn’t be standing here right now.” Squirt joined the rest in the drink. “I’ve been looking into cities up north. Whinnyapolis seems nice, or nice enough.”

Twilight felt a pang in her gut. “You’d really just up and leave like that? That doesn’t sound like the Pinkie I know... I mean, all your friends are here!”

Pinkie looked at her with those sad blue eyes, sad like nothing Twilight had ever seen in the mare. “I know you’re right, and I do love you girls and the Cakes and everypony else in town to bits. I just... well, idk. It’s just something I’m thinking about. Might not happen.”

Twilight pursed her lips. “You’d tell us if you were going, right?”

“Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.”

“That’s not very comforting.”

There was a loud, sickening crunch somewhere behind them. “It wasn’t meant to be.” Pinkie paused. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I really just am not feeling like myself right now. I’m sure things will be better in a few days.” She threw another can into the river.

“I really hope so.” Twilight reached out and put a hoof on Pinkie’s back, and the pink mare didn’t resist so they just stood there, together, on the riverbank. “Please let me know if I can do anything... I know I can’t just make things better, but

“I ran out of cans,” Pinkie said, wistfully.

(?)

Pinkie took the big black bag in her teeth, and together the two mares walked away from the riverbank, treading mud onto the grass as they went. The brook continued to babble, the sun continued to shine, and

The next day the town held