Picking Up The Pieces

By TuxRug

Five ponies were running. Four weren't sure where they were running to or why, but it definitely seemed urgent. The pink pony up front was the only one who seemed to know, but despite numerous verbal prods, she refused to respond. The lead pony galloped with so much force, the cloud of dust required the others to stay behind several feet. Even with the distance, some dust burned the followers' eyes. A purple baby dragon left one claw firmly in the violet mane of the unicorn he was desperately clinging to, and lifted the other.

The dragon's claw closed in a pointing gesture towards a cloud up ahead. There stood a small cyan speck of a pony. A thin stream of multicolored mane attached to the top of its head, and a rainbow tail followed behind it. When the orange pony squinted, she could barely make out a set of wings tucked tightly against the cyan shape's side.

The entire group skidded to an uncomfortable stop. The chase leader's pink tail shook like it was caught in a localized earthquake. The pink pony stared up at the sky with a blank expression. The blonde pony took a quick glance at her friends. None of their faces matched the panic that was supposed to be there. They all seemed very empty in expression, almost pensive. It didn't make sense. Just then, the pink pony, without changing her expression, opened her mouth and let out an ear-splitting scream.

The blonde pony whipped around and saw the blue Pegasus speeding towards the ground. Immediately, the blonde pony ran towards the spot the Pegasus seemed to be targeting. She looked back and saw that her friends had not moved a single inch; they all stood like statues. The violet unicorn she expected to follow even stayed behind.

The blonde pony's speed increased more than she thought possible once the Pegasus reached the ground. The touchdown created a devastating rumble, shaking some still-green leaves from the nearby trees. The new boost of speed caused the wind to tear the pony's cowgirl hat clear off.

The pony approached the Pegasus. It was undoubtedly her friend. The walkway was cracked around the body, detailing the severity of the impact. Despite the damage to the ground, the mare on the ground was devoid of any scratches or cuts. She looked almost pristine, save for ruffled feathers and the out-of-place mane covering her motionless face.

The blond pony inched closer. "C'mon, Rainbow. Breathe. Please. Take a breath."

The Pegasus did not respond.

"Please, Rainbow, you have ta take a breath! Let me know you're alive!"

There was still no response. The blonde pony's shock and fear turned to sadness. Tears flooded her eyes and her voice began to crack. She laid herself by her friend's body for a moment, and let a lake of her sadness pool on the ground. Finally, she reached her front right hoof and gently brushed the mane out of her friend's face. What she saw shocked the tears right out of her, and prompted her to a scream she never expected coming from her own lips.

The fallen pony's eyes were open impossibly wide. Yet each eye was completely blank: no iris, no pupil. Both eyes were white, and appeared as if they always had been. Yet without pupils, the cowgirl couldn't shake the feeling that her friend was staring at her. The wave of emotion that shot from the vacant eyes was unbearable and unidentifiable.

The pink pony suddenly appeared. There were no sounds to acknowledge her approach; she simply appeared at the blond pony's side.

"Huh," an inappropriately perky voice came. "There's supposed to be a pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow!"

The blond pony was completely silent. As she turned to face the voice, a mixture of sorrow and disgust appeared on her face.

The pink pony hopped soundlessly over the fallen Pegasus. Her still emotionless eyes stared and she spoke again. "Why are you looking at me like that, Applejack? I'm not the one who pushed her."

What in Equestria did Pinkie mean by "I'm not the one who pushed her"? The distraught pony suddenly felt something watching her from high above her. She looked up towards the same spot on the cloud from which her friend had dropped. The sky served as a pristine blue backdrop, and the sunlight almost seemed to share the same insensitivity as the pink pony did just a moment ago.

Standing on the cloud was another pony, who seemed very out of place due to her lack of wings. The expressionless pony up above had an orange coat, blonde mane, and wore a very distinctive hat. It was like staring in a mirror. The only thing missing in this perfect mirror image was the lack of iris or pupil in both eyes. The empty eyes sent another wave of terrifying emotion over her.

Applejack pushed herself up with her front legs and gasped. She looked around her bedroom and found everything as it should be. After a few deep breaths, she leaned over and poked one hoof under the curtains near her bed. She gently lifted the cloth covering the window and saw that Luna's moon was still very high in the sky. No sleep tonight, either, ah guess.

Applejack had been having progressively worse variations on the same dream since the day her friend, Rainbow Dash, nearly succeeded in taking her own life. At first, it was almost a perfect replay of the events of that frightening day. The nightmares became more frequent each night, and each time the dream played, her other friends slowly became more distant, and it took longer for Applejack to see Rainbow's shallow breath of air. Pinkie's dark, insensitive commentary had premiered in the previous night's dream. The complete lack of breath this time was new… and so were the empty, solid white eyes. Applejack never saw herself glaring down from the cloud before this incarnation of the dream, either. This dream was much worse.

Applejack sighed and yawned simultaneously. She knew it was just a dream, but she also knew the dreams would worsen. Every time she thought the dreams had reached their worst, her imagination seemed to take it as a challenge, proceeding to make even more disturbing revisions.

Applejack knew that Rainbow Dash was sleeping just a few rooms away. She still had use of her wings, and they would get better in time, but until her wings were good enough to return to her own home in the sky, several of her friends had volunteered to let Dash stay with them. Dash nearly objected to their offers, but realized that she needed her friends close, and her friends needed her. Since Rainbow was just out of the hospital, they figured a ground-level guest bedroom was ideal. This restriction narrowed the options significantly, especially since Dash refused to let her friends rearrange their homes to accommodate her. Applejack, however, had a bedroom at ground level that was specifically reserved for visitors. Applejack graciously offered her extra bedroom, and the group unanimously decided that was currently Rainbow's best option.

Even with that knowledge, Applejack couldn't help but feel alone. Despite being surrounded by family, she felt as if there was nopony else there. She silently hoped that her friends were sleeping better than she was.

She figured if anypony else was sleepless tonight, it would be Twilight Sparkle. She saw Rainbow on the ground, too. Applejack remembered seeing Twilight just standing, frozen in front of the two ponies on the ground. It was obvious that Twilight had never read a book before to tell her how to deal with such an event. Despite that obviousness, Twilight reacted very much as anypony would.

That train of thought made Applejack feel worse. Now she was worried about two friends. She thought back again. Pinkie had literally bounced back to her jovial self shortly after Dash regained consciousness, so Applejack wasn't worried much about her. Rarity seemed to handle everything remarkably well, considering she was clear-headed enough to think of such a wonderful gift to present to Dash that night. Fluttershy was jollier than usual, assumedly to make up for her extra emotional withdrawal while waiting for Dash to wake. Spike seemed fine as well; he'd been unusually quiet up until Rainbow's release, but he seemed perfectly normal now. Also, Twilight was the most levelheaded pony Applejack knew, so maybe worrying about her wasn't really warranted after all. Applejack decided they'd all be fine.

The farmer pony sighed and fell back down, bouncing slightly on the mattress. She noticed the pillow she had been holding like a teddy bear was lying on the ground because of her sudden awakening. She lazily reached her head over the edge of the bed, rolling slightly to retrieve it. She brought it in close and tossed her blanket over it. Applejack then reluctantly closed her bloodshot eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Her fatigue brought her back to sleep very quickly, but her success was short-lived. She quickly bolted awake again, too distressed to dare another attempt to sleep. She lay awake for a painful length of time before her dreams took her again, this time against her will.

Rainbow Dash was having trouble sleeping as well. Her insomnia wasn't for emotional reasons; she was simply much more used to sleeping on cloud than on a firm mattress. She had the same issue in the hospital; she would sleep, but not well. She remembered that in the hospital, she discovered extra pillows made a significant difference. Dash pondered for a moment before she left the bed and wobbled a bit, still groggy.

Rainbow left the guest bedroom and began finding her way around. It was surprisingly easy, thanks to the moonlight coming in through the windows. Rainbow found Applejack's room after only a couple moments. She stopped and remembered that Applejack had told her to just come get her if she needed anything, but still, she hesitated. She probably meant something more important than an extra pillow. Dash waited a moment longer, and then turned to head back. As she turned, she heard a loud gasp. She turned around again, and gently pushed the door to Applejack's bedroom open just a crack.

"Applejack, you awake?" Dash whispered.

Applejack let out another startled gasp. "Rainbow, is that you?"

"Yeah. Did I wake you?"

"No… well… not really, ah guess," Applejack responded. The comment confused Rainbow, but she chalked it up to drowsiness. After all, it was the middle of the night, and anypony is bound to be a bit loopy.

Rainbow pushed the door open a bit more. She could see Applejack's head poking out from under the blanket, and her hat was hanging from the bedpost. "I was just wondering if you had any extra pillows," she said.

"Here," Applejack said as she pulled the blankets toward herself, revealing a pillow with slight visible indentations from where her forelegs were. "Take this'un, it's not helpin' me much anyways."

Rainbow slowly and carefully walked towards Applejack's bed to avoid waking any of her friend's family. As she got closer, she noticed the moonlight glistening on Applejack's cheeks. The comment that confused Rainbow suddenly clicked into place.

"Applejack… are you okay? It looks like you've been crying."

Applejack sighed and stated, "When ah'm awake, ah'm okay. But…" Rainbow Dash moved closer. Her ears and eyelids both drooped a little, expressing her concern. Applejack continued, "but when ah'm asleep… ah just… ah just keep seeing that day over again."

Rainbow's eyes widened and her ears drooped again, almost completely against the sides of her face. "No… You saw me…" Rainbow struggled for the right word to use.

"Yes, sugarcube. Ah saw you step off the cloud," Applejack finished for Dash. "We all did."

Rainbow fell onto her haunches.

"Twilight and I saw you on the ground too," Applejack stated simply, attempting to be as gentle as possible. She knew the revelation was harsh when Rainbow didn't reply. "We meant to tell you, but we didn't want to make ya feel any guiltier."

Rainbow gulped. "I'm… I'm sorry I put you through that. I didn't know you guys watched."

"You have Pinkie to thank for that, by the way. She knew somethin' was gonna happen. Had one o' her twitches, then tore out the door an' nearly pulled the hinges out," Applejack remarked. "But ah'm glad that we were there. Who knows how long it woud'a taken for them bystanders to go get help."

Rainbow gripped the pillow Applejack offered, but rather than taking it, she carefully fluffed it, then placed it next to her friend's head.

"You know I'm here now. I know now that I made a horrible mistake. I'm not going to make that mistake again." Rainbow Dash reassured her friend.

"Ah know, but, ah can't help but dream it. And it seems so real. The first time, when it really happened, I had a feeling everything would be okay once I saw you take a breath." Applejack cried silently, but her voice was cracking. "Then Soarin' stopped comin' after ya, then it started taking longer for you to take that breath, and then things started gettin' scarier, and –"

Rainbow interrupted her crying friend. "I'm here now. " She touched the necklace Rarity gave her at the party earlier. It had six small gems, each representing one of Rainbow's friends, even including Spike. "It took some help to remind me where I needed to be, but I know now."

"But, in mah dreams, you've stopped wakin' up! Ah can't sleep. It keeps feelin' like it's goin' ta happen again. Ah know in mah head that you're still here with us, but my heart keeps worryin'."

Rainbow climbed up onto the bed, rest her head on the pillow she just moved, and stared Applejack in the eye. "I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me. Trust me."

Applejack's mind shot back to the vacant, white eyes in her dream. That's what that feeling was! Distrust! Countless arguments and disagreements flooded from the past and into her mind.

"Do ya remember that dumb fight we had about that Iron Pony thing? And then the Runnin' of the Leaves?" Applejack asked the Pegasus beside her.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, you don't feel like any of us… you know… pushed ya, do you?" Applejack asked shyly.

Rainbow's right eye closed halfway. "Now where did that idea come from? Nopony pushed me. I made the choice. Nopony else gets the blame, especially not you."

"So then, do you trust me to be there for you?"

"Of course I do, AJ." Rainbow lifted herself and gave her friend a hug. Applejack felt a tear touch her shoulder as she heard Rainbow say, "I trust you with my life."

Applejack smiled as Rainbow settled back down. "That means the world, Rainbow. It really does."

Applejack fell asleep almost instantly, relieved and finally convinced that her friend was going to be okay, and she stopped feeling guilty about what happened. Rainbow fell asleep soon afterward, and both slept soundly that night.

Morning came quickly. Rainbow woke first and carefully left the bed, moving one limb at a time. She didn't want to wake Applejack, who by Rainbow's best guess had only had half a night's sleep so far. Rainbow stood for a moment, carefully watching her friend. Satisfied that she did not wake Applejack, Rainbow shuffled quietly to a large mirror sitting atop a dresser.

Dash carefully inspected her reflection. Her mane was scattered and tangled, but that didn't concern her much. She did notice there were a few still-visible scars that her coat didn't cover yet. Dash had scars from previous injuries, but the new set was more plentiful than any other. Nopony would know once her coat regrew in those areas, she figured. It didn't matter a lot to Dash whether the scars completely disappeared or not, but the questions they may prompt would, of course, be trickier to deal with.

Rainbow looked at her wings. The only remaining sign of damage there was the absence of some larger feathers, but upon closer inspection, they were already re-growing. Rainbow's wings had always recovered quickly; this was no exception. Dash took a deep breath and slowly extended her wings to full length. They were still bit sore, but not nearly as bad as she expected.

She looked back at Applejack to ensure she was still sleeping, and then carefully began flapping her wings. She lifted herself about five inches into the air and stayed there for a few minutes, before getting tired and lowering herself back to the ground. Not much, but an improvement.

Rainbow stood, unsure what to do next. In the silence, she could hear Big Macintosh saying something from outside. Dash stepped over to the window and noticed a few ponies working in the field. She didn't want to wake Applejack, but Rainbow was sure Applejack would want to go out and work. If Applejack was anything besides honest, she was definitely hard working and stubborn. Before Rainbow could decide what to do, Applejack woke on her own.

"Mornin'. Up already? Ah figured ah'd be up before you." Applejack left her bed in a fluid motion. She looked out the window and noticed the day's chores were already underway. "Well, looks like ah better get started on the day."

Applejack grabbed the brim of her hat in her teeth and lifted it off the bedpost, then tossed it in the air. It flipped once and landed perfectly on her head. Her mane was still messy, but she was already off to a late start, and elected to leave it as is, even after noticing herself in the mirror. She nodded to the brush resting atop the dresser and invited Dash to use it.

"So are you goin' ta get some more rest today, or what?" Applejack asked.

"Heck no. I got enough rest in the hospital. I was thinking of visiting Twilight to make sure she's okay. You know, since… Well, seeing what that sight did to you…"

"Good idea. Ah was worried some about her too." Applejack was standing in the doorway by now. "Ah don't mean to be rude, but ah got work to do." Despite her assertion, she stood in the doorway for another moment.

"And Dash… thank you for coming to see me last night."

Rainbow Dash smiled, and Applejack smiled back for a few seconds. Applejack then left to join her family out by the apple trees. Dash reached for the brush, and began wondering what she'd say to Twilight later.

It wasn't long before Rainbow Dash was on the path heading towards Ponyville. It was a long road, but it wasn't too difficult for Rainbow to traverse. Her legs and wings were still sub-par, but not much of that was due to her injuries. The doctors at the hospital had done a great job getting her started on recovery as quickly as possible. A great deal of her remaining weakness was simply due to disuse. Normally, she'd fly straight to Twilight's library, but instead alternated between flying very short distances and walking. It took far longer than she was comfortable with, but she eventually reached downtown Ponyville.

Sugarcube Corner was within sight, and Rainbow felt her stomach grumble. She realized that she hadn't had breakfast yet, and her longer-than-usual journey into town amplified her hunger. Sweets weren't an ideal first meal of the day, but the confectionery was close. It would also be a great opportunity to talk to Pinkie Pie, whether she was at home or at work.

Rainbow pushed open the front door and walked into the sweets shop. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. What's up?"

"Not much, right now," Mr. Cake said from behind the counter. "Business is a little slow today. All we're doing right now is waiting for a batch of cupcakes to finish baking."

"It'll be another ten minutes or so, honey," Mrs. Cake said to her husband as she left the kitchen. She turned to Rainbow and grinned. "So, dearie, would you like something to eat?"

"You bet!" Rainbow looked back and found her saddlebags missing. They were still sitting in the corner of the bedroom she was borrowing at Sweet Apple Acres. "Oh, I left my money—"

"I wasn't trying to make a sale, dearie." Mrs. Cake kindly interrupted. "We consider Pinkie family. She considers you family. So you're family."

Rainbow smiled, and chuckled softly. "Thanks." Her eyes darted around the room once. "Speaking of Pinkie, where is she?"

Mr. Cake placed a small assortment of baked goods on the counter. "She has the day off, but she's still upstairs. I'm actually a bit worried about her. She was very quiet the last time I saw her."

Rainbow tilted her head. "That's not like her… but she was normal last night."

"Well, she was hosting a party last night. Maybe she wore herself out?" Mrs. Cake said the words, but Rainbow could tell that Mrs. Cake was not convinced of her own theory. Suddenly, Mrs. Cake squinted at Rainbow and moved closer. "Dearie, what happened to you? You look like you've taken a beating!"

Rainbow tried to fake a laugh, but it came out more like a cough. "Yeah… I had a bit of a fall recently." She wasn't really in the mood to explain any further than that.

"Wait a minute… That was you?" Mr. Cake seemed startled and relieved at the same time. "That explains a lot." He picked up a small hardcover book off a nearby table and began flipping through it.

"What was me?"

"Pinkie keeps a scrapbook of everything that has anything to do with her friends, and she shows it to us a lot." Mr. Cake explained. Dash watched the pages flip by upside down. She noticed a mixture of written entries, photos, and newspaper clippings. Among the headlines Dash was able to make out were, 'Nightmare Moon stopped by group of six' and 'Local unicorn stops Ursa Minor'.

"Here we are." Mr. Cake stopped on what turned out to be the most recent entry. He turned it around and let Rainbow read the newspaper clipping.

"Wonderbolt and Unidentified Pegasus Injured in Fall

"Cloudsdale - Early yesterday afternoon, a young Pegasus fell from Cloudsdale to the ground below. According to eyewitness reports, Soarin', the well-known Wonderbolt, dove after the Pegasus in rescue. Both Pegasi hit the ground and were admitted to the Ponyville ER in critical condition. Officials have declined to release the other Pegasus pony's name at this time, and are currently investigating the cause of the incident. They do report, however, that as of late last night, both ponies are stable and are expected to make a full recovery."

Rainbow felt the article seemed out of place, but knew why Pinkie had included it. Pinkie herself indicated the bright side of the article by underlining the last few words multiple times with vibrant pink ink.

"I'm gonna go visit Rainbow Dash, now." A paradoxical mixture of cheery and dispirited called in a familiar voice. Pinkie Pie bounced down the staircase, but stared downward. Her mane was half-poofed.

"Pinkie!" Dash caught her friend's attention.

"Oh! Dashie! I was just about to come see how you're doing!" Pinkie began bouncing around Dash. "How was your party last night? Didya like it? What about the cake? Ooh, ooh ooh! You're still wearing the necklace Rarity made! Isn't it pretty? I think it's pretty! It was sooooo thoughtful of her to make a necklace that represents each of us! I would have never ever ever thought of something as wonderful as that!" Pinkie began to take a deep breath to recover from the lungful she just spent, and Rainbow took that as an opportunity to speak.

"Pinkie, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay! I'm always okay! What about you? You didn't answer any of my questions!"

Rainbow relented. "I loved the party. The cake was great, and matching it to my mane was a very nice touch. And the necklace is very pretty, and it reminds me that all my friends will always be here for me." Rainbow then tried shifting the conversation again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

This time, Pinkie waited for a minute. She glanced back and forth between the necklace and Rainbow's eyes. "I'm okay if you're okay!" Her voice then changed, almost imperceptibly less cheerful. "But if I ever get on your nerves, let me know. I don't want to annoy you or anything, or push you away, or make you mad or sad or any other bad thing that rhymes with mad or sad. I want you to be glad! That rhymes with mad and sad but it isn't bad."

Rainbow looked at Pinkie's blue eyes and said, "I'm fine."

There was a short pause, then Pinkie Pie's posture sank. "Maybe I'm just crazy. Dashie, am I fun to be around?"

Dash was shocked by her friend's sudden gloom. Pinkie had just gone from faux cheer to depressed just as quickly as she could normally change topics. Rainbow noticed the earth pony's pink mane slowly deflating, much like a basketball with a slow leak. The surprise left her speechless, and a silence began to linger. Dash hoped that Pinkie would be the one to break it.

"You can tell me. Am I… annoying?"

Rainbow couldn't believe what she was hearing. Pinkie Pie hadn't been this way since her birthday.

"Pinkie…" Dash tried to speak.

"I just… maybe I'm too random. Remember the parasprites? Nopony took me seriously… I guess I can't blame them—"

"Pinkie!"

"If you don't want to be my… my friend… I don't blame you… I just don't want you to get so angry that you—"

"Pinkie! Stop, please! You're Pinkie Pie! You're not supposed to be sad!"

Pinkie's mane was almost completely flat; only a few hairs remained out of place. She looked at the Pegasus as if the next words she heard from Rainbow's mouth would shape the rest of her life.

"Pinkie… You're one of my best friends." Dash looked around. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were gone, and Rainbow could hear them working in the kitchen. Thankful for the lack of an audience, she continued trying to bring the pink pony back to her cheerful self.

"You're the only pony who can cheer me up without trying," Dash said, trying to be as comforting as her normally brash voice would allow. "You do that to everypony I know."

"Not Gilda. I ruined your friendship with her!" Tears began to form at the edges of Pinkie's eyes.

"You never ruined anything. Gilda broke that friendship. She turned mean and angry. She wanted me to ignore you and the rest of my friends here in Ponyville. I chose you guys. I'm glad I did, too."

Pinkie sniffed. She seemed very relieved. Her mane began to regain its volume. "Then, you do have fun with me?"

"Pinkie," Dash said with a smile. "You're as good at pranks as I am, maybe better. You're an expert baker. You can make everypony within a hundred feet smile with a single laugh. How can I not have fun with you?"

Pinkie smiled. "Oh Dashie! I was so worried about you! And I was worried that maybe you didn't care anymore, or that I did something to make you so upset."

Dash remembered Pinkie's most recent birthday. She remembered going to fetch Pinkie for her surprise party. She remembered seeing Pinkie impossibly upset, in a mix of sorrow and anger, convinced that she had suddenly lost all her friends. Dash's stomach twisted the same way it did then, but she hid it just as well. Dash imagined Pinkie had been feeling a lot like that both then and now, but at least a thousand times worse.

Rainbow placed a hoof on Pinkie Pie's shoulder, noticing just a hint of guilt still showing in the pink pony's eyes. "I'm okay. And you don't have to worry about me going anywhere. I'll always be close. Just like I know you'll always be close. You're my friend, and you can make me laugh no matter how I'm feeling."

Pinkie pie giggled, and she looked and sounded like her usual self again. "Wow, Dashie! You reminded me of Applejack for a second there! Ooh! I know! Do me!"

Rainbow laughed loudly. "I don't think I can be that random, Pinkie."

"Oh, you were off to a great start too with that laugh, though!"

Rainbow Dash spent much more time at Sugarcube Corner than she expected. She had not realized Pinkie was still upset. Pinkie was hiding her pain well, but this time, Rainbow noticed the effort Pinkie had to place in just being herself. Dash felt like she was getting something through to her friend, but she wasn't sure it was enough. She found herself wondering how she would let her friends know what they meant to her. She thought about what she felt seeing her friends rush into her room at the hospital. Her friends' concern was enough to help her realize she was never alone, despite how alone she felt sitting on the edge of that cloud.

Dash realized that if Pinkie was still upset, then maybe all of her friends were still hurting. Pinkie was always the best at making light of a situation. If she's struggling with this, then how could anypony else be handling it better? She began wondering again about what she would say to Twilight. Then she wondered if she should say anything to Twilight at all. Rainbow knew she wasn't good with her own feelings, and she feared that she'd only cause more worry.

Rainbow walked in the general direction of the library, but was too focused on this new question in her mind to be sure of where she was going. Another Pegasus wasn't watching where she was going, either. Almost as if it was predetermined, they slowly collided.

"Oh, my… I'm so sorry—Rainbow Dash?" an apologetic voice squeaked.

"Fluttershy? Are you okay? Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That… that's alright. I guess... I, um, wasn't really either… Watching, that is… where I was going…" Her voice seemed to trail off into the distance. Rainbow shook the temptation to ask if Fluttershy was practicing ventriloquism.

"So, what'cha up to?" Rainbow noticed Fluttershy seemed to be significantly weighted down. Whether it was her saddlebags or something else wasn't obvious.

"I was, um, getting some more birdseed... I was almost out." Fluttershy's gaze was locked on the ground somewhere between Dash's hooves and her own. "I hope you don't mind, but… shouldn't you… You know… um… be resting?"

"No worries, Fluttershy. I feel great!" That wasn't entirely true. Physically it was an accurate statement, but seeing her bashful friend interacting with her almost like she would with a stranger was very unnerving. "What about you? You seem… shier than usual." In the delay before Fluttershy responded, Dash couldn't help but wonder if 'shier' was actually a word.

"Well… I just…" Fluttershy shook a bit as she spoke. With her nose still pointed downward, she lifted her gaze to Rainbow's scratched face. "I'm worried about you."

"I know." Rainbow Dash hoped this was the right response.

"It's not… my fault, is it? I haven't been a very good friend," Fluttershy sighed. "I'm always so withdrawn, and… well, I just… maybe I didn't support you enough?"

Dash was shocked. First Applejack, then Pinkie Pie, now Fluttershy. All three were blaming themselves. Rainbow couldn't figure out why.

"Oh. Oh my," Fluttershy noticed Rainbow's expression. "It is my fault."

"No. No, it's not. Nothing about that day was your fault." Rainbow Dash felt it this time… Pinkie was right. She sounded remarkably like Applejack. Rainbow placed a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy seemed to flinch a little bit at the gesture.

"Oh. Are you sure?"

"Positive. You're the kindest pony I know, and you're an incredible friend. There's no way you could be responsible for anything bad." Rainbow moved her hoof back to the ground.

Fluttershy finally looked directly at Rainbow, and a brief smile flashed across her face. She looked around a bit, nowhere in particular, and then spoke again.

"I guess you're right. I wouldn't do anything bad…" Her voice seemed to gain a barely noticeable amount of strength.

"Of course I'm right." Dash fluttered her wings enough to bring her front hooves off the ground.

"But don't I get in the way? I'm not very helpful at all."

"Huh?" Dash was very puzzled. She couldn't remember anything that would back up that statement. "Explain, please."

"Oh, um… well…" The shy Pegasus looked back down at the ground, tracing a brick with her hoof. "Remember… the, um, the dragon? At the top of the mountain? I slowed everypony down. And I know… you weren't very happy to have me along."

"Fluttershy," Rainbow stepped closer to her friend, who stepped back in response. "Applejack did have to drag you up the mountain… but do you remember who saved the day?"

"Well…" Fluttershy's voice trailed off.

"And remember who tamed the Manticore?" Dash added.

"I… I did…"

"See? You're definitely not holding anypony back. I can't think of a time where you were ever not helpful."

"So you aren't upset with me?" Fluttershy looked through her mane again at Dash.

"Nope. You know me. If I was upset at you, I'd let you know."

Fluttershy didn't speak in response, but her face showed that she was reassured by Dash's words. She tilted her head to shift her mane out of the way of her eyes.

Rainbow Dash continued. "We've been friends since before either of us came to Ponyville. That hasn't changed. You're easily one of my biggest fans. Even though you aren't great at cheering loud… You cheer in your own way. You're always rooting for me, right?"

"Right." The yellow Pegasus smiled. "As long as you know that, and I know I'm not in the way… then there's no problem."

Fluttershy looked at the clock tower. It was approaching noon. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to go check on my animals. Do you want to come with me?"

"I'd love to, but I was actually on my way to see Twilight. I'll see you later, though!" Dash smiled.

"Oh, okay. Tell Twilight I said hello." Fluttershy began to walk away, this time looking ahead instead of at the ground. "Oh, by the way," she said, almost at a whisper. "Thank you. I feel a lot better now."

Dash approached the library Twilight called home. Rainbow still didn't know what to say, but given her track record with finding the right words today, she decided she was ready. She approached the door and debated whether to knock. After a moment, she reminded herself that it was a library; knocking wasn't necessary. She took a breath, and then simply walked in.

She noticed Spike shelving books. His eyes were half-closed, and he worked very slowly. Rainbow quietly called for his attention. Spike's response was drastic. He immediately ran to Rainbow and gave her a hug.

Dash's face grew a slightly uncomfortable smile. "Spike, you know it's me, right?"

"Yeah, of course, Rainbow. Why?" Spike let go and looked inquisitively at Rainbow.

"You were acting like you thought I was somepony else." Dash almost expected Spike to call her Rarity after that greeting.

"I was just happy to see you. You were in the hospital for a long time," he explained. After a pause, he continued. "I'll go get Twilight! I'll be right back." Spike ran up the stairs and quickly returned, unicorn in tow. Twilight Sparkle looked like she hadn't slept very well last night. It was well into the afternoon, but Twilight looked like she had just gotten out of bed. Her mane had loose hairs jutting out in multiple directions, and her eyes were open just barely enough to not look excessively drowsy.

"Rainbow! What a surprise! I figured you'd be spending the day at the farm." Twilight rubbed her eyes one at a time, leaving three hooves on the ground for balance. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, Twilight. And you too, Spike."

Spike looked at Rainbow. "Is everything okay?"

"That's what I was actually going to ask you guys." Rainbow paused, looking at Twilight. "Applejack told me what you and her both saw."

Twilight looked slightly angered. "She told you?"

"You know how she is—not really great with secrets. Don't get mad at her."

"But, I'm sure it made you feel bad to hear that!" Twilight contested.

"Yeah, but I needed to know. And I'm glad she told me. It made me come check on you, and you definitely seem upset." Rainbow looked at Twilight, attempting to show concern. Her concern was genuine, but it was unusual for her to share it.

"I'm not upset. I just wasn't expecting anypony to visit today." Twilight stood defensively as she spoke. Spike tugged at her mane to draw her gaze and looked at her skeptically.

Twilight growled at herself, and looked aside toward a pile of books, which all looked to be related to psychology in some way. "I can't let you feel bad."

"Why not? Everypony has sad moments," Dash challenged. She picked up on something and wasn't sure where it would lead.

"Because you might…" Twilight began crying. She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Twilight," Spike started innocently. "She's not going to do that again. She promised."

"She shouldn't have to promise, Spike. It should be a given! Nopony should ever have to promise not to attempt suicide!"

Suicide. The word felt painful to Rainbow Dash. The gravity of the word drew a very uncomfortable silence to the room.

"Twilight. Spike is right. I'm not going to kill myself." Rainbow spoke quietly but firmly.

"Why did you even want to do that anyway?" Twilight was still crying. "Did I have anything to do with it? Because if I did anything wrong, let me know!"

There it was again. Everypony blamed themselves. Rainbow couldn't figure out why.

"No, Twi. You didn't do anything wrong. Nopony pushed me." Rainbow seemed a little agitated, but she calmed herself down. "I don't know why I felt so lost. But seeing how much you all care about me taught me where I need to be. I'll always have my friends to guide me home." She stopped, surprised that she actually spoke the last sentence.

Twilight moved alongside Rainbow and put a foreleg around her back. "You really do seem better. Maybe I was wrong to keep worrying."

"I don't blame you for being worried," Rainbow explained. "I ran into Pinkie and Fluttershy on the way here, and they weren't themselves either." She turned her head and looked Twilight in the eyes. "You and everypony else are the best friends I could ask for. I'm going to return the favor somehow."

"You don't have to do anything except be the Rainbow Dash we know and care about."

"Exactly. That's why I'm going to be the best friend I can be."

"I will too," Twilight replied. "I know I spend a lot of time with my nose in a book, but I won't let you feel like I'm taking you for granted."

"Twilight…" Dash looked her friend in the eyes. "I never felt that way. You're a great friend. Trust me, it shows."

Rainbow's visit cheered Twilight Sparkle considerably. It even motivated Twilight to begin writing a letter to Princess Celestia she had been putting off for nearly a month. Rainbow figured this was too important to allow herself to distract Twilight from it. Not only did Princess Celestia want regular reports on the magic of friendship, she could tell that this letter would be very good for Twilight. Twilight seemed to prefer sharing her emotions in writing anyway.

Rainbow excused herself, citing one more visit she had to make. Rarity did an amazing job of cinching the emotions that pulled Rainbow out of the last of her uncertainty. Rainbow wasn't much for jewelry, but the incredible amount of meaning behind the necklace Rarity made was so powerful, Rainbow couldn't foresee herself ever removing it. Rainbow had to thank her again.

Rainbow made her way through town towards Carousel Boutique. On the way, Rainbow had an idea that forced a smile to her face. She could hardly contain it when she arrived.

"Welcome to Carou—Oh, Rainbow! Do come in," Rarity held the door open for Rainbow, who entered swiftly. "My, you seem quite cheerful today, dear! And I see you're still wearing the necklace!"

"I haven't taken it off, Rarity." Rainbow smiled. "I wanted to come by and thank you again. Not just for the necklace, but for everything it means."

Rarity's eyes showed an abundance of happiness. "I'm so glad, darling!"

"There's something else too. I don't know if they exist, but have you ever seen a rainbow gem?"

"I have some mystic quartz. I can't find a single thing to use them for though. Let me see if I can find them." Rarity turned toward a set of drawers and opened them one at a time. "I found them a while back, so I'm not sure where I could have placed them." Each drawer that opened seemed to be overflowing with sparkling jewels. "Aha! Here they are."

A small, round gem levitated towards Rainbow. As light bounced through it, every color imaginable presented itself, and the pattern changed as it moved and the light found new paths through it.

"They are magnificent, but I haven't figured out what they'd fit in with yet," Rarity explained. "What do you think?"

"It's awesome! I've never seen one of these! How many do you have?" Rainbow asked excitedly.

Rarity turned around and walked back to Dash, carrying five more identical gems in the air alongside her.

"I can definitely spare six, if your idea is a marvelous as I think it is."

Rainbow shot upward an inch in surprise. "I think you read my mind!"

Rainbow and Rarity spent a few hours collaborating. They settled on white gold for the chain and setting, since it seemed to work best with the already colorful gems. It didn't seem long at all before they had a half-dozen matching necklaces.

"Thank you again for your help, Rarity! You think everypony will like them?"

Rarity nodded as she placed one of the set around her neck and investigated it in the mirror. "I sure think they turned out wonderfully. This'll go with everything!" She turned to Rainbow and continued, "That's a very good thing, too, because I bet our friends will never want to take them off."

"Spike doesn't actually seem like he'd wear something like this. He might eat his instead," Rainbow joked.

Rarity shared a very sophisticated chuckle. "Okay. He might think it's too girly to wear, but he'll definitely keep it. And maybe he will wear it. At least he'll know what it means." Rarity grinned and added, "I noticed his face when I gave you the necklace you're wearing now. He's sure to understand the gesture."

Rarity levitated a few small boxes from out of sight, and carefully placed the remaining five necklaces in them individually.

"I hope he does," Rainbow replied. "If this works at all for him and the girls like it did for me, then they'll know for sure that they don't need to worry at all anymore. Then again, I'd settle for even twenty percent less worry."

Rarity recognized the quip and added her own. "The message will come across in ten seconds flat, darling." Both ponies laughed. "So, Rainbow, would you like me to deliver them for you?"

Rainbow looked out the window at the position of the sun in the sky. "It'll mean more if I deliver them personally," she noted, spreading her wings. "I just need to use these puppies sparingly and I'll have plenty of time."

Rarity asked Rainbow if she was sure, and her concern was met with a confident reply.

"Okay then, dear. Go, but be careful. You can borrow my saddlebags to carry these in. Just bring them back the next time you come see me. They really don't match your coat."

Rainbow gave Rarity a quick hug, said thanks again, and moved towards the door.

"Rarity?" Dash turned back around with one last request. "Please don't think you're responsible for what I did. I forgot what mattered for a while, but it's not your fault."

"Darling," Rarity smiled, and her voice became a little softer. "I was worried about that for a while. You know, stealing the show that one time, and you having to save me… and the Wonderbolts too, that is." She pointed to the necklace Rainbow was wearing. "When you came back, still wearing that, I stopped worrying."

Impressed with Rarity's wisdom, Rainbow smiled boldly. With nothing more to say, she left to make her deliveries.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I apologize for my delay in writing this letter. The past month has been very difficult for my friends and I. We nearly lost Rainbow Dash to her own sadness. I never thought she could be so upset about something as to try to take her own life. I felt so guilty recently, and I do not know why. I suppose it is a reaction anypony would have to such devastation.

Rainbow Dash survived, much to the relief of all of her friends, myself included. As happy as I was that she made it, I couldn't help but fear that we'd lose her forever someday. I punished myself, trying to figure out if there was anything I could have done to save her from herself. She visited today and reassured me. She told me that none of this was my fault, which inexplicably made me feel bad in a different way. The more she and I talked, however, the more I realized what it was that brought her back to stay: her friends.

This brings me to what I believe is the most important lesson I have ever learned. Anypony can lose sight of what is important. Sometimes a pony needs to be reminded that there are always ponies who care. If you always keep your friends in your heart, you're never alone.

I hope to continue to learn more about the magic of friendship every day, and hope even more that no lesson ever has to be as painful as this one was.

Always, your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

Author's notes

One thing I intentionally left out of the previous story, "Shattered Rainbow", was a very condensed version of Rainbow consoling Applejack. I really wanted to include it, but fitting it in chronologically completely changed the ending mood of the story, and given the linear timeline of story, I couldn't fit it in anywhere else. My idea to cover that scene in a separate story came shortly before I published "Shattered Rainbow", and grew into the idea that every pony would still be reeling from Rainbow's near death.

Something I made sure to pay attention to in writing this story was some of the less-favorable commentary that I received. I felt all of the complaints I saw were completely valid, and things I needed to improve on. For example, I made the dialogue a smaller part of the storytelling, and tried to put more motivation behind each pony's behavior.

I hope you enjoyed reading "Picking Up The Pieces". Whether you liked it or not, if you have any suggestions as to how I can improve my next story, please let me know. I appreciate all reviews and comments, whether they're raving or ranting.

-TuxRug

PS: I've never been close to anybody who took their own life, but I have friends who have. I have seen what that type of loss can do to a person. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, ever.

Special thanks to:

Solo (#EquestriaDaily IRC) – Thank you for helping me by reviewing my drafts. Your advice was very helpful! If not for your help, this story would still be missing a lot.

Logician (#EquestrianStudy IRC) – Thank you for your help with organization and cleanups throughout the story.

Everyone who commented on, reviewed, and/or favorited "Shattered Rainbow" - Thanks for all the motivation. Even the less favorable comments helped me out.

Aurebesh - His map of Ponyville really helped me figure out what order Rainbow Dash would meet her friends in. Unfortunately, I can't link to this map on , but if you go to his DeviantArt gallery, he has a folder dedicated to the map.

Sethisto (Equestria Daily), Equestria Daily pre-readers - Thanks for approving and posting "Shattered Rainbow". I got a lot more readers and a lot more helpful (and brutally honest) feedback.

Lauren Faust, Hasbro, and everyone currently or previously involved with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Thanks for the amazing show! Despite its target audience, the plot and characters are very well developed. It is obvious many very brilliant minds are at work behind the scenes.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and all characters in this story are ©2010-present by Hasbro, Inc. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic original story and concept were created by Lauren Faust. The author of this story makes no claim of ownership of any characters, locations, or other material derived from copyrighted material. This story is not to be used for commercial gain under any circumstances without permission from the legal copyright holders of all applicable material.