The Bliss of Ignorance

Chapter 2: Party

The following morning had a pleasant, chilly air to it, robbing Pinkie of any sleepiness the moment she opened the door. She looked at the sunny skies and the ponies strolling in the town square, making the first step forward with a smile. Wake up, walk out, buy groceries, walk back, bake. It was merely the daily routine, but that didn’t spoil it for her in the least – after all, who knew who she would run into along the way? Meeting a friend was always a good thing, and everypony in Ponyville was her friend.

She walked up to Applejack’s stand, waving at ponies left and right, until she was face to face with the owner herself. Or rather face to hat, as Applejack had her Stetson pulled over her brow, her back leaning on a barrel full of apples. “Hiya, Applejack.”

“Heya, Pardner,” Applejack said without looking up, yawning. “Groceries as usual?”

“Yep. Today I only need some apples. We’ve got enough of other things for now.”

“Well just go ahead and pick some. One bit each piece, as usual.”

Pinkie started taking apples from the top of the barrel, but then stopped and scratched her chin. Seconds later, she began digging through it, jamming her hoof as far down as she could. Whenever she pulled out an apple, she compared it with others, sometimes throwing it back, sometimes keeping it.

Applejack lifted her hat. “What are you doin’ there, Pinkie? You’ll bruise the apples if you fiddle with them too much!”

“Sorry, Applejack. I’m just trying to pick the biggest and reddest ones. You see, I figured that if I pick the largest and sweetest in there, I won’t need so many for the baking and might save a few bits.”

“Don’t you usually just pick apples from the top? You know, like everypony else?”

“Yes.” Pinkie pulled out one twice the size of her hoof and smiled. “But today, I’m going to try thinking extra hard about everything.”

Applejack raised her brow. “Really now? Well, I reckon it’s your right as a customer to pick whichever you want, but as I said – don’t damage them, okay?”

“Sure.” Pinkie shoved her hoof down into the barrel’s depths despite Applejack’s wincing.

After about ten minutes of monotone picking and comparing, Pinkie had her saddlebags full to the brim with apples and, unlike other days, still had a few bits left. On one hoof, it was the Cakes’ money, so she should have returned it.

On the other, they don’t expect them back anyway. Hmm... Her face lit up like a light bulb. I could buy them a surprise gift! Now, how many exactly do I have to spare? Pinkie peeked inside a pouch next to the saddlebag, several golden pieces shimmering before her eyes. Oh, golly! See, Twilight? I can think! She set out towards the toy shop in an upbeat trot.

The business was a small one, with only a few dolls, wooden cars, yo-yos, and similar. With the confident stride of a frequent visitor, she aimed straight for the doll section. A plushy will also make Pound and Pumpkin happy, so that’s a bonus! Soon, she was hopping back home with a grin on her face and a plush snake around her neck.

“Well would you look at that,” a stallion standing nearby said as she went past him.

“Hello there, Dumb-Bell. How’s it going?”

“Oh, just great, Pinkie. It’s always nice seeing a hard worker like you shopping for some essentials,” he said, and the pony next to him, Hoops, snickered.

“Thanks! It’s nice seeing you two too.” Pinkie hopped onwards, humming a cheerful melody to herself, whereas the two males went into a laughing fit.

Weird. What was so funny about it? Probably nothing. She continued her hum. Then again, I did say I’ll think about stuff more, so let’s see. Pinkie replayed the scene a few times in her head. He said that I’m a hard worker. He thinks so because... because... She furrowed her brow. Because he knows how often I bake stuff! Mystery solved. The previous grin found its way back on her face and her brow relaxed.

But... he never really complimented me before. And I wasn’t really baking now. I was just... Pinkie stopped dead in her tracks. “Did you mean I was slacking?” She turned around, but Dumb-Bell and his friend were both gone. “I-I wasn’t! I was just buying a gift.” Pinkie looked towards the full city square. “I’m not slacking off! I’m just buying a present!”

The passers-by continued walking, throwing her a sideway glance at best. Pinkie’s expression darkened, like a sun overtaken by clouds, as she made her way back to the Sugarcube corner.

———

“Hi, Sweetie Belle,” Pinkie said as the bakery’s doorbell announced another customer.

“Hello, Pinkie!” Sweetie came to the counter and placed a few bits on top of it. “Rarity sent me to buy some bread.”

“Sure, I’ll go get it.” Pinkie pushed herself off the counter, getting on all fours, and sighed.

“Is something wrong?”

Pinkie nodded, her head sagging. “I think it is.”

“Well what’s the problem then?”

“If someone thought you did something you didn’t,” Pinkie said, trudging towards the back, “and then laughed at you for it, what would you do?”

Sweetie frowned. “Are you being bullied?”

“What?” Pinkie spun around. “No way! That’s... that’s too strong. Somepony just called me lazy, because he thought I was slacking off. But I wasn’t. But he thinks so and it makes me all tingly inside. The bad kind of tingly.”

“That’s just rude. To call you lazy like that, I mean. You always say that everypony in Ponyville is your friend, right?”

“Sure.”

“Well, that’s not what friends do.” Sweetie started rubbing her chin. “Unless they’re really good friends. Then they can act mean, but you know they’re just messing with you. Like Applebloom and Scootaloo. That makes sense, right?”

“No.”

“Well, uh... is he a good friend of yours?”

Pinkie scratched her head. “Like a really, really, really, really good friend like Applejack or Fluttershy, or just a really good friend like Lyra?”

“The first one.”

“Well... no. Me and Dumb-Bell don’t really talk too often.”

“It was Dumb-Bell?” Sweetie scowled. “Everyone knows he’s just a big, stupid featherbrain. He always was, Rarity says. Don’t take anything he told you seriously.”

“But... do you think I should explain everything to him the next time we see each other?”

“To him? Pfft. Even if you did, he’d just ignore it. Like when I said I can’t cast any real spells because I’m way too young for that, and he kept telling everypony I’m just an earth pony with an ice cream cone on her head.” Sweetie’s ears drooped. “Diamond Tiara heard it and wouldn’t let it go until sis came knocking on her parents’ door. Don’t even bother talking to him. I bet he knew he was being mean.”

“A meanie then, huh?” Pinkie furrowed her brow. “Well, if you say so.” She walked into the kitchen. “I’ll bring you your bread.”

When she came back, she saw Sweetie staring at a cupcake behind the counter’s glass. “You want one?”

Sweetie hung her head. “I don’t really have the bits for it.”

Pinkie waved her hoof and placed the cupcake on the desk. “Just take it.”

Sweetie grabbed both it and the bread, immediately sticking the treat into her mouth. “Thahns. You’e the beft.” She then trotted outside.

Well, at least somepony thinks so.

After a few minutes, the doorbell rang again. “Hello, and welco– Dumb-Bell?”

The stallion in question walked in, looking around and cocking his brow. “Yeah, I’ll have a strawberry tart.”

Pinkie put the dessert on the counter with a thud. “Did you come to apologise?”

“Apologise? What for?”

She stomped, leaning over the desk. “Because you said I’m slacking off and that’s mean!”

“Slacking off?” He smirked. “Where did you get that one from?”

Pinkie retracted, her brow raised. “You mean you didn’t? But... why did you tell me I’m a hard worker back in the morning then?”

“Can’t I just give a compliment to a clever mare like you?” He smiled and gave her a few bits, taking the tart.

“I... I guess. But Sweetie told me you like to say mean things often.”

“Sweetie?” He furrowed his brow. “Isn’t that, like, a filly or something?”

“Yeah.”

“So, before making an opinion on a pony, you ask a filly for advice?” He shrugged. “Great minds think alike, I guess.” He turned around and left.

‘Great minds think alike?’ What did he... Pinkie scowled and ran to the door. “Hey!” she shouted at the retreating figure. “You’re a big meanie-pants, you know? You better not come back here until you apologise!”

All she got in return was laughter. “Like that’s gonna happen!”

“W-well, you know what? Meanies have no place among my friends!” Pinkie squeezed her eyelids together and took a deep breath. “That’s right. Until you apologise, you’ll be the only pony in Ponyville that isn’t my friend!”

Dumb-Bell stopped, turned around, and scoffed. “That’s what you think? Like, seriously?” Pinkie gave a small nod, and he went into yet another fit of his creaky laughter. “You... you really are a funny one. I think I’ll call you Pinkie Clown from now on!”

Pinkie could feel heat rising throughout her entire body, her face reddening. “That’s not even funny!”

“Whatever you say, Pinkie Clown. ‘Look at me’” – he started speaking in a high-pitch voice – “‘I’m a silly pink pony and all the ponies in Ponyville are my friends! I know because they told me they were.’” He laughed yet again. “I gotta tell this to Hoops and Score. Later, Clown.” He resumed his trot and turned at the nearest corner.

‘Told me they were?’ Pinkie looked down on her hooves. What did he mean? And why was he being so cruel? I never did anything bad to him as far as I know. She walked back in, her eyes moistening, and slowly closed the door. Did he say those mean things to me even before, without me noticing? She looked at the square through the glass panelling. Are there more ponies like him? With a sigh, she turned the door sign to ‘Closed’ and walked outside again.

———

“So, everything’s okay between us?” Pinkie asked. She was sitting in an armchair at the library, looking Twilight in the eyes as she laid her hooves on the coffee table between them.

Twilight nodded. “Yes. It was just an accident, after all. Even though you are still to blame for it, it’s obvious you didn’t mean to destroy my research along with numerous expensive devices that’ll take me ages to replace.” She winced.

“I’m sorry.” Pinkie’s ears drooped. “But I wanted to talk with you about something else too.”

“Oh? About what?”

“Well... do you know Dumb-Bell?”

Twilight scratched her chin. “I think I heard that name already, but that’s about it. So, no. Why?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Pinkie bit her lip. “Listen, is it possible... I mean do you think it’s likely... No. How would you feel if I told you... Uh...”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Pinkie, just tell me what’s the problem.”

“Well... I’ve been thinking like you told me to.”

“Good.” Twilight nodded and circled her hoof, motioning her to continue.

“I’ve been thinking – what if some of the ponies that are my friends actually aren’t.”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“Maybe they just act all friendly, but are actually really mean and laugh at me even though I never did anything to them because they just feel like it, which is not how a friend acts at all!” Pinkie crossed her front legs and pouted.

“Did that Dumb-Bell guy do that to you? I remember now that Rainbow Dash once told me she didn’t like him.”

“He called me a clown.”

Twilight cocked her brow. “What for?”

“For saying that everypony in Ponyville is my friend.” Pinkie sank in her seat. “He was really mean to me for no reason at all. Why would anypony do that?”

“I don’t know, Pinkie.” Twilight reached across the small coffee table and put her hoof on Pinkie’s. “Have you tried asking him?”

“He just denied everything, and then said I’m no smarter than a filly!”

“I’m sure there is a way to work things out between you two.”

“I tried, Twilight, I did!” Pinkie threw her hooves in the air. “But when I told him he should apologise, he just laughed at me, and then I... then I...” Tears appeared in Pinkie’s eyes as her hooves lowered and her head sagged.

Twilight’s expression melted like scientific notes in acid, forming into a weak, calming smile. “I’m sorry, Pinkie, it must have been horrible. Try letting it go. You and everypony else knows it’s not true.”

“But– but what if everypony doesn’t? I thought about it, and if Dumb-Bell thinks I’m a clown, what if others do too?”

“I’m sure you’d notice if that was the case.”

“That’s the problem, Twilight.” Pinkie frowned. “I’ve known Dumb-Bell for years and never noticed this. Only after he outright told me.”

“Well, maybe he just started acting like this lately?”

Pinkie shook her head. “Sweetie told me everypony knows he’s just a big meanie and that he always was. How come only I didn’t? How come even a filly knows more than I do?”

Twilight stood up and walked towards Pinkie’s armchair, sitting on its handle and hugging Pinkie with her hoof. “Come on, Pinkie,” she said quietly. “You know that’s not true. You just didn’t notice it right away; that can happen to anypony.”

“I didn’t notice for years!” Pinkie leaned into Twilight’s embrace. “I always thought everypony in Ponyville was my friend, but that’s not true anymore. What if it turns out there are many, many more like him and that I’m just a big, stupid clown that doesn’t realise she’s being laughed at all the time?” She started sobbing.

“Shh.” Twilight tightened her hug and started stroking her back. “Is it because I shouted at you yesterday? Combined with that Dumb-Bell being true to the first part of his name, it’s no wonder it made you feel insecure.” Pinkie continued sobbing.

“How about a party?” Twilight asked. “You can invite the entire town – except for Dumb-Bell, of course – and just look at how happy the guests are to have you as a friend. I’m sure you’ll find out you’re as beloved as ever.”

Pinkie rubbed her eyes and sniffed. “And Dumb-Bell really won’t be there?”

“You know what? If he shows up, I’ll levitate him into the nearest trash can for how he acted towards you. Literally. How does that sound?”

“You’d really do that?”

“Sure.”

“Alright then.” Pinkie cracked a little smile. “But make sure he doesn’t want to apologise first, okay? Because if he does, I’ll forgive him.”

“Of course.” Twilight ended her embrace. “Now, let’s get down to planning everything.”

———

“Welcome to the Pinkie-is-happy-to-have-friends party! I hope you have great fun.” Pinkie stood by Sugarcube Corner’s entrance, shaking hooves with about the fiftieth pony that night. It seemed like all of Ponyville – except for one particular pegasus – was there.

“Do you like the music? Does the punch need refilling? Are you having a good time?” The party was in full swing, the entire building – except for the Cakes’ bedroom – turning into one large fun-factory, with ponies dancing like crazy in the middle of the main room, serving themselves snacks and some ‘harder’ drinks in the kitchen, and most importantly, having a blast. Or at least that’s how it seemed.

But what seems like something doesn’t actually have to be that way. While she was usually in the middle of the improvised dance floor, showing off her ‘new moves,’ today she stuck to the side-lines, rather observing the party than participating in it.

“Hey, Pinkie!” a familiar voice shouted. “Wanna join the drinking contest?”

“Sorry, Dashie. Not tonight.” I need a clear head.

“Suit yourself. The less competitors, the higher chance to win, right, AJ? AJ? How dare you start without me?”

Pinkie trotted towards the nearest dancer. “Great party, huh?”

“You joking? Not just great, awesome! You’re the best!”

Pinkie nodded and moved towards the kitchen, listening to the conversations around her.

“...and then I said ‘Big? Hah! This is how big looks like! Yours isn’t even...’”

“...hurt when you fell from heaven? ‘Cause your face looks kinda messed up...”

“...the fault of those darn minotaurs, I tell ya. Strollin’ around like... like they own the damned place with their big... muscles and all...”

So far just the regular party-talk. No talking about me behind my back. Maybe Dumb-Bell really was the only meanie in Ponyville?

Pinkie watched the drinking competition for a while and, seeing nopony badmouthed her there either, took a shot or two as well.

Half an hour later, she was in her usual party mode. She swept the dance floor with her amazing skills, tried being a DJ, fired the party cannon, but stayed away from the liquors still. True, she did get a bit tipsy, but no more than that. If ponies were to talk about her in positive light, she wasn’t going to miss it by drinking herself under the table.

She was just walking to the attic, aka the party’s game centre, when she heard a crash and a stream of curses from her room.

“...guess I’ll have to... have to... uh... what’s the word... pay for it now,” a voice from the other side said.

“Don’t be ride... ridica... ridiculi... crazy, Score.”

Score? Then the other one must be Hoops! Pinkie pressed her ear against the door.

“I break something like... like every, ‘xcept not completely every, party,” Hoops said. “Like, it’s not my fault those things got in my way! I mean everypony can... can see I’m drunk, so they should just move the things away from me!”

“Yeah! And what then? Do you pay?”

“Me?” Hoops let out a drunken guffaw. “Why would I pay when it’s not my... my fault? Pinkie Pie does, since she’s... she’s the one responsible for this, right?”

“You mean Pinkie Clown?”

“Yeah... I just... just can’t remember everything Dumb-Bell says.”

There was a pause. He... he told them? But that’s two more...

“Hey,” Hoops said. “Hey, Score.”

“Yeah?”

“Wanna hear a secret?”

“I guess?”

“I think Dumb-Bell... I think he’s an idiot. Like... a big one. Cuz... I mean he pissed her off enough to not get invited? That’s... that’s like really, really hard to do. And it’s dumb. All you gotta do is... all you gotta do is just apologise and look sorry, and you can get away with anything! A-ny-thing! Like, really.”

W-what? That’s not true! Pinkie bit her lip as her brows clashed. He... He didn’t mean it last time? But he looked so ashamed.

“You mean I don’t even have to hide this mess?”

“Nah.” Hoops chuckled. “You just gotta... gotta walk straight up to her, say you broke this... this... uh... what is it anyway?”

Pinkie heard the sound of pieces of glass clinking against each other.

“Some... picture,” Score said. “Photo.”

A photo? The only photo in my room is... You broke what? Pinkie scowled, the heat beginning to surge through her body just like earlier.

“Well, as I was saying. You just gotta walk straight up to her, say you broke this... this photo, and say you’re sorry. Maybe also pretend you’re gonna cry or something. Always works.”

Not this time! Pinkie swung the door open, glaring at them both.

“Oh, hey!” Score smiled. “I was just gonna get you. I think I broke this thing. Uh... sorry.” What appeared on his face was the poorest caricature of a frown Pinkie had ever seen. His lips curled downwards, sure, but the rest of his flushed face was still grinning at her.

“You broke my family photo?” Pinkie looked at the broken frame and scratched picture, her spine tingling like someone kept stinging it with fiery-hot needles. She spoke in a quiet voice while gritting her teeth, “You’ll have to pay for it.”

Score looked at Hoops, scratching his head. “You said I won’t have to. Were you... were you just trying to be funny or what?”

Hoops pushed Score behind him, stopping in front of Pinkie. “Watch me,” he whispered in a loud voice towards him before turning at her. “Score here is uh... very sorry– No!” He raised his hoof in the air like a teacher berating his students. “He feels downright... downright miserable for what he did. Just look at him!”

Score beamed at her from behind his friend’s back before he, with obvious effort, bent his lips down again.

“So... uh... if you’d just forgive him, that would be great. He didn’t want to break it, you see?”

Pinkie glared at him. “Sure I’ll forgive him. After he pays for the frame, glass, and photographer to make a picture of me and my family again.”

Hoops scratched his chin and turned back at Score, as if having trouble processing what she just told him. “But... uh... he said he was sorry.”

“I know. But he still has to pay for the damage. A ‘sorry’ won’t pay the photographer.”

Hoops grimaced. “Listen... everypony knows you always pay for the broken stuff if we apologise.”

Pinkie smirked, but her eyes remained cold. “Well, I guess not this time.”

“What?” Hoops stuck his head closer to hers, almost giving her a headbutt. “You do it for everypony, but not for my friend here? How’s that fair?”

“And how is pretending to be sorry fair?” Pinkie stomped with her hoof, piercing him with her gaze. “Yes, I know you weren’t sincere! Do you think I’m stupid?”

The two stallions exchanged looks, their lips quivering.

“You do, don’t you?” She pulled Hoops closer to her, pressing her forehead against his. “The bits.”

Hoops tore himself from her grasp, sneering. “Hay no. You ain’t getting anything from me and not from Score either. Right, Score?”

“Yeah!” Score nodded vigorously. “If you paid for his mess, pay for mine too!”

Veins started to become visible on Pinkie’s forehead. “Leave. Now. I don’t want to see either of you at any of my parties from now on.”

Hoops started laughing, but once his eyes met hers, he stopped and his features hardened. His stare suddenly became cold, menacing even, and the drunken blush on his face seemed to recede. “You know what? No. Me and Score will go wherever we damn please, and there’s not a single thing you can do about it. Hay, we might even bring Dumb-Bell with us – he looked pretty irked when he found out you didn’t invite him, you know? I bet he’d like to have a little chat with you.”

“Is that a threat?”

Hoops shook his head, chuckling. “I don’t need to threaten you. What’s the point? I’ll just do whatever I want whether you’re scared or not. Let’s go, Score. I heard there’s a drinking contest downstairs, and that we don’t have to pay for the booze!” He pushed her aside, closely followed by his pal.

Pinkie stood alone in her room, staring at the broken picture and taking heavy breaths. The photo was an old one, with her and her sisters still being just fillies, and was just about the only thing she had to remember them by, apart from the fairly rare visits here and there. And now the ones who destroyed it and mocked her are sitting downstairs, guzzling her drinks. No... No I won’t allow this! I can’t! She galloped down the stairs, finding the two already sitting at the kitchen table and in the middle of pouring themselves a glass of scotch.

“Go away!” she shouted. “Leave! Now!”

The music stopped and everypony’s eyes turned towards her. Hoops stood up from the table, a scowl plastered on his face. “I thought I told you upstairs. We ain’t going anywhere.”

“It’s my party, and I don’t want you here!”

“Oh?” Hoops walked towards her and stared her in the eyes. “Well, I guess you’ll have to throw me out then.”

For the first time in her life, Pinkie felt a genuine urge to punch a pony in the face. She’d then use the element of surprise and slam his head against the table; she could practically see it in front of her eyes. Instead, she took a deep breath. “Twilight!”

After just a little while, the mare in question pushed herself through the growing crowd of gapeseeds. “What’s going on in here?”

Pinkie jabbed her hoof in Hoops’s chest. “I told him and Score to leave, and they started threatening me!”

“Threatening?” Hoops looked at the gathered ponies. “Did I threaten her? I just said I won’t leave, because I don’t think it’s fair.”

“Fair? Fair? It’s more than fair after how you’ve acted!”

Twilight positioned herself in between them. “Could either of you tell me what exactly has happened?”

Hoops smiled. “Sure. Score here accidentally broke something upstairs, so we went to apologise to her. Then, all of a sudden, she started yelling at us and ordering us to leave.”

“What?” Pinkie gasped. “I asked you to pay for what you broke, and you refused!”

“Because it’s unfair to Score. You always pay for everypony, but not for him?”

“His apology wasn’t sincere!”

Hoops pointed behind him. “I think he looks sincere enough.” Score sat at the table, staring in his empty glass and looking like he was just about to start crying.

Pinkie took a deep breath and grit her teeth. “Just pay up.”

The crowd started mumbling. “I broke a glass by accident,” some stallion said. “Do I have to pay for it?”

“I spilled my drink on the carpet. How much does cleaning cost?”

“You didn’t tell us we’ll have to pay this time. If I knew that, I would’ve been much more careful!”

Pinkie turned towards them. “No, that’s not what I meant. You don’t have to pay anything. Only they do.”

Twilight frowned. “Pinkie, this really sounds rather unfair. Why are they the only ones you want money from? Score looks like he’s really sorry.”

Pinkie’s lips began to quiver as she turned back to her. “B-but that’s not true. He wasn’t sincere at all upstairs.”

“How can you tell?” Hoops asked. “I mean really,” – he raised his voice – “does anypony here think she can tell when a pony is sincere and when not?” He leaned in close and spoke softly in her ear, “After all, Dumb-Bell was making fun of you for years, and you only noticed now.”

“Wha– But–” Pinkie looked across the sea of nodding faces, her eyes moistening.

“Listen, Hoops,” Twilight said. “Pinkie is right on one account – this is her party, and if she doesn’t want you here, you should go.”

Hoops snorted. “Fine. This party’s dead anyway. Let’s go, Score, and leave this arbitrary clown here.”

They left, but Pinkie could still feel the eyes of the crowd on her. “I wasn’t being unfair. They just... they said...” The crowd started mumbling.

Twilight sighed. “Maybe the party wasn’t a good idea after all. I’m sorry for suggesting it.”

“N-no. It wasn’t your fault. Hoops and Score...” The crowd’s eyes still wouldn’t leave her. “Why does nopony start the music again? Come on... why are you not partying?”

Tension filled the air in such quantities that one could bottle it up and sell for a tidy sum of bits. “I… I guess I had enough for one day. Carry on without me.” She briskly walked into her room, locked the door, and fell face-first into her pillow, sighing.

They all sided with them. None believed me, not even Twilight.

She hugged the pillow with all four of her legs and squeezed her eyes together. And Hoops and Score – they were even worse than Dumb-Bell! Saying all those things, calling me a clown and stupid, just… why? What did I ever do to them? She started weeping.

Why did nopony believe me? I made a party for them. They all said they liked me! But then Hoops started talking, and what did they do? Betrayed me, that’s what!

Her throat filled with bitterness when she thought back at it. They only said like me because I organised and paid for all those parties; that’s how it is! They were just using me, and I let them!

She bit the pillow, letting the tears flow freely. I’ll show them! If they’re all... all mean like that, there won’t be any more parties!

The music didn’t start again that night.