The Bliss of Ignorance

Chapter 4: Taxes

Another day, another trip to the market. Pinkie sighed, donning her coat and hat. It fooled nopony, but at least gave her the illusion that there was something between her and the stares.

The past several days had been nothing but suffering – the gossip only grew, the guards no longer responded to her calls, and, worst of all, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that her real friends were being laughed at as well for talking to her.

Not everypony badmouthed her, of course. Probably less than a third did, despite what it might have felt like at times. Those who didn’t, however, also didn’t help her in any way. All she could do was grit her teeth and walk past when a pony greeted her like nothing had changed. Like I was still their personal clown!

Pinkie sighed again and opened the door. Somepony had to buy the groceries, and that somepony was her, like it or not.

Right as she reached the square, she saw a crowd. Pony upon pony were packed against each other, all staring at a gray-maned mare on a small podium. Oh, right! The Mayor has a speech today. Pinkie walked closer, squeezing in between two stallions in the last row.

“...nounce that the taxes will have to be raised in order to cover this year’s expenses.”

The crowd erupted, several tomatoes landing on the stage. “Please calm down!” Mayor Mare shouted. “Calm down, everypony!” It took a few minutes for the crowd to settle down. “It saddens me as much as any of you, but we simply need to get the funds from somewhere! The town hall’s reconstruction drained our coffers, and the roads are becoming untraversable due to years of neglect. Every week, there is at least one broken wagon wheel!”

“I can’t afford to pay any more taxes!” Caramel shouted. He was immediately joined by a plethora of other voices.

The Mayor rubbed her brow, shaking her head. “Unless all of you are willing to spend the next week or two repairing the roads from dawn to dusk without any payment whatsoever, I’m afraid there’s no other way. But if you have a better solution than taxes, I’m listening.”

“Why do we need the roads so bad anyway? They were good enough up until now.”

“The roads are beginning to deter travellers and traders, which only makes us earn less. Also, the town has to pay for the repair of all the broken wagons, since we are the ones responsible for the damages.”

Pinkie furrowed her brow. She couldn’t really afford any sudden tax increase either, not after blowing every last money reserve she had on the party. Maybe if we started... no, wouldn’t work. How about selling... no, that wouldn’t do either. She bit her lip. Why can’t this be easy like running a bakery? When we make little bits, I just bake something new and more ponies come to try it. If they want cupcakes, I bake more cupcakes, if they want muffins, I bake muffins. Her ears drooped. Unless... She looked left and right, her eyes widening. “I... I have an idea.”

“How about the Rich family pays for it?” Hayseed said. “They’ve got more money than they can spend!”

“What?” Pinkie clearly recognised the voice of Mr. Rich. “Do you have any idea how much that’d cost, you turnip-brain? It’d ruin me! And with me, the whole town – I own half the shops here, if you haven’t noticed, which I’d have to close down!”

Pinkie raised her voice. “All we have to do is use the remaining bits and buy a whole lot of apples. Then, we–“

“How about we just borrow some money?” Carrot Top asked. “The Royal Bank will lend us all the bits we need, and we’ll just repay it next year. The roads will be fixed and the town hall has already been repaired – we should make a profit.”

Mayor Mare shook her head. “We’d be relying on luck. What if there’s poor harvest? What if more things get broken by then? What if Derpy manages to demolish the town hall again? We couldn’t pay the bank back and would end up worse off than we’re now.”

“After we have more apples,” Pinkie said, “we’ll start making cider. It’ll be outside of the season and will have to cost a bit more to pay for the work and everything, but–“

“How about Twilight Sparkle called in a few favours?” Bonbon asked. “She’s Princess Celestias’ personal protégé, if she asks for money, she’ll get it.”

“No way!” Pinkie saw Twilight jump up all the way at the other side of the crowd. “I don’t have this kind of influence, and even if I had, those bits are needed elsewhere – we’d only be shifting our problem onto somepony else!”

Pinkie frowned and raised her voice even more. “The cider would be more expensive, but I bet ponies would buy it anyway – Ponyville cider is famous and the demand is so big every year, that some always walk away disappointed. There were ponies coming all the way from Fillydelphia once! We’d earn more than enough to pay for everything.”

Mayor mare sighed. “So far, the taxes really seem to be the only solution.”

The ponies around Pinkie nodded, scowling. “Oh, come on!”

“I suppose it is settled then. The taxes for the following year will increase by– yes, Pinprick?”

The stallion next to Pinkie lowered his hoof. “How about we bought some apples, made cider from them, and sold it at twice the usual price? The demand is so big every year that ponies would buy it anyway.”

Pinkie looked at him like he just slapped her. “W-what? But I just–”

Mayor Mare turned to the far end of the crowd. “Applejack, would that be possible?”

“Well... I...” The eyes of everypony focused on her, and she gulped. “The cider makin’ season is so short only because we’re too busy with the fields to keep it up, so maybe it’d sell good even now. Usually we sell the remaining apples to Manehattan in bulk every year, but if you folks wanna buy them, I don’t see why not.”

“Wonderful! We will carry out Pinprick’s idea then, and–”

“Pinprick’s? Are you kidding me?” Pinkie’s face reddened like it was about to explode, veins appearing on her neck. “I said the exact same thing seconds ago, but does anypony listen to me here? Noooo, Pinkie is too childish and dumb to ever say anything worthwhile! Isn’t that right?” She glanced over the staring faces around her. “Screw you. Screw you all to Tartarus, together with this stupid town!”

She turned around, turned her snout up, and started marching away. After the nearest corner, the march turned to trot, and then to a gallop. She sprinted into Sucarcube Corner, scaled the stairs in mere seconds, got into her room, and collapsed on her bed in sobs.

———

“Come on, Pinkie. It’s not that bad.” Twilight sit at the bedside, a small frown on her face as she watched her friend’s lying figure.

“Not that bad?” Pinkie turned around and scowled. “It’s badder than bad! I-I mean you were there, you saw what happened! You heard it yourself!”

“Well, yes, and it... wasn’t... that...” Pinkie glared at her, as if daring her to finish that sentence. Twilight gulped. “What I’m trying to say is that you see it worse than it really is. I mean this isn’t the first time ponies didn’t take you as seriously as they should.”

“But that’s exactly the problem!” Pinkie sat up, throwing her hooves up. “They didn’t do it before, they don’t do it now, and they won’t do it later!”

Twilight shook her head. “Pinkie, I think you remember even I didn’t take you seriously before. Take the whole affair with parasprites – it just took me a while to learn that lesson, but I did, and so will everypony else if you give them enough time.”

“Enough time? They had more time than you did! I’ve been living here for years!”

“Maybe they just need to get to know you better?”

“They sure sounded like they know more about me than I do,” Pinkie mumbled, crossing her front legs and pouting. “Plus they stole my idea. Ignoring me is one thing, but this was much meaner!”

“Your idea saved us a lot of money. Isn’t that they used it in the end what’s important?”

“No. I mean yes! I mean somewhat.” Pinkie’s ears folded down. “I’d just like them to say once, once, that I’m just as smart as they are. And to stop looking down on me. And to stop being mean.”

Twilight’s lips curved upwards and she laid her hoof on hers. “Don’t you remember the party? Our party, I mean. No matter what other ponies say–”

“I will still have you and the girls. I know, I know.” Pinkie exhaled and shook her head. “It just doesn’t help, even though I know it. It hurts when they talk to me like I was a little filly. Like today. When the Mayor said it was Pinprick’s idea and not mine all of a sudden, it felt like... like I got a big, nasty bruise. Only not on a knee, but inside.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll talk to Mayor Mare.”

“What? No!” Pinkie grabbed Twilight’s hoof, clutching it to her chest. “That’d only make it worse! It’d look like I really am just a small, stupid filly that needs an ‘adult’ to solve her problems!”

“Nonsense!”

“I know. But it’d look like that. And if it looks like that, Dumb-Bell and Hoops and everypony else will laugh at me even more.”

“Why would that matter?” Twilight freed her hoof from Pinkie and placed it on her back. “Why would you care what Hoops, Dumb-Bell, or any other ‘mean’ pony thinks? Let them laugh. They’re only hurting themselves, as anypony can then see what they really are like.”

“I guess...” A fleeting smile stirred Pinkie’s sullen face. “But it still hurts, even when I know they’re just stupid meanies. And I think it hurts you too.”

“Me?” Twilight’s brow shot up. “What do I have to do with any of this?”

“You’re avoiding me! Together with the girls.”

“Avoiding you?” Twilight looked around herself, as if confirming she indeed was in Pinkie’s room, and laughed. “Pinkie, I’m with you right now!”

“Yes, because nopony can see you here.”

“That’s non–“

“Why else do I never meet any of you in the town anymore, huh?” Pinkie scowled at her. “Why did none of you back me up earlier today? Why do we never go on a picnic, or anywhere somepony might see us together? We used to do that all the time.”

“You’re just being paranoid. I’m sure tha–”

“That we met somewhere in town? Then tell me, because I sure don’t remember!” Pinkie froze and started scratching her chin. “Well, except for Applejack, I guess. But she has a stand at the square, so she can’t really avoid me no matter how much she’d like to.”

Twilight scoffed. “Stop it! Nopony’s avoiding you, especially not me and the girls! Maybe we haven’t seen each other in public as much as usual, but that’s definitely just a coincidence. Now calm down!”

Pinkie took a deep breath, sagging and flopping back onto the bed. “I shouldn’t blame you for it. I’d be scared of being bullied too. It just makes me so mad that they’d try to harm my friends like this!”

“Don’t worry about us.” Twilight patted her on her back. “We’ll manage just fine. It’s you who has it the worst. When you stormed away from the square like that, we were really afraid you’d do something rash.”

“Rash? Like what?”

Twilight shrugged. “I don’t know. Start a fight with Dumb-Bell? You looked livid enough.”

“No, I’d never do that.” Pinkie shook her head. “But maybe doing something ‘rash’ is what I need. Doing nothing didn’t help me at all.”

Twilight frowned. “If you do, please tell me about it first, alright? I’m not saying you need my permission to do something or anything like that, but two heads are better than one.”

Pinkie bowed her head. “Okay.”

“I’m going to check up on Spike now. If there’s anything, and I mean anything you need, come to me right away.”

“Alright.”

Twilight got up off the bed and smiled at her again, leaving the room.

———

The doorbell rang as the little, familiar figure trotted into the shop. “Hi, Pinkie!” Sweetie said as she moved towards the counter.

“Hi.” Pinkie supported her chin with her hoof, leaning onto the desk and looking like she was just about to fall asleep.

“I said ‘Hi, Pinkie!’ not ‘Hi, Pinkie... let’s go die of boredom together.’” Sweetie giggled. “I mean come on, haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“They’re going to make cider! All kinds! Even one that I can drink!”

“Yeah, I heard.” Pinkie sighed. “Have fun.”

Sweetie furrowed her brow. “What’s wrong? You’re even more down than usual.”

“So now it’s normal for me to be down?” Pinkie grimaced. “Just great.”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Sorry.” Pinkie swung her right hoof onto the counter and pushed a cupcake to its edge. “Have one on the house.”

“You sure?” Sweetie narrowed her eyes at the treat. “Last time, you got all fussed up over a single bit. Won’t the Cakes be mad?”

“Just take it. I’ll tell them to scratch this from my wage.”

“I don’t want to cost you money.” She pushed the cupcake back to Pinkie. “What’s gotten into you?”

Pinkie sighed again, letting her eyes drift off somewhere towards the ceiling. “I’ve been thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“Stuff.”

Sweetie grimaced. “Okay, aaand what did you figure out about that ‘stuff?’”

“Nothing yet. I’m still thinking.”

She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to tell me more about it, or will you just keep beating around the bush?”

“Right. Sorry.” Pinkie straightened up and stretched, a small smile appearing on her face. “I’m really happy you care. Most ponies would just go like ‘Ooh, Pinkie can think? What a stupid rumour!’” She glowered. “What a bunch of meanies. But you do think I can think as good as anypony else – maybe you’re still a little filly, but you help me a lot.” She pushed the cupcake again. “Take it. I insist!”

Sweetie shrugged and took it. “Thanks.”

“You see, I’ve been thinking about a whole bunch of stuff.” Pinkie started pacing around the room. “Really serious stuff. It made me all sad.” Her head drooped.

“But about what have you been thinking?”

“Hmm...” Pinkie rubbed her chin. “Let’s say there’s a... a baker in some little town, who makes... um...”

“Cupcakes?”

She nodded. “Cupcakes. Now, she, the baker, only makes one flavour. The flavour was a really, really big hit for long time, but not anymore. Ponies just no longer liked it as much for some reason.”

“Why doesn’t she make more flavours?”

Pinkie stopped mid-step. “Uh… she can only order her ingredients in bulk and they go bad really fast, so she can only make one at a time. But that’s not important.”

“Okay.”

“Now, the ponies don’t like the flavour and she’s getting all sobby and teary about it. Still, there are a few ponies – not many – who love the old flavour and will get really, really upset if she stops making it. Should she continue making the old stuff and hope other ponies will start liking it again, or should she take a risk and try a new one, even though she can’t be sure it’ll be popular and knows that some will be disappointed?

Sweetie scratched her head. “Why do you waste your time thinking about some bakers? And why does this make you sad? Is she somepony you know?”

“Umm... kinda. Anyway, what do you think she should do?”

“Try the new flavour – no point in doing something that doesn’t work. She can always return to the old one if things go wrong, and maybe even the disappointed customers will like the new one better in the end.”

“I doubt that, but thanks.” Pinkie took a deep breath. “I guess it is time to change the flavour. Plus you were right – one can always go back to the old one. Right?”

“Sure.”

“Right...” Pinkie’s features hardened. “Did you want to buy anything?”

“Not really. Just wanted to chat.” Sweetie smiled at her. “Did I help? Did you finish your thinking?”

“Yes, you helped a lot. But now I’ve got some stuff to plan.”

“What stuff?”

Pinkie smirked and shook her head. “Not this time, Sweetie. I really don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.”

“Oh.” Sweetie looked down. “Will you tell me later then?”

“Sure. You’ll find out soon enough.” No point in doing something that doesn’t work.

———

“Pinkie, you don’t have to do this! There has to be a different way!”

“Maybe there is, Twilight. But I just don’t see it.” Pinkie sighed, loading another crate onto her wagon. “They didn’t start being mean just these last two weeks. They always were like that. Only I didn’t notice.”

Something latched on Pinkie’s leg. “Don’t do it Pinkie! You can’t! Please! This... this is so uncool!” Rainbow’s face was wet with tears.

“I’m sorry, Dashie, but you saw how they were. I can’t stay.”

“It hasn’t even been a month, Darling. If you gave it some more time, then surely...”

Pinkie shook her head. “You saw it yourself. They all think I’m just some stupid, unthinking foal! Maybe they’d realise I’m not after some time now, but...” Pinkie cast her eyes down. “But I can’t. They were all so mean to me for no reason at all, only because they could, and I just can’t look at them the same way again.”

“Sugarcube, I...” Applejack held her hat in her hooves, pressing it against her chest. “Good luck. If there’s anythin’ I can do...”

“You could go with me.” Pinkie’s lips curved upwards, but the rest of her face was anything but smiling.

Applejack sighed. “You know I can’t just leave the farm.”

“W-where will you go?” Fluttershy asked. “Can we still visit?”

“Of course you can.” Pinkie smiled, this time with her whole face. “I’m going back to mom and dad’s – I haven’t seen my sisters in ages, and I know I’ll be welcome. It’s not that far. Not that close either, though.” She winced and closed the back of the wagon. “I guess that’s it.”

“Pinkie, please reconsider!” Twilight opened her saddlebags and levitated out several scrolls. “Look at these friendship reports – do they mean nothing? Remember all we’ve been through, all the lessons we’ve learned!” Tears sprang up in her eyes. “You can’t just leave that behind!”

“I remember. I remember it all, and it was the best time of my life.” Pinkie hung her head down. “But... Twilight, if you gave me the Element of Laughter now, it wouldn’t work. I feel like anything but laughing. I just... I can’t stay in this place.” She shook her head. “And you’re making it sound worse than it is. We’ll still see each other, just... not every day. Or every week.”

Twilight turned away, the reports slowly flying back into her bags.

“I should go, or I’ll start crying again.” Pinkie smiled at them with a sob and harnessed herself to the wagon.

“I’ll fly over every day, I promise!”

Pinkie nodded. “Thanks, Dashie.” She gave each of her friends a long, last look and whispered, “Goodbye.”

The End