Pinkie Pie awoke to the fresh morning air of Ponyville. She had always liked the little town, and today was no different. She hopped out of bed and performed her usual morning rituals. Through her guise of randomness and chaos, there was always strict order and timing.
At 6:00 in the morning, she would wake up and laugh her mind awake with whatever strange joke she could come up with at the time.
At 6:20 she would wake up Gummy and feed him whatever food was available and keep him company until he finished it.
At 6:30 she would begin to make breakfast for the Cakes with whatever ingredients she could find. What she made ranged from plain muffins to ornate wedding cakes to rock candy. It was always good, and the Cakes always loved what she made.
Then at 7:00, she was off to meet her friends at the square.
It may not have seemed so due to her rather...upbeat personality, but there were always hints about underlying problems, primarily with her state of mind. Little things, mostly. The over extravagant parties, the over reactions to being excluded, the constant mood swings. Pinkie Pie was, in one use of the term, depressed. She was always trying to befriend and please everyone in order to make herself feel better, but the more she did it, the less it made her feel better. Though she seemed the happiest of individuals, and she was one of those that would be silly no matter what and not really down on herself constantly, that did not bar her from the thoughts that plagued her mind.
But she always tried to play the part of the happy-go-lucky party pony to keep everyone from worrying about her.
She hopped through a window and into the street, and continued on her way until she reached the market. Though her main goal was to meet up with her friends, she couldn’t resist the temptation to buy the ingredients for the most delicious(at least to her) of her treats.
Rock Candy.
5 minutes, thats all she needed. Just to get in, grab the ingredients(For she knew them by heart) pay, and get out. She maneuvered through the aisles like a champ, grabbing the ingredients with a swiftness and ease that came from years of going to the same spots for the same things.In a record breaking minute, she had acquired all the goods she needed, and paid for them. Now I just need to meet with the girls! she thought to herself. Now where did those bits go?
After 30 minutes of searching, she had finally found her bits...in the coin pocket of her saddlebag.
She paid for her things, and rushed to meet her friends at the square. Or she would have been rushing, if it weren’t for a stallion just outside an alleyway past the market. “Hey, uh, Pinkie Pie is it? I couldn’t help but notice you buy some, uh, rock candy Ingredients.” He said to her as she passed. Being her normal curious self at the time, she responded. “Yes. Ohmygoshmister, doyoulikerockcandytoo? Wecanbebestfriendsandmakerockcandytogether *GASP* doyouhaveasisterthatmakesrockcandytoo?! IhaveoneandhernamisMaudandshemakesthemostbestestrockcandyever!”
“Wait a minute, did you just say Maud is your sister?” he asked. “Yes she is.” Pinkie replied with a smug look on her face. “Well she makes some...special, rock candy, and I was gonna sell some of it to you, but I can probably give this to you for free this time.” And with that he handed her a small bag with some clear crystals inside of it. “Now off you go, don’t want the guard to catch me giving you that stuff, and don’t eat it until you get home,” He warned her as she walked off. “OK mister, thanks for the candy!” And she continued on her way to the town square.
She eventually reached it, and much to her chagrin, she was the last one to arrive at the restaurant they had agreed to meet at the previous day. “Hey Rose!” she greeted the dark pink pony that worked as a waitress. “Hello Pinkie. And how are you today?”She asked. “Oh, I’m super duper fine. I’m just gonna go meet my friends, Oh look there they are! HEYGUYSIMOVERHERE!”
Her friends were already seated and served. I hate being last. Now I have to wait longer. She hopped over to where her friends were seated, and took a seat herself. “Pinkie!” she heard Rainbow Dash say as she sat, “ ‘Bout time you showed up. I was just about to ditch these squares out of boredom.”
“Sorry Dashie, but I had to buy ingredients for ROCK CANDY!” And she threw her saddlebags at Rainbow, promptly crushing her under the weight. “Oh Goddesses, what do you have in here Pinkie?!” “Just 200lbs of rocks for my rock candy.”
“How the tartarus did you fit 200 lbs in there?!?!”
“I have no idea!” Pinkie replied with a smile. The fact that she had the special rocks in her coin pouch slipped her mind completely.
The rest of the outing was rather boring in Pinkies mind, with nothing of much interest other than Rainbow and Applejack have a syrup chugging contest that ended with both of them on the floor with upset stomachs.
“Well, I gotta go, see y’all tomorrow!” AJ said as she got up to leave. “Yeah, I should probably start heading out too. Later guys.” Rainbow Dash said as she got up as well, and started to head out with Applejack. They always left at the same time, and always went the same way even though they lived in opposite directions.
Next to leave was Fluttershy. “I have to go make sure my animals are all cozy and tucked into bed. I’ll see you soon. Bye” she said in her ever so soft voice. She trotted out with her head low like she always did when she was by herself.
And like that, it was down to Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie. “Pinkie, darling, are you quite alright?” Rarity asked, noticing how Pinkie wasn’t smiling for the first time that day. In truth, she thought that Rarity and Twilight were boring, and her spirits were always low when she was with only them. She was still best friends with them, of course. It just wasn’t in her to dislike someone completely. But they still wouldn’t be her first choice of ponies to hang out with.
“Everythings fine Rarity, I’m just super tired!” Pinkie replied, putting on her facade of happiness once again. She couldn’t let them keep worrying about her, and she had to keep on looking happy.
“Ok darli-” Rarity started to say, “I NEED TO CHECK ON SWEETIE BELLE! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT HER! I’m sorry girls, but I must leave immediately!” and she galloped out of the restaurant, almost knocking Rose over in her rush out the door.
Pinkie’s thoughts drifted to Twilight, since they were the last two in the restaurant. Though Twilight was boring, she was still the only person she would tell her truths to, as Twilight would actually give advice rather than just overreact to whatever problems Pinkie told her about. “Is everything alright, Pinkie?” Twilight asked when the waitress had went into the kitchen. Pinkie sighed. Yes, she told Twilight things she told nopony else, but she was still reluctant when it came to it.
“Everythings fine Twilight. I’m just tired. Honestly.” It was a lie, but Pinkie wasn’t the Element of Honesty, after all.
Awkward silence filled the room. Twilight knew Pinkie was lying to her, but she knew better than to press the matter. Eventually, she became fed up with the silence, and got up to leave, pausing momentarily to speak to Pinkie. “ I know things are tough for you right now. Just remember that you can tell me or any of the girls anything, alright?” “Alright, Twilight. I’m fine really! I’ll be fine, I’ll just pay here, and I’ll be on my way home. Bye Twilight!”
As Twilight left, Pinkie watched her go with a sad look on her face. Her hair lost it’s poof, and lay straight down the side of her body. She laid her head on the table-top, and cried.
The mare walked down the street in the lamplight at a slow pace. She was in no rush to get anywhere and her saddlebags had started to weigh her down as she continued. She was oblivious to the world around her, ignoring ponies that said hi, which was extremely uncharacteristic of her.
She reached her home, and unlocked the door. She emptied the contents of her saddlebag on the floor, revealing a large pile of rocks. But there was still a weight in the bags. She checked the main pockets. Nothing. Then she checked the secondary pockets. Once again, nothing. It wasn’t until she checked her coin pouch that she found what the weight was.
A baggie full of clear crystals.
Her mind drifted back to earlier that day.
Don’t eat it until you get home the stallion had told her. Well she was home. Even so, she eyed the crystals suspiciously. But in the end she took one of them out. What could rock candies do to me she thought as she put it in her mouth, and bit down.
Almost instantly, she felt a rush of energy go through her. But at the same time it was calming. She felt like she was on top of the world! The world around her was a blur. Her memory of the night shifted in and out. She was on her bed giggling one minute. Then she was crying in the corner. Then she was hugging Mrs. Cake. Then rolling in an ocean on orange soda. Then she was a rock. Her thoughts during the entire time were a jumbled mess, even to her.
She had only one clear thought the entire night. I need more of that rock candy.
And then everything went black.
Author's Note
This is my first published story, so I apologize if it's not very good. I would like to see some criticism, good or bad. This story will probably only be a couple more chapters long with a short time skip in the next chapter.
She awoke to a gentle prodding in her left side. She opened her eyes and was met with the stale air of her room, and a concerned Mrs. Cake trying to awaken her. The room was horrid, with rocks everywhere, and everything else scattered throughout. A chair was in a plant, a table glued to the ceiling, and bedsheets where hanging in the shower.
"Pinkie...Pinkie dear, are you O.K.? You had us worried last night." Mrs. Cake asked. The words barely registered to pinkie as she slowly stood up, and started to walk to the bathroom without a word. She let up the contents of her stomach in the porcelain throne, and just sat there, before finally asking Mrs. Cake a question.
"What time is it?" she asked in a nearly monotone voice. Mrs. Cake simply stared at her, as Pinkie, even when she was out of sorts, never spoke like that. Her voice always had a slight uppitiness to it, and almost always was high pitched to the point of annoyance. But this time was different. It wasn't the experience last night, or the waking up late, or the vomiting that scared her. It was that voice.
That horrible voice that said nothing, but told everything. That seemed so uniform as to be horribly wrong. A shiver ran down Cake's spine as she thought.
"I-it's 1 PM dear. Your friends came looking for you earlier, but i had to tell them you were asleep. They seemed worried for you." Pinkie groaned at the news. Her oh so perfect schedule was destroyed, and she felt like crap. Worst of all, her friends became worried, and that is the exact opposite of what she wished. She reflected back on what caused her to feel so bad. It had to be the candy, she thought to herself. What else could have done that too me? And then the memories came back to her in a flash of revelation that made her sit back down.
The rock candy. It had made her feel so good. But now it made her feel horrible, and she didn't know how long it would last. And as she calmed down and started to get up to try to salvage the rest of the day, she had but one thought as she walked out.
I need more!
The hooded mare paced up and down the streets observing the alleyway for any sort of movement she could see. Uncharacteristic of her, she was straightforward in her search, being, for one of the few times in her life completely serious. Sun butt's sun was setting, and she didn't want to be in this part of town at night, so she had to hurry.
And that's when she finally saw it, a stallion darting out of view. A very familiar stallion at that.
Chasing him down, she finally had to ask. "Do you have anymore of that rock candy? I need more." She asked in that same monotone as earlier. The stallion froze as he turned to face her, and she took her first serious look at his face and features. There was a deep scar running down the right side of his face, and little scars covered a lot of the rest of the area. His barrel was thick, and bore many scrapes and scars from years of being on the streets. But worst of all were his eyes. They held almost no emotion and were cold, calculating. Looking into them, she got the sense that he would do whatever he wanted to her if he thought he could.
But as soon as he saw who was asking, that coldness was gone, and he looked at her as one would a little sister. "Why of course I do, Ms. Pie. But this time it'll cost you. Let's say 100 bits for this batch right now. and you can just walk off and have your fun. Sound fair?"
She looked at him questioningly, before handing over the required amount of money. and walking away from the alleyways of Ponyville.
She opened the front door to Sugarcube Corner and slowly made her way up the stairs, and to her room. She looked back at the day that seemed to go by in a blur, from vague memories of going out with the girls, to baking cupcakes, the alleys. All unimportant. All too easily forgotten. But that's why she bought more candy, right? Right?
She flopped on her bed, opened her bag, and took out the baggie. She stared at it, wondering if the headaches and pains tomorrow would be worth it for the happiness she would feel from eating this. She quickly made up her mind as she opened it, popped one in her mouth, and swallowed. Immediately, she felt that familiar rush as her eyes darted around the room, taking in every little detail she could see, from the fly in the closet, to the overdue recipe book behind the dresser, to the chemical reactions taking place as the candy dissolved inside her.
The feeling was..ecstatic, as she paced from one side of the room to the other, a million thoughts racing through her head every second, from designs for passenger planes and nuclear reactors, to entire symphonies composed in minutes. All these masterpieces that nopony had ever heard or seen before, going through one mares mind, and gone the next.
She baked exactly 327 pancakes while coming up with formulas for how to harness the energy of the atom, decided there were exactly 1,283 mites living on her bed, and she built a to scale model of a nuclear reactor while she thought of ways to get the mites to become an advanced civilization.
She didn't know what seven eighths of these things were, and yet here she was, drawing them, writing them down, putting them on her walls until there was no more room. Then she covered everything else in the room until she couldn't move without touching a piece of paper, and her mind was finally overwhelmed as she drifted into the sweet nothingness of a dreamless sleep.
