Of Pocketwatches and Lies
It’s been about a few months since Peter was drafted to the military. Ever since then, the family’s been on edge from anxiety. From visiting the local chapel every Sunday to visiting it everyday, they prayed that Peter would be alright.
On that fateful Wednesday, a small car had stopped by at the front yard of the Pennington household. Several men in military uniform came out of the car. Amanda looked out the window, hoping that the military had finally brought him home; however, out of all those men, none of them were Peter.
Before they even knocked at the door, Amanda had quickly opened the door. Amanda took a good look at the man’s face; familiar yet haunting. The same man who took Peter away from us, was now here with a letter instead of Peter.
“I don’t-” he sighed in hesitation before continuing. “I really don’t know how to break this to you, missis.”
“Break what to me?” Amanda said, still trying to remain her composure. Her imagination was playing tricks on her. This is just a letter saying that Peter’s safe in a hospital somewhere in America, and they’re offering us a ride there! Her thoughts raced from one excuse from another. Anything but death.
“Everything you need to know’s in this letter, missis.” said the man as he offered the envelope, to which Amanda hastily and rudely grabbed it from him.
“Let me see that.” Amanda muttered with teeth clenched. Once she reads this letter, all ideas, all thoughts she had of Peter being alive or not will be answered, whether she liked it or not.
From the Adjutant General, it read “The secretary of war desires me to express his deepest regrets-” Amanda shivered at the word as she kept going on. “-that your son, Private Peter D. Pennington, was killed in action on the sixth of June in France. Letter Follows.”
Her composure crumbled as she fell on the floor, crying.
“We’re truly sorry, ma’am.” one of the military men had said. “But he died a strong man. He was truly a hero.”
“It’s not fair…” Eileen said, clenching her teeth as she heard the words, holding her tears back. “It’s just not fair!”
She then climbed up to her bedroom, crying aloud, with her pillow muffling it mostly.
Peter, you idiot! Why!? Why did you die on us? Eileen thought as her pillows absorbed all the tears.
It’s never a good day to see your own corpse in your own hands. Aged and tattered, with numerous stories to tell. Scars on its skin, each having their origin story of how they got there. It’s pages, still reeking of the smell of gunpowder and sea salt after all these years, inked with names of people that might have long died now. I put down my corpse; my journal; the only remaining piece of my old self, as I placed it back on the pedestal.
With a sigh, I wiped a small tear from my face. I turned away and started to go up from the basement. All this reminds me of a song. It was a song that I always sang with my brothers John and Mark whenever I fetched them to school. Good times… good times...
“Don't know why I left the homestead
I really must confess
I'm a weary exile
Singing my song of loneliness”
Of Pocket Watches and Other Things
It’s only been a year since one of my best friends found out about the truth of my existence. He, I mean, “me”... “I” exist to bring peace and happiness; something my world couldn’t afford at the time. It’s just the thought of a divine entity giving me a new life in a world I knew nothing about always gave me a feeling of pressure; like I have to do something valuable in my life here. Thankfully, I am able to bring out smiles from others as if I was born to do so. A Divine Right to Laugh, oh how rich.
Right now, I’m making my way towards the castle in order to be present for the meeting that would commence at the table. The castle that towered over the village didn’t seem to be as busy or noisy as it usually was. No magical mishaps, no summoning, nothing. It seemed that it was a peaceful day. I sighed as I walked up the steps towards the castle’s tall doors that seemed to be taller than two giants stacked ontop of each other.
I pushed the castle doors open, despite its large size, was fairly light to the touch and easy to push. Seeing all the wonderful architecture this castle has to offer has always given me the feeling of awe. Reminds me of a bunch of churches I used to visit… Well, as far as I can remember at least. Everything was made of beautiful crystals. To think that all this grew from the ground, like a tree that sprouted from a seed. Reminds me of those storybooks that mom would read out to me when I was a child. A fantasy like no other. Eileen would’ve loved it…
The numerous rooms that filled this castle makes it hard for those who haven’t memorized this place by muscle memory… which I have, mind you. With a few steps, I’ve made it to the meeting room.
“Hey Pinkie.” The lavender unicorn greeted me with her usual smile. “You’re late. That’s pretty unusual of you.”
“Just got caught up with the Cakes. That’s all.” I fake smiled as I took my seat on one of the seats with my cutie mark on it. I noticed all of them staring at me strangely.
“Pinkie, this is the fifth time ya’ve been’ late!” the orange pony with a countryside accent spoke up. “If anypony’s gon’ be late, that’d be RD over there.”
“WHAT?!” the prismatic pegasus exclaimed. “How could I, best flyer, be possibly late?”
“Yea, we know Rainbow, but best flyer ain’t nothin when yer’ still sleepin’ on em’ clouds when we’re jus’ about to start.” Applejack smirked as she remarked.
“But-- well,” Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head with her hoof and grinned guiltily. “Fair point…”
Thinking that the attention from me has been brought away, I sighed in relief. I looked around the meeting room and noticed that Rarity and Fluttershy weren’t here.
“Hey, uhh, Twilight. Where’s Rarity and Flutters?” I asked, hoping to make them forget the fact I was late.
“Oh, Fluttershy had to help Discord in making ‘ammends’ with somepony. Ask her about it when she gets back.The explanation Discord gave was a convoluted mess.” Twilight continued. “And Rarity had to go to Manehattan due to urgent matters with Sassy Saddles in the Carousel Boutique branch there.”
“So, why’d you call us here for, Twilight?” I asked, hoping that they forget the entire situation of me being late.
“Well, I’ve been coming up with a spell to trace magic anomalies.”
“A magic what-now?” Applejack asked.
“You know when I tried to analyze your Pinkie Sense way back then?” Twilight asked, lighting her horn to bring out her blackboard and chalk.
“Yepers! You really got hurt and I kinda felt bad for you but you still insisted and stuff but to be honest did that even make for a good friendship lesson? What?”
“What?”
“Pinkie bein’ pinkie, Twi.” Applejack spoke up. “Remember?”
Twilight chuckled as she rolled her eyes. “Anyways... “ she then started picked up the chalk with her magic. “Trying to make sense of Pinkie’s, well, Pinkie Sense, is like trying to answer a rhetorical question. You may never find the true answer, but the question itself is the answer to others.”
“What?” everypony spoke up in confusion.
“I’ve created a way to detect anomalies with Pinkie as a reference.” Twilight said as she drew squiggly lines which would mean something to a smart pony like Twilight, but means nonsense to me. “And with this, and that, and those…”
Twilight kept scribbling her way at the chalkboard, being too engrossed at what she was doing.
“Uhh, Twi--” Applejack tried to interrupt but was met with Twilight’s blabbering. “I’ll let you do yer’ thang now.”
“And there, AND there…” she said as she finished filling the blackboard with chalk. It was full of nonsensical symbols. Well, nonsensical for me at least… and the rest of the ponies in the room. “Done…”
“Uhhh, yeah… what are we looking at?” Rainbow Dash said, scratching her head.
“This is… the PINKIE THEOREM!” she exclaimed as she pointed on the blackboard with the pointing stick embodied in her magical purple aura.
“Umm… Twi, that just looks like something a little filly would draw.” I said.
“Exactly!” Twilight said. “The anomalies that happen around you are something cartoony! Something child-like!”
“Eh, I guess.” I shrugged. “Anyways, why were you interested in it all of a sudden? How long has it been? Around eight seasons?”
“Seasons?” Twilight questioned, to which Applejack coughed on cue to which Twilight got the signal. “Ah, yes. Seasons… Pinkie being Pinkie.”
Twilight then turned the board around to show more scribbled. I assumed that these scribbles were prepared for this.
“Though Pinkie’s an Earth Pony, therefore should’ve been unable to spawn anomalies. Anomalies can only be caused by magic. However, anomalies are not magic in nature. Their very cause in existence, however, is magical. Pinkie causes anomalies. Is she an anomaly? From my previous research which cost me a ton of injuries, Pinkie can’t be an anomaly. She has the ability to read anomalies by virtue of being able to predict certain events with several muscle spasms happening in her body.” she said in one single breath before stopping to breathe. I’m quite impressed. I thought I was the only one able to do that.
After her break, she then continued. “Furthermore! We can use this information to the benefit of Equestria! Using the mishap I learned from the fruit bats and Fluttershy that one time, I could possibly harness anomalic energy from you!”
“Neat!” I said cheerfully.
“So, I wanted to test your anomalies on several things. One of which is a few magic spells.” she said as she grabbed a mirror and an apple. Everypony in the room gathered around to help out Twilight with her experiment.
“So now, to prove the theorem!” Twilight said as the set-up was now finished.
“Wait, so you don’t know if it works yet?” Rainbow Dash asked as she was, again, scratching the back of her head with her hoof.
“Well, of course Rainbow Dash. It’s a theorem! Those things are always unproven!” Twilight cheerfully exclaimed. “That’s what research and experiments are for!”
With a clap of her hooves, she called out. “Okay! Positions everypony!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash went up to hold the mirror. Right beside them was Twilight. Right in front of them is a stool where the apple was at.
“Now Pinkie, all you need to do is just feel your Pinkie Sense. As that happens, I’ll hit a bolt of magic through you and it will hit the mirror which will rebound off and hit the apple.” she said. “Don’t worry, the bolt of magic won’t hurt.”
“Oh, okie dokie lokie!” I giggled. “Oh Twilight, you, uhhh, sciencey you!”
Then I felt the feelings. My tailbone started twitching, then my eyes started to flutter, and my knee started to twitch. “Oh gosh! Here it comes Twilight! Watch out for doors!!!”
Twilight then shot a beam of magic towards me. It stung a bit, but it wasn’t all too painful. The beam then reflected towards the apple and…
“What in Celestia’s name?!” she shouted as she saw that a door spawned out of nowhere, and slammed itself open, smushing the apple into mush.
I felt very groggy afterwards, as if all energy was sucked out from me. Then I saw everypony looking at the mysterious door and the weird vortex inside it.
“Th-this is… AMAZING! Pinkie! This is absolutely outstanding!” she said, her voice showing no hidden joy. “It worked! The Pinkie Theorem worked.”
“Well… I’m happy you got your theory proven.” I yawned as my body was now reacting on instinct due to how tired I was. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going home.” I said walking forward towards the door.
“PINKIE! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” Twilight shouted as she quickly grabbed my hoof. “Agh! Girls! I need some help over here! The pull is too strong!”
I then fell asleep as I felt Twilight’s grip on my hoof let go… It was comfortable… It was… warm… I thought of home.
It is currently Wednesday, May 2 1962, in a small school in Cuyahoga, Ohio, the very school her brothers used to study, was Eileen, checking all the test papers she needed to attend to for the day before she could go home. It’s been eighteen years ever since Peter died. As a school teacher, this was the job she always wanted. She’d remember times when her brothers would always ask her for help in their homework. Despite the twins being impatient to learn and just wanting the answers said right away, Peter loved to learn and scribbling notes in his notebooks. Now, she’s here teaching people that reminded her of either her two little brothers, or Peter.
Peter… Eileen sighed as the last of the test papers had finally been checked. With one last paper added to the stack, she then dashed out the door, locking her office before leaving the school completely.
Arriving at her house via the public commute, she was greeted by the ordinary ambience of her home as she opened the door. Quiet, yet the click-clack sound from somebody typing on the typewriter was noticeable upstairs. She walked up the stairs and into her bedroom, a.k.a. her husband’s workplace.
“Oh! Hey Eileen.” said a man in his early thirties, wearing a pair of pyjamas, who was engrossed in his typing work. “I’m glad you made it home early! I got a new story for you! It’s gonna be big! Hope ya’ dig it!”
“Maybe later, Harold.” she said as she politely declined Harold’s request, making him quite sad.
“Aw, what’s got you actin’ up? You always read my stories!”
“Yes, Harold. You’re a great writer and all and I do very much enjoy your stories but… tomorrow is just...”
“What’s at tomorrow? Movie night? Is it your favorite actor James Dean? Come on now, don’t be sad that he’s gone! I got a friend in the filmhouse who has East of Eden always ready for viewing! Nevertheless, you got me! I could definitely tell ya’ I look better than that fella, ya dig?”
“It’s about my brother… Peter.” she said as she sat down on a chair beside him.
“Is that the fella on your mind?”
“Yes. He was the second eldest among us in the family. He died during the war nearly two decades ago.” she said as she looked down at the floorboards tears started forming in her eyes. “His birthday’s tomorrow and I was planning on visiting mom and dad that day.”
“Well, what’s wrong?” said Harold.
“For some reason, I just feel very…” Eileen started tearing up. “Emotional.” putting up her hands to cover her eyes from tearing up.
“Hmm…” Harold nodded his head as he put a hand on her shoulder. “He’s in a better place now. You know? He’s up there with the Father Almighty. There’s no need to be sad Eileen. Just be happy that he was there in your life. Here, recall a good memory you’ve had with him in your life.”
“Huh?” she said confused, looking up from her tears. “Well… how would that help?”
“Well… I know I can’t bring people back from the dead, but the memories can help bring them back only for a while.” Harold said, before chuckling to himself. “Darn that was good, how about I put that in my book, huh?!”
With a sniffle, Eileen wiped off her tears and readied herself to speak.
“There was this time during my eighteenth birthday where he planned the best birthday party for me!” she said, her cheeriness slowly returning. “There was orange balloons, streams, everything was just so perfect! It was a small party with only the six of us.”
“It’s perfect!” I was happy. I then looked at mom with the biggest smile I had. “Thank you mom!”
“Oh, no need to thank me. Thank your brother for suggesting everything!”
Peter blushed. “Aw shucks, mom.”
“This cake tastes good too! Did you make this mom?” John said with a mouth full of cake.
“Actually, it was Peter who did that too, I just helped him do what he had to do! The color of the streamers was also his idea, it was just me that put them up.”
“Also, Cab Calloway’s such a good singer.” Eileen said.
“Yeah, if you want to make the mood depressing.” sourly remarked John as he finished swallowing his cake. “I’d’ve preferred if you picked something like, you know, a happy birthday record.”
I saw Peter hit John with my elbow. He muttered, “No money, remember.”
“Oh, right.” he whispered as he then scratched the back of his head. “Heh, sorry.”
I giggled. Boys will be boys… I thought to myself.
“Now, let’s all eat that cake shall we?” said dad, who came dressed as a clown.
We all laughed and began to dig in for the birthday feast. I then turned to Peter and smiled.
“Thanks, Peter.”
“Eileen?” Harold said as he then started shaking Eileen up. “Eileen!”
“Oh! What, oh… sorry Harold. I was just reminiscing about those times…” she giggled.
“If that giggle tells me anything, that means you’re happy. Well, let’s go eat dinner. I cooked us up some meatloaf. Just like my mom used to make!” he said as he stood up from his seat, closed the door, and walked down stairs.
“Okay, Harold! Will be there in a moment!” Eileen called out with a smile. The power of memory... Eileen dropped her bags on her bed and looked herself in the mirror. After checking herself if there were any stains from ink on her outfit, she then opened the door. Instead of the usual hall, a swirling vortex replaced the hall!
Eileen backed away from the door, in fear that it might suck her in. It surely was a frightening sight for Eileen was about to scream until, suddenly, a girl with pink hair, bare naked, fell out of the vortex and onto the floor. I then shut the door in panic as I screamed aloud as the unconscious girl laid down on the wooden floor.
“HAROLD!” she yelled out, hoping Harold would hear without waking the girl up.
I was comfortably in bed. Strange, I would've expected some random vortex to put me in who-knows-where and, for some reason, Discord would be there doing who-knows-what. Thoughts aside, I overcame the comfiness of my slumber, and I opened my eyes. The first thing that came to my vision was the blanket on top of me. I then looked around to find somewhat familiar architecture. It’s like I was in a home in Manehattan. Walls pasted with wallpaper, a typewriter on the desk beside me, a peculiar looking lamp, and pictures hung on the wall of... humans.
Wide eyed, I brought up a hoof, only to be greeted with a familiar body part; a hand. A part of me was a bit horrified about the sudden reappearance of a body part that I haven't seen in nearly eighteen years, but that's just a part of me. Tear droplets leaked out my eyes as I continued staring. Something I thought was long gone is now back. I've returned.
"I-i'm home..." I muttered to myself while tears were flowing through my eyes.
Have I reverted back to being Peter? Or is this just another afterimage after dying again? I didn't want this to be some other illusion! With that, I threw the blanket off of me only to find out my body was definitely not Peter's. It was a bare female figure, well... my bare female figure... Noticing the mark of three balloons on my hip, a realization came up to me. I'm still Pinkie Pie... me. Just as a human.
I mentally facehoofed. This is just that mirror world that Twilight told me where everypony had their human counterparts. The tears of momentary joy were now that of sorrow. I just had to give myself false hope, didn't I? I’m such an idiot! I started weeping. I remembered all the people I left behind here. The first one that came to my mind was Eileen, and at this point I couldn’t keep myself from sobbing.
"So... where'd she come from?" Harold said, taking a slice of the meatloaf. "Like that was fast. Just zoomed in right there out of nowhere. Unconscious girl on the floor like that."
"Well, you see, Harold..." Eileen said, taking a bite from her food. "I don't know."
"Mmhm?" Harold replied, his mouthful of food. Swallowing, he continued. "So, just out of nowhere like that?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "It was like out of a science fiction flick! Like a portal of some sorts."
"Huh... sounds like a hit-movie to be written by me!" Harold enthusiastically proclaimed. "Well ofcourse, to be co-written by my lovely wife, of course."
"That's not the point…” Eileen said in an annoyed tone. “Well, that could be fun." Eileen giggled a bit before reverting back to her serious composure. "As of right now, some young girl just appeared out of nowhere."
"There's got to be a logical explanation for this."
"I wish there was."
"Mhmm..."
After dinner, Eileen decided to prepare a small meal for their unexpected guest. Harold acquiesced Eileen’s request to take care of the girl while she’s preparing the meal.
"Ugh... fine." Harold grumbled at Eileen. He walked up the staircase going to the hall. At the right of the hall was the door to his working room... which is currently being used as the makeshift guest room. Harold was going to continue writing anyways so no biggie. He could just write and look after the girl at the same time. As he was about to open the door, he noticed a sound; gently audible through the door. Crying. "Oh God." he muttered to himself as he gently opened the door.
It was the pink haired girl that he and Eileen helped get on the bed. “God, are you alright?” said a worried Harold as the pink haired girl perked up, staring at him with her tear-stained eyes.
“Y-yes.” she said, looking down at her body.
“My wife’s busy preparing a meal for you.” Harold said, trying to comfort the pink haired girl. “We’ll try to find your parents tomorrow, but right now, please make yourself at home.”
“Y-yes…”
“Well… we can start by telling us who you are.”
“P-pinkie…”
“P-pinkie…” I replied.
“Pinkie?” he chuckled a bit. “Well, that’s a name. Seeing as you’re a pink one, definitely.”
I chuckled along too. “Well, I am Pink now, am I?”
“Alright, jokes aside, what’s your name?”
“Pinkie.” I said, with more confidence now.
“Yeah, yeah, no, really.”
“Pinkie.”
“Wait, so is this hair natural and not dyed?” he asked, to which I nodded. “My oh my, that really is strange.” He said as he looked at my hair even closer.
“Well, you asked for my name, what’s yours, mister?” I asked, to which he was snapped out from his trance from my hair.
“Oh!” he exclaimed as he noticed what he was doing. “Sorry bout that. Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable now. Name’s Harold Garfunkel.” he said as he brought out a hand to me.
“Nice to meet ya!” I shook his hand more energetic now. I felt my regular self returning back to me.
Harold smiled, probably because I’m not crying anymore.
“So, you from around here?” said Harold.
“I don’t think so. Where are we anyway?” I asked him which made him scratch the back of his head.
“Huh?” said Harold. “We’re in Cuyahoga…”
