The Long Road to Ponyville

by Windsong

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Pinkie Pie
Length: 8405

The circus has come to town! And while Twilight's super happy to see the show, for Pinkie Pie it brings back both good and bad memories of the days she spent between her life on the rock farm and her current life in Ponyville.

The circus has come to town! And while Twilight's super happy to see the show, for Pinkie Pie it brings back both good and bad memories of the days she spent between her life on the rock farm and her current life in Ponyville. With a visit to the bigtop a lot of memories come flooding back, good, bad, and some she'd really rather never left the tent.

Published 2013-01-20 04:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-01-21 01:13:04 UTC

The great Cirque du Pony!

A pink ball of energy hopped through the town, alternating hooves as she went, a smile spread wide across her snout. “Good dandy doodle morning!” Pinkie smiled at every one. Though the words came out more than a bit muffled as she tried to hold on to one of the bags in her mouth, and her trot weighed down by her saddlebags filled with more groceries.

The sun rose high up in the sky that morning and that just made Pinkie want to smile more! After all nothing was better than a sunny day, besides maybe a sunny day with her friends. But Pinkie Pie got to spend everyday with her friends, so every day was a best day in it’s own way. That’s what she always said after all.

“I got the new shipments!” Pinkie said as she finally reached Sugar Cube Corner, dropping the bag in her mouth on the floor as one of the sacks of flour began to tip over. “Madam Le Flour!” the pony shrieked rushing to save the bag of flour from a deadly drop of just a few inches.

“Madam le what?” Mrs. Cake asked as she walked into the room to see Pinkie struggling with one of the flour bags. She only had to look at the situation for a moment before coming to the conclusion it was Pinkie Pie just being Pinkie Pie. “Thanks for picking up the supplies I ordered Pinkie, I really appreciate it” the earth pony smiled as she trotted over to help Pinkie, heaving the bag over her back and carrying it into the kitchen with the younger pinker pony following behind her.

“No problemo Mrs. Cake! You know I would do just about anything you guy’s asked.” Pinkie smiled, dropping her saddlebags in the kitchen. With her teeth she flipped the first bag open and began to carry the items to their respective places in the kitchen “After all you guy’s have done for me, it’s my pleasure~”

“Oh Pinkie dear you know it’s no trouble.” Mrs. Cake assured her. Sure Pinkie could be hard to live with, but the pony did manage to bring a smile to your face no matter what. “It’s such a stroke of luck we have you around, you help run the shop, do so many chores, and you're even so good with the kids. Really Pinkie it’s our pleasure- Pinkie?”

Mrs. Cake looked back to see a giggling ball of Pink as the party pony was rolling around on the floor with Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake. “My point exactly” she whinnied though it came out as a laugh. “You might as well be their sister.”

Pinkie scooped both of the baby cakes up in her arms with a warm hug and a smile. “Oh they are just so adorably precious I cant help it.” She giggled as one of the twins poked her snout.

The bell on the door rang through the air as both of the mare’s looked up. “Come on Pound and Pumpkin, there’s a costumer!” Pinkie said, bouncing into the store front the baby’s crawling behind her. “Welcome to Suger Cube Corner!” Pinkie began before she saw it was none other than Twilight that stood in front of the display case. “Twily!”

“Pinkie!” Twilight beamed. “Oh Pinkie I got a surprise for you!”

“Surprise!?” Pinkie gasped excitedly suddenly bouncing around the room as if she was made of rubber. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! I love surprises! And I love it especially if it’s from a friend like you Twlight! What is it what is it?” her word’s ran together like one long breath as she hopped around the purple pony. If Twilight was excited then of course she’d be excited, and doubly so with the promise of a surprise.

“There’s a circus in town!” Twilight exclaimed, louder than she meant to but who couldn’t get caught up in Pinkie’s whirlwind of joy?

“Ohmygoshohmygosh a circu-“ Pinkie began before blinking her eyes and letting the thought register. “Circus.” She said landing on the ground again, considerably calmer than Twilight thought she would be. “That’s ah…” she said bringing her lips back to their usual smile “That’s great Twilight!”

“Yeah I know isn’t it great?” Twilight asked, her horn glowing as she levitated a ticket from her saddle bag. “I’ve never seen the circus before! I was always too busy when they came to Canterlot… anyways I got us all tickets!”

“Oh gee Twilight! Thank you but uh I think I’m busy that day.” Pinkie said keeping her smile in place and trying to be polite, letting the ticket fall at her feet instead of grasping it when Twilight’s magic let go.

“I haven’t even told you what day it’s for Silly.” Twilight laughed before looking at Pinkie again. “I thought you’d be more excited.”

“Oh I am! Way excited! I love the circus!” She said with some forced exclamation. “It’s just that ah… Sugarcube is sooo busy these days right Mrs. Cake? They really need me here I don’t think I can get a day off for a little while.” Pinkie nodded more assured now.

“Y-Yes we just had a huge order come in today even!” Mrs. Cake said trotting to stand by Pinkie’s side. “Pinkie here is such an asset I don’t think I could spare her for even a day.”

“Oh please come with us Pinkie.” Twilight pleaded sticking her lower lip out. “If your so busy I promise I wont keep you more than an afternoon! I just really want to go… it’s something I’ve never done before and I want to share it with my best friends in the whole wide world. Cant you please get a day off?” Her pouty face firmly in place Twilight looked up at Pinkie with big eyes.

Pinkie took a step back and looked to Mrs. Cake, to Twilight, to the ticket, to Mrs. Cake again, the ticket, Twilight, and then her eye’s went cross eyed by accident. “Ah uh sure Twilight.” She said smiling again and readjusting her focus. “Oh if that’s ok with you Mrs. Cake!” she said giving a look to Mrs. Cake, giving a genuine, if small, smile this time.

Mrs. Cake bit her lip and looked at Pinkie. “Of course Pinkie, if you're sure you really want to go.” She said giving the Pink pony a small nuzzle. “Just make sure to come right back so we can get to work on that uh… order.”

Twilight beamed and now she was the pony dancing around. “Thank you Mrs. Cake! Oh Pinkie this will be great!” she said.

“Yup super duper!” Pinkie said with a nod.

“Hey maybe I can even help you guy’s with that order if it’s really such a tall task.” Twilight offered. “What is it anyways?”

“Oh uh super duper complicated, requires a lot of previous baking experience.” Mrs. Cake said “It’s a uh… exact replication of Ponyville made entirely of cookies and cakes.” She said with a nod.

“Wow.” The purple unicorn raised an eyebrow. “Who in Equestria would order that?”

“You know I haven’t the faintest.” Mrs. Cake said.

Twilight opened her mouth about to question the illogicalness that seemed to be in that answer, but was quickly distracted by a Pinkie Pie urging her towards the door. “Anyways Twilight I hate to be a pushy pony but we really need to get working. I’ll see you uh…”

“Tomorrow!” Twilight nodded “1 o clock! Don’t forget your ticket!” she said trotting out the door. “See ya then!” The bell gave another ring as the door closed behind the unicorn and Pinkie gave a sigh. Slowly she walked back to the counter and paused, looking at the silver ticket sitting on the floor.

“You alright there hun?” Mrs. Cake asked “I’m surprised you said you’d go. You know it’s alright, you don’t have to.” The mare said with a small smile. “I can make another excuse for you if you don’t want to talk to her about it.”

Pinkie shook her head and pushed the ticket with her hoof. “No no it’s alright. I cant say no to Twilight, she wants to see it so badly after all.” The party pony said as she lifted her head up. “I’ll be fine, but thanks Mrs. Cake.”

The two baby cakes crawled at Pinkie’s feet, looking up at her with a whimper before the mare gave a giggle and nuzzled the two. “Don’t worry cakey pie’s, hey you wanna go play a game?” she said with a smile, bouncing away with the two cakes in tow. “How bout I show you two how to juggle!”

Mrs. Cake gave a small laugh as she saw Pinkie tossing the bag’s of chocolate chips about in the air, the two baby twins laughing and clapping their hooves. And when the twins smiled, Pinkie smiled. And that’s all Mrs. Cake needed to see to know that the girl was alright.

“I cant wait I cant wait!” Twilight said jumping around in the street’s as four of her five friends accompanied her, Spike meanwhile gripping her mane as he tried to stay on her back.

“Twilight!” Spike yelled as he struggled to stay on. “Your going to knock me off!”

“Oh sorry Spike.” The mare giggled calming down as the little dragon managed to securely adjust himself on her back.

“You sure are excited.” Apple Jack laughed trotting beside her unicorn friend, Rarity beside her as the two pegasi slowly glided in the air just above them.

“Can you blame her? Think of all the cool trick’s they're gonna do!” Rainbow said zooming through the air in a few flips before settling back to her friend’s pace. “Of course- none of them can beat me. But they can try to be as cool.”

“I’ve just never seen a circus before!” Twilight said smiling. The unicorn looked around at her friends before her smile fell. “Wait where’s Pinkie Pie?”

Both Apple Jack and Rarity paused in their steps and raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “You invited Pinkie Pie?” Rarity asked tilting her head. The white unicorn had gone through some considerably effort to put together an outfit for the outing, unfortunately it didn't match the frown she was now sporting.

“Of course!” Twilight nodded. “Why wouldn’t I? She is our friend after all.”

“Well that may be true darlen, but I don’t think this is Pinkie Pie’s slice of fun pie.” Apple Jack said looking a bit worried.

“What do you mean? It’s a circus how could Pinkie Pie not want to go see a circus?” Rainbow asked as she fluttered down to the ground. “Balloons, clowns, canons... it's got her name written all over it!”

“Maybe she doesn’t like all the danger and suspense.” Flutershy offered. “I know it scares me a bit when they shoot pony’s out of those canons the way they do…”

“Right you guy’s wouldn’t know would ya?” Apple Jack sighed. “I plum forgot yall moved to Ponyville after Pinkie.” She said. Both the Apple family and Rarity lived in Ponyville their whole lives, they had both been there when the Pink party canon had rolled into town for the first time.

“What we mean to say dears is that Pinkie Pie probably wont be com-“ Rarity began.

“I wont be doing what?” Pinkie asked suddenly at Rarity’s side, causing the white pony to shriek unexpectedly and jump back. “Woopsie daisy, sorry Rarity, didn’t mean to spook ya.”

“No… No worries.” Rarity said nodding and smoothing out her now slightly ruffled mane. “We were just discussing the circus and when you moved to town-“

“Oh that? That’s a boring story. But circus’s are fun. Let’s get going before they start the show.” Pinkie said bouncing along next to her friends. “Come on come on we’ll be late!”

Apple Jack and Rarity gave each other quick looks before trotting on with the rest of the group. Before too long a large striped tent came into view, nearly towering over the rest of the smaller structures around it. A red flag flapped in the wind at the top of the tent. Large wooden stakes had been hammered into the ground, each part of a tie holding the large tent up and in place. The once soft grass below was now fairly trampled under the traffic of circus pony's and audience members alike. The six ponies had all been talking a bit excitedly before they stood below the main sign. Ticket taker booths were positioned at either end as excited circus pony’s ushered in potential costumers into one of the many red and white tents that were now in the center of Ponyville.

“Welcome welcome one and all to the great and spectacular Cirque du Pony!” A tall pony said as the six paused in front of the sign, their mouth’s going slack jaw as they took in the view.

“Sooo cool!” Rainbow dash said excitedly and the other’s laughed, handing the ticket takers their tickets and trotting inside the circus grounds. Everywhere they looked there was confetti and smiling pony’s in all sorts of attire doing all sorts of tricks. Twilight swore she saw a pony walking on it’s front hooves!

Pinkie looked around at all the different acrobats but kept her head low, firmly in the middle of the group hoping none of the circus pony’s saw her. She hoped the other pony’s hadn’t noticed she had stopped bouncing now and was considerably less excited than a Pinkie Pie usually is. Though that's usually not saying much considering her general level of hyperactivity.

“You alright sugercube?” Apple Jack asked her quietly.

Pinkie gave a small nod “Abso postatvely lutely!” She said with the smallest of laughs. “It’s just a lot ya know?”

“You can go on home sugar, we’ll explain to Twilight and the other’s if you want to.” The orange mare assured her with a firm nod.

“No no it’s fine.” Pinkie smiled. “After all, Twilight and the other’s look sooo happy. And that’s what circus’s are supposed to do. I don’t want to spoil their day by being a pouty pony party pooper.” And Pinkie, was no party pooper. No sir!

“Come on guy’s the show’s going to start soon!” Twilight urged as she zoomed into the tent with Fluttershy and Rainbowdash. “We don’t want to miss it!”

“Righto!” Pinkie said, tilting her head to urge Apple Jack to join them. “I’ll meet you guy’s in there! I need to go find the little mare’s room though. Save me a seat!” she said as the other five trotted into the big top.

By herself Pinkie watched them enter the tent before looking around real fast. “Let’s see… it look’s the same. Then the bathroom should be….” She said opening a tent flap. “Woops… not this one.” She said looking around and realizing her memory was a bit worse than she thought. “Huh, coulda sworn it was set up where this tent is…” she said cautiously walking in anyways. Some barbells were stacked up in the corner along with some hoops and a few other props. Along one of the tent walls stood a few mirrors and a table covered in powdered make up. “The make up tent.” She said looking at the mirrors, noticing a few photographs had been stuck in the frames, and names written on the reflective surfaces in lip rouge. She paused in front of one mirror and noticed a picture she remembered. Two pony face’s looked back at hers, one of them a face she recognized. “Breezie.” She smiled touching a hoof to the mirror and looking at the picture.

“Hey! No costumer’s allowed back here!” A voice called as Pinkie swiveled her head around.

“Oh I’m so so sorry!” she said backing up and bowing her head “I uh was looking for the restroom and wandered into the wrong tent-“ Pinkie paused when she looked up to see a face she hadn’t expected to see again.

In front of her stood a tall buff green pony, who was looking down at her with wide amber eyes. “Dew Drops?” he asked looking puzzled.

Pinkie looked up at him not sure what to say. The name began the rushing of memories as they flooded her mind. “H-hey Rocky.” She said with one of those forced smiles. “Been a while.”

Author's Note

I wont be doing author's note's much, but this is the first chapter to my first story so I'd love some feedback! If there are any grammer problems I'm so sorry! They tend to slip by me but if you notice any and are kind enough to point them out I'll have them fixed right up in a jiffy!

Pinkamena Diane Pie

“Pinkamena Diane Pie!” A voice called from across the rock farm. “Get your flank inside this instant.”

“Coming Ma!” Pinkamena yelled as she scooped up her pick axe and trotted over to the old wooden structure that served as her house. Yes, Pinkamena, that was her first name. Given to her by her mother, Sue Pie. They were one of the few pony family’s that still kept to a long running second name. Across the rock field Pinkamena saw her younger sister Blinkie Pie, and her older sister Inky Pie both waiting by the front door with their mother as Pinkamena trotted over.

Mama Sue Pie gave her pink daughter a long look over. “Child what did I tell you about fixing your hair that way?” she asked, staring at the fluffy pink locks the filly sported.

Pinkamena raised her eye’s trying to get a look at her own hair but couldn’t manage to stretch her gaze quite that far. “What do ya mean Ma? It’s natural this way.”

Both Inkie and Blinkie exchanged glances, knowing perfectly well up until about a year or so ago Pinkamena had straight hair like them. Straight, flat, and boring. Like the rest of the Pie family. “Pinkamena I want to see your hair straight before we go out today.” Their mother said with a stern look. “I wont have you making a mockery of the Pie family in public.”

The pink pony’s eyes lit up at those words “Were going out?” She squealed bouncing up and down “ohmygoshohmygosh where are we going?”

“Pinkamena!” Her mother scolded and at that Pinkamena stopped moving and sat down, a forlorn expression crossing her face mixed with guilt. “Right. Were going into Ponyville today. But only if you're on your best behavior! All three of you!” she said giving all three of her daughters that motherly look. She knew Inkie and Blinkie would behave, but there was something in Pinkamena’s very nature that was well…. Different from the rest of them.

One look at the three ponies and it was clear who stood out. Inkie and Blinkie seemed like a perfect set, gray coats with perfectly straight manes. And then there stood her lovely Pinkamena, even if she was… pink. And different, a mother always loves her foals. Even if they were bright pink with curly hair. She was never quiet sure where in the mix of her and her husband, Clyde Pie’s, bloodlines there was a pink pony, but some how it came into being in their middle child. Even before the cutie mark incident Pinkamena was different, but at least then she was calmer.

“Mama…” Pinkamena said looking up to her mother, breaking Sue’s pattern of thought. “I promise I’ll be good, so may we please go to town today? I promise I wont… I wont even jump around!” She said trying to think of anything that could help her standings in the matter.

Sue Pie sighed and nodded. “Just behave yourself Pinkamena. You know how your father gets.” She said turning to go into the house. “Now come on, were going to see if I can fix that hair of yours before we leave.”

After about an hour of sitting on the stool while Sue Pie combed her daughters hair in a furious effort to comb it into straight submission, Pinkamena Diane Pie trotted alongside her sisters on the road to Ponyville.

It wasn’t particularly far from the farm to Ponyville. They lived just far enough outside of town to not really be considered citizens, but close enough that it was the only town they could go to for grocery shopping, at least when it couldn’t be delivered. Clyde Pie didn’t like going into town, and in fact had most of his supplies for the farm delivered straight to the farm door itself. But there were occasions the family couldn’t avoid a trip into town.

As they walked the long road to Ponyville Pinkamena remembered to keep her head down, determined to not make a mockery out of her Ma and Pa. Her sisters meanwhile stayed silent, walking beside her in a similar fashion. They walked in silence for the most part, Pa idly chewing a piece of wheat between his teeth.

“Were about there girls.” Ma said finally looking back at her daughters as they could just now see Ponyville through the tree cover.

The three filly’s raised their heads, venturing a look at the town before they were caught momentarily in awe. This wasn’t quite the Ponyville they remembered. By all accounts it was still Ponyville, but now a tall red and white stripped tent stood in the center of town, the red flag whipping in the wind as if calling the citizens towards it.

“What in the hay is that!” Pinkamena exclaimed, her hair suddenly poofing up again, despite her mothers hard efforts. Her eye’s gazed upon the structure in wonder, it was unlike anything she’d seen before.

Clyde Pie stopped for a moment and pondered as he chewed his wheat stock. “Cant rightly say Pinkamena, doesn’t look like anything other than a nuisance though.” The stallion murmured walking forward again, making a resolve to not get too near the thing.

Unfortunately his daughter was too distracted, unable to keep her eyes from wandering back to the magnificent site, her imagination running wild with possibilities. By the time they finally reached Ponyville she had decided it was an entire new nation they had decided to build under the tent and the flag was it’s symbol of freedom from Equestria. What else could it be after all? Pinkamena’s active imagination couldn’t conceive anything less interesting than that. She wondered if perhaps that was why she always found herself a bit disappointed when reality couldn't match up to her imagination.

Her family kept walking as she looked down to a piece of paper that fluttered to the ground. “Ooooh” she whispered trying to grab it between her teeth, but failing as it finally landed to the ground. "Pinkamena! Leave it!" Pa commanded with a firm voice. The pink pony nodded and let the paper lay on the floor and began to trot alongside her sisters again. But with one venturous glance back her eyes couldn't leave the paper. Quietly she went back to look at it, shuffling around till it was right side up. She looked up ahead and saw her family was already fairly far along, she bit her lip for a moment but curiosity compelled her as she looked back down to the paper, besides it would only take a minute then she would catch up to them for sure!

The paper had shiny silver lettering across the top of the page. She couldn’t make it out, her mother hadn't taught the kids how to read after all, and they didn’t attend school like other kids. But Pinkamena could see the pictures! And oh what a sight they were, there was pony’s in all sorts of costumes, one had a stripped ring around it’s waste, another was on stilts! A pony in the center clutched a long wip in it’s teeth and a lion stood behind it. Dear Pinkamena had no idea what this could possibly be, but framing the background of the picture was that same tent that they saw walking into town. “The tent!” She whispered looking from the flyer to the large structure.

She also realized as she looked up, that her family had gone some where out of site. “Ma! Pa!” she called looking around but couldn’t see them. She knew where they were headed, the market, she could remember roughly where it was. But the filly was so distracted. Perhaps she could wander around for a bit, just tell them she got lost. Her eyes wandered again to that magnificent tent. She didn’t have to tell them she went against Pa’s wishes and went to the tent. If she didn’t go now she knew that the sites would haunt her forever with regret.

“There’s just no helpen it, as Pa would say.” The filly said with a nod as she bounded off towards the center of town. It didn’t take very long of course, the tent grounds took up much of town center and before too long she stood below a large sign, with that same silver writing across the top. She still couldn’t read it, but at this point she had little care, for her eyes were filled to the brim with sights.

All around her were so many marvels, just like that paper she had seen! There was a pony with a hoop, but she didn’t just have a hoop! Oh no she was twirling it around her hips, and then moving it around her body, and even bouncing it off her flank and catching it with her tail. And not far from her stood another pony on long wooden stilts, gracefully walking as if they were her legs! Oh the sights! The sounds! Though Pinkamena could do with out the smell of burnt popcorn that lingered in the air.

“Step right up ladies and gentelcolts of Ponyville!” Called a pony in a red coat, a long whip coiled up and attached to a belt loop on his hip. “To the one, the only Cirque du Pony!” the stallion spread his arms out wide as if inviting the ponies into his very home. Pinkamena swore her eyes grew ten sizes that day in all the sites she had to behold.

“Cirque doo Pony….” She repeated with extra emphasis on the ‘du’. The name sounded fancy, fancier than a rock farm girl could compare to. Trotting along she saw there wasn’t just one big tent either. There were tons! Most of them quite a bit smaller. She saw all sorts of different pony’s entering and leaving them, from normal pony folk like her self to these cirque doo ponies that seemed everywhere. At least that’s what she thought they were called, but they were far from average ponies as they kept preforming all sorts of tricks.

Another one caught Pinkamena’s eye, it was another pink pony who looked a lot like her, same dark pink mane (only it was straight, and as of late Pinkamena could never get hers to remain straight) and light pink coat, and she couldn’t have been much older either. She was tossing bright red balls, the pony some how managed to toss one then another then another. There were at least 5 balls in the air and she kept them rotating in a fascinating circle of tossing and catching. Then unexpectedly the pony turned and caught all the balls as they fell this time, one in her teeth, a few on each of her front hoofs, and finally balanced the last one as it fell to rest on her nose. Pinkamena was amazed! But then something else caught her attention, the group of ponies and filly’s that had been watching the show pony all suddenly burst into great big smiles and applause.

It reminded Pinkamena of something. Suddenly she remembered that day she saw her first rainbow on the rock farm as it burst through the sky, and how it filled her with such joy and how she felt she needed to fill others with this joy! Pinkamena ventured a glance at her flank, her cutie mark of party balloons still there. She had thrown a party for her family that day, hoping they could feel the smiles that she did. And at first they did, but slowly her father wrote them off as impractical and Pinkamena was banned from the practice.

But she still constantly felt that longing, that longing to bring smiles to others like the way she smiled that day, and indeed was smiling now as she watched the performers.

And then it struck the dear pony. A wonderful idea. Though unfortunately it wasn’t just an idea, as what Pinkamena thought was a metaphor turned out to be a big red ball that hit her square in the head, knocking the poor pony over.

“I’m so sorry!” The pink show pony yelled as she ran over, “I lost control of one of my juggling balls oh I’m so so sorry.” She said trying to help Pinkamena up from the ground. “Please tell me your ok, Lincealot will kill me if I hurt a costumer!”

“I’m fine!” Pinkamena said trying to straighten her head. “I didn’t know there were two of you!” she whispered seeing two pink ponies in front of her instead of just the one.

“Oh dear oh dear” The pink ponies said in unison before dragging Pinkamena with them “Come with me I’ll get you fixed up” they said. Heaving the filly partially onto her back (or was it their backs? Pinkamena couldn’t rightly tell) and the show pony dragged her into one of the tents near the back of the fair grounds.

Inside the tent were a few props against one wall, and a row of mirrors and stools on the other. The Pink show pony pushed Pinkamena onto one of the stools. “Ok you stay there alright? I’ll be right back, no touching anything!” she said dashing out of the tent.

Pinkamena gave a sort of nod. She was good at listening to instructions, sometimes. But her eyes could still wander as she looked around the tent. It wasn’t particularly fancy, not like the images she had decided were hiding in each of these striped tents, but it was far enough from normal that it did the trick. Her eyes looked to the corner of the tent, there were more of those hoops she saw the ponies with earlier, some big and heavy looking weights, a few clubs and large rubber looking balls, one looked like it was even bigger than a pony!

“I’m back” The show pony said as she dragged a sack of ice with her and lifted it to Pinkamena “here put this on your head.” She said helping the pony adjust it to rest where the ball had hit her, as Pinkamena lay her head to the side a bit, letting the ice rest with out falling off.

“Brrrr that’s cold!” Pinkamena shuddered, shying away from it at first.

“Yeah I got it from the snow cone stand, but this will help the swelling.” She nodded. “This is what Turnip Head always does for me.” She smiled holding the ice in place. “I’m sorry I hit you.”

“Turnip Head?” Pinkamena giggled. “That’s a silly name isn’t it?”

The show pony held in a small laugh. “We all have funny names, it comes with the trade, at least for the clowns.”

“Then what’s your name?” The pink filly asked, curiosity dripping from her eyes, expecting nothing less than perfectly hystracial.

“My names Breezie.” The show pony said with a smile.

“Breezie? That’s not a very funny name….” Pinkamena groaned looking a bit disappointed. “I thought you’d say something like your names Pudden Head! See that’s a funny name!” she exclaimed.

Breezie laughed again before remembering to pay attention with the ice as it began to drip cold water through the sack and down her hoof. “I’m not one of the clowns, I’m an acrobat! The rest of us have normal-ish names.”

“Oh. Is that what they call what you do?” Pinkamena asked, thinking back to “Cause it’s a strange name, you don’t look like a bat… unless that’s a really good costume.”

Breezie raised an eyebrow “No no, I’m a pony. And nu uh, what I was doing was called juggling… I accidentally lost control of one of my balls though, so it hit you in the head. I really am sorry about it.”

“No worries!” Pinkamena smiled. “It was cool to watch! Besides if you didn’t hit me I probably wouldn’t have met you. My names Pinkamena by the way. Pinkamena Diane Pie.” She said with a nod.

The show pony raised an eyebrow “And you call our names weird…” she finally laughed before lifting the ice from the other pony’s head. “Doesn’t look like I clocked ya too bad…” she said with a sigh of relief.

From far off in the fair grounds the sound of a band striking up was heard and Breezie suddenly looked a bit panicked as her eyes widened. “Oh no, the show’s starting! I got to get going.” She said leaping off the stool she had perched on and ran to the tent flap. “Are you going to come watch the show?”

Pinkamena looked for a minute and shook her head. “I uh don’t have tickets… and my family is-“ she began suddenly remembering her family must be looking for her by now.

Breezie laughed “Nah it’s ok, if you come in with me you don’t need a ticket. Come on follow me, you can watch from back stage.” She urged. Pinkamena only had to think for a moment before giving a happy nod, dropping the bag of ice and trotting to join Breezie's side as they galloped over to the tent, slipping in through an open flap hidden at the back.

“Breezie!” a taller mare scolded as they entered the tent. “Your late. Come on I go on in a few minutes.” The older mare looked absolutely regal, sporting a glittering pale blue skirt and top, her flank visible and adorned with yellow stars. Her pink eyes shifted as she caught site of Pinkamena “And you brought a costumer back here with you? What are you thinking?” she scolded looking down at the pink show pony.

“I’m sorry!” Breezie panicked putting herself in between Pinkamena and the mare. “I hit her by accident during my juggling pre show. I didn’t want to leave her wandering around the grounds with a concussion!”

“So you brought her to wander around back stage of the circus with a concussion?” The pony huffed. “Honestly Breezie.”

“Please just let her stay!” Breezie said with a pleading look up at the older show pony. “If she causes trouble I’ll take the blame alright? I’m only on with you for one act anyways, I’ll escort her out right after that!”

“Breezie! Fleour you’re up!” A scratchy voice called from somewhere off in the tent and both the ponys looked panicked for a moment.

“Fine. Just stay out of the way you.” The older one, who must have been called Fleour, commanded. Pinkamena nodded and moved between the busy circus ponies to sit some where out of the traffic path. As the two show ponys trotted on stage she settled for sitting by the curtain, carefully she stuck her eye up to one of the holes in the cloth and peered through.

And what she saw… by Celestia she had never seen anything like it! She saw the two ponies climbing a tall ladder, so tall it looked like it could touch the sky itself! At the very top of the ladder was a very small platform, just big enough for a mare to stand on, with a long wire hooked onto the end that strung across to another identical ladder. Curiosity compelled Pinkamena as she tried not to lean to far forward but wanted desperately for a better look. What were the two going to do once they reached the top? The questions raced through her head as she tried to piece it all together.

Pinkamena had to catch her breath, Fleour stepped onto the wire! She felt bullets of sweat now as she watched the pony take another step! She was walking on the line! How could any pony even do that?

Breezie stood on the platform now, clutching a parasol between her teeth as she tossed it out to Fleour as she stood a few feet away from the wire now. The whole crowd gasped as the mare jumped to grasp it! But to every ones releaf she landed again on the wire, doing a small twirl on one of her hoofs.

Pinkamena continued to watch in awe as the pony Fleour preformed stung after stung on the line, Breezie on the platform handing her the aids as they were called for. Then with a smile the show pony raised herself onto her back legs and balanced on the wire, taking a bow even as the crowd roared and cheered.

Something hit Pinkamena again, but this time it wasn’t a ball thank Celestia! No it was that same feeling she got watching Breezie, that same joyous feeling the crowd gave her as they thundered and hollered in appreciation. But on such a large scale now! It was nothing that Pinkamena could even imagine before she saw it with her own eyes now.

While she was distracted the two show ponies climbed down from the high wire and trotted back stage, the mare breathing heavy as she finally relaxed her posture once out of site of the crowd.

“That was absolutely positively amazing!” Pinkamena bounced around super excited. Fleours face looked less amused as she sighed and turned her head to ignore the pony. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life! Howed you do that? Are you secretly a pegasi? Or maybe a unicorn! Were you using levitation magic?”

“Breezie, get her out of here, we have to continue on with the show.” Fleour huffed walking away towards another line of mirrors and propping herself down in front of one, grabbing a towel with her teeth and flinging it back across her neck.

Breezie nodded and nudged Pinkie Pie “here we can watch the rest from some where else.” She said with a smile as she trotted along the curtain and found a place more out of the way, a few holes dotted the fabric here too which seemed all the better for watching the show through. “So did you like what you saw?” the other filly asked excitedly.

Pinkamena answered by nodding her head rapidly “it was super duper amazing! I mean how did she not fall! And you were great too! I’ve never seen better tossing of umbrellas and stuff!”

The show pony laughed “I just help Madam le Fleour, one day I want to be able to do all the things she does up there on that stage.” She smiled. “Can you imagine, to know you made all those people smile? And they were all cheering for you? One day I’ll be a great show pony like her, but for now I just get to do small stuff.”

At that moment, Pinkamena could swear her eyes were twinkling as she imagined the sites. In her minds eye she was standing on that wire now, and looked out into the crowd of so many ponys as they cheered and clapped and smiled for her. And just then the pony cracked her own smile just imagining it. “Wowey zowey…” she whispered. “What would Ma and Pa say if they saw me doing that sorta stuff I wonder…”

“You got a Ma and Pa?” Breezie asked. “That’s lucky.” She gave a small smile. “Most of us don’t got any. What are they like? Are they nice?”

Pinkamena thought for a moment. “They love me lots and lots, even if they don’t always show it a lot. Pa and Ma are really strict, we run a rock farm and Pa always gets us to work hard. I got two sisters too! They look like me but gray and… oh no!” the filly exclaimed standing up, remembering exactly why she was in Ponyville to begin with today. “I forgot! Ma! Pa! They must be worried sick looking for my hide! I didn’t mean to spend so long…. Oh I gotta go!” She said dashing out of the tent to the nearest open flap that lead outside.

“Wait!” Breezie called following her out as Pinkamena made to leave. “Arent you going to watch the rest of the show?”

Pinkamena shook her head and kept running “I cant! I gotta go find my folks! Oh theyre going to be so mad….” She said worriedly. “But thank you!” she yelled one last time before running out, underneath the sign towards the rest of Ponyville. She ventured one last look at that marvelous tent full of wondrous things, Breezie standing just outside of it with a sad expression. With a wave Pinkamena bid her last gesture goodbye and galloped towards the market place.

The sun was beginning to set now beneath the cloud cover, coloring the sky in vibrant oranges and pinks. “Oh no I’ve been gone so long!” The filly realized as she crossed the main roads and finally saw the marketplace up ahead. “Ma! Pa!” she called before stopping, seeing her family in site. Her Pa had lost his wheat stock, and was looking mighty upset. But he wasn’t alone now, there was a police stallion standing with them now! Pinkamena dashed behind a barrel and looked cautiously towards her family, trying to venture a listen.

“And when was the last time you saw her?” The police pony asked, his horn glowing as he took down some notes on a pad of paper.

“I venture about an hour and a half ago.” Ma said looking worriedly down at her hooves, Blinkie and Inkie hiding behind her. “We were walking and suddenly we turned and she plum took off!”

Clyde Pie frowned as he looked to his wife and nodded. “She can be a trouble maker, always wanderen off like this…” he grumbled chewing his teeth as if his stock was there again. “When I get my hands on that girl she’s never leaven the farm again.”

Pinkamena gasped from behind her barrel. Never leave the rock farm again? How could she go back to that? To nothing but rocks after all she’d seen today? I mean sure she loved the rock farm… but could she live there for the rest of her life, never leaving? She chewed on the thought a moment, it had been nagging in her mind for a while now, not just today. And the thought of going back to the rock farm.... she just didnt want to, especially not after having a taste of something so fantastical.

Pa continued to talk to the police pony as Pinkamena saw her two sisters look out from behind their mother. “Ma? Ma, wheres Pinkamena gone?” Blinkie asked looking worried, and the pink filly felt her heart drop as she looked at her sisters face.

Sue Pie shook her head “I cant say sweetie. But she’ll be home with us soon, and when I know she’s ok oh is that girl going to get a scolding!" She sighed nuzzling her daughter. “Why cant she be like you two? So good and well behaved…Sometimes that filly just doesnt know how to act like a proper Pie pony.”

Pinkamena felt her heart sink again, but for different reasons this time. She always knew her mom favored her two sisters a bit more… but was she really such a bad filly? She looked down to her hooves, their bright pink so contrasting from the gray coats her family all had… her hair constantly curling and she could no longer control it. And it was something else too, she just felt different, different from her family, but she could never quite place exactly how or why, but it just was so.

Looking to her family once more and then back to her own hooves the filly felt forlorn, venturing from her barrel, and instead of going to her family wandering down one of the alley ways, as she saw the picture of her family there together she knew she didn’t rightly fit in with them. And the words she heard her Ma speak hurt most of all.

She looked back to her flank, her cutie mark staring back at her and burning in the back of her mind. She sometimes wished she’d never gotten her mark, wishing she was still like her family, still so unable to smile and unaware of just how much joy there was out there beyond the rock farm. Ever since that day she felt so different from them, and she hated that feeling. And there were very few things Pinkamena hated, but that feeling was certainly one of them.

Though the filly had been looking at her hooves as she walked she hadn’t bothered to look up yet, and she didn’t know how long she walked for either. Her head was so lost in thoughts about her family that she had gone quiet far before she realized she should figure out where she was. Slowly she raised her head as she heard the noise of people.

She realized she was at the edge of the circus again. But now the happy ponies were all leaving the tent, all with huge smiles plastered across their faces. Little filly’s rode on the back of their parents, hooves moving exuberantly as they recounted their favorite moments. Seeing others smile made Pinkamena smile a bit too. Even if it was just a small one. And then, the filly thought of something.

She quickly looked around, eyes searching for a certain filly as she dashed around the grounds, eyes keen for another pink pony that looked a lot like herself. Then with a thud Pinkamena ran into something! Or rather somepony!

“Breezie?” She asked pulling her head back hoping to see the pony she met earlier. But instead her eyes only met those of a large green stallion who looked down at her confused.

“Breezie?” he echoed staring down at the filly. “Why ya callen yer own name-“

“Hey it’s you!” A familier voice called as a pink show pony trotted over.

“Two Breezies?!” The green pony looked stunned as he saw the two pink ponies stand side by side. “No… this ones got curleh hair…” he noted comparing the two.

Breezie laughed and shook her head. “No no! This is my friend… uh…Pinka..Pink....”

“Pinkamena!” The filly said with a smile and a bow of her head. “Pleasure to meet you Mr. Big Green Stallion man!”

Breezie laughed "Rocky, Pinkamena. Pinkamena this is Rocky! I'm just uh showing her around the fair grounds!"

The stallion laughed a hearty laugh and shook his head. “Right then… Breezie don’t take too long, we gotta start loading up soon.” He said walking past them. “Nice to meet ya Pinkie.”

“Pinkie?” Pinkamena asked letting the name sit on her tongue for a minute, she’d never been called that before.

“I’m so glad you came back!” Breezie said, distracting the other filly from her thoughts on the name. “But the shows over already sadly.”

“Oh I see.” Pinkamena said slumping her posture for a minute before straightening up. “But that’s not what I came here to ask about!”

“It’s not?”

“No no I uh…” Pinkamena began, looking nervously at Breezie. “I want to be a circus pony too!”

"You what?" Breezie said looking surprised before her face changed, looking more nervous than anything else “I dunno…I don’t have that kinda power to say who is and isn’t a circus pony…”

“Please!” Pinkamena begged “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life… watching you guys was so amazing… and the way the other ponys reacted… the smiles… the cheering! I… I want that too!”

Breezie frowned “But what about your family? They’ll look for you.. and they’ll miss you!”

Pinkamena looked down, a bit depressed as she scratched her hoof against the dirt. “They don’t understand… I haven’t really fit in with them for a while now.” She whispered not wanting to think about the words her Ma said, or the way Pa looked so angry. “Please Breezie! I wanna be like you!”

Breezie gave her a worried look and bit her lip, thinking for a minute. Finally she sighed and gave a nod and a small smile. “Fine, come with me we’ll talk to Lincealot, he’s the head of this place.” She said standing up and beginning to walk.

Pinkamena smiled and bounced around excitedly. “Alright!” She smiled bounding after Breezie as the two trotted along the well worn ground. Pinkamena didn’t know where exactly they were going, but she was happy to follow.

“Pinkamena!” The filly abruptly stopped and looked up. Her head swivling in the direction of the voice as she saw the sky again, this time darker colors now crossing the clouds as the sun was closer and closer to setting. "Pinkamena!" it called again.

“Whats wrong?” Breezie asked looking back at her worriedly.

“Pinkamena Diane Pie!” Another voice called, a bit more anger in the tone as Pinkamena shuddered. “Where are you?”

“Pinkamena?” Breezie was the one to say the name this time as she stood next to the filly. “Come on we want to make it to the tent before sun fall…. Pinkamena?”

Pinkamena shook her head and turned back to breezie. “Sorry I just… thought I heard something.” She said with a nod. “Let’s go.” She said, Breezie standing up and trotting again now, Pinkamena behind her.

She ventured one last look towards town, the voices more distant on the horizon than before though she still heard her name called. No, that wasn’t her name anymore, and they weren’t looking for her. With a nod Pinkamena decided something right then and there. She was no longer Pinkamena Diane Pie. Who was she? Why she was… well she didn’t rightly know who she was yet. But she for sure wasn’t that same filly who came from a rock farm.

No starting today, she was some pony else.