//------------------------------// // Pinkie after parties // Story: To Observe is Science! // by Crimson Star //------------------------------// I sat at the lab, thinking to myself, as I awaited the arrival of my newest creation, back from his first expedition. The Guard Ponies were currently in possession of the Diamond Dog that I zapped yesterday. Right now, all they could get him for was trespassing, but there was a reason he was there, I was sure of it. Why, though? Why are the Diamond Dogs sending out scouts to this area? As I thought this, a quadruped machine the size of a pony descended the stairway into the lab, walking over to me. I looked at my new mine-bot, which I designed to have a frame similar to a large spider with nothing but a head. He raised himself up, and placed his chassis on the table, before opening a compartment, and revealing a plethora of newly refined minerals and metals that I could use to create more machines. “Thanks, Rick.” I said, petting the little guy. Removing the materials, I estimated that I would have enough to build something I had been hoping to work on for some time. It would take some forging for most of the day, but right now, there wasn’t much else I wanted to do. So, I set to work, and sent Rick off to collect more materials for the refinery. About midway through soldering the computer for my design, I heard the beep of my doorbell go off. Looking at a nearby computer monitor, I saw Pinkie staring back at me. She was paying attention to the camera above the door, a dejected look on her face. “Acey, can we talk?” She asked. Her mane was still full of life, but she still seemed disappointed about something. I grabbed the microphone off of my PDA. “Come on in, Pinks.” I said, wondering what had gotten Pinkie in such a mood. I pressed a button on the console in front of me, and the door to my lab slid open. Pinkie trotted down the stairs, and into my lab, before coming up to me. I got down off the chair, and kneeled, so I was at eye level with her. “What’s up? You alright?” I asked. Pinkie sighed, looking up at me with her puppy-dog eyes. “Well, you kinda left my party yesterday.” She told me, solemnly. “I thought you didn’t wanna be there. Did I…did I say something to make you feel angry at me?” She sniffled, and looked as if she was about to let out a waterfall of tears. “What?” I asked, my face developing a ‘poker face’ expression, as I recalled what happened after the Diamond Dog was taken into custody. -------- I looked grim, as the Diamond Dog was led away. Twilight’s brother was collecting a few reports to see what anypony knew about the Diamond Dog’s presence. My report probably interested him the most. I ended up promising a copy of the video evidence I collected from Paul. “Are Diamond Dogs common in this area?” I asked him. Shining Armor nodded. “Yes. Most of them around Ponyville don’t usually come into town, and only a few of them in the area bother to form raiding parties. None of them are ever stupid enough to try a raid on their own.” “Which means he was probably scouting for a larger force, right?” I asked. Shining Armor laughed. “Nothing gets past you, huh? That’s what we believe. But usually, where there’s a scout, the raiding party is nearby.” Seeing my panic, he lifted a hoof to calm my nerves. “It’s strange, though. We did a quick sweep of the area. There weren’t any other Diamond Dogs.” I let out a relieved breath. “That’s good.” I noticed that the party was still going on, which gave me some concern. “Are the raids really that bad?” I asked. “The raids have always been bad.” Said Shining Armor. “ Diamond Dogs take ponies as slaves to work in their mines. Sometimes, they ponynap entire families.” “Then why keep this party going?” I wondered. “Wouldn’t these ponies be in danger?” Shining Armor shook his head. “Segeant Fleet Foot assured me that he’s seen no other Diamond Dogs, and I trust him. If he says his sweep revealed nothing, then there’s nothing there.” I shrugged. “Well, if you’re certain, then who am I to argue?” I wasn’t convinced, but that didn’t mean I was gonna argue with him. “In that case, enjoy the rest of your day, Shining Armor.” We exchanged parting words, and I went to leave, my mind focused on securing the party, and completing my refinery. I was programming Paul to do his own sweep of the area, knowing his sensors were better than a guard’s eyes, when Pinkie intercepted me. “Acey, aren’t ya gonna stay for the party?” She asked. I looked up from my PDA to see Pinkie. “Can’t party right now, Pinks. I gotta get back to the lab.” I told her, as I screwed up a line of code. I started to delete my mistake, and heard Pinkie begin to say something. “But I-“ “Pinkie!” I exclaimed in frustration, making a chopping motion with my right hand. “I’m not concerned about partying right now! I need to get this done!” I went back to coding, continuing to leave the party. ------- Looking back, I was kinda rude. She must’ve got her feelings hurt when I said that, and I suddenly felt bad about yelling at Pinkie, and a frown crossed my face. “Oh, Pinks.” I sighed, giving her a hug. “I’m sorry. I was upset with something else entirely. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. You could never make me angry, okay?” She sniffed, resting a head on my shoulder. “Okay.” She replied in a relieved voice. “I thought I lost a friend.” “Aww, Pinks!” I said sympathetically, pulling her away to look her in the eyes. “You’re one of my best friends I have in this Universe, if not, THE best friend. I would never purposely do anything that would make you sad. And I promise, if you ever need someone to listen to, or a shoulder to cry on, or anything, anything at all, my door is always open for you.” She gave me a big smile, tears drying from her eyes. “Pinkie Promise?” I held up a finger, and did a crossing motion over my heart. “Cross my heart…” I flapped my hands, as if they were wings. “…Hope to fly…” I grabbed an imaginary cupcake, and brought it to my face. “…Stick a cupcake in my eye.” She gave a small chuckle, before she pounced at me, wrapping her front legs around me in a hug. I purposely fell on my back, wrapping my arms around her, and began rolling on the ground, shouting in a mock panic. “Aaah! Pink pony attack! Get it off! Get it off!” We came to a stop, me on the ground, Pinkie sitting on top of me, and both of us laughing at the joke. I looked up at her, and really, for the first time, I saw her as a mare. A beautiful, kind, caring mare, who liked to joke around with her friends, and enjoyed spending time with me. And that’s when I noticed I was staring at her, and she was staring back. “Uhh, I need to get back to work.” I said, picking myself up, and gently shifting her off of me. “Oh, right, uh…sorry.” She replied, and began looking around my lab from her seated position on the floor. “No, it’s no trouble.” I insisted, trying desperately not to sound awkward. “In fact, maybe you’d like to help me with my work for a bit?” Good save, I thought, as I moved up to the table, and continued to solder the computer system together. I put on some music from my computer to help me work. “Okey dokey lokey!” She chirped with glee, hopping up into the spare chair next to me. Putting her hooves on the table, she began to watch me work. “What’cha makin’, anyway?” “A personal transport vehicle that can interface with the larger bots that I construct.” I told her. “I based it on a Russian design I saw. During the Cold War, both the East and West were trying to one-up each other. They both built their own versions of the same things, even personal flying platforms that allowed their troops to go anywhere they wanted. The Russians had a jet powered design, and the Americans developed a fan powered one. However, the American was too unstable, and couldn’t be put to good use. The Russian one worked, but the cost to fuel it was too great. In the end, both projects were scrapped. I discovered a way to make it both cost effective AND stable, though. I’m using Magnetic Ion propulsion in order to keep it aloft, and I’m using algae to fuel it. It will be able to travel quickly to any location, it will be cost effective, and it will be stable as a turtle shell.” I suddenly realized that I was rambling, so I turned to Pinkie. “You get all that?” I joked. She smiled at me, and said “Nope.” We shared a laugh. ------- As the day went on, I continued my work on my project, which I dubbed the ‘Sorou-mobile.’ Pinkie wasn’t much help, but really, she didn’t need to be. I was just happy to have someone to talk to. I shared some stories about my college years, and she told me of her adventures in Equestria. As I bolted in the computer, and put the finishing touches on the frame, I asked her about her childhood. “I grew up on a rock farm outside of Ponyville.” Pinkie said. “Those were sad times. Nopony smiled.” “A rock farm?” I laughed. “That sounds dull.” “Oh, you’d better believe it was dull!” She began. “Day in, and day out, all we ever saw were rocks, gems, and metals! We got up early, went to bed late, and we were aching all over by the time our chores were done! Have you ever worked so hard your bones ached?” I nodded. “Well, that’s exactly how I felt pretty much every day! Yet I kept on going, because I loved my family! I still do!” She sighed, looking off in remembrance. “I think about them every day.” She said, looking downcast. “I feel sorry for leaving them.” I quit working, and went over to her. “You miss ‘em, don’t ya?” She nodded. “Well, why don’t you go and visit?” She shook her head. “I can’t do that.” She told me. “My folks kinda made me leave.” “What?” I stared at her in disbelief. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that they didn’t love me. It’s just that…” She sighed. “After I found out what my special talent was, my family wanted me off the rock farm.” Pinkie told me. “They didn’t want my happiness to be stifled there.” “Stifled?” I asked, genuinely confused. “They said that if I stayed, I wouldn’t be able to throw all the parties that I would if I left. They wanted me to pursue my dreams, so they got me off the farm, and told me never to look back.” She sighed. “And I never have.” Huh. That doesn’t make much sense, I thought. But then, I’ve never heard of a rock farm before, so I chalked it up to not knowing about this world. I gave her a hug, and we spent some more time together talking as I did some more work on the Sorou-mobile. Before we knew it, it was sundown. We had decided to watch the sunset together, and for the first time in my life, I felt a sense of serenity. Pinkie was in my lap, sighing blissfully, as we both watched the sun go down. But all too soon, she had to return home, and I watched her leave, sitting outside of my lab. We said our goodbyes, and she departed. I felt really good about tomorrow.