//------------------------------//
// A day at the Boutique 
// Story: Pinkie Personalities 
// by Drebom 
//------------------------------//

Pinkamena stood awkwardly on the raised platform. By consensus, both inside their head and out of it, she was the best of the three for the job. Sitting still was never one of  Pinkie or Surprise's strong points, after all. Which meant that she was the one to be used as a living pincushion for Rarity to pin her latest design onto. At least it wasn't just her, she mused. Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, was right there next to her.

Then again, Rainbow was only here in recompense for a prank. Pinkamena had volunteered. And beginning to wish she hadn't, to be perfectly honest. At least back on the farm you could move around and were actually doing something, even if it was fairly monotonous work. Here, she had been standing perfectly still for what felt like hours, and was beginning to sympathise with Rainbow's continued grumbles.

"Oh, do sit still, Rainbow Dash. Really, it isn't that hard." admonished Rarity. The pegasus in question sighed.

"But it's sooo boring!" groaned Rainbow, slumping slightly. 

"Well, you should have thought about that before setting that water bucket above my door. My mane, my dress, and Opal all soaked in one go. Really, you're lucky it was just a test of a new design, and not something I was about to sell." said Rarity, before turning to Pinkamena. "Now, Pinkamena. I think a Corsage would do wonders here...yes, blue perhaps...."

As Rarity fussed around with various flower bracelets, Pinkamena could hardly believe this was the same pony who had tried to make them get 'help'. Rarity really had come to terms with the situation, and pretty well too. She had picked up the armband code pretty quickly, and her only real complaint (in typical Rarity fashion) was that the shade of yellow for Surprise's armband clashed with their coat.

The guards hadn't figured it out yet. A least, the headmates didn't think so. For all they knew, the guards could have figured it out ages ago, and just not said anything. They never did say all that much, with a few exceptions, most notably Lieutenant Swift Strike. Well, that and the occasional splutter whenever they did something particularly spectacular in their ongoing defiance of the laws of physics. At least no-one was fainting anymore, which was a good sign. That meant that the guards were getting used to it quickly.





Having finished dress-making for the time being the ponies (three or five, depending on how you counted) were relaxing, each with a cup of coffee in their hooves. The guards were standing at the door to the boutique, allowing them to speak freely.

"I must say, you were wonderfully patient, Pinkamena darling. Much more than Pinkie or Surprise would have been." commented Rarity.

"I always was the calmest of us." agreed Pinkamena, taking a sip of her coffee. She quickly hid her grimace. It seemed like Rarity had given her Pinkie's usual concoction, likely out of habit. Too much sugar for her, in any case. Still, it was better than nothing, and it wasn't worth the fuss of complaining and getting a new cup.

"I don't know how you can stand it. I mean, Pinkie would have been jumping all over the place ages ago." said Rainbow.

"Yes, well, I'm not Pinkie." pointed out Pinkamena. "And you know she and Surprise are outliers. You've met our sister, Pies tend to be much more sedate."

"Well, yeah, but...how can anyone be that du- er, I mean, sedate?"

Pinkamena rolled her eyes, ignoring Rainbows little slip. "It's just how we are." she said. "Pies are rock farmers. That gives us a certain kind of mindset... most of the time." She chose not to mention that Pies also tended to produce reality warpers like themselves once in a few generations. Nor the old story that the reason they were rock farmers was because it was the only job their ancestors could get after Discord's rampage had soured the reputation of ponies with such abilities. Nor that Maud herself was a bit of an odd case, having some measure of Warper powers and yet maintaining the typical Pie attitude. That would have just complicated the conversation.





Pinkamena trotted back towards Sugarcube Corner, ignoring the slightly chilly air. It had been a good day, she mused. Everything seemed to be settling into a good rhythm. Their friends had all come to accept them. Even the guards seemed more relaxed lately.

She looked up at the night sky, admiring Luna's work. Mayb-  Twitchy tail.

Startled, she leapt to the side. The guards either side of her flinched, sweeping their weapons into a ready position. In the darkness, something rather large and solid-sounding slammed into the ground with an audible thud. "What was th-"

Twitchy tail. Thud. Twitchy tail. Thud. The two guards crumpled to the ground.

There was no time to react. Another twitch caused her to dive to the right. Jumping around in the dark, she bumped into a cold, hard mass that definitely did not belong in the middle of town. Running her hooves over it in confusion, Pinkamena frowned. "Is this...a rock?"

Twitchy tail. Thud. Twitchy tail, twitchy tail. Thud. Thud. "Who's there?!" She screamed, coming to a stop after a particularly impressive set of acrobatics. She wheeled around on the spot, desperately trying to see who was lobbing rocks at her. 'Surprise! You're best at this, get us-' 

Twitchy tail.

Thud.








Joints grinding, the golems slowly emerged from the bushes and alleys they had been hiding in, cocking their heads at the limp pink form. Slowly, the next line of their orders came into effect. One stepped forward, and began dragging the Pink One back towards the forest.