Or Something More?
By the time Rarity was capable of thinking clearly again, she and Pinkie were already near the end of their hoof-bath. She blinked as she enjoyed the feeling in her body and horn. She remembered, albeit somewhat hazily, that Pinkie's tension had been severe enough that her massage took significantly longer than Rarity's, allowing them to fit in the horn filing as well. Not only was it a useful bit of time management, but it avoided the awkwardness of Pinkie waiting around for Rarity to finish. She doubted Pinkie would mind any more than Fluttershy did, but it was still probably for the best that it not be necessary.
“Wooow!” Pinkie groaned happily next to her, signalling that she too had come out of her pleasure-haze. “That was woooonderful. I feel all light and smooth and floppy like a loose piece of asparagus. Though hopefully my pee doesn't smell funny now. Hmm, gonna have to ask Gummy about that.”
Fortunately, Rarity was still feeling too good to think further on that statement. “Indeed, I always come out of it feeling ten years younger,” She said, though ten years younger than what was carefully omitted.
“Mmmm,” Pinkie murmured. “And now we're getting our hoofsies washed. Neat.” She paused, her head tilting to the side. “Wait, why is that again?”
As if on cue, the twins appeared and led them to another room. “Ve must bathe your hooves before the hooficure – it makes ze whole process easier.”
“Ooh, are we getting our hooves prettificated? Cool!” Pinkie said as she clambered onto one of the chairs.
“Erm, indeed,” Rarity said hesitantly as she, too, took a seat. A thought occurred to her in regards to Pinkie getting a hooficure, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up. After a few seconds thought, she decided to simply say it. As the twins began working on their hooves, she turned to her companion. “Though, I don't suppose yours will last for long, will it?”
Pinkie tilted her head at Rarity again. “What do you mean?”
Rarity sighed. “It's just that, well... please don't take this the wrong way, but you do lead an especially... active lifestyle, and a hooficure doesn't tend to last especially long when used to jump, run and play as you so enjoy doing.”
Pinkie thought about this for a moment. Then, she looked up and said, “You make very pretty dresses, Rarity.”
Rarity blinked at the non-sequitur. “Oh, well, thank you.”
“Like, super-pretty,” Pinkie continued, her tone suggesting no double-meanings to the praise. “I mean, when somepony has one of your dresses, they'll probably keep it forever and wear it all the time.”
Rarity sighed wistfully. “Well, fashion changes aside, that would be nice, but alas that can't really happen – cleaning, accidents and general wear and tear mean that even the most well-crafted dress will eventually have to be... respectfully retired.”
Pinkie nodded, humming. “So, you're saying that something pretty doesn't have to last forever – that it's okay if it doesn't, as long as it's pretty while it does stick around?”
“Yes, exactl- ah!” Rarity finished, seeing where Pinkie was going. “Well, be that as it may, it would be nice to preserve your hooficure for... just a little longer. An end being inevitable does not, after all, mean it should be expedited.”
Pinkie shrugged. “Maybe. I guess we kinda come from different worlds. You come from a world of dresses, where things are meant to last years and look good on a pony or a poniquin. I come from a world of cupcakes, muffins and deliciousness, where you can make things as fancy and beautiful as you like but, if it doesn't get eaten, it's all for nothing.”
“Hmm,” Rarity thought for a moment. “Perhaps we could come to some sort of compromise. I mean, if you were to simply refrain from... bouncing quite so much, I'm sure that would extend the hooficure's life considerably.”
“Oh, well why didn't you say so?” Pinkie beamed, her free foreleg waving reassuringly. “If that's all, I'll just stop bouncing for the rest of the day.”
Rarity's eyes widened and her head jerked back slightly as if physically struck by the impossibility of what she'd just heard. She hadn't expected Pinkie to be happy even reducing the amount she hopped around, let alone ceasing altogether. While it was far from unknown for Pinkie to walk normally, pronking was by far her preferred means of locomotion. Hearing Pinkie agree to stop bouncing for the day was like hearing Rainbow Dash say “Nah, no need to strain my wings, I'll just walk there. No rush!”
Rarity sighed, her doubts from before resurfacing. She considered trying to gradually wheedle the information out of Pinkie, but the remaining relaxation from the massage and horn filing and the fact their treatment would soon be coming to an end encouraged her to simply ask, “Okay, Pinkie, what's going on?”
Pinkie looked up, smiling guilelessly. “Well, we're sitting here, getting our hoofsies...”
“That's not what I meant, Pinkie. I mean what's going on with you?”
“Huh? Nothing's going on with me, Rare my mare!”
“Pinkie, I don't think that's true, I...” She held her free hoof up to forestall any objections. “I fully believe you that nothing bad is going on with you, but it's become obvious that there has been something distinctly... off about you for this entire trip. Do not misunderstand me, it is far from a bad thing – in fact, your placidity thus far has been admirable. However, you must admit it is a touch unusual for you.”
Pinkie opened her mouth to respond, her smile suggesting she was about to deflect the accusation, but no sound came out. After a moment, she sighed and her smile lowered into something more relaxed. “Huh. Guess I can't get anything past you, Rare.”
Rarity gave her a gentle smile, hoping to perk hers back up. “As I said, it's not something I disapprove of, I'm simply curious about why.”
Pinkie shrugged. “Well, it's kinda the reason why I wanted to go to the spa at all. After the past few weeks, I'm just... I'm a little tired right now.”
“Tired?” Rarity tried not to let too much of her skepticism show on her face, but she wasn't sure she did a great job of it. “You? Are tired?”
“Uh huh!” Pinkie said, not elaborating further.
“And this is... the first time this has happened?” Rarity asked, unable to think of any other times she'd seen Pinkie act like this.
“Oh, no!” Pinkie said casually. “It's happened a bunch of times. Often around you girls.”
Rarity frowned in confusion. “Er, well, forgive me if I seem incredulous, darling, but I cannot recall any other times I've noticed you being fatigued in the slightest.”
“Well, yeah,” Pinkie gave a slightly melancholy giggle, “that's cause I don't get tired like other ponies. Well, I mean, I kinda do, but, like... you know how most ponies get when they're tired? All slow and heavy and droopy?”
“Like you have been during today's treatment? Er, relatively speaking, of course.” Rarity quickly added.
Pinkie nodded. “Uh huh! Cause I do act that kinda tired when I let myself, but usually I can deal with it. I just have to put in a bit of effort – a bit of pep in my step to keep up my rep.”
“Until you can have a rest, I suppose?” Rarity asked, the tiny beginnings of understanding starting to show.
“Yeah, except sometimes it doesn't come for ages, so I have to put more and more effort in to keep moving like I oughta,” Pinkie explained, beginning to look a little uncomfortable.
Rarity nodded. “I see. Although, I can't really recall seeing you ever run out of such energy. Perhaps after the whole mirror pool incident, but...”
“Oh, that's not the problem – I've never really run out of effort like that... yet,” Pinkie added, her discomfort increasing. “But, see, when you're all tired and your body's trying to get you to slow down and rest, it really doesn't like being ignored. I mean, who does, right?” She gave a weak chuckle before continuing. “So, it likes to show how tired you are in... other ways, and since you're so focused on keeping up the energy, you can't really stop it.”
“I see, and in what ways does this fatigue usually... exhibit itself?” Rarity asked, hoping that adding to the conversation would make Pinkie feel less like she was giving a confession.
“Well, when I get tired, I kinda... lose my filter. Like, you know how you have a bunch of thoughts going through your little head all the time, but you don't say all of them and you stop yourself saying some of them because you know you shouldn't?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “You have thoughts you don't say out loud?”
“Uh huh, loads of them,” Pinkie answered, unaware of the friendly jibe in Rarity's question. “Except, when I get really tired, I start... not keeping them in. Like, the bit of me that says “Hey, maybe you shouldn't say that” gets slower and slower and I start saying more and more things that I wouldn't if I was more awake and careful.”
Rarity hesitated for a second before admitting, “I... must confess, I can't recall noticing.”
Pinkie shrugged. “Yeah, it doesn't often get that bad and when it does, I can usually stay away from ponies or talk about things that wouldn't get me in trouble. But sometimes I can't, sometimes things keep coming up and I can't get any time off to rest and I can't keep up my filter and sometimes...” she closed her eyes and swallowed, looking intensely pained at the memory, “sometimes I make the sweetest, kindest, gentlest pony in Equestria cry because I can't keep my stupid mouth shut!”
Rarity blinked as things fell into place, recalling the incident with Fluttershy and the Ponytones, when Pinkie had caused Fluttershy to flee from her cottage, crying.
Rarity only knew about what had happened next after hearing it from Fluttershy. Apparently, the next day, Pinkie had turned up on her doorstep in tears, apologizing profusely and literally begging for forgiveness. No matter how much Fluttershy assured her that she was okay, that she didn't hold a grudge and that everything had worked out for the best, Pinkie had refused to be consoled, thinking that she had done something almost unforgivable. Since then, she had been helping Fluttershy any chance she could get, in the hopes of making it up to her.
Admittedly, Rarity got the distinct impression that Pinkie no longer felt obligated to help Fluttershy so much and continued to do so because she simply liked spending time with her, but clearly the memory was still painful.
And now, Rarity understood the whole incident a lot more – Pinkie was immensely tactless, even by her standards, and learning how she got affected by fatigue made the whole thing make a lot more sense.
“I understand, Darling. So, you're getting tired again...”
“Getting there,” Pinkie interjected, wiping the beginnings of tears with her free leg, careful to get nothing on her newly shiny hoof. “I'm nowhere near that bad yet, but it's definitely starting to get a bit hard. So, I thought, since you always talk about how relaxing the spa is, maybe I could come and, like, switch off for a while.”
At that statement, something began building rapidly at the back of Rarity's mind. It was just about to spill into the forefront when she asked. “So, if you don't mind me asking, what is it that's causing you to become so... stressed?” The word seemed almost irreconcilable with Pinkie, but the building thought made it seem far less inappropriate.
Pinkie giggled softly. “Geez, Rare, isn't it obvious? I've thrown eight parties in seven days and now I've only got two days to prepare for Twi's Alicorn-iversary. That's a bit too much party, even for me.”
And, at that, it occurred to Rarity – a revelation. It was something that she'd always known intellectually, but had never truly accepted, deep down. But now, after having had it brought into such sharp focus, she found herself, for the first time, understanding and truly believing it.
“You're a pony!” She uttered, astonished.
“You're a unicorn!” Pinkie replied instantly. “What are we doing?”
“No, no, I mean...” Rarity paused, trying to put her realization into words. “Well, you... The fact is, Pinkie, that you usually give the impression of being far more than simply a pony. When one watches you zipping around, bouncing all over the place, defying the laws of physics and being seemingly everywhere that needs a smile at once, it becomes incredibly easy to stop thinking of you as a pony and more as... a force of nature. A living pile of energy. Joy, vitality and fun ponified. I very much doubt you are unaware of this. In fact,” Rarity looked Pinkie in the eye and gave her a knowing smirk, “unless I'm very much mistaken, you tend to encourage others to think of you as more of an avatar of happiness than a mare, am I right?”
Pinkie looked away, a little uncomfortable but still smiling. “Okay, yeah, you caught me.” She looked back at Rarity, her head held a little higher. “As a pony, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be distressed; but as a symbol... as a symbol, I can be un-bring-downable; I can be... everlasting!”
Rarity nodded. “Oh, I fully understand you wanting to be seen as a ponification, an ideal. But you're not, are you?” As soon as Aloe had finished on her hooves, Rarity climbed down, walked over and put a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. “You are a pony – as mortal and finite as any of us. You have your weaknesses, you have your faults... and you have your limits.”
Pinkie said nothing in response, simply nodding along with Rarity's words.
“And, well, the next time you should feel like you're... starting to slip, please remember that we're all here for you, that you needn't feel ashamed of admitting your mortality to us and that...” she sighed, thinking over the whole experience and deciding that, yes, she should say this, “that you have a standing offer to accompany me to the spa whenever you feel like you need to, as you say, switch off for a while.”
At that, Pinkie's face lit up. “Really?!”
“Well, within reason, of course – I don't intend to drop everything to come at a moment's notice, but you did initially ask to come within the next couple of days, so you're obviously aware of that. And, that said, I would be delighted to accompany you whenever you feel like it.”
Pinkie nodded rapidly, a trace of her usual energy coming back before fading again, her nodding slowing. “Wow, thanks a whole bunch, Rare! That'd be wonderiffic! I'll let you know when I start feeling tired and we can plan the whole trip.”
“Indeed,” Rarity said as she helped her friend down from her chair. As she did, though, something occurred to her. “Although, I do have to ask: why didn't you simply say something about how you were feeling before?”
“Oh, that?” Pinkie replied cheerfully. “That's because watching you and the spa ponies get all scared every time you thought I was gonna do something wrong was really funny!”
Rarity and the twins, both of whom had been listening intently to the whole conversation, exchanged a look of realization, shame and a touch of annoyance at having been “got”.
After a moment, though, Rarity closed her eyes and gave a single small laugh, soon echoed by Aloe and Lotus. “A little mean-spirited for you, darling, but since the joke was predicated on our... less-than-charitable assumptions about how you would behave, I suppose it's forgiveable.”
“That's good – forgiveable is always better than un!” Pinkie said as the two walked towards the spa's exit. “Say, Rarity, after you did or didn't bring me here today, I was gonna go round to Fluttershy's for tea. Would you like to come?”
Rarity gave Pinkie the brightest smile she'd had all day. “I'd be delighted.”
And so she did.
The tea and conversation was delightful – even when drained of her usual energy, Pinkie's imagination and spontaneity were undiminished. Eventually, though, the three all returned to their homes (or stayed there, in Fluttershy's case), Rarity having a lot to think over from her day.
Two days later, a massive, town-wide party was held to celebrate the anniversary of Twilight's ascension. It was a truly gargantuan affair, with decorations, food, drink and entertainment for all the town, as well as the many who visited especially for the occasion. It was so large, in fact, that it seemed almost laughable to imagine that one pony could do so much.
But Rarity knew better. She knew that this wonderful festival was the work of one and the work – the long, hard, dedicated work – of a pony. Not a force, not a higher being, but a pony.
She wouldn't have it any other way.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- RDT · 1.7k words · 36 4 · 683 views
- PaulAsaran · 12k words · 66 2 · 664 views
- The Iguana Man · 5.7k words · 33 1 · 381 views
- Impossible Numbers · 15k words · 41 3 · 412 views
- Naughty_Ranko · 12k words · 82 1 · 1k views
- God_of_Awesome · 8k words · 43 0 · 1.3k views
- Estee · 7.8k words · 165 3 · 1.4k views
- mushroompone · 8k words · 43 4 · 552 views
Stats
Page generated in 0.161 seconds
Total duration
790 users online
1,298,338 hits today, 2,782,760 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I am sorry to leave such a bare comment, but my feelings on the story are simple: I love it, no one thing sticks out, it is just a great read from beginning to end.
This. is. so. good. Loved it!
Hello my new headcanon but seriously this is a great story for Pinkie it really set up as she's just a hard-working Pony that tries to keep everyone happy
A really plesant read.
This was amazing
A fantastic and fascinating character experiment. Great interaction, great insight into Pinkie, and a great reason for one of her most egregiously tactless moments. Thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
This explains so much about Pinkie Pie. Head canon accepted
Thank you wor your wonderful story! It was pure delight to read it!
I like you made Pinkie the way you did. That she is smarter than some give her credit for.
What is a Pie? A miserable pile of parties.
*throws wine glass*
But enough talk; have at you!
This was a nice fic. It's easy to forget sometimes that Pinkie still is, in fact, a mortal pony. I've seen plenty of fics in the past in which attempted to explore as such, but I like this one, because you remind that Pinkie is mortal, but have done it in such a way that she's really not any less...Pinkie...than she's always been, and I think that's what really makes it work as a little fluff fic.
So it IS related, however tangentially! Checkmate!
"However, if one removed her kindness and had her act actively malicious, that would make essentially a different character"
That worked out quite well in "Putting Your Hoof Down," I thought. It has been my experience that the quiet and shy ones often have less than charitable thoughts about those closest to them. A significant part of why they do act so quiet and shy is that they fear the repercussions of giving voice to those unkind thoughts. No doubt Fluttershy would find Rarity's commitment to fashion to be frivolous when she herself follows what she would think is a more noble pursuit (may she never discover how Rarity's bolts of silk are made). Likewise, it would stand to reason that she would find Pinkie's passion for parties--such startling and nerve-wracking things--to be absurd. She just tries desperately to not say as much, because she enjoys their company otherwise. One can only imagine what Fluttershy thinks of Applejack's animal husbandry, Rainbow Dash's pointless competitiveness, and Twilight's obsessive over-achieving. She would certainly never say if she can at all help it.
I caught that subtle ship. Pinkie's filter disappears when she is tired. She is revealed to be very tired. She begins commenting on how attractive Rarity is. Rarity misses this entirely. Poor Pinkie.
10115256
Exactly - because she had, like any of us, some uncharitable thoughts, removing that lynchpin of her kindness was enough to shift her entire character - from "Old Fluttershy" to "New Fluttershy". It should be noted that someone acting "out-of-character" doesn't have to be a problem - there are plenty of reasons why a character would act contrary to their normal personality (either internal like in PYHD or external like Discord's mind-diddling). It's just interesting to consider what parts a character could lose and whether or not they would precipitate so drastic a change.
Lovely dynamic here as Rarity realizes something's wrong and that even Pinkie can be tired.
An overall sweet story, but that ending placed it in my favorites.
not that it means much. 
Well-done you!
10115256
But I'm loud and obnoxious and think absolutely every other form of life on the planet in beneath my exulted existence!
10152813
Then you can hardly say that you have anyone close to you. No one can be close when everyone is beneath. That is where the shy and the egotistical differ. To the egotist, the irrational behavior of those around them is the result of some cognative inability, whereas the shy see others as operating on a different social plane, one which they themselves are incapable of understanding. As absurd as other people are, they still possess some inate sense that the shy believe they lack. It makes them desperately cling to those absurd people in the hope that they can guide them through a world in which they are helplessly out of place. I know that you are joking, but I do find the topic fascinating.
10153257 *tilts his head* No, you are pretty much all inferior.
I mean, no one has figured out that everything is part of my Master Plan yet!
...
Aw crap.
10154651
Well, congratulations! You got yourself caught. Now what's the next step of your master plan?
10154688 Uhm... pizza! YES!! *shifty eyes*
Damn, nice story and really cool take on characterisation
Pinkie and Rarity's dynamic is one that its hardly explored, but I feel this piece covers it very well. Not one particular thing really stands out to me, but everything about it is good. Rarity and Pinkie Pie's chemistry, Pinkie's gags and bizarre humor, the clever choice of descriptive words, and even addressing one out-of-character moment in one episode in a way that makes it feel more natural. A very good read indeed.
