The Long Road to Ponyville

by Windsong

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!

Comments

[Windsong]

1993170

Thanks so much for commenting! And thanks, I'm always nervous about making mistakes with my spelling or grammar. I'll continue with it yes. : ) I hope to have chapter three up by tomorrow.

[Karisa108]

I always knew Pinkie worked at the circus Anyway, you've got a great story so far, and I really hope I see some more soon! !!!