Long Walk Home

by fallen starr

Long Walk Home

"I still can't believe I forgot my own birthday," Pinkie said with a giggle as she walked along side Twilight. They were on walking along the road back to Ponyville after Pinkie's surprise seventeenth birthday party. "That was the best party I've never thrown! You guys had all my favorite things!"

Twilight looked over at her friend. "We tried to make sure you would like it. How did you forget your own birthday? You never forget anything."

"I forget things sometimes. Like…"

Pinkie began telling Twilight of all the times she had forgotten things. Allowing her mind to wonder, she thought about Pinkie's earlier reaction.

After a few moments, Pinkie stopped her tales and beamed at Twilight. "See, I forget things all the time."

Twilight nodded. "Yeah. Pinkie, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure Twilight." Pinkie grinned, her ears perking up. "What is it?"

"Why did you think…" Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "Why did you think we would abandon you just like that?"

"Oh." Pinkie's ears drooped. "That." They walked along in silence for a while. Normally, Twilight would have appreciated the quiet, but she couldn't think of a time Pinkie had ever been this long without at least making a noise. "Twilight, did anyone ever tell you your cutie mark wasn't important?"

"Well, before I had one I was worried, but my mom—"

"No, not like that. After you had it. You remember the story I told everyone of how I got mine, right?" She glanced over at Twilight before looking back to the ground. "Well, it was true. Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"Yeah. Everyone liked the party well enough. But dad, well…"

Clyde Pie looked around the building his oldest daughter had used to plan a party. "Pinkamena?" he said as she took down the streamers. "Where did you get all of these supplies?"

"At the store in town," she said. She grinned at her father, overjoyed that he had liked her first party.

"How? Where did you get the money?" He helped her reach a particularly high streamer.

"I've been saving it. I was going to do something different, but then I saw the rainbow explosion in the sky and I just…I felt happier than ever, daddy."

Clyde stopped helping with the clean up, studying his daughter. "It was fun, but I wish you hadn't. What are you supposed to do with a cutie mark like that?" He pointed her flank, where the three balloons rested."It's useless here on the farm."

Pinkie furrowed her brow. "I can still work. I mean, Inkie, Blinkie, and I still have the south field to start on tomorrow."

He didn't say anything else as they continued the clean up. Pinkie moved slower as she cleaned, her father's words sticking into her brain. Useless.

She had perked up again before bedtime. The three sisters ran around the living room trying to stop a balloon from touching the floor. Pinkie tried headbutting it to Inkie. The balloon seemed to have other plans as it floated to high up and hit the ceiling. The balloon popped, causing a chorus of 'Awws' from the fillies.

"Pinkie, Inkie, Blinkie," called a soft voice, "it is time that all good fillies were in bed."

The sisters shared a gasp as they ran to the single room they shared and jumped into bed. A moment later, their mother walked into the room. "Good night, my little angles." She kissed them each once on the forehead before walking out of the room. Inkie whimpered as she closed the door.

"I'll get it, Inkie," Pinkie said. "Mom just forgets you're afraid of the dark." She opened the door enough so that a thin line of light fell into the room. "Is that okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah," came a sleepy reply.

Realizing she had forgotten to use the bathroom, Pinkie walked out of the room and down a dark hallway. She wasn't fond of the dark herself, so she did what she needed to quickly before hurrying back to her room.

She paused before going in. Her mother and father were in the living room just around the corner. "I just don't understand why she would have such a useless cutie mark."

"Maybe it isn't useless?"

Clyde sighed. "What is she supposed to do, make the gems smile? She needed a solid farming mark. Goddess knows she's not very good at it anyway. Even when I give her the easy tasks." Another sigh from her father. "I hope Inkie and Blinkie turn out normal."

"Clyde!"

"What? I do. She is nothing like us. She can't far;, most of our neighbors think she's adopted. I thought maybe, if she got a useful cutie mark, instead of it being for something as unimportant as parties…"

"I understand. We just have to…deal with it."

Pinkie swallowed. She wasn't useful.

"That is horrible, Pinkie. I think your cutie mark is very important. It's…" Twilight trailed off, grasping for words. "It isn't useless."

Pinkie smiled. "I know that now. Still, to hear that on the day I got it…"

Twilight nodded. "I don't understand why you thought we'd just turn away though."

"After that, my family…well, it wasn't pretty. " She swallowed."The cakes took me in when I was just twelve. I'd ran away. Inky had gotten her cutie mark in music. She's really good at playing the chello, even though she's an earth pony. Mom and dad had us all playing music, and she was really good. She moved to Canterlot and changed her name, though. We haven't talked in years. I did see her at the Gala though."

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Twilight's ears laid flat.

Pinkie shook her head, giving Twilight a small smile. "No, it's okay. It feels…good, to tell you."

"Well, what about Blinkie?"

Pinkie's smile widened a little. "She was the only one of us dad was proud of. She has a farming cutie mark. But…she moved to one of the western settlements." Pinkie shrugged. "Mom and dad loved us, to be sure. It just wasn't a happy place to live. I always felt like I wasn't a good pony because of my mark, and Inkie did too for a while."

Twilight shook her head. "Do you want to come to the Library with me?" she asked. They had finally made it into Ponyville proper. "I could make us dinner."

Pinkie grinned at Twilight. "Can we have cupcakes?"

"For dinner?"

Pinkie nodded.

"No, Pinkie. Dessert, maybe."

Twilght pushed the door to the Library open, letting Pinkie go through first. She was just about to head into the kitchen when a pair of pink hooves stopped her. Pinkie held her in a tight hug, which she quickly returned. "Thank you, Twilight."

"For what?"

"For being the best friend."

Twilight shook her head. "No, Pinkie. You're the best friend I could ever have."

Pinkie squeezed her tighter and smiled.

Comments

[Kishin]

DAWWWWW

Squee worthy.

[hamcon]

And Asshole Father of the year goes to.... Clyde! For saying that her daughters Cutie Mark was Useless!

[TrevorLaneRay]

Made me smile. Have a stache & a like.

[ancientdragonduelist]

Aww. :) That was a really well-written story. Excellent job painting some of Pinkie's backstory, it helps us understand her. We all know that something was wrong on that farm. Not perfectly obvious, as Pinkie turned out fine. But SOMETHING.

I liked how Sue gave all three of her daughters such unconditional love. Kind of like Mrs. Cake actually. Before that episode, I was certain the Cakes had adopted Pinkie. In fact, I still do to a point. I mean, Pinkie's family loved her, but she wasn't happy there. I personally disagree on Cylde. He probably isn't the most loving or happy father, but I also believe he loves his daughters. He just doesn't know how to show it. Which would be one reason Pinkie eventually left. But he would always regret how he treated his daughter, and hopes that one day she will know how much he loves her.

I wonder if the writers will ever give Octavia a backstory? :) I personally like the theory she is Blinkie, but it leaves a LOT of holes from the best night ever. Pinkie is a very loving and happy mare, and probably hadn't seen her sister in ages. (BTW, Pinkie has an idetic memory. Remember A Friend in Deed?) Why didn't she give her sister any special acknowledgement? It just seems too weird for me, but who knows?

Overall, a very well written story and fun to read. I don't agree on the portrayal of Clyde, but we all have opinions. Keep it up!

[Stiggerzz]

the feels were rampant in this story...all i can say is
i likez what i readz

Inky had gotten her cutie mark in music. She's really good at playing the chello, even though she's an earth pony. Mom and dad had us all playing music, and she was really good. She moved to Canterlot and changed her name, though. We haven't talked in years. I did see her at the Gala though."

Inky pie is Octavia
new head cannon accepted

[BronyWriter]

So, I kinda liked this story, but I feel that it's a lot of wasted potential if you don't mind my saying. The reason why Pinkie Pie went all Pinkamena in Party of One is something that can be taken to amazingly complex depths because it reveals a ton about Pinkie Pie as a character while leaving a lot of room for people like us to really delve into it. It's too big of a topic to be solidly covered in 1300 words. Frankly you have enough here with the relationship between Pinkie and her dad and why she went Pinkamena to cover ten chapters.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this, it's just that there is a ton of potential that you haven't tapped into which is a shame because I love seeing people's takes on Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena, and the relationship she has with her family.

[khatre]

A LOT of people assume that either Inky or Blinkie is Octavia.
I honestly wish that Pinkie had a dedicated show where her family showed up again even if just for a single episode. What would be even better? If they made one or both of her sisters a permanent part of the cast (even if it is just as a background pony ).

[fallen starr]

2200872 In my headcanon, the Cake's don't formally adopt her, but they still think of her as a daughter. And this story doesn't really reflect much on my head canon...I sat down after 10 and was like...I'm going to write something. And this came about. I'm very glad you liked it though. Thank you for the comment.

2201166 I think it's kinda clever too. Thought I don't think they are actually the same pony, I just threw it in.

2201314 I am honestly building up a huge Pinkie story, that goes from pre-cutie mark to, well, I'm not sure yet. This story was more of something to just help me relax. I was feeling a bit down, and so I wrote something sad to make me feel better before I went to sleep. I think this took like, an hour and a half to think up and write. I agree with you 100%. I think Pinkie's character has such a deep story to it. The biggest problem for me is describing exactly what a rock farm would do. For the most part, this doesn't have any of my head canon in it, except that Twi and Pinkie are best friends. I'm glad you liked it though, and thank you so much for the comment.

2201456 haha, I don't actually think that. I just sorta threw it in. That would be a great show though. I love anything focusing on Pinkie. She's my favorite pony.

[ZillaBrony13]

Inky as Octavia? I like it. I like it very much. MAKE THAT CANNON HASBRO!

[Zimthepony]

Is there some shipping in this? Just asking

[fluttershywriter]

D'awwww. Very sad, but I'm glad that you made it have a happy-ish ending.

[chronicLurker]

The sisters shared a gasp as they ran to the single room they shared and jumped into bed. A moment later, their mother walked into the room. "Good night, my little angles." She kissed them each once on the forehead before walking out of the room. Inkie whimpered as she closed the door.

Inkie was acute one, wasn't she? Sorry, couldn't resist. A very nice story, but quite a few typos. You might want to do a quick editing pass. Still, you earned a thumbs up!

[Alpha Scorpii]

Lovely story. I d'aaawed. Very good job.

[fallen starr]

2204875 Oh my goodness, I thought I answered this question ages ago! Um...no, not in this particular story. But I'm a huge TwiPie girl.

[Heart of Blades]

Aw, this was really great! Sad but touching, loved it!

[ShadowKirby]

This was a nice little story, and well written! Well done! ^__^

[Zaid ValRoa]

That was cute. The bittersweet kind of cute. I really liked this story.
I can sort of see the point of view of Pinkie's dad, as terrible as he was at expressing it. Still, it was an enjoyable short read.

She can't far;,

Farm.