//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: The Choosening 
// Story: Pinkie's Permanent Position 
// by fallen starr 
//------------------------------//

The overnight train rarely filled with passengers, perhaps because it took longer to get to where ponies were going, perhaps because the sleeper cars increased the bit cost by ten, but getting Thunderlane a ticket just before loading hadn’t been a problem, nor had Pinkie had any problems falling asleep. So far, everyone was overjoyed upon hearing the news. She had no worries about the celebration that would surely follow, either, since she had brought more than enough supplies. 
Marble answered the door when she knocked, her lips turning up in a small smile. Then she spotted Thunderlane. Her eyes widened in alarm and she squeaked, opening the door more. “Marble!” Pinkie rushed in, wrapping her twin in a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so happy to see you! Are Mom and Dad around? Or Limestone?” 
Marble nodded and pointed to the kitchen. Pinkie couldn’t contain the grin that was spreading across her face. “I have some wonderful news, Marble! Come on, you don’t want to miss it!” With that, she grabbed both Marble and Thunderlane and dashed into the kitchen, depositing both of them in seats. Thunderlane blinked a few times, but none of the other ponies flinched. 
“Nice of you to join us, Pinkamena.” Cloudy Quartz was taking two more bowls out of a cabinet. “Forewarning of a friend would have served well.”
Limestone huffed, glaring at Thunderlane. “Last time Pinkie brought friends, they almost ruined Hearth’s Warming. Do touch my things.”
Thunderlane held his hooves up in surrender and looked to Pinkie for what to do next. “Oh, is this rock soup? I love rock soup!” She hurriedly ladled herself and Thunderlane some into the bowls her mother sat before them. “I came with Thundie because I wanted to tell you all something.” All eyes around the table were trained on her. She felt her grin growing, and then she couldn’t contain the news any longer. “I’m having a foal!”
The silence that fell – despite there not being much noise before – was tense. A spoon fell with a thunk onto the wooden table. “What was that?” Igneous Rock was asking Pinkie, but his eyes were trained on Thunderlane. 
Pinkie’s smile fell as she looked around. Confusion, mixed with a large helping of hurt, was apparent on her face. “I’m pregnant?” She did her best to sound cheerful, but there was a waver in her voice as she repeated herself. 
The screeching of a chair moving back was the only noise made. His eyes never left Thunderlane as he moved toward him. Thunderlane was quaking in his chair beside Pinkie, but he did not move. “What did she say, colt?” 
Pinkie wanted to stand up, to stand between them, to do something. She didn’t want her family hating Thunderlane. She didn’t want to mess up again, like she had the one Hearth’s Warming, but then, things had worked out that day. They would today, too, wouldn’t they? It was all she could do to keep from yelling at everypony to stop. 
Thunderlane took a few deep breaths and stood, still visibly shaking, and stared Igneous in the eyes. “She said, sir, that she is going to have a foal. In approximately seven months, there will be a small pony in all of our lives.” He closed his eyes briefly when Igneous snorted. “Pinkie doesn’t need your anger, sir. I don’t either. What we need – Actually, no we don’t need it. What we want though, is your support. She was so…” He turned and smiled at her. “She was so afraid at first, of what ponies would think, and now I really understand why.” Then he looked back at Igneous. “If I can accept my fillyfriend having a child that isn’t mine, I think you can accept your first grandchild.”
Again silence reigned as the two stallions held each other’s gaze. After a moment, Igneous looked away and to Pinkie. “This is what you have chosen?” he asked. 
“Yes,” she said. “Thundie is like the sprinkles on my cupcake.”
Igneous sighed and looked to Cloudy. “Bring the stone, please.” She stood and walked out of the room. 
Now that the confrontation was over, Thunderlane could feel himself squirming under the steady glare of Limestone. He offered a small, tense smile. She huffed and crossed her arms. Then he jumped. “Oh! I almost forgot to tell you guys, this is my coltfriend, Thunderlane.” She beamed at the three ponies in the room. 
Marble glanced his way and the went back to staring at her soup. Limestone, however, groaned. “Yeah, Pinkie, we got that when he said ‘my fillyfriend’ but thanks for the clarification.”
“You’re welcome!” The she gasped. “Oh my gosh, I just realized! I’ve never watched a choosening. Have you?”
Igneous shook his head. “Nay, Pinkie. The Choosing Stone is only used when a pony is ready to know. You have made that decision. Without consulting the family, we did not have time to prepare a proper ceremony.”
“What’s going on?” Thunderlane whispered, leaning over to Pinkie. She widened her eyes and held a hoof to her mouth, signaling him to be quiet. 
Cloudy Quartz had walked in with a large, pink stone. Reverantly, she sat it before Pinkie. Then she kissed her daughter on the cheek. “Tis only once a pony may gaze into the stone,” she said. “Tis only once for a pony to know. Look in, look deep, keep what is shone, for true love is what this stone will show.”
Pinkie looked at the stone, deep into it’ depths. Much in the way she had the mirror pool, she tried to delve into the deepest corners, trying to see what it would show. Then she blinked, and blinked again. There, on the corner, was Thunderlane’s reflection. Pensive, wings clamped tightly to his side, but still there with her. She grinned, looking up at her family. “I see Thunderlane of Cloudsdale.” A sigh of relief passed from both her parents. Marble looked up and smiled. 
Limestone narrowed her eyes. “That isn’t how you’re supposed to use it, Pinkie,” she grumbled, but Pinkie didn’t hear. She was talking about the celebration cake she would be baking immediately.