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// Chapter 4: Acceptance 
// Story: Pinkie's Permanent Position 
// by fallen starr 
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“That went better than expected,” Thunderlane said. They were back on the evening express to Ponyville, cuddled in silence after leaving Pinkie's family. Pinkie nodded, smiling up at him. She didn’t agree with him, not really. She hadn’t thought anyone would be as upset as they were. She hadn’t thought much at all about her worries after how excited the rest of her family and friends had been. At least they had been okay, in the end. 
Thunderlane brushed her mane and she smiled, snuggling closer to him. “You’re tired, aren’t you?” he asked, a playful lit to his voice. “I guess today was pretty taxing.” 
She thought again of the confrontation that had happened at breakfast. She didn’t focus on her parents words. She knew she should have expected it. She had, even, before her guard fell. No, the words that echoed through her mind were spoken by Thunderlane. 
She swallowed, her eyes trained on the floor. Her chest felt tight and constricting. She was afraid, but she knew she had to ask. “Are you sure you’re okay with the baby?” She turned to him, blue eyes searching his. 
His mouth pressed into a line for a moment before he spoke. “Pinkie. I – It was hard, you know, hearing you say that. I felt like…like you had taken the wind from beneath me.” He sighed, pulling away and looking at her. “I sat and I though. You remember that? It took me some time. I can’t say I was overjoyed to hear it, Pinkie, but I decided it was something I could accept.” He reached for yet hoof, leaning forward. “I meant what I said. I adore you. Your smile, your hyperactive nature, and the way you want to bring joy to everyone. I’ve liked you for so long and I’m not going to throw away what might be the best thing to ever happen to me because something happened before we were together.” He took a deep breath and smiled. “Don’t worry about the foal and me right now. Worry about taking the best care of it that you can.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You’re going to be a wonderful mother, and I plan to be there by your side, for the both of you.”
Warmth spread through Pinkie's chest, bursting out through the grin on her face. She grabbed Thunderlane in a tight hug, fitting her head into the space between his neck and shoulder. He wrapped his hooves around her, turning his face to burry his nose in her hair. She sighed and shifted slightly, so that instead of hugging, they were now cuddling pressed close together. “I love you, so much.” Pinkie stroked the soft fur on his fetlock.
She felt him tense for just a second before he held her tighter. She found his hoof and held it. Her other hoof lay gently on her stomach. There, holding the two ponies she hoped, more than any other, would be with her forever, she fell asleep.



Pinkie grinned at the bell above the door chimed. She watched as Amethyst Star made her way to the counter. “Hi!” Pinkie greeted, her voice filled with cheer. “How are you today? How’s Dinky and Bubbles?” 
A tight smile flitted across her face. “Fine. How are you?” She seemed to stretch her neck over the counter. Pinkie stepped to the side, bringing her face into view again. Amethyst looked up with a full, fake smile. “So.” She glanced to around the empty shop. “I hear you’re going to be a mother?”
That caught Pinkie off guard. Sure, during the last week she had told ponies. She wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. Still, to have Amethyst, who she had known forever, to come in and ask like this…it gave her a bad feeling in her stomach. Her left hoof shook to the right and back to center. She knew what that twitch meant, and it made her sad. 
“Yeah, totally!” She beamed. “Twilight is almost finished researching some things for me. In fact, Thundie and I are going to her castle today to talk about stuff.”
“Yeah. He’s a real keeper, isn’t he? Especially since he’s willing to father a kid he didn’t create.” Amethyst walked over to the shelf, inspecting the cookies. “It’s good he stepped up like that. Not a lot of stallions would.”
The bad feeling in Pinkie’s stomach grew. Still, she kept her smile. Maybe she was reading the situation wrong. What did she know about Amethyst? She worked in Town Hall as an advisor to Mayor Mare. She was friends with Lyra and BonBon. She loved lemon cheesecake. Her favorite hobby was gossiping with the flower sisters, though she was always the one to delve into the negative. She hated Pinkie’s parties, even though she always wanted to be invited. She…she couldn’t think of a reason Amethyst would be acting like this.
“We have some lemon cheesecake, if you’d like I’ll box you a slice.” Pinkie backed away a couple paces from the counter, but Amethyst wasn’t answering. “Amy?”
The mare groaned. “Yes, please. I thought I might try something else, but I’ve changed my mind. I’m loyal like that.” The way she said the word loyal made Pinkie’s breath catch, but she turned, smile on her face, and fetched the cake, boxed it, and hoofed it over to Amethyst as quickly as she could. Which was pretty quick, even if it wasn’t as fast as Dashie. She allowed herself a smile at the funny image of Rainbow Dash trying to work in Sugarcube Corner. 
Amethyst apparently didn’t like that. “You just better treat him right, Pinkie. I won’t have anyone hurting my cousin, do you hear me? I already told him this was a mistake and you’re more interested in newness and excitement, but he wouldn’t listen. He even defended you, the dunce.” She dropped her bits on the counter and turned, speaking as she went. “Just know, I’m watching you. One hair out of line and I’ll make sure you’re gone from his life.”
The door slammed shut. Pinkie felt her chin wobbling and her face scrunching up. Amethyst was her friend. Amethyst loved her jokes. She always asked Pinkie, not the Cakes, to cater the desserts to Town Hall functions. From what Thunderlane said, she had even encouraged him to ask her on that first date! Why would she be doing this now? She took a few deep breaths and composed herself. Everything would be okay.



Everything was not okay. Today was when she found out who the father of the baby was. She kept glancing at Thunderlane as they walked from Sugarcube Corner to Friendship Castle. He didn’t seem aware of what had happened earlier between Amethyst and herself, but his laid back ears let her know he also heard the whispers as they walked along. 
This wasn’t the Ponyville Pinkie knew and loved. No, not everypony was stealing glances and whispering, not even most of them were, but the ones who did were noticeable. It hurt, really. She thought she knew these ponies. She had cared about them, helped them smile when they were down. She had always encouraged them. And now…now she wondered if she even knew anyone. The releasing of the Friendship Journal had been bad enough, but this brought out something else she never expected. The ponies surrounding her now weren’t visitors. They had lived here with her for years.
When the door to the castle shut, Pinkie had never been happier to put a barrier between herself and the towns ponies of Ponyville.