//------------------------------//
// That time with the Mime 
// Story: Spike Pie: Scrapbook of Memories 
// by Silver Butcher 
//------------------------------//

The Entire Pie family was packed into a cart, Igneous was pulling it behind him while his family sat in the back with several large bags of gravel, the Pie family made several deliveries a year personally, not because the ponies were special but because the pony they usually had to move their stuff was unavailable on select dates like his birthday or honeymoon. Spike and Marble were sitting near the back, looking out at all the stuff they were passing, having tied in the family vote on who was most likely to get distracted and not keep the Gravel bags from spilling they were only there because babysitters were expensive.
Spike and Marble were mostly just excited because of the nearby Circus, Pinkie was equally as excited but was also determined to do good for her family so she was holding her excitement in and doing her best to keep her eyes on the gravel to keep it from tipping. As everyone was busy keeping the gravel in place they all failed to notice when Spike saw something that, to him, was the single most amazing thing. Standing by a lamp post was a white mare with a black mane, she was on her back two hooves and looked to be leaning on a counter or something, but there was nothing there, Spike pointed it out to Marble and they stared in awe as the mare leaned on an invisible counter. 
Marble looked to their family and then made the big decision as she jumped for it. Spike wasn't one to tattle or be left behind, so decided to go with Marble so she wouldn't get lost, jumping off after her. The Two rushed past a few carts and came to a stop at the Mysterious Mime Mare. Who noticed them and waved, still leaning on nothing.
"How are you doing that?" Spike asked.
"Mmm?" Marble asked. The Mime simply pointed to her lips and drew a line before tossing a non-existent thing.
"Mmm," Marble realized.
"Oh duh, mimes don't talk," Spike shook his head, ashamed he had forgotten. "We'll have to ask her in Mime,"
"Mmm?" Marble inquired.
"I have no idea how to speak Mime," Spike replied simply "Maybe Pinkie does?" Spike turned to where the cart had been and frowned.
"Mmm?" Marble questioned, Spike just took her head and turned it in the direction he was looking, a four-way intersection with dozens of Carts moving in multiple directions, Marble just stared at it in silence before she and Spike went in Full panic running in a circle, Their panic lasted about 20 seconds when a set of Arms stopped them, stood them up, and turned them towards the Owner, The Mime looked down at then and rolled her hoof, Inquiring for them to explain.
"We forgot we were on a family cart trip and jumped off when we saw you," Spike said simply as he pointed to the Intersection.
"Mmm," Marble added.
"Oh, and neither of us knows the name of the town we live in, come to think of it I don't think we know where here even is," The Two looked at each other and continued running in a panicked Circle. The Mime said nothing as she looked over at a large number of Carts and shook her head before grabbing both Spike and Marble and tossing them on her back.
"Guess this is our lives now," Spike said with a shake of his head "Marble we're going to have to learn to Speak Mime," Marble looked at her hooves and then waved them at Spike. "What was that supposed to mean?"
"Mmm," Marble Replied.
"Oh, maybe if I know that I'll see it?" Marble waved her hooves again and Spike shook his head "No...no still just looks like waving," The Mime said nothing as she made her way to their destination, the Circus. She walked in and made her way to the large tent attraction. She walked inside and, while Spike and Marble were staring at everything with amazement, she walked up to a Mare wearing a tophat with a Red coat.
"Oh, if it isn't everyponies favorite Mime," She said upon noticing her, "What brings you back in so early, your invisible box get wet again?" the Mare chuckling died down as the Mime set Spike and Marble down, and began moving her hooves around, Spike and Marble watched and they noticed the mare was using her tail and her ears in her movements, patting the ground a few times as well. The Mare just nodded as she watched the Mime's movements, The Mime ended her routine by pointing at Spike and Marble, the Mare looked at them and simply asked.
"I see, so you two fell out of your family's cart did you?"
"You speak Mime?" Spike demanded.
"No Hon, I speak Sign Language," The Mare replied simply "My friend here can't speak,"
"Because she's a Mime," Spike replied confidently.
"Sure Hon," The Mare replied, "Alright hon, keep an eye on these two for me, I'll contact the local police and see if we can't find their parents, I'm sure they've noticed they're missing and will probably be searching for them," The Mime nodded and motioned at Spike and Marble then to her back, they got the idea and climbed back on.
"Mmm?" Marble asked.
"I dunno," Spike replied "Ms.Mime how does one speak Mime?" The Mime didn't say anything and instead took them to a set of bleachers and had them sit on them, she then sat in front of them and waved at them, They waved back and she proceeded to put her hooves out, and began tapping around, to the amazement of Spike and Marble.
"Mmm," Marble said as she watched the Mime move as though she was in an invisible box, they watched as she leaned against its side, pressed her ear to it, and began tapping around. Spike and Marble felt like they were watching the Mime for hours when they heard the familiar voice of their Mother calling out to them, The Mime tipped her Berret, signaling her show was done, and motioned for them to follow.
Spike and Marble had only just exited the Tent when they were hug rushed by their worried family.
"How in equestrian did you two fall out?" Pinkie demanded
"We...got distracted," Spike decided simply.



"And that's about it did," Spike declared, with Marble agreeing. "We thanked the Mime, left, end of Story. So guess we pick another story now right?"
"Hold up," Pinkie said "That's not the end,"
"So anyway we should just pick another story now Right?" Spike said determinedly.
"No, she's right," Limestone agreed "That was indeed the story of how you met the Mime, but you know perfectly well that's not the end of it," Aloe and Lotus looked to Spike and found both he and Marble were glowing red, both looking up at the ceiling.
"Tell them the rest," Maud said simply, "Or we'll tell the parts we were around for," After a moment it became clear neither Spike nor Marble were going to be saying anything more so Pinkie got up. "Alright, I'll just have to finish the story from my perspective,"



Limestone was pulling the family cart with her Sisters and Brother in the back, their parents staying home as all of their children were old enough to take care of themselves. Pinkie and Maud were each holding onto a Bag of decorative rocks, while Spike and Marble were excitedly looking at the Circus.
"Marble look, They're back!" Spike picked Marble up and they both jumped ship.
"Hey," Maud called back to them.
"It's not like we were doing anything anyway," Spike called back "We'll be here when you come back,"
"Mmm," Marble agreed as they rushed to the street light they had first met the Mime at all those years ago.
"I wanna go to the Circus," Pinkie muttered in a hurt voice.
"I'll take you later," Maud promised dully "After we drop these off and make sure those two haven't sold themselves off to the circus,"
"Yeah," Limestone laughed "Like Spike and Marble would...even consider..." Limestone slowed to a stop with a frown on her face. "Pinkie go with Marble and Spike and make sure they don't do that,"
"You can count on me Limestone!" Pinkie cheered as she jumped out the back of the cart, Maud easily taking her bag and nodding for Limestone to keep moving. Pinkie easily caught up to her siblings and found them staring with stars in their eyes at a Mime who was leaning on an invisible counter, Pinkie didn't see what was so unique about it seeing as she could easily do it herself, but Spike and Marble were completely enthralled. Spike and Marble were quietly giggling at one another before Marble walked up to the mare and began making odd movements with her hooves, the Mime stopped her head and began doing similar movements, Marble pointed over to Spike who walked over and waved and then began making different formations with his hands. Pinkie recognized Spike's movements as the Griffin form of Sign Language and was able to understand what he was saying to near perfection.
"How have you been?" Spike signed to the Mime who smiled and made a few movements. "Yes, we are the very same Filly and Dragon, now Pony and Dragon," Pinkie smiled, and looked towards the entrance of the circus, pacing in place. Wanting to go and enjoy the circus but not wanting to leave Spike and Marble alone.
"Spike, Marble," Pinkie declared "I'm gonna go look around the Circus, don't sell yourselves off to the Circus while I'm gone," Pinkie rushed away leaving Marble, Spike, and the Mime alone. Pinkie rushed to the front entrance, bought her way in, and ran to the first game she could find, quickly losing track of time as she played more and more games When she decided to take a break and eat some Cotton Candy she felt a tap on her shoulder and looked over to find Limestone and Maud. "Oh hey guys," Pinkie said after swallowing her food "Done already?"
"Pinkie we've been trying to find you for almost three hours," Limestone said with a groan "Grab Spike and Marble it's time we leave," Pinkie looked at them in silence for about three seconds before laughing nervously.
"Funny story, I left them at the front gate almost immediately," Limestone let out a noise of pure frustration and Maud sighed.
"So we have to keep searching then?"
"I left them with a Mime," Pinkie replied "They were speaking sign language, but don't worry, I specifically told them not to sell themselves to the Circus," Pinkie's sisters looked at her for about 5 seconds before Pinkie face hoofed herself "Why did I say that? I probably put the idea in their heads," Pinkie tapped her head for a moment before raising her hoof and declaring "We found them in the main tent last time, I say we try our luck a second time!" Pinkie rushed to the main tent with her sisters, following after. Upon arriving they found Pinkie's hypothesis to be correct, as Spike and Marble were talking with the Ringmaster of the Circus, who was shaking her head.
"I'd love to bring you both aboard, believe me, a Dragon would boost sales like no tomorrow, but I can't accept any creature who's underage, if you're still interested hit me up when you're of legal age, but until then the best I can do is say I'll keep you in mind," The Ringmaster tipped her hat and walked away from them, Leaving Spike and Marle to sigh and for the Mime to tell them something in sign language. Pinkie rushed to her siblings and put herself between them and the Mime.
"Shame on you," Pinkie said "Trying to talk my siblings into selling themselves, Shame I say," The Mime moved angrily but Pinkie ignored her and grabbed Marble while Limestone and Maud pulled Spike away.
"You best believe I'm telling Mom about this," Limestone said simply.
"What, you can't just sell us out, we didn't even technically do anything," Spike whined back before waving "It was nice to see you again, Hope to see you next time your circus stops by," Marble waved as well.
"Mmm," Marble agreed.
"Oh no," Pinkie said "You two are never coming back to the circus,"



"And that," Pinkie declared "Is the story of the time Spike and Marble almost let a Mime trick them into selling themselves,"
"Pinkie the Mime was telling us we were too young," Spike complained.
"Sure," Pinkie said "That's why she took you to the Ring Master,"
"Exactly," Marble said, making both Aloe and Lotus jump, and causing the rest of the Pie Family to look at her casually "What?"
"You can talk!?" Aloe demanded.
"Mmm," Marble confirmed.
"Marble always talks," Spike said in confusion "I mean sure she was a lot more enthusiastic with her agreement than usual, but that's because the Mime did nothing wrong,"
"Spike you Love that Mime almost as much as you Love Trixie,"
"I'm sorry," Maud said standing up "He what with who?"
"Oh, you don't know about Trixie?" Pinkie asked.
"I'll tell the heck out of that one!" Spike declared, the table watched as Spike's pupils turned into little hearts "I'll tell them everything about Trixie!"
"No," Pinkie said as she grabbed the closest thing and hit Spike in the face with it, realizing too late she had thrown the scrapbook she had to watch as she knocked him down with pictures exploding out of the book and floating all over the room.
"Pinkie!" Spike said as he jumped up "Look at what you've done, It'll take us like...4 minutes to fix this,"
"Sorry," Pinkie said "I just... don't like Trixie,"
"She's awesome," Spike declared.
"She strapped you to a rocket," Pinkie shot back.
"Sounds like the kind of thing Spike would like in a mare," Maud decided blandly.
"Sounds like the kind of thing that would make me hate said mare," Limestone retorted "Spike I swear to Celestia if I see you walking around with a rocket stepped to you I will never let you leave the rock farm again,"
"Well, then it's a good thing Spike has never strapped himself to a rocket since," Aloe said in a rush "Right everypony?"
"Yeah," Lotus agreed.
"I kind of miss Spike being around the house," Maud said, as she pondered on whether or not to sell out her brother for having a rocket on his back during the Gala after-party, "But sadly I can't think of a single time I've seen him strapped to a rocket,"
"Mmm," Marble suggested as she picked up one of the pictures.
"Alright then," Limestone said, "Let's put the Book back together and end the night shall we?" The Group split apart and began picking up the pictures, most of them were simply of Spike and Pinkie in different locations with both familiar and unfamiliar ponies alike, it wasn't until they were almost done that Lotus found a photo that seemed off.
"Wait," She said as she looked at it and realized what was off "When did this happen?" Lotus showed Pinkie the Picture and she gasped before taking it and showing it to Spike.
"Perfect," Spike said when he saw it. "There has never been a more perfect way to end a story night,"
"Alright everypony, It's time for the last story of the night, Gather round and listen as we tell you about the time..."