//------------------------------// // Thought Process // Story: Introspection // by -Hidden Identity- //------------------------------// “Mom?” There could be no question here, in Pinkie’s mind. Her mother stood before her, calm and collected. Pinkie had not yet come to a conclusion of what her mother had against her, her own daughter. The concept of her own death had been substantial in controlling all thought from the time she had departed the maze. Her instant response was to discover some reason and hope that it would be adequate, but no answer came to mind that seemed plausible. Before her was a figure who was supposed to show constant and unyielding love, but here she was inside of her mind, waiting for Pinkie to overcome her sisters and acclimatize herself to the oncoming challenges. “It’s…um…great to see you.” Pinkie smiled weakly. Her mother, in turn, replied with a stern look from behind her half-moon glasses; the look was similar to the looks Pinkie would have received after she had stepped out of line. “Pinkie Pie, I’m surprised at you, making such a mess of yourself.” “Huh?” “Look at you: your hair, your job, your obsession with sugar…do you even remember to brush your teeth anymore?” “I try to remember.” “After all we did for you as a filly. Unbelievable. Here we thought you were learning from us, from our good example as parents and ponies in society: honorable profession, sober lifestyle, and responsible in all that we do.” “I didn’t forget what you taught me, I just…did you call me Pinkie Pie?” “That’s what you decided was a better name, was it not?” “Not a better name, mom, just a nickname.” “Do you even know the significance of your name? The great ponies from our past whose great feats helped shape the Pie family as it is today?” Pinkie avoided her mother’s stern gaze. The action was far from unnoticed. “Pinkie…I am shocked, yes shocked, that you would forget who you are so quickly. Forget it for what? Cupcakes? Some laughs? Or was is that you simply were too good for us farmers, that you needed a different life and decided to abandon the life you were born into, ashamed of your own heritage.” “I’m not ashamed at all! Why would I ever be ashamed of my family? I love you guys and everything you do!” “Really? How did the Pie family earn our rock farm? Don’t worry if you don’t know it, it is only the most famous story of our family line and set the foundation for our entire heritage for generations.” Dang it Pinkie, why hadn’t she paid better attention during those evenings? She must have heard this story a thousand times and by a thousand she meant about fifteen. Wait…that’s it! “We earned the rock farm by paying the landlord fifteen times more than it was worth!” “Sit.” Her mother pointed a hoof at a nearby stump. Where did that stump come from? Stumps had no place in her mind. “Aww…mom!” “Sit, Pinkie! Don’t make me start counting!” Pinkie sat, pouting. Her mother looked down at her from the rims of her glasses. “Many years ago the first Pie, Ashbeard Pie, came to this land looking for his fortune, but found only rocks. Now many ponies would scorn the rocks, claiming that no bits could come from rocks, but Ashbeard Pie said otherwise. He said otherwise mainly because he was completely insane, but that is beside the point. He said there were bits a plenty hidden in the rocks, you just needed to know where to look, and how to rock…farm. Now then, Ashbeard began the first rock farm and took only half of the available land, and things went terribly. Turns out there wasn’t any money in rock farming, as no one needed rocks. Yet across a lake, now just a dustbowl, was a field. This field flourished under the careful eyes of its caretakers: the Winds. Each field owner, Ashbeard Pie of the rocks, and Glider Wind of the grass, coveted the other field for their own purposes. So they settled on a bet: a rowboat race. Whichever pony could row down to the end of the lake and back to the dock first would claim both fields. Can you guess who won, Pinkie?” “Ashbeard Pie.” “Tsk tsk.” Her mother shook her head. “You honestly believe that your crazy ancestor could even figure out which way was forward? He didn’t get three strokes out before the boat flipped. The Winds just claimed their prize and didn’t even finish the race. Then came the worst famine ever witnessed by pony eyes and the grassy field and lake turned into fields of rock. The Winds sold back the land to the Pies for a fraction of the original worth and left to form one of the most successful real estate companies in Equestria. We, however, got the rock farm and have been working it ever since. That’s how you got your middle name, Pinkie.” “Diane?” “Don’t tell me you changed that too.” “No, but I don’t see how Diane is connected to that story.” “Weren’t you listening? No wonder you started partying, could keep your facts straight. Now I have to tell it again.” “No, please! I get it!” One very boring and well-explained lecture passed. “Do you understand now, Pinkie? Sit up straight!” Pinkie, who up until now had been lying over backwards on the stump, slipped off and landed with a plop upon the grassy ground. Maybe it would get better…perhaps her mother constructed a maze for her to escape.” “Pinkie Pie, you don’t know what you have done, have no idea of what you have thrown away for your mess of a life.” That was a bit harsh. “Mom, I’m sorry. I abandoned my family for my interests.” “You never could listen, Pinkie. You harvested the wrong rocks on the wrong days and would miss meals. Now you miss my meaning.” “I’m sorry, mom. Is there anything I can do? Tell me, I’m listening.” “Not so happy go-lucky now, are you? Very well, Pinkie let’s see if you can listen or not. I seem to have lost a few things around here. You seem to be able to find things well enough. Can you do that?” “Oki doki loki! What do you need me to find?” “You’ve been told, now go get them.” “Wha…can I have a hint?” “You were already given three.” “WHAT?” “Don’t raise your voice at me, young lady. Do as your told; off you go.” Pinkie slouched away. Her own mind and she was doing chores? What kind of mind was this that she had to go do chores? Didn’t make sense. Wasn’t fun. Oh, she seemed to have just crossed over a cliff without realizing it. Problem was, she didn’t just step over onto the cliff face like normal. In fact, she was certain she hadn’t been moving this fast previously. The ground steadily grew in size and had the appearance of being quite hard and not something Pinkie was very inclined to collide with at a high speed, as she was currently traveling. That spat of ground, however, did not end Pinkie’s fall in an unpleasant manner. In fact, it didn’t end it at all; she came close, and found herself falling next what used to be the ground. Above her was the cliff face she had been falling off previously. Such a curious place, her mind seemed to be. Yet it seemed just right for her.