//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Going Back 
// Story: The Pie's 
// by Derpyx0 
//------------------------------//

	
Pinkie

I sighed sadly as I gazed at the photos that covered the wall. I used to be so fun, so happy, so, well, a good party planner! But now, I was just sitting here, moping. I snorted at that. Moping, me, Pinkamina Diane Pie, the party planner ex-extraordinaire! "Ex," I mumbled, remembering what had happened just minutes before. I was getting ready for Dashie's birth-aversary. Rainbow had been really excited! I mean, it's not every day a superfantasticalawesomeamazingtotallyradical pony like Rainbow Dash moves to Ponyville on her birthday! Then, a pony named Cheese Sandwich arrived. He was just like me! I mean, we planned parties, sang songs, and Dashie wanted us to plan her party together! I was really really really excited. I thought that this was going to be the Best. Party. Ever! Then everyone just kind of.... left me. I- I guess they were so excited a new pony was here, that they wanted to give him a chance. And I don't mind sharing! Not at all! It's just, they kinda left me in the dust. So I moped back to my house, and here I am. 
I looked at the pictures some more, and I finally came to the last one. In it,  my family and I were dancing around. I sighed a content, yet hollow sigh. That had been my very first party. It had been such a blast! I remembered Mom and Dad's big goofy grins. I remembered Inky's glistening eyes (before they turned cold and snooty again). I even remembered Blinkie's words; "I wish I could see this. That isn't gonna stop me from having a blast, though!" Blinkie was actually the youngest of the fillies in our family. At the time, she had been 7 years old. After her, came me. I had been 11 years old. The oldest, and bossiest, of us was my older sister, Inky. She was favored by Mom, and I was very jealous over that. I really didn't want to be jealous, it's just, she was always the pony who got good grades, who got first pick of everything, and who was the most trusted one. Actually, I liked not being trusted. That meant that I didn't have to watch over Blinkie. Blinkie was, and still is, blind. Somepony constantly had to be by her side, especially when she was younger. I didn't like doing that because she was always a pain. I guess that's the problem with being the middle sister. You get the worst of both worlds. Being a younger and older sister was always really hard.
As I got to thinking about my family, I thought about how long it had been since I had seen them. Sure, they called me on my birthday, and vice-versa, but we never got around to spending any time together. If they lived closer, I probably would spend a lot of time with them. However, they lived in the woods, about 30 miles from Vanhoover. To get to Vanhoover, you had to take a train, and the train ride took 3 days. Then, you have to take a carriage about 100 miles until you get to our rock farm. Luckily, nopony ever came to visit us. Until I had learned a while ago that I was related to the Apples, we had no family outside of us. Plus, we took the ores into town once a week, on the same day we got groceries, and they went to who knows where by train. So, if I estimated correctly, it would take me about a week to get there. I thought and I thought. Finally, I decided. I would go visit my family. I'll leave a note to all my friends to tell them I'm visiting home. Then they wouldn't get worried. After I made my plans, I packed up everything I would need. Then, I made my way into town. Luckily, everypony was helping Cheese Sandwich, except for the ponies that had jobs. I made my way over to the train station, and then to the ticket booth. "One ticket for Vanhoover, please!" I said. 
"Vanhoover? Wha-? the ticket salesman cut himself off by pulling out a map. "Ah, Vanhoover! Alright, ticket is 50 bits, train leaves tomorrow at 5:00 AM." I almost gasped at the price of the ticket. He looked at me, and seemed to have read my mind. "It's a long train ride, Pinkie." I nodded and reluctantly handed over 50 bits. He took them, then handed 5 back to me. "You gave me too much."
"But I counted. I tho-" the stallion shushed me. He turned his head around, almost as if he were looking for something.
"I owe ya, Pinkie. My daughter, Twist, loved the birthday party you threw her. You're really a special mare." The stallion, who I now recognized as Twist's father, Snap, smiled at me. I smiled right back. Suddenly, he stopped grinning. Somepony tapped me on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, but, you have been taking a long time, and I'm in a hurry," Diamond Tiara's father, Filthy Rich, said as he scowled at me.
"Uh, okay, Filthy! Sorry, I didn't mean-"
"It's Rich! Not Filthy!" he snapped. With that, he curtly turned his back on he. 
"Some ponies are just mean meanie pants!" I harrumphed. I couldn't let him bother me though, for I had to think about some of the details of my trip. 

~~~~~~

Now that I had the train ticket, the only other transportation I had to worry about was the carriage. Luckily, an old fillyhood friend of mine said that he'd drive me to my family's house. I had already packed my toothbrush, manebrush, blanket, etc. The cart would have two beds, a sink, a bathroom, and a mini kitchen inside. Luckily, my fillyhood friend, Roseluck, was a mare, so we could share the same bathroom. I would prepare our food, and she would drive. Once we had everything worked out, I mentally checked my list. After that, I trotted over to the wall. I gingerly took the photo of my family down and looked at it. Then I realized, I hadn't seen them for so long! How would they recognize me? My mane was completely different from when I was a filly, and I was a LOT bigger. I decided that I couldn't fix my size, but I could fix my mane! I trotted over to the twin's salon. They had done my mane thousands of times, and I was sure they could get it right this time!
When I opened the spa door, Lotus Blossom beamed. "Pinkie! I haven't seen you in weeks! It's about time you came back! So, what can I get you? Massage, hooficure, mud bath..... would you like to try the Deluxe Package? It includes a hooficure, mud ba-" I cut her off. I mean, I know that I ramble a lot, but this was a little much!
"Uh, it's okay, Lotus. I'm just here for my mane," I said. She nodded and showed me to a chair. "So, I know it's never worked before, but do you think you can make my mane straight?" Lotus let out a little groan. Every time she tried to flat iron my mane, it sprang right back up. "Please? I'm visiting family this week, and I want my mane to be very, very flat so they'll recognize me!" Lotus Flower sighed once more, then she nodded.
"Only because you're my friend, Pinkie."
"Thanks SO much, Lotus!" I cheered. Lotus got to work on my mane. She took one little curl, and flat ironed it. Boing Again. Boing. Again. Boing. Agai-
"UGH!" Lotus screamed. "This needs some SERIOUS work if we're going to get it flat!!" Lotus first washed my mane, then she jelled it down. It didn't do much to help. Then, she flat ironed it for two whole hours! I honestly don't really remember what happened, because I fell asleep. It was SO boring! When I woke up, I saw Lotus wipe her face. "It's done. Not perfect, but it's done." she gasped. I looked in the mirror. It was pretty flat, and only a little puffy. Carefully, I touched it and I waited. It didn't spring back up!
"Yes!" I shouted. Lotus grinned. "Thanks, Lotus! You're the BEST! How am I going to repay you.... OH, I KNOW!!! When I get back, I'll throw you a PARTY!!!"
"Uh, Pinkie, that's okay. You can just-" Lotus tried to say, but I cut her off.
"No no, I'll throw you a party! Bye!" I concluded, bouncing off. When I reached Sugar Cube Corner, I yawned. It was almost 5 o'clock, and if I was to get up at 4:30, I needed sleep! I grabbed a muffin and left some bits in the register. By the time I got upstairs to my room, I had finished the muffin. When I tucked myself into bed, I said "Goodnight Gummy!" Then I remembered that I had sent him off to Pet Boot Camp. I sighed and closed my eyes.

~~~~~~

When I woke up, I looked at the clock. 4:40?! I had to get going. I got up and quickly made my bed. After grabbing one more muffin, I trotted upstairs to get my bags and to brush my mane. When I looked in the mirror, I remembered going to the spa. "Yes!" I shouted quietly, careful not to wake the Cakes. My mane had stayed straight! 5 minutes later, I was at the train station. I gave the conductor my ticket and bounced on in. After finding a seat, I scanned the train car. Two other ponies were there with me. Lyra was sitting across from me. I remembered throwing her a birthday party! She wanted me to make these weird decorations with things like spikes claws, but with more what she called 'fingers'. It was still fun though! The other mare was a pony I didn't recognize. She must have just been passing through, I thought. If she was actually visiting Ponyville I would've noticed.
The train started with a jolt. I felt a poof. The jolt caused my mane to poof up once more. "Oh, come on!" I yelled. I blushed; the other ponies were looking at me. "Uh, sorry." I turned to one of my suitcases and pulled out a book. Now, I'm not one for reading. Reading means sitting around and being quiet, and I'm not good at that. But I was going to be on this train for a while, so I sighed and nestled into the seat. Before I could even read a single word, I closed my eyes; the train's chugga chugga lulling me into a deep sleep.