“Pinkamena!” my mother shouts loudly. I look away from the window and see her in my doorway. Of course, the look on her face isn’t approving. I sigh and hop off my chair, away from where I was thinking.
“Coming, mother,” I mutter. She narrows her eyes at me and turns around to leave.
“We need to rotate the East Field rocks to the South Field,” Marble informs me as she walks past my room with Limestone. I press my ears to the back of my head and start after them slowly.
I follow the family out and begin. I nudge rocks and pebbles around the fields, not really caring. They’re just rocks. They don’t have feelings, like ponies. A few hours pass in silence. The lunch whistles ring out loudly. I see my family walk inside. I dawdle and look up slowly, only to see my father giving me a disappointing looking glare. He turns around and the door slams closed after him. I sigh and turn back to the rock in front of me.
I blink and roll it away with some other rocks. I glance up and suddenly a huge explosion shakes the ground. I jump in shock, my mouth forming a deep grimace. A strong gale blows me back, my mane puffing up like a balloon. I blink in surprise as I look up. A huge rainbow circle spreads out across the sky, followed by a long streak of multicolored beauty forming soon after. It’s single-hoofedly the most wonderful thing I’ve ever seen! My lips twitch once and I feel the corners of my mouth turn up. A huge smile forms on my face. I can’t believe it! I'm smiling! I'm really smiling, for the first time in my life. I beam proudly as my eyes sparkle in the spectacular rainbow spreading across my line of sight. Sadly, only a few moments later, the wonder dissipates into thin air before my eyes.
I glance around and tap my chin in thought. Smiling was great! I want to make everypony else smile too! I grin and hop off, the gears in my mind spinning like wagon wheels.
"We better harvest the rocks from the South Field," my father says as he exits the house. I quickly hurry to finish what I'm working on in the barn. The music is heard, muffled, but heard, slightly from outside.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie! Is that you?" my mother calls as they walk towards the barn.
"Mom! I need you and dad and the sisters to come in. Quick!" I yell as I stick my head out the door. The music blares loudly for a moment before I pop back in. A minute later my family walks in. They stop and gape in surprise.
"Surprise! You like it? It's called. . . a party!" I exclaim, a smile so wide on my face I feel like it's going to fall off. They don't answer, but just sit there trembling as they stare around the decorated room. Streamers are hung across the room, balloons float from chairs, and cakes and treats are all over the various tables.
"Oh. You don't like it." I turn away sadly and hang my head in shame. I knew it was too good to be true. I muster a glance back at them. They all suddenly burst out smiling like crazy. I beam proudly. "You like it! I'm so happy!" I grab my mother's hoof and start dancing. As I throw myself in different positions I'd never thought I'd ever be in, I grin. A sparkling sound breaks me from my joy and I glance around.
My flank shimmers. I stop dancing and my eyes widen. Three balloons, two blue and one yellow, decorate my pink flank. I beam proudly and feel tears in my eyes.
"Pinkamena, you got your cutie mark!" Limestone yells, pointing. I peek another glance at it. Then I smirk, seeing my family watching me.
"Call me Pinkie Pie," I whisper.
"Surprise! Surprise! I got my cutie mark!" I yell loudly as I sprint to my secret spot. I don't see anything at first, but then the white pegasus pops into view from behind me as I turn around. I smile and hold my back leg up, showing it off.
"Oh, wow! It's just like mine!" Surprise exclaims. She holds hers up too. I gasp, remembering back to just the other day.
"That's awesome! We're cutie mark buddies!" I begin to hop around like a madpony, my tail waving out behind me.
"Hey! We're all matching now, too!" Surprise runs a hoof through her thick, curly mane. I stop jumping for a moment and reach my hoof up to check.
I gasp. "We do!" I smile and laugh. "I'm so excited! This is the best day of my life!" We proceed to bounce around each other.
"It's getting dark, Pinkie," Surprise starts, her eyes on the sky, "we better go inside."
I glance at the sun's position and agree; it's already getting closer to the ground.
"Right. Come on, Surprise, let's go," I say. I turn around and we start walking inside; well, technically Surprise is flying next to me.
"I think I should introduce you to my family! I'm sure they'd like you," I tell her.
Surprise stops. "I'm not sure about that."
I turn to her. "Why not? Are you scared?"
"No, no, it's not that. . . It's just. . ." She turns her eyes to the ground and scrapes her hoof along the dirt.
"A little shy? Don't worry! I'll be right there!" I reach out and take Surprise's hoof in mine. Hers is smaller than mine by quite a bit and it's really delicate feeling, as if I gave it a squeeze it would break in my grip. "Your hoof is small."
"Oh, yeah," Surprise mutters. "It come from the fact I'm a pegasus. Our race has to be smaller and lighter to fly."
"That makes sense," I say. I grin. "Come on, let's go. I want them to meet you."
Surprise looks up. "Okay, fine. But only for a minute or two. I'm supposed to be watching over you in secret, remember?" She gives me a small smile and I return it. I let go of her hoof and lead her inside. My family are in the living room playing a board game. Wow, my party has really changed them.
"Hello, Pinkie Pie," Limestone greets me. She grins and waves her hoof at me. I stare at them in silence and wait for a few moments.
"Is something wrong?" Cloudy Quartz asks me, worried.
I'm a bit puzzled as to why they haven't asked about the pegasus that was obviously standing right next to me.
"Pinkie? Why the long face?" Marble questions. My whole family is staring at me now.
"Aren't you gonna ask?" I wonder.
"About what?" Igneous Rock asks.
"About Surprise!" I point at her and she squeaks, trying to get as small as possible.
My family exchange glances and return to me.
"Who now?" my mom inquires.
"My friend, Surprise. She's right here, you guys. She's my guardian angel, you know!" I announce proudly, sticking out my chest. Surprise waves her hoof shyly at the ponies.
My mom seems to understand now. "Oohh, I get it." She winks at my dad. "Well, hi, Surprise. Seems Pinkie Pie has made a new friend. It's great to meet you." She reaches out her hoof.
"Um, hi," Surprise says and shakes the hoof warily. I can't help but notice her hoof and my mom's hoof aren't even in sync.
"I like her mane. . .?" Marble squeaks warily.
"Thanks."
"It's very. . . pink?" Limestone adds uncertainly.
"Surprise's mane isn't pink. Are you even paying attention?" I demand, stomping my hoof.
My family give me black stares.
It's then that it hits me. "You. . . you can't see her?" My ears fall flat.
"I'm sorry, Pinkie. But imaginary friends are called that for a reason," Cloudy says sadly.
I gasp. "I imaginary! Surprise isn't imaginary! She's as real as you or me!" I take a step back in shock.
"Pinkie, she may seem real, but she's not," Igneous says.
I hook an arm around Surprise, who's hiding in her mane, and pull her close. "Fine! Be ignorant! But Surprise is real!" I take her delicate hoof and we go up the stairs towards my room.
"I can't believe them!" I shout angrily, pacing my room, "I can't believe they have the nerve to say you aren't real!"
Surprise waits. "I'm sorry. I knew it was a bad idea."
I close my eyes and scream loudly, "They are such liars!" I sigh and turn back to Surprise.
She's gone.