//------------------------------//
// IV: Preparation 
// Story: Ignorance is Bliss... 
// by TheUnknownPerson 
//------------------------------//

	Things were actually peaceful at the rock farm(for the time being ).  There was a gentle breeze going.  A few storm clouds could be seen in the distance. 

And then there was Pinkie. 

Oh no.  Nononnonono!

She was freaking out because she really didn't want to be there at the rock farm.

I've got to get out of her somehow!

Pinkie tried to dig into the ground below, but whenever she removed something, it immediately reappeared.

No! 

Pinkie stopped trying to dig out after about 2 minutes when she realized she wasn't getting out of here that way.  She began to think of all the things her logic had told her.

What will mom and dad do?

As soon as she thought that, all the possibilities of what the punishment flooded into her thoughts, filling her every recess of her conscious mind.

At this point, Pinkie was hyperventilating.  She was petrified.  It seemed like she was about to pass out when she finally got a hold of herself.  Well, not a hold, but a gentle grab.      

Okay, calm down Pinkie.  Maybe things won't be so bad.  Maybe she'll just get a slap on the wrist.

Pinkie began to finally calm down a little as she took deep breaths in and out.  All those bad thoughts of what her parents would do started to drain out of her thought.

Okay... everything's alright Pinkie.  Nothing bad is happening.  Just go to your happy place.  Mr. and Mrs. Cakes place... think of the good memories...

Pinkie closed her eyes and thought of her happy memories.  She was completely calm now.  Her evil and horrific thoughts were gone.  She was completely at peace.

That was, until she heard gravely hoofsteps.

When her eyes opened, they met with a gray colored pony with purple-ish gray hair and wearing a green piece of clothing.

Is that who I think it is?!

The mare passed Pinkie on the gravely path.  Pinkie took one more look at the mare and narrowed it down immediately. 

It's Maud!  What does she have to do with this?!

Pinkie noticed that Maud was holding a brown bag between her teeth.

Wonder what she's carrying?

Pinkie looked down the path and noticed that Maud and her was a few yards away from the Pie house.

She decided it would be best if she followed Maud into the house.

Maybe its something for mom and dad. Hopefully nothing too bad...

As they approached the house, Pinkie looked out over the fields of the farm.  She noticed the little filly again, flying to the farm.  Pinkie noted that she might have been holding a rock.

Pinkie sighed as she remember all the happy childhood memories.

I remember I used to admire Maud so much more than I do today.  I even got a pet rock like her.

Pinkie took her eyes off of the field and noticed that they were in front of the house's front door.  In fact, she would've bumped into the door if she hadn't taken her eyes off of the filly.

Maud entered the front door.

"Mother!  I got those herbs you asked for." Maud called out as she sat the herbs on a coffee table in the living room.

Cloudy walked out from a small room cramped with tools and first aid kits.  She met Maud in the living room and sat down on a couch in front of the coffee table.

"Thank you.  Are you prepared?"

"I... I think so."

"You just stay at the barn doors and-" Cloudy stopped for a moment, keeping herself from crying "-and your father and I'll do it." Cloudy finished.

"Alright mother."

Pinkie watched the situation from the door.

Herbs?  Why'd they need herbs?

Cloudy cleared her throat and began talking to Maud again.

"I know you're going to have to go off to the university soon.  I saw the acceptance letter." Cloudy said as she walked towards Maud.

Maud kept a straight face.

"Please, just keep this in the family.  We don't want people to think we do this for our enjoyment.  We're doing this because we have to."

"Yes mother."

I remember when Maud left.  I cried when I saw her walking down the path towards Ponyville.

After about 30 seconds of tense silence, Maud began to walk out of the house.

"I'm going to do Pinkie's left over chores." Maud said as she trotted out of the door.

"Okay. Oh and Maud?" Cloudy said as she stepped towards the door.

"Yes mother?"

"Next time, tell me when you apply for acceptance to a university.  And thanks for keeping this in the family."

"I will mother.  You're welcome." Maud said as she trotted towards the farm.  Cloudy did the same, except she went into the living room.

Pinkie looked over at Maud for a second more and then walked into the living room.

Cloudy had picked up the bag and looked inside of it.  

"Perfect..." Cloudy said as she closed the bag and rolled up the opening of the bag.

Cloudy got up from the couch and went into the kitchen.  Pinkie followed her into the kitchen.

Cloudy had apparently been cooking for awhile, since there was many pots on the old, coal-fueled oven.  There were many foods sprawled out on the counter.  From buttered corn to baked beans, mashed potatoes, and her own rock casserole.  Hay, she even cooked apple pie!  

She doesn't cook this much for one night.  Mom wouldn't cook this much in one night unless it was for a special occasion...

Pinkie began to ponder the possible occasions, which brought her back to what her logic had said to her.

"You'll see what happens to that filly.  Punishment and all."

Is that why she's cooking?  It doesn't make sense.  Why make such a big meal for... whatever they're gonna do to her?

As Pinkie pondered the options, her mother poured the herbs into a boiling pot on the oven.  Pinkie wanted to go over there and look to see what was in the pot, but her mother was in front of the oven.  And by the looks of all the things that she was cooking, Pinkie wasn't getting past her anytime soon.

"Hello darling."

"Hello Igneous."

"Do you need any help in here?  I finished the baked beans and got the tools ready for that, 'thing'"

"Depends.  Have you done everything you needed to do around the farm?" 

"Yes, darling.  You relax and I'll cook for awhile.  You need to prepare for it."

Cloudy sighed and nodded to Igneous.  She then exited the kitchen and went into the living room.  Pinkie noted that she trotted as if she was depressed.

Igneous went over to the stove and began stirring  the pot the herbs were in.  

Maybe I should go check on what that filly's doing.

Pinkie left the kitchen and then sneaked outside.  She then went outside towards the barn where she last saw the filly.


=================


"Come on, Pinky! I can do this!  I just need a running start."

Pinky was in the fields of the farm.  She had set up two small, rock platforms feet away from each of them.  Apparently, she was trying to fly from one platform to the other.

I'm going to get it this time! I know I will!

Pinky flew on top of the platform.  She took a few deep breaths, stepped back a couple steps, and ran towards the edge of the platform and jumped once she reached it.  Her wings fluttered as she jumped from the edge.  Pinky thought she was going to reach the opposite platform when something stepped in front of her flight path.

"Pinkie, watch where you're going!!"

"Ow... sorry Maud.  I was trying to reach that other platform.  Are you alright?" Pinky said as rubbed her head

"So Maud, what are you doing?" Pinky asked as she wiped dirt off of herself.

"I'm just doing some leftover chores." Maud said as she began scrapping her hoof against the soil, looking for rocks.

"Oh, do you need any help?" Pinky asked as she extended her hoof and began digging in the dirt beside Maud.

"No, sister." Maud said as she found a decent-sized rock.

"Oh, okay... well, I'm going to go practice flying." Pinky said as she hovered in place.

"Okay Pinky." Maud said as she continued to dig.

"Bye!" Pinky said as she hugged Maud's.  She soon released Maud and slowly flew over to the barn.

Pinky heard Maud say something under her breath, but didn't question her about it.

Wonder what's wrong Maud?

Pinky shrugged it off and continued her flight in peace.


=================


Horsefeathers!  Where the hay is that little filly?

Pinkie had been looking all through the barn for the little filly.  She looked in the storage area, she looked in the rocks, hay, she had looked almost everywhere around the barn.

Pinkie soon gave up on the search in the barn and decided that she'd look for the filly in the fields.  She was making her way towards the fields.  Pinkie had almost made it halfway into one of the rows of the fields when she heard buzzing again.  The same buzzing from the last time.   Pinkie followed the buzzing noise back to the barn, where she found a small, pegasus version of herself as a filly trying to fly up to the second floor of the barn.

Is that... what the... how?!

Pinkie was flabbergasted by her discovery.  Not only was the filly identical to her when she was a filly, but she was a pegasus!

"Come on Pinky!  You can do it!" Pinky said to herself.

How is this possible?!  This can't be possible!  It doesn't make sense!  I've never been a pegasus! 

Pinky had almost made it to the top of the second floor when her tiny wings finally gave out and she fell down.  Pinkie galloped under Pinky and tried to catch her.  Pinky went through Pinkie and landed with a THUMP on the ground.

"Ow!  My flank!" Pinky cried out as she got up.  She had let a few tears out.

Poor thing... no!  It's not real!

Pinky wiped her tears away and decided that it would be best if she rested for a little bit.

Meanwhile, Pinkie was still debating whether this was real or not. 

I don't know what to believe!  I'm torn whether it's real or not!

Pinkie sat there for awhile, either looking over at Pinky or thinking about how this could be real or if it was even real at all.

Pinkie was torn out of her thoughts by a loud scream.

"PINKAMENA DIANE PIE!  GET IN HERE NOW!"

Pinkie and Pinky simultaneously thought, "Oh no."

Pinky rushed towards the Pie house.  Pinkie went after almost immediately.


=================


When Pinkie entered the house, her parents where sitting on the couch opposite to Pinky.  They looked more serious than they usually did.

"Pinky, we have some problems to discuss." Cloudy said.

"Okay mom.  What is it?" Pinky said.

"To start off, you've been skipping your chores.  Your mother and I've noticed." Igneous said.

"Sorry." Pinky said as she lowered her head.

"We weren't finished.  You've been flying almost all the time instead of doing your chores or helping me or your father around the house or the farm.  Not only have you ignored our requested to do your share of work around the farm, but Maud's had to double up her work on the farm.  For this, you need to be punished." Cloudy finished with a small pinch of sadness in her voice.

"O-okay mom.  What is the p-punishment?" Pinky said with a shaky voice.

"Come over here, child." Igneous said in a Stern tone.

"Y-yes father." Pinky's voice was reduced to a whisper.  She'd make Fluttershy seem like a loud pony.

Igneous pulled something out from behind him.  Pinkie couldn't believe what he had.

Its... a ruler?

"Put your hoof on the table child." Igneous said.

Pinky reluctantly obliged.  And with one swing, Igneous gave her a good smack on her forehoof.

"Ow!" Pinky said as she pulled her hand away from the table.  

"Sorry Pinky.  I just need you to know we aren't joking."

Pinkie, watching the whole situation, was mentally kicking herself.

I'm such a nut!  I can't believe I got so worried over a smack with a ruler!

"Ok, well, now that that's over, how about we have dinner?" Cloudy said, however, there was still a ting of sadness and regret in her voice.

"Yes, darling.  It is getting a little bit late.  Pinky, go get your sister and tell her we're having dinner." Igneous said as he left the ruler on the table in front of the couch.

"Yes father." Pinky said as she galloped out of the house towards the fields.

Igneous and Cloudy got up from the couch and trotted to the kitchen.  Pinkie followed them and watched them from the kitchen door.  Igneous got some plates and bowls out from a cabinet and sat them out on the counter.  He then took out some spoons and some forks from a small drawer and sat a pair of them on each plate.  Cloudy took one of the plates and put baked beans, corn, a slice of apple pie, and a spoonful of mashed potatoes on to the plates.  She repeated this process with each except one.  Cloudy poured a strange green herb on top of the mashed potatoes.  Igneous then took the plates into the dining room.  Pinky and Maud were already waiting in the dining.  Pinky had taken the seat at the top of the table and Maud sat beside her.  Igneous sat each plate out at a seat in the dining room,  Pinky got the plate with the weird green herbs on it.  Cloudy and Igneous sat at the table and they all began to eat.

Something doesn't feel right about this...

Pinky dug into the mashed potatoes first.  She then almost ate the rest of her food when something started to feel strange inside of her.

"M-mom, what did you put in these mashed potatoes" Pinky asked, starting to feel very dizzy.

Cloudy let out a silent tear and said, "I'm sorry Pinky.  I'm so sorry..."

Pinky got out of her chair and dizzily trotted over to the bathroom.  Before she could open the door, she leaned against the wall and passed out. 

Wait, what? 

Igneous sighed and said, "It is done.  Maud, help me carry her." Igneous got up from his chair.

"Yes father." Maud said as she got up from the chair and trotted over to Pinky.  Igneous followed her.

Maud grabbed her back hooves and Igneous grabbed her forehooves. 

"Cloudy, get that sheet we have in our room." Igneous said.

"Y-yes darling." Cloudy said.

Cloudy entered her room and came back into dining room with a white bed-sheet.  She laid it beside Pinky's limp body and spread it out.

"Maud, we flip her onto the bed sheet on three." Igneous said as he looked up at Maud.

Maud nodded prepared herself to push.

"1."

"2."

"3."

Maud and Igneous pushed Pinky onto the sheet.

"Ok.  This should make it easier to get her to the barn." Igneous said as he grabbed one side of the sheet.

Maud grabbed the other side of the sheet.

"On three."

"1."

"2."

"3."

Simultaneously, Igneous and Maud picked up Pinky and took her out of the door.  Cloudy followed behind.

What are they going to do to her?

Cloudy got in front of them and opened the barn doors.  She then went behind a wagon filled with rocks and came back with a wooden table big enough to hold Igneous.

"Lay her on this." Cloudy said through her tears.

Maud and Igneous obliged and sat her on the table.

"Cloudy, are the tools still on the second floor?" Igneous said.

"Yes, darling.  I'll go get them" Cloudy said.

"Thank you honey."

After a couple of seconds of silence, Maud asked, "Father, what did those herbs do?  Mother didn't tell me."

"They'll dull the pain and make her unable to recall this for a long time." Igneous replied

Pinkie had followed them to the barn and had been asking so many questions in her head.

Why would they need to dull... wait, tools... herbs to dull the pain and make her forget... oh no!

Pinkie realized what they were going to do.

They're going to cut off her wings!

Things were starting to make sense as Pinkie recalled what they had said before dinner.

"You've been flying around instead of doing her chores." "How could we have a-" a pegasus!  The only reason I'm even here is because of that stupid scene in the movie where he cut off her wings!  It makes sense...

... and that's what scares me the most

Pinkie knew that this isn't going to be good.

=================