//------------------------------// // Pinata Colada // Story: Life of the Party // by Ori //------------------------------// My name is Pina Colada. I run a pretty notable club with my two brothers, located in Manehatten. My special talent is drink making, so obviously I run the bar. My brothers deal with the business side of things. Currently, we were at home, which was packed to the brim with family. Our parents had been coming to visit, so we figured we'd just invite our other close relatives to join us. After all, this kind of thing was our forte, so it made sense. But of course, things couldn't possibly go smoothly, could they? I stumbled through the party, trying my best not to bump into anypony as I made my way towards my brother, Red Wine. As much as I was enjoying the family get together, my stomach felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and stab me with my ribcage. Which, let me tell you, sucks. I finally reached the place he was sitting. Reaching out, I tapped him on the shoulder with my hoof. "Hey, Red?" My brother turned to look at me, grin plastered across his face. He held a glass of wine in his hooves, as he'd been chatting with a relative. "Yeah? What's up Pina?" I felt my stomach gurgle, and let out a little groan. "I'm... not feeling too good. I think the sandwich I ate earlier decided it did not want to agree with me. I might turn in for tonight." He bit his lip. "Ah, dang. Alright, if you really want to. I guess it's not super early or anything. Can you tell me where you stashed the pinata at least, before you doze off? I kinda need to know, we're bringing it out soon." I cringed, as my gut almost seemed to turn inside out. "Uh, yeah, it's in the closet in our room. Should be right in the front. Urgh..." I clutched my chest, in a vain attempt to soothe the ache. He nodded, grinning again. He patted me on the back, and gave me a little push towards the stairs. "Alright, thanks. Get some rest sis, hopefully you'll feel better tomorrow." I nuzzled him, before trotting up the steps. Making my way down the hall, I shut the door behind me, flopping onto the bed. The pain in my stomach hadn't gotten any better, but at least being somewhere quiet was helping my pulsating headache. "Oh Celestiaaaaaaa... WHY DOES THIS HURT SO MUUUUCHHHH..." Groaning, I smooshed my muzzle into the pillow, hoping that sleep would take a hold of me before the ache got any worse. The next 20 minutes consisted of me twisting and flipping back and forth, trying to ignore the growing sensation in my torso. I finally let out an angry grunt, turning my body to stare at the ceiling. It was at about this time that I realized that something had changed. My stomach had stopped hurting... but at the same time, I felt... hollow. Like, literally empty. Sitting up, I looked down at my chest. What I saw, both confused and scared me. In the center of my chest, was a circle in my fur made of paper flaps. It reminded me of something, but I couldn't remember what. I poked at it with my hoof, before I realized something terrifying; it was spreading. "Ok, no, that is... NOT OK." I struggled to my hooves, and off the bed. By the time I had, it had already spread to my forelegs. "No, no, no. NO." Before I could protest more to what was going on, I was knocked to my knees by a tingling sensation all over my body. Squeezing my eyes shut, I attempted to deal with the feeling of my entire body seeming to reform into some other material. After a few seconds, it was over, but I also realized that something was very, very wrong. I felt lighter. Like, as light as cardboard, which wasn't a very comforting thought. As I tried to stand, my whole sense of balance felt off. I also heard something in my torso make a shaking sound, which I'm pretty sure isn't normal. I used the bed and wall to support myself, as I made my way over to the dresser so that I could get a look at myself. Lighting up my horn, I stared into the reflection; and nearly fainted. I was completely made of what looked like paper. I rubbed my face, and pushed up some of the flaps; underneath was a thin layer of cardboard. A pinata. That's what I looked like. No wonder that patch had seemed familiar earlier. "Well... uh...... UMMM....." My breath got quicker and quicker until It seemed like I was going to hyperventilate. And then I passed out. I jolted awake. I heard my brother on the other side of the door. He must be coming up to get the PINATA OH RIGHT. I scrambled to my hooves, panicked. I didn't want anypony seeing me like this, there was no possible way I could explain what was going on. 'GOTTA HIDE GOTTA HIDE' I stumbled over to the closet, pulling the door open with my magic, which thankfully still worked. Pushing aside the objects inside, I closed it behind me. Just as I did, I heard the door to the room open slowly. He was trying to be quiet, I suppose, as he probably thinks I'm asleep in the bed. I'll have to thank him for that later, AFTER HE LEAVES AND I GET THIS MESS SORTED OUT. Except, at that exact moment, I realize my mistake. He's coming TO THE CLOSET TO GET THE PINATA. 'Stupid, stupid, STUPID!' I hear him getting closer, and I quickly formulate a plan. I scoot to the left side of the closet, stand up straight, and cast a light petrification spell on myself to make sure I don't move. If I'm lucky, he'll just think I'm another thing in the closet, grab the pinata, and leave. It's not a very good plan, but it's really the only choice I have if I don't want to be seen. He pulls open the door with his hooves, and I notice that the lights are still off. That's right, he thinks I'm sleeping. I see him try to find the Pinata among the mess, before, unfortunately, his eyes settle on me. I wait for him to start laughing, or freak out, but all he does is smile lightly, and take hold of me with his hooves. He lifts me off the ground; which proves to be extremely easy with the material I was now composed of; as my mind starts racing. I hear something shake inside my torso, which I would like to believe is not candy. He completely ignores the actual pinata, closing the door, and making his way out of the room with me in tow. 'Oh no, he thinks I'M the pinata; I told him it was in the FRONT, DANG IT!' This was bad. Very bad. I couldn't move, but I was about to also be in an even worse situation if I didn't do something, NOW. He carried me downstairs, the probably candy shaking around in my sideways body. I see a bunch of the fillies and colts gathered, excited looks on their faces. They have never been more terrifying. He reaches the spot where the pinata setup was, and places me down on the ground. I try moving my stiff limbs, to no avail. Why did I think this was a good idea. I see him turn to the children with a grin on his face. "Who's ready to SMACK the candy out of this thing!" Their cheers sounded more like war cries to me. I scanned my mind for any possible spells that could get me out of here, but the other spell I'd cast had already taken too much out of me to attempt a teleport. I felt a rope being tied around my torso, before I was hoisted into the air. Panic was really starting to set in now. I was starting to not care about being found out, I was more concerned about being BROKEN IN HALF. The spell still hadn't worn off, but it was getting close. I could feel myself start to regain feeling in my paper hooves. Unfortunately, I was so consumed in my own thoughts, that I'd missed the fact that there was now a filly blindfolded, who was now swinging a slightly intimidating stick RIGHT AT ME. Before I could try stopping her with my magic, she clocked me right in the snout, sending me twirling on the rope. I would have yelped if my mouth was working. I span and span, unable to concentrate on anything that was going on, before the stick smacked straight into me again, this time in my midsection. I felt a large amount of pain spring up from that spot, as I heard a *crack*ing noise. I would have liked to think It was the stick that broke, but I highly doubted it. The second hit had sent me spinning even faster, until the rope had twirled so much that it stopped, and started going the OTHER WAY. I was so dizzy by this point that I couldn't think straight in the slightest. Everything was a blur, from the kids cheering, to the colors of my surroundings. I felt a third hit get landed, this one right near where the second one. I felt something fall out of me, but I was too in pain to really think about it. And suddenly, the spell wore off. I felt my whole body slump, before I started flailing around in pain. My everything was hurting, I think I was bleeding candy, and I was currently a pinata on a rope being smacked by my cousins. "LET ME DOWN AND PLEASE STOP HITTING ME IT HURTS A LOT OK" I summoned all of my magical energy, and used it to form a sharp enough magic blade to cut the string suspending me in the air. I dropped to the ground, and felt one of my hooves crack under the weight of my body. My brain was unable to take any more, and I simply blacked out.