Party Every Day

by Esle Ynopemos

30: I've Got Everything [Romance]

((Prompt: I've got nothing.))

Pinkie stood in the doorway of what had been, until today, her room. It was amazing how little it had changed between last night when it had been hers and today when it was not. The bed—no longer her bed, just 'the' bed—was still there, as were the pillows and all the blankets. The nightstand, the alarm clock, the closet and most all of the clothes within, all these things that had been a part of Pinkie's daily life were not really hers, just borrowed with the room. Her leaving made the room a little cleaner, and that was all.

She pushed the door shut. Having so little to carry out of the room was a good thing, she decided. It meant there was less she needed to sell at a rummage sale. She trotted down the stairs, humming a quiet tune as she went.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake stood at the base of the stairs waiting for her. They each had one of their foals riding on their backs. Mrs. Cake offered Pinkie a hug, which she did not hesitate to accept. Mr. Cake did not wait his turn, instead wrapping his hoof around the both of them and turning it into a family-wide group hug.

“We're gonna miss you, Pinkie,” he said.

Mrs. Cake did her best to disguise a sniffle as a sound of agreement. “If you ever need it, we'll always have room for you, dearie.”

Pinkie smiled warmly as she squeezed the two ponies that had been more like a mother and father to her than a pair of employers. “Thanks, Mrs. Cake, but I won't need it.” She brought her nose up to nuzzle Pound and Pumpkin. “You two make sure to only get in the best kinds of trouble, okay?”

The twins giggled and cupped her face with their hooves.

Pinkie gave a happy sigh as she pulled away from the Cakes and stepped toward the door. “Goodbye! And thanks. Thank you for everything.” She didn't like seeing tears, so she turned around and forged on into Ponyville before any had a chance to form—on the Cakes' cheeks, or on her own.

As she trotted across town, Pinkie Pie had nothing to her name but the song in her heart and the sunlight on her back. She had left Gummy in the capable hooves of Fluttershy. Her party cannon she had donated to the Cutie Mark Crusaders; she could see no possible harm in giving those fillies access to low-yield artillery. Her savings... well, there weren't any, to speak of. Every bit she had ever made was spent on balloons or confetti or some other party-related expense before it had a chance to stop spinning. Pinkie was as penniless as she was pink.

This did not stop her from smiling brightly and humming her song as she bounded along the winding roads. In fact, she seemed to put just an extra bit of cheer into each of her enthusiastic greetings given to ponies she passed on the streets. Her voice bubbled with an extra little touch of giggliness, and her grin seemed even more infectious than usual. She was Equestria's happiest beggar as she made her way across town to the dirt path that led to Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack waited for her at gate of her fence. Usually, she would wait in the farmhouse—no, that was a lie, usually Pinkie would have to come find her while she worked on her chores. But today was special, and Applejack couldn't bear to wait any longer than she had to today, so she waited at the gate. As she spotted pink marching up the country road, she smiled as wide as, well, as wide as Pinkie did.

She cantered forward to meet her halfway, and chuckled as she noted the absence of any saddlebags. “Ya sure do pack light, sugarcube!”

Pinkie wrapped a hoof around Applejack's neck and pecked her on the cheek. “I've got everything I could possibly need right here,” she said. “If I brought anything else with me, I wouldn't have a place to put it!”

Applejack laughed and gave her a fond nuzzle. “Well, lemme help ya carry all that inside. Welcome home, hon.”

Author's Note:

Of course, I had to end this one with Apple Pie. I mean, how could I not?

That does it for my thirty days of Pinkie. I had a blast writing for her, and she's definitely growing on me as a character.

Stay tuned for Fluttershy, whose first two prompts will be posted once I get a cover image for her. Thanks for reading!

Comments

[JetstreamGW]

Confused. Why would Gummy not be joining her on the farm?

[Esle Ynopemos]

2878227 My idea was that she was just leaving him with Fluttershy temporarily until she got settled in at the farm, but I acknowledge that it's deliberately misleading on that front and strictly in service to the twist ending.

So the real answer is, because I am a lazy writer who leans on twist endings to distract from the fact that I'm not actually that good at it. But, y'know... I can pretend I had a good reason.

[Otterbee]

I've read every one of these stories and it has been a joy to follow a month of Pinkie vignettes. This one's a perfect capper - light and sweet, with a flaky crust.

[Loeden]

It's been a lovely ride! Looking forward to the next series, I've enjoyed every one so far. Onwards we go, a bit more fabulous, cool, and pink for the journey.

[ProfCharles]

There was not a single one of these I did not enjoy—I look forwards to Fluttershy.

[SleepIsforTheWeak]

3027722
Youre right.. So tempting.. But I'd have to get permission from Esle first. And naturally, if there was romance itd have to be ApplePie. Or maybe even RariPie. Hmm.

[Esle Ynopemos]

3027729 You certainly have permission to go for it.

[SleepIsforTheWeak]

3028316
Okay! Heh, thanks so much!

[Esle Ynopemos]

3125088 One is plenty. Thank you.

[lordalexander74]

Giving the CMC's a cannon. What could possibly go wrong?

[Lurks-no-More]

A fine ending to a fun series of stories! Like Pinkie Pie herself, there's often more than meets the eye in these mini-stories of yours, and this is no exception.

Also, I'm sure the CMC can't cause any mayhem with the party cannon.

Also also... did I miss it, or did Applejack survive all the stories she appeared in?

[Esle Ynopemos]

3829229 I believe she actually survives this one and Rarity's. But she dies extra in some of the other compilations to make up for it.