Pony Persona

by Everace

13 - Preparations

Piv awoke the next morning feeling more rested than he would have guessed. After his first round with The Voice, he had honestly been expecting something more traumatic. Now he couldn't help but feel that The Voice had gone through things far more traumatic than any spat they'd had in his dreams.

Although he didn't feel much like going out, familiar pangs of hunger reminded him that it was a necessity. Piv vented a sigh of frustration, that all his time spent with Veil the previous day should be so quickly forgotten by his ever present appetite. If all changelings got hungry this fast, they must be a voracious bunch indeed!

Not bothering with saddlebags or bits, Piv headed out for breakfast. Which really just meant walking around and basking in whatever mild love the various ponies of Ponyville had for him. It wasn't very satisfying when compared to his day spent with Veil, but he didn't want to visit her if it meant carrying on with his dishonest persona. This presented a problem. Who could he be if not Piv? He'd been warned that his original form would be repugnant to the ponies, and wouldn't any other form he took be just as dishonest?

It was hours until his hunger finally eased. Glancing up at the sun already past its apex in the sky overhead, Piv realized that it had taken even longer than on similar walks he'd taken only days before. What was wrong? Why should there suddenly be so much less love here in Ponyville? A vague feeling of anxiety fell upon him, and he decided to make his way home.

No sooner had he closed the door of his home behind him, than came a knock. Piv hadn't been expecting visitors, and worried that it might be Veil. When he opened the door he was surprised to find Rarity on his doorstep, and behind her a full rack of clothing. "Good afternoon, Piv! I do hope you aren't terribly busy at the moment?" She batted her eyelashes at him, a move he half suspected was reflex rather than intention.

"Not at all." He stepped out of her way and waved her in. "Can I offer you..." he hesitated, realizing he hadn't much on hoof aside from a half-eaten fast food meal and the leftovers from Applejack's gift, "...some water?" He'd have to do some shopping. He might not need actual food or refreshments, but any guests certainly would.

Rarity pranced jauntily into the room, her horn lighting as she used her magic to draw the rack of clothes in after her. As it rolled past him, Piv saw that the ensembles it contained were meant for stallions. "No, no! It is I who am here to make you an offer!" She turned the rack, arraying it so that the contents were easily visible and accessible to him, while he closed the door. "Twilight invited me to attend the soiree she's holding for you, and after I accepted the first thing that came to my mind was that you simply must have something dashing to wear!"

She presented the outfits behind her with a flourish, then paused to add, "Now to be fair I don't generally work with fashion for stallions, so I'm afraid this small selection is all I have to offer. If only there was a little more time I could custom make something spectacular for you!" She waved this away, though the disappointment was clear on her face. "Well, we shall just have to keep that in mind for next time. For now, I'm sure I can help you put together a fine outfit from the ready-made pieces I've brought with me."

Piv knew from a glance that he didn't have the bits for anything so nice as the chic masculine styles Rarity had brought to show him. "I appreciate the thought, but I haven't actually started working again. I can't really afford..."

"Not another word, not another word!" She cut him off sternly with a sharp toss of her mane. "I absolutely insist you accept one suit from me today. You may consider it a sample of my work." She winked at him. "If you like it, you can drop by my boutique later to buy more!"

He had to admit that made sense from a business standpoint, though he knew it was just an excuse. Regardless, the determination she radiated made him quite sure that he would not escape unclothed. He was about to accept when another knock sounded from the door behind him, this one an energetic rapping on the wood. "Sorry, just a moment."

Piv turned from the fashionista and opened the door for a pony he had thus far seen only in his dreams. Blue with a brilliant rainbow mane, the newcomer gave him a big grin and tossed a hoof around his shoulders affectionately, "Hey, buddy! Long time no see! Sorry I didn't come sooner, but I'm here now to help you get ready for the party tomorrow!"

Rarity's eyes widened in surprise, "Rainbow Dash!" then narrowed in suspicion, "Wait a minute. Just what are you going to help him get ready? You're not thinking of setting up any pranks, are you?"

Pranks didn't seem like the right thing to bring to this type of party, and Piv opened his mouth to say so before Dash cut in, " 'Course not! We're gonna work out!" She continued to beam happily as both ponies stared at her, nonplussed. When she finally noticed their expressions, her own dimmed a bit as she withdrew her hoof from his shoulders. "What? Some good exercise is just what you need to get your energy and confidence up! Come on, Piv, you should know this even if you don't remember it! You used to be an exercise guru!"

"Uh..." That would explain all the athletic gear in his home. He really hoped nopony would find it strange if he chose not to get into that line of work, as it did not appeal to him in the slightest. Assuming he remained as Pivotal Pledge at all, which at this point was not a certainty.

Rarity covered his hesitation, "Really now, Rainbow Dash, who ever heard of such a silly thing? Getting all sweaty and smelly to prepare for a party!"

"You shower after, obviously!" The athlete crossed her hooves in front of her, indignant. "What are you here for, anyway?" She finally noticed the clothes, "Oh, I get it. I'm sure he'll feel much better going to the party in your latest frilly dress!"

Rarity bristled, "For your information there is not a single dress on this rack! It is nothing short of the cutting edge of stallion fashion!"

Piv was about to cut in when a new voice sounded from outside, "Tarnation, what's all this racket?" Applejack poked her head in through the open door, catching the ponies in the room off guard.

Dash was the first to recover, "Applejack, good to see you! I know you'll be able to tell what makes the most sense!" The farm pony entered the room almost cautiously, giving Dash a questioning look that prompted her to continue, "Ok, so what do you think Piv should do to get ready for the party? Spend all his time trying on strange outfits, or do some solid exercise?"

"My outfits are not strange!" Rarity cried, stiffening in outrage.

Applejack moved to the center of the room purposefully, stepping between them. "Now simmer down there, girls. You've both got your own ideas on what's what, and that needs to be respected! Right?" As she stared hard at one, then the other, they settled down and murmured their agreement. Piv, meanwhile, was thanking his lucky stars that she had brought a level head to the situation before it had gotten any more out of hoof.

"Right!" Applejack nodded. "Now it just so happens I think Rainbow's got the right idea. I came over here to suggest a bit of exercise myself, actually."

Rarity huffed her frustration as Dash pumped her hoof enthusiastically into the air. "Yeah! Hear that, Piv? Let's get you started with some free weights!"

His eyes went halfheartedly to a set lying unused, pushed to one of the corners of the room. This wasn't what he had in mind, and he opened his mouth to say so only to have Applejack beat him to the punch, "Now hold your horses there! I was thinking a nice long walk around Sweet Apple Acres. Weights'll leave his muscles too sore for him to enjoy the party tomorrow."

"What?" Dash made a disparaging noise. "This is Pivotal Pledge we're talking about! He used to lead us in work out routines all the time!"

Rarity stepped forward again, "One thing that definitely won't give him sore muscles is picking out a nice outfit, though I guarantee it will give him a stunning new look and the confidence to match it!"

The discussion between them heated once again, and Piv began to wonder if he had any control of his fate after all. He almost jumped out of his skin when a quiet voice suddenly chimed in from directly behind him, "Oh, I'm sorry... are you busy? The door was open, so I just... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." He spun to find a delicate yellow mare with a long pink mane looking up at him demurely. She was certainly the last pony from his dreams.

Glancing back, the beleaguered stallion saw that the other mares were too involved in their own dispute to have noticed the new arrival. He turned back to her, glad to have at least one visitor not determined to dictate to him the best plans for party preparation. "Think nothing of it. What can I do for you, Miss?"

She smiled and raised her head with more confidence, "Fluttershy. You don't know me. That is, even if you could remember you wouldn't really know me. It's just that I'm going to be attending the party, and I heard why Twilight is holding it, and... well, I thought you might like to talk."

He cocked his head to one side, puzzled. "Talk?"

"Yes." She dipped her head once, gracefully. "I know how hard it is to meet new ponies, and especially so when it's somepony who seems so big and important. I thought that if you were having trouble with that, talking about it with somepony who understands might help. You know, to prepare."

"Prepare?" His expression went blank, and his voice dropped to a whisper, "By Celestia... you're one of them!"

The gentle pony looked at him uncertainly. "Them?"

Now besieged on all sides, Piv began to consider desperate measures. After only a moment his expression cleared into a winning smile, "Why, another friend come to help me. We are discussing what to do even now." He waved at the other three, though they took no notice. "Please, join in and we'll all figure out the best way to prepare for the party together!"

"Oh!" She smiled again, apparently pleased to be of service. "Oh yes, of course!" She approached the group and hailed them, Piv urging her on with a fixed grin on his face.

---

Some time later, the mares still had reached no decision. Rarity shook her head irritably, "We aren't getting anywhere. Let us simply ask Piv what he wants to do, and we'll all abide by that. All right?" As she looked from pony to pony, her friends all offered their reluctant approval of this idea. "Good. Now, Piv, darling, what do you think we should..." She broke off as she scanned the room. The stallion was nowhere to be seen. The door creaked on its hinge, never having been closed.

"Aw, horseradish!" Applejack scuffed the floor with her hoof, while Fluttershy gasped at her use of such a strong epithet. The four of them traded awkward looks for a few moments, not entirely certain what to do now that their host had fled. It was Rainbow Dash who started laughing. A chuckle at first, but it soon evolved into a deep belly laugh that had her sitting on her flank holding her sides. The others joined in, with Rarity and Applejack actually falling against one another in their mirth.

After a time Dash managed to stand back up, still chuckling and wiping tears from her eyes. "Come on, girls. Let's get some dinner. My treat!" This suggestion met with hearty approval from all. The four of them filed out with Rarity's clothes in tow, closing the door behind them.

Comments

[tsaukpaetra]

Heh, trust the crazy mares to make something it's not.
Frankly surprised he wasn't panicking at the sudden ambush.