7. Pinkie Party
Atlas had lived for a great many years, and had encountered a wide variety of ponies. Each of them unique as can be, yet no matter what, common sense applied for each and every one of them. He knew he had specifically asked Pinkie not to throw him a party, at least not in the near future, but here they were. Pinkie stood before him, hooves reaching towards the air in her signature “SURPRISE” pose as confetti settled on his mane.
Atlas couldn’t do much else aside from blinking like an idiot as his brain came to a full stop as it attempted to reboot. One second he was reeling in his new discovery, which renewed his hope of actually being able to pull this gargantuan task off, eager to tell his new companions, and the other, bam, party.
Of course, he was used to shenanigans like this from living with Discord, but now that he currently wasn’t around, Atlas had lowered his guard. There was only really one course of action that he could take right at this moment.
“What?” Atlas asked owlishly towards the smiling Pinkie.
“Surprise!” Pinkie repeated with almost as much gusto as the first time. “Did we surprise you? Did we? Did we?”
“Umm… yes… yes, you did,” Atlas said much to Pinkie’s happiness. “Say, Pinkie, could I maybe have a word with you? In private?”
“Of course!” Pinkie said oblivious to Atlas’ awkward mood. “Everypony, now that our guest of honor is here, we can start this party for real!”
The crowd behind Pinkie erupted into cheers and activity as they started doing what ponies do while attending a party. Atlas companions awkwardly shuffled past Pinkie and him, Twilight and Rainbow shooting their friend a concerned glance, but going to mingle with everypony else anyway.
Meanwhile, Atlas lead Pinkie to a somewhat secluded part of the room, right next to where the pink menace’s party cannon was located. Atlas closed his eyes and took a moment to gather his thoughts, and when he opened them up again, Pinkie’s cannon had mysteriously disappeared. Momentarily thrown off course, yet again, Atlas just looked at Pinkie, dumbfounded.
“Well then, Pinkie” Atlas said after a moment. “I do recall having requested no parties being thrown in the near future, and especially not today…”
“You sure did!” Pinkie replied, much to Atlas’ dismay.
“So can you explain to me, just why exactly there is a rather big welcome party being thrown for me?” Atlas asked slowly.
“Of course!” Pinkie said enthusiastically. “After you told me to not throw you a party, I went home, already planning for when I’d finally be able to throw you one. It obviously had to be a surprise party, and then it hit me! The moment when you’d least expect it, and therefore the surprise would the most effective, would be tonight!”
Atlas magically pinched the bridge of his muzzle and closed his eyes for a second. While it pained him to admit it, Pinkie had a point in her reasoning. Yet, it still didn’t change the fact that he had asked her not to, since this was a rather crucial time. He thought about how to resolve this situation without anybody crying, and opened his eyes back up, once he thought of something.
“Pinkie, look, here’s what we’re going to do,” Atlas said to Pinkie, which had come uncomfortably close when he had closed his eyes. “You deliberately ignored my personal wish, which technically puts you on my shitlist,” Pinkie took a step back, her smile shrinking just a tad. “But I know that you throwing me a party was an unavoidable event from the beginning. I’m sure your desire would have eventually pent up and then released itself into something even more inopportune. Therefore, I’m willing to look past all of this and partake in the festivities, just for tonight.”
“Ohhh! That’s super duper nice of you, Atlas!” Pinkie responded, the smile returning with full force.
“BUT!” Atlas stopped Pinkie in her tracks by holding up a hoof. “I really won’t be able to waste any more time after this. Today at the train station, I asked you nicely, but this time, I will need an absolute promise from you, you understand? No more parties until this whole thing is over and done with.”
“I… I understand…” Pinkie replied, although somewhat saddened. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I promise to not throw you any more parties until you’ve done what you need to do…”
“Thank you Pinkie,” Atlas said with a relieved sigh. “Now, I believe there is a party underway in my honor. Pinkie, would you please guide me through the festivities?”
Atlas made a feeble attempt at rescuing the mood that was developing between the two, doing his best to sound excited about what was about to happen. Truth be told, he really didn’t want to be here, yet, he had spent the past fifteen-hundred years in seclusion, living off rather shoddy food, even if he ate anything at all. Maybe a little party, with tons of actual, edible food would be a nice change of pace.
Even if his attempt at changing the topic had been rather poor, it was enough to get the pinkster going again. Before Atlas even knew what happened, he was dragged along by Pinkie and straight into the crowd of ponies, which were introduced to him at mach speed.
“Well… that was...something…” Atlas stammered as the duo emerged from the throng of ponies on the other side of the room.
“Yes! Isn’t it amazing?” Pinkie asked happily hopping in place a little. “So many ponies came here just to meet you!”
“I’d bet a few of them are here because of the food,” Atlas said with a raised eyebrow, pointing behind him with his hoof to prove his point. A turquoise unicorn was currently piling up food on a comically small plate. It was actually rather impressive just how much food she was able to stack, though Atlas suspected magic to be a supporting force to the precariously tilted tower of diabetes.
“Classic Lyra,” Pinkie said with a goofy smile. “Anyway! Moving on! How about some party games? I’ve prepared lot’s of ‘em just for you! Or would you rather like to dance for a bit, or mingle? Or maybe you’d like hold a speech? Ooohh, a speech right now would be amazing!”
“Pinkie!” Atlas interrupted the pink menace before she could be carried away even more. “I think I’d actually like to eat something as well. I haven’t eaten anything decent in a millennium and a half,” he finished lamely.
“Silly Atlas, you’ve eaten something just yesterday, at the castle,” Pinkie scrunched her muzzle. “Did you already forget?”
“Of course I didn’t,” Atlas said with a roll of his eyes. “But Celestia’s cooks are too fancy. I need something real to eat, something hearty.”
“I might not have what you’re looking for…” Pinkie said with a slight frown. “But I sure have a humongous array of baked goods for you to try!”
“I’ll settle for that as well.” Atlas turned and let himself be lead towards the buffet, which, true to Pinkies word, displayed every conceivable combination of flour, butter and sugar. He listened with mild interest as Pinkie rattered off the names of everything that was spread out before them, finding that he already knew most of the things that were available. Sure, baked goods had evolved during the last thousand years, but for some reason most things that were invented during his absence greatly resembled things from earth.
All of a sudden Pinkies head snapped to the other side of the room, and she started to have slight spasms all over her body. “I need to go… My people need me!”
With those words, Pinkie dashed off to god knows where and left Atlas standing alone in front of a mountain of diabetes. He shook his head in slight amusement and started piling a few things that seemed interesting on a small plate before going off to a nearby table to eat. He took the momentary break to ponywatch.
As he munched on a raspberry-chocolate cupcake, he watched the residents of ponyville thoroughly enjoy themselves at “his” party. They didn’t know that the world as they knew it was potentially coming to an end, and in Atlas opinion that was good. Everybody who knew about it had a stressful few weeks ahead of them, and keeping the details a secret as to why they needed literally everypony’s help would be hard, if not impossible. Preferably the general population would never learn of the true purpose of what was to come, but if they found out, it couldn’t be helped.
“What are you thinking about?” Luna asked, having appeared next to Atlas with her own small plate of tooth cavity wannabes.
“Nothing that I should say out loud,” Atlas sighed. “You never know who would listen in on us, especially in a crowded party like this.”
“I’m sure everypony is too distracted to pay us much mind,” Luna snickered. “Ponies are a lot nicer than they were when you left, Atlas. I don’t think anybody here would just eavesdrop on their princess and the guest of honor at his own party.”
“Oh yeah?” Atlas asked, upon which Luna nodded her head. “Then, what about the three fillies currently hiding under our table?”
“Huh?” Luna looked perplexed as Atlas pulled up the sheets covering the table, revealing a trio of fillies with sheepish smiles on their face. “The Cutie Mark crusaders… Of course.”
“Hello Princess Luna,” the trio intoned at the same time while shuffling out from under the table. “How nice to meet you here,” a white unicorn filly answered. If Atlas remembered correctly, Pinkie introduced them earlier as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, three names that stood in his notebook as well.
“Care to explain what you were doing under the table?” Luna asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, thing is…” Apple Bloom started to explain. “This whole party is for a new pony called Atlas and he seems to be somepony important, so we just wanted to check him out…”
“And you thought the best way to do so was hiding under a table and listening to his conversations?” Luna asked flabbergasted.
“We thought we might get our spy cutie marks this way…” Scootaloo mumbled while digging at the floor with her hoof. “We’re sorry,” the crusaders said at the same time.
“I think you should probably apologize to Atlas, not to me,” Luna reprimanded them.
The trio suddenly seemed to realize that Atlas was present as well, the princess apparently having made them forget all about him. They turned around in shock to face him and started furiously apologizing for various things. Atlas had some trouble picking everything up that they said since they were all talking at the same time, so he held up a hoof to get them to stop.
“I understand that you were curious, and in the end there was no harm done,” Atlas put his hoof back down. “But next time, just come ask if you want to know something.”
“We’re really sorry Mr. Atlas,” Sweetie Belle said with a downcast head. “But how did you even know we were under the table? We were so sure to have been hidden perfectly.”
Atlas blinked a few times, taken aback by the unexpected question. “Well, there are certain spells that allow a unicorn to sense the presence of nearby ponies,” he explained. “I knew you were under there before I even walked up to this table.”
“If you knew they were here,” Luna interjected, “Why’d you come to this table then?”
“I was curious as to why three fillies were hiding under a table instead of enjoying this party,” Atlas said with a raised eyebrow. “As fillies are supposed to do at that age.”
The three fillies cringed away from the pointed look Atlas gave them. “We… uhh… should probably go and do that now…” Applebloom stammered. The other two vehemently nodded their consent shortly before they made a run for it with another apology staying in their wake.
“They’re so innocent,” Atlas stated while looking as the trio went back to mingling with the masses.
“I think the whole town would agree if I said that you could hardly call these three innocent,” Luna chuckled. “As I’ve been told, they’re responsible for quite a bit of property damage around here.”
“Cutie Mark hunting?” Atlas asked, which Luna confirmed. “Still, they’re still ignorant to the troubles of grown-ups, which allows them to search for their purpose in such a carefree manner. Compared to someone like me…”
“Well, compared to you, everypony’s innocent, even the most hardy of criminals,” Luna said in jest.
“Ouch,” Atlas cringed.
“You did plunge Equestria into an era of chaos,” Luna pressed further.
“Hey, it got better, didn’t it?” Atlas smiled. “Also, could you stop roasting your father at his own party?”
“My dearest father doesn’t seem to enjoy his party all that much,” Luna said off-handedly.
“Well, it did come at a somewhat inopportune time,” Atlas sighed. “I’m sure you can agree?”
“I most certainly can,” Luna said, watching Pinkie Pie as she cheered ponies on while they played pin the tail on the pony. “Yet, it is a very kind gesture. I’m sure Pinkie just wants to help in her own way. You are incredibly tense, and she probably just wanted to lighten the mood a bit before we all plunge ourselves into our respective tasks during the next few weeks.”
“I suppose you’re right…” Atlas replied, also watching the pink pony across the room. “I do believe just one night of revelry wouldn’t hurt…” he added after a moment of thinking. “I can still vaguely remember a time before all of this mess… a time where I probably would’ve started on fixing all this mess on the day before the deadline…”
“I can hardly imagine you being like that,” Luna snorted. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you as tardy as you describe yourself.”
“Well, I once was,” Atlas said with a forlorn look in his eyes. “Before all this mess started.”
Luna looked at her father as he stared into the distance, at something far beyond the confines of the room they were in and a twinge of pain resonated within her heart. Atlas was shouldering such a big burden on his own, and had done so for far too long. It was time that he opened himself up to the help of others.
“Come now, don’t get all depressed, you’re too old for that,” Luna jested. “This is a party, and you’re going to enjoy it,” she added with finality before magically grabbing Atlas by the neck and dragging towards the nearest social game. “You can worry about saving the world tomorrow.”
“But mooooom!” Atlas whined while letting his whole body go limp. He put up a childish resistance, but a smile formed on his face nonetheless. “I suppose I did earn myself a small break…” he muttered as he was being dragged along.
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Woo! Fun times for all now that a Atlas has returned!
still want loads of pony reacting to atlas being there princess father, still cant wait for story to go on, oh and welcome back you were missed
unexpected chapter hooo!
Figures the new chapter comes out only a couple weeks after I start tracking this thing, and it'll be regular.
This is not a complaint. How often do you think updates will be? Weekly, every 2 weeks..?
Mountain of....
cdn.picsauce.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/AwhjzGY.jpg
HUZZAH!! IT HAS RETURNED!!
I'm glad to see this story again, I missed it.
Welcome back.
Yes. Yes you were certainly missed. Welcome back, glad to see your return.
Teach me!
Will that help me notice whether Sweetie is in the kitchen or not?
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Updates sometimes happen pretty soon, as authors sometimes do after bursts of inspiration, but don't hold your breath. Many good stories, including this one, update fairly uncommonly, at least compared to others. Yet you can be sure that it will never "die" like others.
Of course, when it isn't on hiatus or something, it updates several times a month. But it isn't "supposed" to come out in any particular time period.
The stories that do that are usually commissions, and the writer has about 2-3 chapters buffer to release when they need a break.
Boo! The authors back, boo!! *throws apples* Was reading a story just moment's ago. It was getting good. Just randomly check up if there was new chapters and BAM!! New chap. Have to drop whatever my things and read this great story. You should feel ashamed.
Its alive, ITS ALIVE
Good stuff
“I’ll do it tomorrow”
Self insert confrimed
Two days off a week thats a ton my job doesnt give people in my position any days off. Everyday 9hr shifts
a grate chapter.
Atlas has the weight of the world on his solders.
well ok that pun is a bit much but it fits hear.
I have to slog trough 3 stories just to get to pony
ville
Edit: I just read all of the other ones AND THEY ARE FUCKING AMAZING I take back everything
welcome back, Gordon Ramsgenie :p
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Also, all of this ^
After three months of not a single one of the stories I've been reading getting an update, I finally see one. And it was this story. And not going to lie, I'm so glad it was. I really miss Atlas' grand tale. And I love the idea of the pinkie party, he really needed this after everything going to CRAP.
We now resume regular service? Light chapter to start back before the heavy stuff hits.
Great to have you back with us!
I'd love to see a sobering moment with atlas in a room full of important ponies, the mane six, the princesses, others ponies, and after someone says something he starts reminiscing out loud about his past, all the good, all the bad, with a moment like
Atlas: I had a wife once... I truly felt like everything could settle down, that maybe we could live out our lives together... then like always, it all came crashing down in the most painful way possible
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what job is that, what country?
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probably america lol