The Lost Pie

by Crescent Cloud

Chapter Eight: Powerful Waters Crush Mighty Rocks

The next morning, I was reeling from the sudden change in my cutie mark. How could this have happened? How is this even possible? Is it because I’m a clone, and Equestria is somehow rejecting me?! What if the other two balloons disappear too, and I’m left as a blank flank – an adult blank flank? This was unheard of, unthinkable, and I simply couldn’t fathom why it was happening, or how it was happening. Twilight herself would be hard pressed to figure it out, or even Celestia for that matter.

I was in a slight panic for most of the morning, but after a while I managed to calm down enough to compose myself. I concluded that, since I otherwise seemed fine, and could do nothing about it, I might as well keep an eye on it, but move on and keep trying to find employment and my own way, just as I had been doing up to that point.

After Coco once again left early for Suri (even on a Sunday!) I stayed in the apartment for a while, thinking, staring out windows, and feeling more hesitant this time about venturing out into the city. I was still pretty shaken up about my baking failure and my mark.

After about another hour, I finally resolved to go and get a newspaper to look through job listings. I picked up a paper and a cider and went back to the apartment. I saw some promising leads: a mare looking for a hairdresser for her salon, an ad for a clerk pony in a candy store – at least then I wouldn’t be making the candy – and near the end of the listings I found something particularly intriguing: a party planner was wanted for an upcoming event. Maybe if I couldn’t bake like Pinkie Pie, I could still plan a party liker her, or close. With slight uneasiness, yet renewed determination, I decided to answer the ad.

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I met with the pony throwing the party two days later. It was a party for her daughter’s cuteciñera, so there were balloons, streamers, a band, and tons of food and drinks on the docket, not to mention all the guests. It sounded like tons of fun. I only wish it had turned out that way.

I suppose you know by now where this is going. I did my best to arrange everything, trying to channel the Pinkie Pie spirit to get the job done, but tragedy struck its fatal blow. I’d offer the details, but it only pains me to relive them, and there are more pressing matters to attend to here. Suffice to say, the party was a disaster: things went missing, balls were dropped, and a poor little filly who was supposed to be celebrating her new cutie mark wound up crying because of me.

After all that, I practically dragged myself back to the apartment, aching with embarrassment and the stings felt from another miserable failure, even more so, in fact, than the first. When I arrived, Coco nearly fell out of her seat trying to come over and hug me. She could almost smell my depressive stink before I opened the door.

“Oh, my goodness! That’s awful, I’m so sorry.”

“No, really, it’s fine, I’m sure I’ll be okay.”

“I hope so. You look so upset.”

“Well, y’know, a little hard to come home with a smile on your face when you’ve made a filly cry.”

“Hey, I think I know what’ll cheer you up. Have you ever seen ‘Hinny of the Hills’?”

“Isn’t that a famous Bridleway musical?”

“Mhm, yep, but they released a film version, and it’s fantastic! It stars Hayburn Hoofhop and Whinny Whistler - they have the best chemistry together. It always makes me feel better after a hard day. Do you want to watch it with me? We can make a night of it, have popcorn, cider, the works!”

“How can I say no to that? Sounds great!”

“Oh, yay! I know you’ll love it!”

Coco and I settled in for a night of hills, dancing, and singing nearly as good as Countess Coloratura. I must admit, I began to feel better after a little while, but I couldn’t put off the looming feeling of dissatisfaction forever. Near the end of the movie I had to use the little filly’s room. As I was about to go back out into the living room, I thought I caught something odd in the corner of my eye before I put my dress down. I lifted it up again, and – you guessed it folks – another balloon was gone from my mark, another pop.

I resolved that instant to compose myself and not let on to Coco that anything was wrong. I returned to the couch as if all was normal, but inside I felt like it was more than just the cutie mark that was slowly dissolving – I felt like I was whittling away, little by little. The mirror pond seemed friendlier with each passing day. The rest of the movie, especially its rousingly cheery ending, managed to smooth off the rougher edges of my mood. I went to bed that night, if not happy, at least level, able to sleep it off and see what tomorrow would bring.

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

I wonder what does that mean her Cutie mark is disappearing I wonder what's going to happen to her