Pinkie's Guide to Greater Equestria

by GrangeDisplay

Ch 5: Pleasures of the Flesh

Morning came over Dodge Junction as a beautiful sunrise that painted the vast and empty horizon in vibrant, warm colors. There was a soft rumbling of hooves humming throughout the town as ponies rose to begin a new day of work.

Cranky wanted nothing more than to sleep in. Most of yesterday was spent running and hopping around as Pinkie zipped from sight to sight and pony to pony. He was utterly exhausted, only finding solace in the expense-free stay at the local inn.

The soft mattress and plush pillow felt like heaven to his aching body, but right when he was ready to finally rest, Pinkie started to make herself comfortable too. She commandeered one of the drawers in the room, nestled in with her quilt, and passed out. Cranky couldn’t even wake her if he tried. As lively as she was during the day, the kid slept like a rock. He opted to take the sound of snoring over her talking and drifted off as well.

When morning came, Pinkie had awoken him, insisting they get breakfast together before exploring more of the town. She yanked the sleepy-eyed donkey out of bed with surprising strength.

They were served porridge at the inn's dining area, which Pinkie greedily wolfed down. Patrons of the inn eyed Cranky suspiciously, silently judging him for failing to feed a kid he had known for less than a few days.

Aside from the sound of Pinkie gobbling her food, Cranky could hear ponies congregating outside a nearby window. Their voices started as a mere murmur but crescendoed into a heated discussion. From the hubbub, Cranky could discern the distinct tone of none other than Buffalo Bull.

“Now, this is just absurd. I know y’all said he wasn’t a fan of having fun, but these rules are crazy!”

An unfamiliar voice seemed to agree with him. “We told y’all we was in desperate times. Mayor Drudgery started coming up with all these rules after he narrowly won his election.”

“No wonder it was narrow. Take a look at this Calamity. ‘No gambling, no salt-licking, no spitting!”

“I’ve seen 'em Buffalo,” confirmed Calamity.

“I mean I can get ‘no firing crossbows or fighting, unless during times of conflict’ but ‘no dancing or looking at geese past 9 o’clock?’ I’m not sure if any of our acts even qualify anymore.”

More grunts of dismay came from the group, which seemed to grow by the minute. Cranky tried to focus on his breakfast, but it seemed even Pinkie was getting drawn into the gossip.

Porridge splattered onto the table as she flailed her spoon about. “I’m confused. Aren’t all those things bad anyway? Mayor Drudgery isn’t being mean by banning dangerous stuff. My ma does that all the time. Even when it makes me sad, I know she’s just trying to protect us.”

Cranky was a bit caught off guard by Pinkie’s confession. If the last few days had taught him anything, it was that she was pretty bad at following instructions. This gave him the impression that she had a rebellious streak, but he also had to admit that her propensity for non-conformity might be more accidental than anything.

He stirred around his porridge as he explained, “The circumstances are a little bit more complicated than mothers and daughters, kid. It seems like you understand why ponies don’t like being told what to do. But it gets even more frustrating when you’re grown.”

“Even more frustrating?” Pinkie asked with wide eyes. “Being an adult must be tough.”

Cranky chuckled to himself. “Kid, you’ve got no idea.”

“Even if everypony has a reason to be all angry at the mayor, I still hope he knows he has a friend. Being the main pony in charge must be lonely.”

I’ve never heard that one before. Cranky thought. Out of all the sentiments he had heard about politicians throughout his life, those words were the most sympathetic. “It may be, but it's what he asked for when he took on the job.”

“I guess,” Pinkie said while chewing her lip. She perked up in her seat as she came upon a new idea. “How about we get him a gift in town today? That way he knows that we like him at least.”

Cranky had already reflected on Pinkie’s inability to listen but still tried to dissuade her in the most definitive way possible. “No way. It’s best not to get involved. I promise that he expects nothing more than what he’s getting. It's a thankless job in a thankless world. Got it?”

Pinkie's brow furrowed as she contemplated before conceding.

“Got it.”

---

“Look Cranky! Cherry trees!” shouted Pinkie, already running to the nearest tree.

“Easy there kid! Don’t pick at trees that don’t belong to you,” Cranky said before adding, “at least not in broad daylight!”

Pinkie waited for Cranky to catch up by running circles around the tree. She pranced in endless bliss at the sight of ripened cherries hanging from the branches. Her smile was reflected by the tiny red surfaces as she beamed up at them.

Having seen most of the center of Dodge Junction, Pinkie and Cranky had opted to explore the outskirts. Outside the town center was a series of farms and ranches, owned by the ponies most influential in supporting the young town’s growth. The properties were sweeping verdant acres of color in an otherwise desolate, desert area.

Guessing that the cherry trees would probably satiate Pinkie’s endless curiosity for a few minutes, Cranky took a seat under the tree. He rested his head against the trunk and shut his eyes as Pinkie marveled around him.

“Oh they’re so pretty!” she marveled.

“They sure are,” said an unknown, but familiar voice.

Cranky popped open an eye at the intrusion. He spotted none other than Calamity Jane approaching them from somewhere within the field.

“Oh my goodness!” Pinkie shouted, covering her muzzle in surprise.

She rested her hoof on the cherry tree and smiled at Pinkie sweetly. “It’s nice to see somepony else admire this place as much as I do.”

“Of course,” Pinkie chirped, “Do you like cherries Miss Calamity?”

“Sure do honey,” Calamity answered, showing off her cutiemark. “They are my special talent after all.”

Pinkie’s jaw dropped as she looked at the bright red cherries on Calamity’s pale-yellow flank. It wasn’t until now that she was close enough to the performer to see her cutiemark.

“What! But what about the Wild West Show? Shouldn’t you have a lassoer cutiemark or a performer cutiemark?” Pinkie asked incredulously.

“Not exactly honey, ponies can do a lot more than what their special talents demand. I adore cherries, but I like lots of other things too. Life can be more than one thing you know.”

“Wow!” Pinkie exclaimed, thoroughly blown away by Calamity’s words of wisdom.

Seeing that Pinkie was eager to talk, Calamity also took a seat under the tree and gestured for Pinkie to do the same. She gave Cranky a cursory glance, seeing the old donkey resting peacefully and harmlessly. She leaned into Pinkie to tell her a secret.

“Guess what,” she whispered.

“What,” Pinkie whispered back, shaking with glee.

“My name isn’t even Calamity Jane. It’s actually Cherry Jubilee.”

“Cherry Jubilee?” Pinkie said, giving the name a try. “How cool, that's a great name!”

“Why thank you, sweetheart,” Cherry said with a giggle.

“Calamity Jane is a super cool name, but why go by that if Cherry Jubilee is already so pretty.”

“Like I said, ‘life can be more than one thing.’ Ponies can like more than one thing and be more than one thing.”’

“I guess that makes sense! My cutiemark has three balloons, but I’m not a balloon pony. I’m a party pony!” Pinkie shouted, throwing up her hooves and falling onto her back.

“A party pony?” Cherry asked, “Now, that sounds like a real fun talent. What’s a fun-loving filly like you doing in a fun-hating town like this.”

Pinkie sat up and looked at Cherry. “This town isn’t fun-hating at all!”

“Oh, you think so?” Cherry questioned, genuinely curious.

“Yep, I know so,” Pinkie answered with a nod. “I met the mayor yesterday and he said so.”

Cherry couldn’t help but grimace at the memory of listening to the mayor's dull and monotone voice. “Maybe so, but as a party pony, you don’t think all his rules are a bit much?”

Pinkie shook her head. “Not at all. He bans stuff that can harm ponies. The inadvisable behaviors section of A Foal’s Guide to Greater Equestria says that spitting is gross, drunkenness causes disorderliness, and that the consequences of gambling aren't worth the cost.”

“Those can all be true. But life is about living. And a lot of those banned things can be real fun. It’s about alleviating the stresses of this life. Things shouldn’t be all work and sacrifice. Sometimes you gotta indulge in the pleasures of the flesh,” Cherry said with conviction.

Pinkie cocked her head to the side and looked at Cherry curiously. “What’s the pleasures of the flesh?”

Cherry scratched the side of her face thoughtfully. “Oh, you know. It’s about feeling as many good things as you can before you can’t feel anything anymore. It might not be the best for your soul or you in the long term. But what’s life if not a bunch of little moments. Might as well take a little moment to do what feels good.”

Pinkie hummed to herself and pointed up at the cherries above. “So it's like if I wanted to eat this cherry, even though I’m not supposed to because it's not mine. But, I really want to, because it's ripe and red and juicy and it's one little cherry among a whole bunch of cherries!”

Cherry smiled at the filly as she stood and plucked two cherries from the tree. She winked at Pinkie as she handed her one cherry and kept the other for herself.

“I don’t think that want is too bad. Just use moderation. When indulging in the pleasures of the flesh, try to pursue things that will mainly hurt you,” Cherry explained.

“Hurt me?” Pinkie asked, gawking at the cherry.

“Don’t worry about the cherry sweetheart. I’m talking more generally like how something might come back to bite you in ways you never expected.”

Pinkie leaned in. “Like what?”

“Well,” Cherry began rubbing her chin anxiously. “Like when the cute colt next door asks you to travel Equestria with him rather than spending your days maintaining your family Cherry farm. And you think, ‘Why not? Why not be more than one thing? Why not live?’ So, you leave home and travel from town to town, sleeping under the stars and meeting all types of creatures. And as the weeks pass you look over at that colt and realize he’s not much of a colt anymore. He’s a rugged and strong stallion, who is also your best friend in the whole world. And you think to yourself, ‘There’s no way he sees me the same way.’ But, he does, he really does. He sees you as a charming and beautiful mare and asks for your hoof in marriage. At first, you're elated, but then you realize that this is way more than what you expected. What about the cherries? What about your destiny? How could you possibly reconcile his dreams with yours? So you panic. And you run and run until you find the one place outside of his forehooves that feels like a home. And you ask yourself, ‘Whatever happened to the pleasures of the flesh? How did I let this get this far?’”

A silence swept over the cherry orchard as Cherry Jubilee lost herself in thought. Pinkie looked at her in bewilderment, having understood about half of what she just heard but still being worried about her new friend’s despondent state.

The monologue had even awoken Cranky who eyed the young mare knowingly. Neither Pinkie nor Cranky knew what to say in response so they just looked at each other in uncertainty.

“Ah, I’m sorry y’all,” Cherry apologized with a blush. “I got a little off topic, didn’t I? What were we talking about again?”

“The ‘pleasures of the flesh?’” Cranky supplied with a raised eyebrow.

“Right, yep, thank you, sir. Taking care of your urges and needs may bite you, but it's just a part of being alive. Up to a certain point, I think ponies should be able to make their own choices, even if those choices aren’t always the best.”

Pinkie considered Cherry’s words carefully. It was crazy to think of all the new things she had seen in a few days. And now, she was hearing new things too. Ideas and thoughts that ran counter to everything she was taught.

It was scary, and it was exciting.

She opted to store it in the back of her mind for safe keeping. The trio enjoyed the warmth and the shade as they exchanged stories and experiences.

After some time, Pinkie started picking at the cherry trees’ bark, and Cherry helped her. Cranky tried not to stir too much as they chipped off a few pieces of cherry bark. He flashed them a partly disapproving and partly confused look, but Cherry was the only one who was phased by it.

“What,” she asked as if Cranky was the weird one. “It has beneficial properties.”

By noon, Pinkie was itching to run and explore once more, and Cranky was just rested enough to follow her. He let her run ahead as he shook the last remains of sleepiness off of him. Cherry told them that she would stay behind, but that she would definitely see them later. As Cranky stretched out his legs, she spoke to him.

“Hope I didn’t warp your kid's mind too much, sir. I’ve been told I’m a bit of a bad influence,” she joked.

“Not at all, It's not like she understood anything,” Cranky said, with a hoof wave before adding, “And she’s not my kid. She just latched on to me. I’m trying to get her to Baltimare, but the railroads shut down.”

“Well, if you need to get her there, Buffalo and I can take her,” Cherry offered. “Ain’t no reason for us to stay where we ain’t wanted, and we got room.”

Cranky nodded at the words, overcome with a deep sense of relief. “I think I’ll take you up on that. But I guess that means you’re planning on staying with him?”

Cherry suddenly flushed red as she stammered, “I-I uh…I’m not too sure what you mean sir.”

“I ain’t dumb kid,” Cranky shook his head and smiled, “Take it from a donkey with regrets. When you love somepony, you tell them, and you stick to them. If that love is real, they’ll stick right back, and things will fall in place.”

“Right,” Cherry said pensively, lacking her usual confidence. She looked at Cranky with an uneven smile. “Thanks, sir.”

---

“Hey Cranky, what’s your favorite pleasure of the flesh?” Pinkie questioned as they returned to the town center.

Thoroughly caught off guard Cranky sputtered for a solid minute before answering, “Listen, I know you’re curious and all, but…maybe that's a question you should refrain from asking…forever.”

“Oh, really? Why?”

“Uh…well… let’s just say that the overall talk was applicable to many things, but the term, ‘pleasure of a flesh’ is a little more… specific.”

“Oh,” Pinkie mumbled, thinking deeply about what Cranky was implying. In a bizarre instance of acuteness, Pinkie almost immediately caught on to what Cranky meant. “Wait…I get it! Is it a reference to se-”

“Hey!” Cranky interjected. “Look there kid, a mob. You like those right? Let’s go check that out and stop talking!”

Pinkie refocused on her surroundings, finding the inhabitants of Dodge Junction operating in full swing. The energy was similar to the day prior as ponies scrambled to make the most of daylight. And just like the day before, a large mob of onlookers gathered around a central figure.

She was a maroon-colored mare donning a bowler cap. She stood in front of a foreclosed building, surrounded by crates of goods. One of the crates was opened, and filled with saltwater taffy, which she gave out in hoofuls.

“I know, I know. Long time no see folks. I hope these taffies can make up for my absence. What can I say, I’m a busy mare,” said the mare.

She beamed at the crowd, returning the same energy they gave her. It was a radically different reception than the one given to Drudgery. Instead of taunts and jeers, the mare received praise and kind comments.

“What ya been up to Ferrous?”

“Where've ya been Ferrous?”

“The town ain’t been the same since ya left!”

“When are you gonna reopen the saloon? I got too many bits sitting around in my pocket!”

“Easy, easy folks! I appreciate y’all’s concern,” Ferrous soothed with a laugh. “I’ve been taking a little me time since the election. It’s not like there's much for me to do here since the saloon got shut down, so I’ve been staying on my cousin's farm to recoup.”

A sense of ill-will returned to the crowd at the mention of the election, but Ferrous fought to maintain control with an easy-going smile.

“I’ve heard all about what the mayor has been doing. And all I can say is that I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better candidate for y’all,” Ferrous apologized, removing her hat, and holding it close to her heart.

Somepony spoke up from the crowd, “Aw it ain’t your fault Ferrous. You did your best. Have you heard anything from Shorty?”

“Ole Shorty?” Ferrous asked with a growing smile. “Y’all know that nothing can keep that scoundrel down. He wrote me and said he got big plans for the future. Knowing him, we should all be scared.”

She burst out into a chuckle, and the crowd joined in. Pinkie was intrigued by how one pony could elicit such a fond response from so many. It was clear that Ferrous was popular since she controlled the crowd with ease. Even Shorty, who wasn’t present, appeared to have a sizable number of fans.

Ponies missed them when they were absent and wondered what they were doing when they were gone. What does somepony have to do to be adored by so many? Pinkie wondered as Ferrous’ chuckle bellowed out over the crowd.

Cranky used the distraction as an excuse to catch his breath and eat some taffy. Pinkie grew oddly still, silently fixating on the ground as the crowd multiplied by the minute. She dug up a solitary pebble while Ferrous addressed her eager supporters.

“Hey, Cranky?” Pinkie asked, placing the pebble into her saddlebag. “I’m gonna get a drink of water.”

“Yeah sure, kid,” Cranky muttered dismissively.

Pinkie skittered off, passing the nearby water trough, and heading straight to Town Hall. She tried not to garner too much attention as she opened the door and entered the main lobby. At first glance, the inside of Town Hall looked more like a home than an office space.

Shiny wooden furniture decorated every corner. By the front door was a large grandfather clock with a mesmerizing pendulum. The sound of its ticking bounced off the walls combining with muffled voices from upstairs.

Pinkie looked up the stairs and might have considered going back for a brief millisecond had there not been an enchanting ray of light that shined down the polished steps. She surreptitiously made her way up the stairs, stopping at the door presumably leading to Drudgery’s office.

The voices sounding from the room were in deep conversation, so Pinkie chose to sit and wait patiently. As she waited, her ears perked up at the familiar sound of Drudgery’s monotone voice.

“Y’all played your game the way y’all wanted to and still lost. So, I brought y’all here to tell y’all personally that you better stop meddling in my town’s affairs.”

“‘My town?’” questioned the mocking tone of Idler. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but you’re not too popular around here these days.”

“You’d only think that if you were hanging around the youngsters in town. The older folks understand the importance of order.”

“And how long do you think that will last?” asked Idler.

There was a pause before Drudgery spoke again, “It doesn't matter. I’m just holding out til I can be certain that your influence isn’t dirtying this town anymore. You let somepony pull a few bricks, and the next thing you know the whole tower comes crumbling down. I won’t let you in. Once you're gone, we’ll all be safe and free.”

Idler cackled. “And you thought that mettling with what is mine was the best way to get rid of me?”

“Well,” Drudgery began with a sigh, “You weren’t responding to my letters, so I thought I’d inform you personally. What is yours will open as soon as you agree to leave my town alone.”

“I’m afraid that that is much easier said than done. I’ve developed quite an affinity for this measly, little town.”

There was a loud bang as Drudgery raised his voice, “Well un-develop it! You lost! I don’t know exactly what y’all are doing, but I know it has to be wrong, and I want no part of it!”

“Your loss. Plenty of ponies would jump at the opportunity to be a part of this. Right, Clipper Ship?” Idler asked casually, seemingly unphased by Drudgery’s outburst.

“I-I think…” began a much more feeble third voice, “that there are merits to accepting Idler’s offer.”

“Listen, son, I’m not sure why Idler brought you here today, but I promise you he ain’t got a decent bone in his body. I think you know that and feel about the same way,” reasoned Drudgery.

“I assure you Drudgery, no appeal to pathos will sway my associate's good judgment. Right, Clipper Ship?”

“I…” Clipper began weakly before his answer died out into an uneasy silence.

One could hear a pin drop as the room became deathly silent. Then suddenly, a commotion broke out. Chairs scraped against the floor and hooves hurried into a trot. The door swung open outward and literally knocked Pinkie off guard.

She was swept up in the movement and shoved out of the way, causing her to hit the wall. Stars blurred her vision as Clipper Ship stumbled out in a huff. His movements were rushed and uncoordinated, a stark contrast to Idler’s graceful saunter. Before making his way down the stairs, Idler turned to smile at Drudgery arrogantly.

“I’ll give your regards to Representative Hardlick. He does speak of you quite often since his arrival in Canterlot. It’s such a shame when good ponies have faith in such unworthy companions.”

With that, Idler departed, followed closely by his cronies. Drudgery stood in the doorway with a stern expression before noticing the fidgeting behind the door. He looked behind it and immediately dropped his facade.

“Oh no, darling they hurt you,” he whispered, rushing into his office to grab a handkerchief.

Pinkie wrinkled her nose as a small stream of blood seeped from her nostrils. It was a little sore, but it didn’t hurt too bad. Drudgery gently cupped her face with a hoof and tried to clean her face to the best of his ability. He appeared more expressive than ever as his face was racked with worry.

“You shouldn’t be here sweetheart. This is grown folks' business.”

“But I came to give you a gif- ah ow,” Pinkie explained with a flinch, trying to ignore the growing pain in her snout. She riffled through her saddlebag and retrieved the pebble she found outside.

“Hold still, I’m almost done,” Drudgery explained, before asking. “What’s the rock for?”

“It’s for you,” Pinkie said, offering him the stone. “It's got basalt, so it's super strong and durable like you. You can stick it in your pocket and never worry about it leaving you. Rocks are super loyal like that, they make great friends, so you never have to worry about it yelling at you.”

She pushed the pebble into Drudgery’s hoof, allowing him to feel its rough curves. It was a small gesture, but it felt much bigger for him than she could ever understand. He genuinely couldn’t remember the last kind thing that had happened to him. It reminded him of home.

He smiled and asked her, “Are you from Rockville or Sediment Town?”

“Rockville! How about you?” Pinkie responded automatically, surprised to find somepony that knew at least two Plain communities.

Drudgery tucked the stone into his vest pocket and patted it. “Born in Sediment Town but grew up in Pluton Port. Left when I was about your age but didn’t get far. I’ve been around these parts since then.”

“So you’re Plain too,” Pinkie murmured with a frown. “Shouldn’t you know better?”

“‘Know better?’” Drudgery questioned.

“Yeah! You got a whole lot of hochmut. That’s why everypony’s mad at you.”

Drudgery blinked a few times. “You think I’m arrogant?”

“Well yeah, but not because you’re a bad pony or anything, it's just…” Pinkie muttered, trying to explain it easily. “It’s like my older sister Limestone! She always tries to tell me and my sisters what to do, and she doesn’t listen to what we think!”

“And that upsets you?” Drudgery pondered.

“Yeah! We all get fussy at her, even if she’s right because she’s not being nice about it. So then pa asks us why nothing is getting done, and we start blaming each other. So pa tells us to be nice and work together as a team.”

Drudgery shook his head defensively. “But somepony has to be in charge, somepony has to make the hard choices. Even you and your sisters applied to authority to fix the situation.”

He looked at Pinkie, assuming he must have stumped her. But she only giggled, unperturbed by the intensity of his argument. It was funny to see an adult be perplexed by such a simple idea.

“Don’t be silly. We weren’t mad at Limestone because she was in charge, we were mad because she wasn’t listening. She wasn’t being a part of us, she was being above us! And pa didn’t ‘fix’ it; he gave us advice after he listened to us too. And we listened to him because we are all a part of one whole, and we love each other!”

“You found harmony. Everypony had their role but maintained mutual respect as members of a collective. You bridged the gap created by your differences through shared understanding and trust,” Drudgery breathlessly reiterated.

“Sure! But most importantly, we listened!” Pinkie chirped.

As Drudgery listened to her he finally understood. He found himself chuckling, recognizing what Pinkie found funny earlier. He still had to be set straight at his age and by none other but a fellow member of the Plain.

He massaged his head, astonished by his burgeoning revelation. “To think that a child would make me aware of such things. Hardlick was so much better at this than me. He just knew what to do.”

“Didn’t he leave you in charge? He believed in you!” Pinkie insisted, trying to rally his spirit.

“He did, but I don’t know why. I was at my best when I was his second hoof. The most experience I had before this was the managing I did on various farms in the area. I know how to handle logistics, not conversations. How do I become what they need me to be?”

Pinkie considered his words, playing with her hooves as she spoke, “It’s kinda like when I first got my cutiemark. All I could think was, ‘alright, now I get to make everypony in my community super-duper happy!’ I thought I’d finally found what part I was supposed to play.”

“But, I’m guessing it didn’t work out?”

“N-no…not quite. I just…I just didn’t fit in there,” Pinkie admitted with a frown. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t fit in anywhere. My pa said that if I look and listen hard enough, I’ll find my place. I just have to be willing to change and grow.”

“‘I just have to be willing to change and grow,’” he mused, remembering his colthood. “All this talk of pride and parts reminds me of an old stallion telling me much the same many moons ago when I first set out on my journey.”

“You don’t mean Mr. Mine Hutch?” Pinkie asked incredulously, studying the gray hues in Drudgery’s mane.

Drudgery snorted involuntarily. Suddenly overcome with energy he exclaimed, “Well I’ll be. Don’t tell me that old coot is still alive! He might as well be older than Celestia!”

Not wanting to disrespect an elder, Pinkie covered her mouth with her hooves but found herself laughing anyway. The joy they felt was contagious as they compared their experiences of growing up Plain.

“Wowie, Mr. Mayor!” Pinkie squeaked after some time. “I really like talking to you, and I bet other ponies would feel the same! Just listen, and everypony will be your friend. Even those stallions who yelled at you earlier!”

Pinkie smiled at the mayor, hoping he could turn a new leaf. But, the older stallion was no longer cheery, returning to his usual grave expression. He grew noticeably paler but offered Pinkie a small smile.

“I appreciate it little one, but listen, you know those stallions that came out of my office? Don’t go anywhere near them.”

Pinkie's ear folded behind her head. “Why not?”

“They’re just not good ponies sweetheart,” Drudgery said as sympathetically as he could, seeing the growing sadness in Pinkie’s eyes.

“But ho-”

Pinkie’s words were silenced by the sound of the front door opening as somepony came in abruptly.

“Mayor Drudgery! Mayor Drudgery!” shouted somepony from downstairs.

Drudgery looked over the banister and shouted. “Is that you Broom Tail? What is it, son?”

“I don’t know how to say this sir but…” began Broom Tail breathlessly, “It’s Shorty! He’s back and he ain’t alone!”

Comments

[sirenc0re]

i really like the interpretation that pinkie is essentially Pony Amish, it adds an interesting depth to her character!! i also like her relationship with cranky, as i suspect theyll be stuck with each other a lot longer than he expects

[GrangeDisplay]

11676753
Thanks! The show gave some interesting character details that make for great opportunities to world-build/character-build. As for Pinkie and Cranky, I look forward to developing their relationship more. And with their combined (seemingly bad) luck, they'll have more time to learn about each other.