Awakening Pink

by Masterweaver

Pegasus Driving, make way!

After I had gotten dressed and plunked my saddlebags onto my back, I hung out with Julien and Linda as we tried to teach the pretty pink pony princess proper prancing. Harold and Jacqueline watched us while chatting about whether or not Harold would become Big Mac or who, exactly, Jacqueline would become. I think they thought it was contagious... which I guess might have made a little bit of sense, except that it didn't explain how I was infected in the first place. Oh well, mystery of nature and magic.

It was a short while later that Erishy rolled back up, car filled with noms for everyone which Ian and Ginny handed out. The next leg of our trip would be a long one, taking us to Kansas City at last, and so we set about preparing the next bout of driving arrangements. The long-legged Linda found she could only fit into the Cosplayer's van, and even then only after Jacqueline moved her fabrics and cosplay things into the rear seat of Erica's car. Of course, the tents were all rolled up and jammed on top of those. Jackie was a good sport about it of course, and she and Ginny promised to ride with Linda; Julien reluctantly agreed to go in a different car and, after some talk, we decided to load up all the males in the Pinkiemobile. Of course that would leave Erishy alone, so my saddlebags migrated behind the shotgun seat of Erishy's car as I slid in.

As we drove out of the parking lot, I arranged my noms around my seat, placing my steamed lemonade and assortment of small cookies and crackers in a precariously balanced arrangement. I turned around to pull my iPad out, noting with some amusement that Figment had an arm around the striped Fluttershy plushie--he's such a flirt-- before flicking open my e-mail.

Hi Mom! Sorry I didn't contact you yesterday. There was a huge fan gathering the night before and then that whole thing at IHOP--here's a link to the vid--and then, well, other news I'm sure you've heard. But I've met up with Erica, Fluttershy's counterpart, and we're all unharmed and coping. So yeah, on the road now! Plus I've got the Element of Laughter.

It really should be called something different.

I smiled, sending off the message and glancing out the road. Ian had probably updated her every stop anyway, but... I felt this would be a bit more reassurance. Was there anything else I needed to do?

I grimaced. Oh yeah...

With a sigh I shifted over to facebook, locating the picture of Cadance--and the Cakes, apparently--that had been posted to Erishy's profile. I opened a tab to the sender's userpage and, delicately, began to compose a roundabout method of informing the guy of what had really happened.

So I hear you're Cadance! Or at least have her form. I have the body of the Pinkinator! And the scientific inquisitiveness of Bill Nye. So let's conduct an experiment shall we?

First, get yourself a comfy couch, make sure it's really comfy, and I mean comfy. Now make yourself a plate of plain old crackers. Don't matter the brand, just hard and crunchy and a lot of them. Also, music! Music is important. Very important, relaxing music for the Cadenza. Do all of this before reading any further.

I'm serious. Get your big fluffy tail to the kitchen and get yourself those noms. They must be bland.

Did you get the noms? Are you relaxed? Cause if you aren't the experiment's not going to work.

Now that you have noms and comfy resting, I need you to figure out telekinesis for me. Just, you know, anything. I'm no unicorn, though I met one yesterday, so I'm not sure what to tell you. But don't think with your horn is my guess. Think with tentacles of magic, grab a cracker and eat it. Do this again until you've got a rhythm, don't read any further.

No I'm serious. Again. Don't read further. There's a reason for this, trust your Auntie Pinkie. She's got a lab coat and goggles so she's clearly a scientist.

Have you got down nomming regularly? Good. Now I need you to answer one question, and I need you to answer it very, very, very, very calmly, because this is for science and your emotions going wild will ruin the results. Are you ready for this? Are you? Huh? Well then....

What color is your magic?

Hopefully the relaxed environment and slow information processing would keep the guy calm when he realized he wasn't who he thought he was. I glanced out the window, realizing that at some point during my typing we had hit the freeway, before shrugging and taking a sip of my drink. Ah... steamed lemonade. One of my better ideas. Celestia and Fluttershy could keep their boiled leaves, all I needed was a warm glass of sweet and sour yellow to keep me happy.

The car cabin was silent, not even the radio on. I shut my eyes and listened to the various rumblings and squeaks of modern transportation.

"How... How is Pinkie doing?"

My eyes opened as I turned to Erishy, who was giving me a nervous look and chewing her lip. "Hmm? Hold on...." I took a moment to peer into my own mind annd search for the felt pony; what I found was rather unexpected, but strangely reassuring. "...well, I’m getting an image of her bouncing around happily in Halo style body armor so I’m guessing she’s okay?"

Erishy turned back to the road. "Oh... well that’s good I guess, tell her hi for me." A small smile formed on her face.

"You do realize we share a set of ears, right?" I clarified with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah but if I just say ‘Hi Pinkie’ then I’ll feel like I’m being rude to you..."

"Oooooooo..kaaaaaaaaaay." How was that rude? Wasn't it more rude to talk about Pinkie like she wasn't there?

"But... but I just remember how weird it was, being stuck without a body and I wanted to know that she was okay but I don’t want to make you upset and I really don’t know how you feel about it because I don’t know you as well as I know Pinkie then again I only knew Pinkie for maybe a--"

I plugged the rambling stream of apologetic explanation. "I know what it’s like to worry too much about impressions, okay? Don’t worry. I don’t judge. Except when it comes to art." I gave her a sly smile as I removed my hoof. "Then I’m overly critical of everything."

That seemed to calm her down. She went back to looking at the highway, reading the signs and smiling faintly as she drove along.

"...So, anyway. I just realized something," I said, suddenly breaking the silence. "We’ve got, what, four ponies in this little caravan of ours now?"

"Yeah," the pegasus confirmed.

"And I’m the only genderbent."

Erishy shrugged. "Erica was a lesbian, Fluttershy was straight, sort of a mismatch there but yeah you’re the only one in our little group who swapped genders."

I blinked in surprise. "Yeah, wonder what that says about me... you were, uh, how to put this, homosexual?" That was a bit of information I hadn't known about. "So... you’re bisexual now or....?" I briefly wondered how she would feel if I told her I was a baptist; there were issues between the church and the LGBT community I did not want to step in.

"Well... are you straight? Like, you like girls?"

"I was more asexual then anything, but I could find attraction to females where I could not to males, yes."

"Well..." She tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully. "I guess you might not understand as well, but I feel like half my attractions and reasons for those attractions are gone. I look at... A female, and I feel a certain attraction, but a part of me sort of pulls away and is like ‘bleeeeh’ so... I don’t know..."

That certainly seemed odd. "Are we talking human females or pony females?"

"I..." A faint blush formed on her face. "Whatever. Stuff. Wow I just can’t talk about this stuff since I merged with Shy."

"Ah... hmmm." I raised an eyebrow at the obvious excuse, before moving my hoof randomly across my ipod. "That could be a problem, seeing as I’m looking at your facebook profile and seeing five or six separate marriage proposals."

Erishy tensed for a second, before realizing who she was talking to and rolling her eyes. "Uh huh."

"Was it really that obvious?"

"I know my own character well enough to know that a Fluttershy obsessed fanboy... or girl," she conceded, "wouldn’t be so forward."

I stared at her grin.

Had she... had she never heard of rule thirty four?

"Er. Erica... I don’t know how to put this gently but... Well... some of them actually are."

"What?!"

OH MY GOD WE NEARLY DIED.

"What do you mean?" she asked again, once the car was back under control.

Slowly, I peeled my hooves off the armrests. "Okay first: EYES ON THE ROAD, EYES ON THE ROAD, EVEN IN SHOCK EYES ON THE ROAD." I took a breath. "Second, I’ve read some pretty... well, interesting fanfics. The well written ones cut to black, but a marriage proposal is not forward. Sudden, but not forward."

She relaxed, giggling a bit. "Hey, fanfics and reality are two different things. Thank goodness."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, yes. I said so, back at the camp." Nope, she wasn't getting it. Well, I guess it might have been for the best anyway.

I mean, Fluttershy not realizing there were perverse creatures out there would keep things calm....

We rode in silence for a while. Then I remembered something, and turned to Erishy with a mischievous smirk. "Did I ever tell you I met Discord once?"

"Really? My memories of my one meeting with him kind of blur into a cloud of hate and spite."

"Oh I’m not talking about Pinkie," I clarified. "I’m talking about Reid."

She shot me a curious look. "Oh... in a fanfiction?"

"In a dream." I shrugged. "Granted, a dream about a fanfiction, but you know, still counts."

That got her attention. "What happened?"

I grinned and leaned back, spreading my hooves in a story telling gesture. "Well, I’d spent the previous night staying up and reading the latest arc in the Pony Point Of View series--you know about those?"

"I’ve never been big on fanfictions."

"Huh..." Wow, was she missing out. "Well... anyway, this latest arc took place in an alternate timeline where, let’s be blunt, Discord won. So you know, bad place all around... interesting fact, Liarjack eventually awoke as the new Element of Kindness." I paused to see if that got any reaction, but she seemed to be more interested in listening then examining my words. "Anywho, so I spent all night reading this, then I went to bed, and I had this dream where a part of me basically hopped around and gave the characters in the arc bits of cryptic advice. And the last stop was Discord. Basically I taunted him, he got mad, and he snapped his fingers so I couldn’t dream of that particular world any more. I woke up, PMd the fic’s author, he asked me to record it, and I blogged about the whole thing. Here, let me find it..."

Erishy flicked a hoof forward. "Driving, remember?"

"I’ll just facebook you the link."

"Okay. Well, whether that was part of a multiverse thingie or not, back to the genderbent issue, why’d you bring it up, you having trouble with it?"

"Sorry what?" I blinked in confusion, too focused on my story to remember the previous discussion. "I think I lost the trail of the conversation here. Why’d I bring what up?"

"You mentioned that you were the only genderbent pony."

"Oh." Oh yeah, that thing! "Yeah, I was just, you know, pointing it out. Like ‘oh hey, that’s a bit weird, does it mean anything’ kind of way."

She quirked an eyebrow at my caviler reply. "You aren’t at all weirded out by losing your masculinity?"

"Read waaaaaaaaaaay too many webcomics." I waved a dismissive hoof. "Had mental schemes for a number of random events. It’s odd, but hey. Of course most of these schemes had me having hands, ya’know?"

Erishy mimed throwing up. "Is that really every guy's first plan in the event of transgendering?"

What?

"....wait, what?"

What did she mean?

"What are you talking about?"

She blushed, giving me a sidelong glance. "Wait... what were you talking about, with the having hands bit?"

"The keyboard for the internet!" I said. I mean wasn't it obvious?

She snapped her gaze to the road. "Right. Right, keyboard. yup, that was my thought too."

Honestly, what could have induced such a reaction? It was almost like she expected me to experiment with--

Oh.

Oh ho ho. Our little Fluttershy was a closet perv, was she?

"Not that I’m not curious, you understand," I said with a sly grin. "I just didn’t want to get my hands dirty and it’s a rather pointless line of questioning."

"Pointless, yup." Her eyes darted left and right. "So what does Pinkie think of having a guy’s brain in her body?"

"...er..."

I considered her question, trying to remember if Pinkie ever said anything on the subject. "Ya know, I don’t think she’s thought about it." Shutting my eyes, I wandered over to the felt warzone.

Hey, Fluttershy wants to know how you feel about a male piloting your body.

Well that's kinda beside the point. Boy or girl it--BOOM! HEADSHOT!--doesn't matter, if the guy in the driver's seat is good I'll trust them. Hey, are there candy themed shooters?

I've heard of a few, dredge through my memories if you like. "She says she sees nothing different than having a girl’s brain in her body. It’s all about the person."

Erishy nodded. "So... Just curious... what’s keeping you two from fusing?"

I shot her a firm flare. "Excuse me, miss diveboard, but we are synthesizing. In a slow, and comfortable manner. I prefer to walk into the pool."

"Okay, sorry..." She shied away from me slightly. "I hope it didn’t offend you... I just feel better since it happened."

I sighed. I didn't mean to be so harsh... "No, I get it, I just... you know, don’t like people looking over my shoulder when I draw, so... work on my own time... it’s a thing with me." With that awkward statment, I realized I should probably drop the subject; I sipped my drink quietly.

"...You seem to be eager for me to ask what you are drinking."

That was random. "I... do?" Well, it was a subject of conversation anyway. "It’s... lemonade that has been warmed to the point where it steams."

Erishy considered my words. "That.... sounds almost as good as lime and cucumber gatorade."

"Having never tasted that, I’m going to go on a limb and say it’s a lot better."

"Limecumber is awesome!"

I smiled at her grin. "To each their own. Rallying cry of humanity."

Comments

[Hope]

LIMECUMBER!

[Masterweaver]

1604656

LEMONADE!

[RF and AG]

BOOM! HEADSHOT!--

[Ocean Breeze]

1604686
Why not both?

[Masterweaver]

1604771

.....eeeeeeeeeew.

[averagejoey2000]

1604771 now that's thinking with your dipstick

[Masterweaver]

1604996

No need to be rude, sirrra.

[TundraStanza]

*Sees battle of the beverages*
*Insert combo breaker*
I like trains.

[Red Bomber]

Hmm, I kinda like the way you two are now. Being friends who just happen to share a body, reminds me of this one character from Young Justice.

[Red Bomber]

I just remember what I wanted to say to you. You kind of have a problem with the other Cadence do you?

[Masterweaver]

1607559

You mean the author? No, I'm just ribbing him so he updates. He's got a good story he just needs to put it up.

[Red Bomber]

1607635

I see then. I hope he's not slow as crap as I am, if so, then I think the story will just break off into another universe. Meaning, there's a chance that they'll get dropped ouf of the main time line and he'll just have to make due with another one. But, that doesn't have to be the case, right?

[Braininthejar]

Too many webcomics?

Misfile, El Goonish Shive, Eerie Cuties I am guessing?

[jakol]

FANTA!

(Jury agrees verdict has been reached)

[Thunder Bash]

I only drink water and milk, so I have no comment on the Beverage Debate

[Rough Boulder]

I’m getting an image of her bouncing around happily in Halo style body armor so I’m guessing she’s okay?

so that explains Fluttershy being bulletproof, ARMOUR LOCKING!

[nemryn]

Reid forgot to ask the other Cadence how many ribs he has!

[NSFW]

DUDE YOU HAVE TO MANY AWESOME ONE LINERS sediosjefwef
and if i may ask, what is that last line quote from??? i like it. and didnt find squat when i googled it

[dafiltafish]

Please let dashie be in an Illinois college.

[Alondro]

>>>Erishy nodded. "So... Just curious... what’s keeping you two from fusing?"

I shot her a firm flare. "Excuse me, miss diveboard, but we are synthesizing. In a slow, and comfortable manner. I prefer to walk into the pool.">>>

Heh heh... fusing...

I suspect their fusion will go... something like this!

[Pinklestia]

Heated lemonade? Had it, is good.

[justintym4fun]

>>Hope >>Masterweaver

I don't know if both of you will see this, but I wanted to congratulate you both on how well your stories connect, forming a larger whole. I haven't caught up on Marcus Dash's story yet, but am looking forward to seeing how his story, as well as Isaac/Twilight's and Tony/Rarity's integrate into the 'verse as well. Keep up the good work! Also, do either of you know the name of issactheshybrony's story about Twilight? It's not listed in the Verse 's folders, as far as I can see. Thanks!

P.S. I will also post this on Hope's story, just in case.