> Indelible Ink > by alexisrose1454 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Rock Farm > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *RIIIINNNNGG* “Up! Up! Up!” Slowly getting out of bed was a gray young mare with a long, straight dark-grey mane. She got up and stared around her room. Two other beds lay beside her own. One filled with another body, that of her sister. She was around the same age as her however she sported a shorter light-grey mane and had a purplish sort of coat. The other bed however remained empty. There was no trace of anypony ever sleeping there. Upon seeing this, the grey pony frowned until moving away from the thought to tend to her still sleeping sister. “Blinkie,” the gray one said tiredly, “time to get up.” “Alright! Alright! I’m going! No need to yell Inkie!” “You’re the one yelling…” After a minute a somewhat loud voice came from below. “Girls! Time to go!” “Yes mother!” Inkie replied while grabbing her saddle bag. “I’ll see you at breakfast Blinkie.” “Yeah, sure…” As Inkie went through the hallway she noticed the sight outside the window. Huh… We beat Princess Celestia to the day again. Oh well, there’s work to be done anyway. Inkie continued her walk until she reached the stairs. Then down she went into the kitchen. There she was met with the stares of two elderly ponies. The faded, brown stallion took a quick glance at Inkie and then returned to his grain while the pale gray mare tried to look behind her. “Dear? Where’s your sister?” “She’s taking a while to get out of bed.” “Well could you go and get her then?” the brown stallion said, not looking up from his bowl. “We need to get moving.” “Got it pa’…” Inkie went back up the steps and back into her room to retrieve her sister. “Blinkie? Are you ready to go?” “I guess. What’s in line for today?” “Well, that’s up for pa’ to say. I think we’re just going to continue moving the rocks from the south field to the east.” “Okay then, let’s do this fast.” As the pair emerged from the staircase, the pale gray mare began to set up two more bowls of oats. “Thank you ma’.” Blinkie said while sitting in front of one of the bowls Inkie soon followed suit and so did their mother. The table was almost full except for that one empty seat. In front of the unoccupied space was a small filly’s bowl and an empty cup. Both have gathered quite the amount of dust. Inkie stared at the spot the whole time as she ate her oats. The first one to get up was her father. “Okay girls, same as yesterday only today we have to cut work short. I got a message from some local weather ponies that there might be a slight storm scheduled for this area.” “A weather pony? Are you sure dear?!” the older mare questioned. “Hardly anypony comes around these parts. Why schedule rain for this plot of land?” “Somthin’ Princess Celestia wanted to do. You can’t really question her.” Work getting cut short? Huh, I guess it won’t be a normal work day after all. The family of four cleaned their bowls and began to move out one by one. Like the many generations before her, Inkie and her sisters were born rock farmers. They would harvest rocks and deliver them to wherever they needed to be moved. It was a simple yet boring life but then again, it was all they had. Inkie looked up at the dark blue sky in wonder as the sun began to rise. I wonder… Are you looking at the sun as well sister? > The Storm > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everyday it’s the same routine. Wake up before the sun, eat breakfast with the family, work, lunch break, continue working until Princess Luna brings out the moon, go back home to eat dinner, and then we go to sleep. Not many things change from our day to day lives except for today. “It looks like the weather team is here pa’!” Blinkie blurted out while pointing at the horizon Today our field is scheduled for a little storm. As we gathered back towards the house, we were approached by a cyan mare with a rainbow mane. I haven’t seen that many colors in a long time. “Hello sir. I take it that you are the owner of this land here?” the weather pony asked “That is correct. Are you leading this storm here?” “That’s right! The name’s Rainbow Dash. Sir, I’m going to have to ask you and your family here to take shelter. It might get a bit crazy out here.” “Thank you ma’am. Come on everypony. Let’s head in now.” “Alright pa’!” BLinkie blurted once more while following him inside I stayed out a bit longer to check up on the rocks. While doing so, I noticed that the same weather mare was staring at me. I turned my head to make eye contact with her curious, rose colored eyes. “Is there a problem ma’am?” “No. It’s just that, well, how do I say this…” “What is it?” “Well, you sort of remind me of a friend I have back home… Well, the hair at least…” Something about miss Rainbow Dash’s voice sounded serious. I decided to continue with the conversation and pry a bit more. “And where do you come from? If you don’t mind me asking that is.” “Well I’m from-” “Inkie! Get back inside!” Blinkie, once again, blurted out “Got it sister!” then, turning my attention back to the pegasus, “could we continue talking later?” “Sure kid. If we see each other later that is.” I said goodbye to the mare and went back inside to see Blinkie waiting by the door. As I walked back inside I turned my head to watch the weather team do their job. All at once, a multi-colored storm came in: a storm of pegasai. Along with them came multiple storm clouds. “Hey sis! Doesn’t this remind you of that storm that happened before?” “When was that?” “You know, back with Grannie Pie and Pinkimena…” “Oh right…” ~Ten Years Ago~ *CRASH* “Gah! Grannnie Pie!!!” Just then a small, pink filly ran out from under her bed and grabbed onto the nearest body. In the darkness you could barely make out the silhouette of an elderly mare. She had a faded pink coat, much like the young filly beside her, and a powder white mane. Upon her face you would normally see a stern face but now was one of love and compassion. Grannie Pie said that her family founded this farm when she was a filly just like us. “Now, now, Pinkie. That’s not how you face your fears.” Pinkie then let go of our grannie and looked up to meet her eyes. “Then how do we fwace them gwannie?” Blinkie asked, curiously “Why, just think of something that would make you laugh, of course!” “Funny? Like what?” Pinkie then asked “All you need to do is have a good laugh is all.” “But grannie,” I began, “mama doesn’t like us laughing too much. She says that we need to be serious while working on the farm.” “Then just laugh when you’re scared or frightened. I’m pretty sure your mother will make an exception for that…” “I remember now…” “How do you think Pinkie is doing now sis?” Silence. Not one of us said anything after that. “Girls! Move away from the door. We don’t know how strong this storm will be.” “Yes mother…” we both answered right away Rain, rain, Go away, Come again some other day… *RIIIINNNNGG* “Up! Up! Up!” I rose my head up slowly from my pillow. I then turned my attention to the window. Oh. I slept through the storm… > The Escape > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another uneventful day on the farm. The storm drill is over so it’s just the four of us again. I then think to the colorful pony I met the other day She said that I reminded her of somepony… The only ponies I look similar to would be my sisters… I pondered on that thought for the rest of the work day. Could Rainbow Dash know my sister? Then that brought me to another important point: Pinkie Pie. Before I had time to even think about her, Blinkie and I were called in for dinner. When we gathered at the table, I finally had a chance to think. Dinner that night was grains as well... ~5 years ago~ I look across the table to see a large, pink ball of fluff. That would be my older sister’s new mane style. It got that way at the same time Pinkie got her cutie mark. Since there wasn’t much she could do, Pinkie just brushed it out a bit to make it a bit neater. Tonight Pinkie had the same look that she has had for the past couple of days. It was as if she wants to say something but she can’t really get it out. Mother seemed to have noticed as well. “Pinkamena,” mother began, “What’s the matter dearie?” “Well, I, um… Where to start…” This vague response got the attention of everypony else at the table. “Okay, I’ll go out and say it! I want to leave!” Pinkie exclaimed as loud as she could Silence. That was all that followed. “You want to… leave?” mother replied, eyes wide open “Well, what I mean is, I don’t want to stay on the farm anymore! I just don’t feel, well, right…” “What do you mean sis?!” Blinkie blurted out “I mean that I want to leave the farm. You know, travel around, find my destiny, things like that!” “B-but Pinkie!” mother exclaimed, “Why would you want to do that? The farm needs you!” “Mom! Look at my cutie mark!” Pinkie stood up and revealed her flank for all to see. It was no longer pink and bare. It now bore three balloons, two blue and one yellow. “Does this look like the cutie mark of a simple rock farmer?!” Indeed it was anything but. Pinkie then went back to her seat, still making eye contact with mother. “Pinkie, I understand how you feel but you’re just too young to go out all by yourself let alone living alone! Where would you go? What do you plan to do?!” “Well, there is a town nearby. You know, the one Granny Pie lived in for a while?” “You mean Ponyville?” “Yeah! That’s the place!” “I don’t know… What do you think dear?” Just then everypony’s heads turns to our father’s direction. He looked away from us and began to think. After a few “hmms” and grunts, father looked over at mother. “First I’ll go with Pinkie to Ponyville. After that, we’ll see from there.” “Oh thank you papa!!” Pinkie exclaimed while jumping to hug father “I hope you know what you’re doing dear…“ mother added, unsurely Meanwhile, Blinkie and I were just exchanging looks. Dinner went by in a flash. Before I knew it, we three were already on the way to our room. “Oh wow! I just can’t wait!!” Pinkie squealed “But sis!” Blinkie interrupted, “What about the farm?” Pinkie stopped jumping. She looked at the two of us on the verge of tears. We were about to cry as well. “What- What about us?” I managed to get out Pinkie walked up to us and pulled us into a large hug. “Why now sis? Why now?!” Blinkie blurted, “Why leave now?!” Pinkie just stayed silent. I don’t blame her though. After all, it must be harder for her than it is for us. We continued to hug and wail until the next work day. Pinkie left for Ponyville the same day.