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Literature Text
Another hard first part of the day at the farm had passed. Pinkamina stretched her back, making cracking noises as her spine corrected itself. She looked around the field and at her family, panting with their heads hanging between their legs, giving their sweat but a small distance to fall and stain the hard earth. Blinkamina noticed her looking, and with a breathless expression she gave her pink sister a trembling smirk. But although Pinkamina smiled back, it was not because of Blinkamina. It was finally lunchtime, or in Pinkamina's case; time for a well-deserved break. It was not the river calling however. It was a certain bakery. Making sure not to waste any time, the pink filly rushed through Ponyville, her eyes focused on the road ahead. She was panting when she reached the gingerbread house, and when she stopped street's width from it, she took a moment to look at the cupcake tower. Her eyes sparkled and drool slipped past her lips while she stared dreamingly at the building. Her stomach growled to wake her up, and she giggled to herself before proceeding happily towards the pink front door.
A bell rang her welcome as soon as she entered. It surprised her a little, since she did not hear one the night before. The loud nature of the party had drowned its jingle. What really surprised her though, was how much the bakery had changed in such a short while. All the confetti, as she had found out the small paper strips were called, and all the garlands and balloons had been taken down and swept away. The enormous speakers were nowhere to be seen, leaving the room in utter silence except for the meek chatter of a couple of mares at a table. Everything was neat and clean. But the merry atmosphere was still present in the everyday decorations and the tasty treats on display in the glass counter. There was a heavy of delicious cookies and delightful muffins in the air. It was a bakery after all, and it reminded Pinkamina's stomach of how hungry it was, making it snarl even louder.
She looked up at the desk before her, noticing a little silver bell, ready to call for assistance. Stretching her body along the surface of the tall counter, she did a few careful jumps in an attempt to reach it, but her body was yet too small for it to make any difference. When she heard the soft giggle of the mares behind her, and their whispers mentioning the words 'cute' and 'short', her cheeks flushed a deep red and she immediately stopped her attempt. Instead, she found a nearby chair, pulled it over to the counter and got up on it, making sure to keep her balance as she reached for the bell. Finally, she made it ring, sending its echo through the kitchen.
"I'll be right out!" a sweet voice called from the kitchen, and the soft clanking of hooves soon followed. Cup Cake appeared in the doorway, and she moved her gaze around the room with a smile, searching for the patient customer. As soon as her eyes fell on Pinkamina, her smile widened quite a bit and she trotted hastily over to the other side. "Why, if it isn't the sweet, little filly from last night? I sure didn't expect you to come around here so early."
Pinkamina returned the light cerulean mare's smile, though her ears also fell timidly down her face as she replied with a humble voice, "Sorry if it's any inconvenience."
"It's no inconvenience at all, dearie," the mare chuckled heartily. "I said you'd always be welcome, didn't I? I'm just a little surprised that you'd come by already. It's been less than a day, after all." She trotted back behind the counter and reached her hoof into the display. Pinkamina curiously followed her motions, and her eyes widened when the mare's hoof grabbed hold of a cupcake matched the mare's color. "Would you like a little treat?"
"Oh, I can't accept that," the filly replied, rapidly shaking her head and forelegs alike to decline. "I didn't bring any bits."
"Don't worry about that," said the earth mare while dismissing the filly's concern with the wave of a hoof. "This one's on the house."
Hearing that, Pinkamina did not hesitate to accept the offer. With a wide open mouth that ran a waterfall, she grabbed the treat from Cup Cake's extended hoof with her own two, and quickly bit deep into the tasty frosting. But before her bite went all the way through, her stomach interrupted her with a prolonged growl. Pinkamina's cheeks turned a much deeper shade of red, and she moved her eyes to their top corners to see the now giggling baker before her.
"My, my, looks like somepony's hungry."
Pinkamina hesitated a few seconds before responding. Telling Cup Cake that she usually skips her lunch would probably be a bad move. She had already once made the kind baker worry, and she would rather not do it again. She swallowed the large lump of baked goods, letting it slide all the way to her tummy before inconspicuously changing the subject, "By the way, is Surprise here?"
"Oh, she's out for the moment," was the reply from Cup Cake. The light cerulean mare trotted away from the counter all the way to a closet, from which she pulled out a pink-tipped duster. Spitting slightly from her semi-muffled words, she kept on speaking from behind the shaft, "She's helping Firefly out with something. She should be back in no time." She did not look at the filly while speaking. Instead, she trotted dutifully around the bakery, dusting off tables and shelves alike. As she followed her around and listened, Pinkamina could see a grin form on the shaft-holding mouth of the baker mare. "Besides, if she had been here, she would've greeted you in some crazy manner as soon as you rang the bell."
"I guess that's true," Pinkamina giggled. "She's kind of strange that way, isn't she?"
"Oh, don't get me started," Cup Cake said with a fake sigh of annoyance for comic relief. "She's constantly hyper, loud, completely clueless, and has a weird habit of dragging you into everything she does." She stopped at one of the taller shelves and got up on her hind legs, balancing as she struggled to reach the top of it. "I swear, I sometimes wonder why I'm still friends with her."
Pinkamina stayed quiet thought for a moment, eyes on the working mare. She sat down on her flank, shaking her head so her hair would fall down the side as it was supposed to instead of blocking her view. Her voice curious and low, she tilted her head to the side and asked, "Why are you friends with her?"
Cup Cake stopped in her tracks, still on her hindlegs as she looked down on the filly. Her face was frozen for a moment, her eyes focused on Pinkamina as if she was attempting to analyze her expression. But it did not take more than a few seconds before she replaced this expression with a hearty grin. Moving the duster from mouth to hooves, she put it down at the same time as she got back on all four.
"Well, I guess it's because she's plain fun to be around," she answered with a motherly tone while reaching out to nuzzle the filly's mane, making her hair fall back in front of her face so she had to blow it away again. "Surprise has this weird ability to make friends with anypony she meets. It's hard to frown at somepony as happy as her, don't you agree?"
Pinkamina nodded hastily in response. She was proof herself of Surprise's magnetic character. After all, even though they had only known each other for a day, the filly could hardly wait to see her.
"Besides," said the baker all of a sudden as she returned to dusting. "Since we're so different from each other, we kind of complete each other as a team. When I'm a downer, she lifts me up. When she's uncontrollable, I take control. Guess that's just how we work."
Pinkamina nodded in silence. Though still looking at Cup Cake, her gaze had become distant, looking into the depth of her thoughts. She found it strange that these two opposites could attract each other like they did, but there was no denying the evidence before her. Different as they were, Surprise and Cup Cake cared much for each other.
She awoke from her thoughts at the sound of a bell; the same sound that had bit her welcome when she entered the store. Both she and Cup Cake lifted their heads towards the door, curious about who might have entered. But nopony was there. Only a closed pink door and a little bell that moved slowly back and forth without making any further sounds. The mares were still at their table, so it could not have been somepony leaving the shop. Pinkamina looked back in wonder, and she saw a devious grin on the light cerulean mare's face, who had her sight fixed on the area above her. It was then that she noticed how she was standing in a shadow. With a confused expression, she slowly tilted her head back to see what this strange phenomenon was. She should probably have expected it, but was surprised anyway.
"Surprise!" the white pegasus yelled above her. With hooves spread like a flying squirrel, she was hovering just above the filly. A blast of confetti appeared from nowhere, accompanied by the sound of party horns, though none were actually in sight. It all startled Pinkamina enough for her hair to stand straight for a few seconds and her entire body to shake like a jackhammer.
The filly barely had time to catch her breath after the scare before a couple of white hooves reached under her, lifting her swiftly into the air. With no hesitation, the white mare spun her around in the air, laughing as she did. Pinkamina could see the room become nothing but streaks of light, but Surprise's face perfectly clear, sporting a silly expression. After a moment where she recovered from the surprise, Pinkamina joined in on the laughter. She could suddenly feel the pleasant tickle in her tummy as she flew sideways around, her limbs dangling from the rotation.
When they finally slowed down and Surprise put her down, she leapt forward to hug the white mare. Though dazed and confused, she had no problem reaching her target, and they both fell to the floor in laughter. While Surprise lay giggling on her back, Pinkamina pushed her cheek against the coat of her chest and rubbed it up and down, all the while clenching tightly to her in a hug.
"You're finally here!" she found herself yelling, feeling as happy as a dog whose owner had just returned after a long day.
"Yikes," Surprise replied, still laughing heartily as she returned the hug. "Guess I overdid it with the spinning, huh? Can't even stand up right now."
"My, I didn't expect for the Surprise to actually be knocked to her back," Cup Cake chuckled from the side. "Guess you've finally found your match, huh?"
The white mare looked up at her light cerulean friend with a toothy grin. She picked up the filly, did a crescent move from the floor and into the air, and held out Pinkamina in stretched hooves, looking her in the eyes as she said, "It's great to see you too, Pinkie."
Pinkamina could feel the excitement rush through her veins, leaving her out of breath. She smiled widely, nodding hastily with delight. When she was put down once more, she began bouncing in place, ignoring any sense of moderation she might have had. "I'm so glad you're here. I've wanted to see you all day so we can play together."
"That sounds super fun," Surprise replied. She joined in on the bouncing, landing and taking off the ground in perfect symmetry with the pink filly. "We can do all sorts of things together. So what you wanna do?"
Pinkamina then stopped her bouncing. She had not exactly thought about what she wanted to play with Surprise. She just assumed the white mare would have something to do. Putting her hoof in front of her muzzle, she thought it over for a moment before her eyes were caught by the wings on Surprise's back. Her pupils widened. Out of pure instinct, she raised one of her hooves in silence. The room was silent for a few seconds, the mood patient and still. Everypony, including the mares at the table, followed the pink filly's hoof to the point it marked: Surprise's wing.
Surprise quickly understood the hint, and she nodded in agreement immediately. Flapping her wings she cooled the air, and Pinkamina's still face slowly became filled with excitement as the white mare said, "Sure. That sounds like a superrific idea."
But Cup Cake did not seem to agree with the idea. She bit her lower lip, her eyes switching nervously from side to side. Pinkamina lowered her ears a bit when the light cerulean mare finally let her thoughts out with a quiet voice and a held back tone, "Are you sure about that, dear? I don't think-,"
"Don't worry, Cuppy," Surprise lightheartedly interrupted her. She gave her a pat on the back, rough enough for Cup to momentarily put on a pained appearance. "I'll make sure to be careful. Besides, you know I'm a good flier. You've even flown with me yourself."
"Yes, I know," Cup Cake replied with unease. "But that was different. I mean, we're both adults and we've been friends for a long time." She looked at Pinkamina, who sat quietly still, watching them through the best puppy eyes she could muster. But even with this adorable stare the baker resisted, and she swiftly looked back up at her carefree white friend. "But Pinkie's just a filly. Are you sure you won't suddenly take it too far?"
Surprise saluted in response, the force of her hoof stopping abruptly at her forehead making a whipping sound. "You have my word. I'll make sure to be as careful as a hippo on skates."
Cup and Pinkamina joined their voices in a clueless 'what', but they both let it slip as soon as they said it. They simply shrugged in unison. They looked each other in the eyes, Pinkamina begging in silence, and Cup Cake using all her strength to come to a conclusion. After a short while of intense staring, the baker finally gave in. She rolled her eyes and emitted a sigh of surrender, much to Pinkamina's delight. Cup Cake turned her head to face her friend with a serious look.
"All right, Surprise," she said, shaking her head in defeat. "I'll let you two do what you want then. But remember: You're responsible for her safety."
"No problemo," replied the pegasus happily. She jumped into the air, over her baker friend and landed before Pinkamina, who sat watching with a happy smile of her own. Putting a hoof on the filly's shoulder, she gave her a friendly wink and said, "So, are you ready for the ride of your life?"
And Pinkamina beamed with happiness. "Yes mam!"
"Great!" The white mare darted to the air, leaving a trail of visible wind behind her as a result of her speed. Pinkamina even had to squint as the air hit her eyes. She thought of it as a preview of what was to come. As soon as she straightened the windswept threads of her mane, she looked to the door that was now wide open, Surprise standing in its frame, ready for takeoff. She beckoned the filly to get on, seeming every bit as excited as Pinkamina was. "Come on, now. Let's get going."
There was no need for the white mare to beckon twice. Without hesitation, the pink filly balked and galloped the short distance to the door, her open-mouthed grin wide and her beaming with anticipation. Surprise bend over so she could climb up, though she still had some difficulties getting enough of a grip to get on the white pegasus' back without stepping on her wing. Luckily, Cup Cake was still there to lend a hoof, or rather a snout as she gave the filly a helping push. Pinkamina settled in. She let her hind legs hang down the white mare's sides, just behind her wings, and with her forelegs she reached around her neck, clutching tightly enough for her to be safe and comfortable, yet not so tight that she would suffocate her ride.
"You ready, Pinkie?" Surprise asked as she checked the firmness of the filly's grip with a hoof.
"I sure am," She looked at Cup Cake on the side, who stood smiling at her, though her look showed clear concern. Thinking she would make a little joke to lighten the mood, Pinkamina winked at her and said, "Don't worry. I'll keep her safe."
It seemed to work as the mare's tension eased with a hearty laugh. "Oh, will you now? Well, I guess I have no reason to worry then."
Meanwhile, Surprise had already begun flapping her wings. The air from the strokes cooled the coat on Pinkamina's legs and side, telling her to get ready for takeoff. She buckled up, clutching tighter around her idol's neck as the nervousness finally hit her. But there was not enough of this nervousness to change her expression. She was too excited.
"Here we go!" Surprise finally yelled, and without giving Pinkamina any time to cheer, she darted off with the speed of a bullet. She did not hold back. Pinkamina felt the full power of a pegasus' speed from the get-go, forcing her to shut her eyes tightly at first. They immediately took to the sky, Pinkamina holding on for dear life as she cheered loudly in competition with the pressuring wind. She was blasted into living out a lifelong dream.
----
She was flying. Though the wings were not hers, and though she had her hooves tightly bound to her white ride, the wind she felt flowing through her mane was the kind a pegasus felt. It blew her hair backwards, vividly shaking the pink threads in her mane as they ascended. Her eyes were forced shut, but she still kept a bit of them open to see the things they passed and would pass, ignoring the tears her stubbornness created. They were flying straight up with rocket speed, forcefully pushing their way through the air. Ahead of them was nothing but clouds, which turned to blurs as soon as they darted by them, leaving behind a whooshing sound.
"How're you feeling back there!?" her ride called out, though her words were hardly audible at this speed. Pinkamina did hear her though, but she was unable to reply with the wind bashing her throat whenever she opened her mouth. She could only respond with a smile that Surprise was unable to see. But she seemed to know about it anyways. "I know! It's amazing, isn't it!?"
The white mare slowed down when they reached the highest cloud. When they stopped completely, the sound of birds and Surprise's wings' flapping filled up the otherwise complete silence of the sky. Pinkamina had expected some more wind at this altitude, but she did not complain about the lack of it. This way she could enjoy the warmth of the sun and the comfort of Surprise's coat to its full extent.
"Hey, Pinkie," Surprise said with a now steady voice, though it was a little hoarse from the speedy ascension. She pointed her hoof forwards and downwards at approximately a 45 degree angle. "Take a look."
The pink filly climbed up Surprise's back just enough to be able to look over her shoulder. What she saw made her gasp loudly, and she almost forgot to hold on, though Surprise had a good grip on her flank just in case. With only a few clouds blocking her view, she could see all of Ponyville and beyond. With focused eyes she followed the long, curvy stretch of Ponyville River all the way to the dam, from which the water flowed violently through small, square holes. The mountains stood tall and majestic in the background, looking over the quiet village with kingly postures, crowns of snow shimmering on their heads. Everything was shining in the light of the sun. Trees, houses, water, and rocks, nothing was free of the gentle rays of Celestia.
"Wow," was everything she could say at this moment. An arrow of awe had penetrated her chest, leaving her at a loss for words and breath alike. She loosened her grip on Surprise's neck, moving her hooves to hold on to the pegasus' shoulders instead, and slowly moved her head to the side as she scanned the area.
"Pretty amazing, huh?" Surprise said with a surprisingly soft voice. She had her own gaze locked on the beautiful spectacle before them, and she even seemed to appreciate it just as much as Pinkamina did. Even though she could see this every day, she did not let a single piece of eye candy slip past her sugar craving sight.
Pinkamina nodded, her chin rubbing against the white pegasus' mane with every slow movement. Her voice had become quiet, almost a whisper, from the shock of the sight. "So this is Equestria?"
"No way, José," Surprise replied with a soft snigger. "This is just Ponyville. To see Equestria you pretty much have to go to the moon, and that's impossible, unless you're the mare in the moon, in which case it's possible. Or maybe Celestia, since she's said to be the one who banished that mare, but why would she banish herself? That'd just be silly."
Pinkamina laughed heartily at Surprise's silly little speech. She moved her head closer to the white mare, digging further into the comfort of her golden mane. Though the strains of hair tickled her nose, she did not wish to back out, containing the sneeze that pressed. She noted how the mane had a rubbery feel to it, almost like the skin of balloons, and it smelled sweet of cotton candy.
A thought suddenly came to the pink filly's mind, and the smile she bore lessened in its intensity. She turned her neck to look backwards, wanting to see what was on the other side of Ponyville. There, she saw a familiar sight, albeit from a different angle: Pie Fields. The dark clouds were still hanging thick above the farm, but this time she was able to see exactly how thick. It was much more than she had expected. In fact, they were about as thick as the space between the ground and them. Though they were needed to keep out the sunlight, such thickness still seemed unnecessary.
Her smile faded away. There was something about Pie Fields that could drain her of every bit of happiness with just one glance at it. She tightened her grip around Surprise, pushing her cheek further through the mane until she brushed against the soft fur on the white mare's neck. It was the only thing she could think of for comfort.
"Hey, Pinkie," Surprise said with a low and careful voice. She turned her head, though she was not able to turn it all the way to see the pink filly on her back. "Wanna go over there?"
Pinkamina looked at the white hoof, which pointed to the dark side of Ponyville. But she did not respond immediately. Closing her eyes halfway, she shrank on the pegasus back, slipping a little down the white coat so Surprise had to push her back up.
Still, the pegasus continued to ask, putting a pleading tone in her voice to convince her. "Come on, Pinkie. It'll be fun, I promise. I'll even do some tricks on the way there."
She still did not want to go, but the promise of tricks had her convinced. She nodded slowly from the white mare's back, her cheek rubbing up and down Surprise's coat.
"All right, then!" the mare cried enthusiastically. "But you'd better hang on, because this is going to be a rough ride."
Pinkamina heeded the white mare's warning. She got back in position, buckled up around the neck and narrowed her eyes in advance; knowing what kind of pressure would come.
"And away we go!" shouted Surprise as she took off with the speed of sound, leaving behind a trail of smoke in her and Pinkamina's shape.
She started off the trip to the clouds with a nosedive, one hoof in front of her like Supermare as she approached the ground with mind-numbing speed. It was even faster than when they had ascended, and Pinkamina struggled quite a bit just to maintain her grip. But she was laughing nonetheless. The way they sped through the air had the pressure tickling every part of her body. She could hardly keep her tears from escaping her eyes from sheer, muffled laughter.
"Hold on to your hooves!" she heard the wind-drowned voice of Surprise call out. They approached the ground rapidly, almost crashing into the middle of an apple orchard before Surprise leaned back and shifted direction towards the sky. Creating a crescent trail in the air, she ripped off a bunch of leaves and a few apples with the sheer force of her movement as they flew over the trees. As she ascended, she flew in spirals, creating rings in her trail all the way to the top.
They were half way there. It was now impossible to see all of the gray clouds due to the layer's massive size. Surprise ended her trick flying by rolling in the air, drilling her way towards the top of the layer. This was the hardest part for Pinkamina to hold on to. She lost her grip for a moment, screaming as she was cast backwards, blown away by the pressure of the air. She did not get to fly far though, before Surprise came rushing to her rescue, catching her in her hooves like a stallion carrying his newlywed wife into their new home. The white mare grinned at her, making it impossible for Pinkamina to do anything but laugh at this little incident. Flying carefully the last stretch, they reached their destination.
"Now, don't jump off me just yet," Surprise said as she landed with her hind legs on the gray fluff. Holding Pinkamina with one hoof, she had her other one on her back, searching for something with her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth. "Ah, there we go."
She pulled out a brown leather belt, onto which several already blown up balloons were tied. The pink filly blinked in confusion. She had seen no sign of this device on the white mare's back, making her wonder where she had been able to hide such a contraction.
"How'd you do that?" the filly asked out of pure instinct.
Surprise looked clueless for a second. She put her eyes on the belt in her hoof and kept staring at it for quite a while. Her face never changed, even when she shrugged and with a nonchalant tone said, "I don't know. I just do that."
Knowing that Surprise would never be able, or possibly willing, to explain how she disagreed with all laws of physics, Pinkamina simply shrugged as well. There was no point in questioning the unexplainable. She instead decided to focus on the strange item. "Well, what's that thing for, then?"
"Well, only pegasus ponies can walk on clouds," she said with a big smile, "So I brought this so you could have some time for yourself while we're here."
She hoofed Pinkamina the belt. The pink filly stared at it with a raised eyebrow for a moment, unsure what exactly to do with it. She grabbed it, put it around her waist, made sure to buckle up properly and presented it for Surprise to inspect when she was finished. As soon as the white mare had checked if everything was in order, she nodded a few times and then, with no warning whatsoever, she let go.
"Wait! Stop!" Pinkamina shrieked as the pegasus flew backwards away from her. She kicked the air instinctively, her legs creating a blur as she attempted to flap them like wings. But after a second, she noticed that she was not descending at all. Her face of terror quickly turned into one of surprise, and she looked above to see the thing that against all odds were holding her up: The balloons. Just like with Surprise the first time she met her, the balloons were keeping Pinkamina afloat. Her mouth gaped open and stretched to the corners of her eyes. She was floating by herself.
"There you go," Surprise said cheerfully, her hooves behind her back and her smile as wide as ever. "Isn't it so much better to be able to fly yourself?"
"I'm flying?" asked a dazzled Pinkamina. Though she was not actually flying, simply floating, she was doing so on her own. She looked down at her hooves, noticing her they felt heavy beneath her. With no ground to stand on, they were dragging her down, yet she stayed in the air. She began trotting through the air, checking if she would move forwards like Surprise did when she was held up by balloons. It was working. Slowly and steadily she moved through the air, a proud smile forming on her mouth as she kicked herself forward. Though imperfect, this was the freedom she had wished for. "Oh my Gosh, I'm flying!"
"You sure are," Surprise said with a nod of the head, seeming almost proud of the pink filly she had only just met.
"This is amazing!" Pinkamina kept going, reaching the highest possible keys in her voice out of excitement. She swam through the air, first with a crawl stroke and eventually with a breast stroke, and it made her go through the air with much more ease. "I can't believe it! I'm actually flying!" She stopped midair, her face turning serious as a realization rushed through her. Looking down, she saw the gray clouds below, under which her home was located. Looking up, she saw the clear blue sky she had always known was there, but never thought she would see. Now with a low voice, she spoke to herself, "I passed the clouds…"
Surprise bounced off the gray cloud, leaving it to vibrate smoothly for a moment. With a few short strokes, she flew up to Pinkamina who still had her eyes on the sky above her, and approached her from below. "What's the matter?"
As if waking up from a dream, Pinkamina blinked in surprise at the mare's arrival, even though it was one of her less surprising appearances. She looked down between her hooves where Surprise was looking up, a clueless, yet caring, look in her eyes. Letting her breath escape her slowly, the pink filly smiled, but she could not keep her eyes from revealing the sadness behind them. The sky above her was only temporary, after all. Her break would soon be over.
"I don't wanna go down there," she whispered with a sad voice, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, though they did not leave their place.
Surprise did a quick spin to look down at the gray clouds. "Why not?"
"Because it's so gray," the filly replied, "There's nothing down there but dumb, old rocks. All I see every day is that boring old landscape with the same boring sky and the same boring family. I hate it down there."
"Because it's boring?" Surprise asked with the same clueless expression.
Shaking it off as just another case of Surprise's obliviousness, Pinkamina let a weak smile form on her lips for a second. But she could hardly keep her head up. The gravity of the wasteland below pulled in her, forcing her to hang her head, her hair hiding her sad face. Reality was that the only thing holding her up was the balloon belt.
"Hey, cheer up, Pinkie," Surprise tried to console the hanging filly. She flew up on her side and put a hoof around her neck, drawing her towards the comfort of her chest. "It can't be that bad. I'm sure it just needs a little fixer-upper to be more fun."
This statement Pinkamina could not overhear. Her brows gathered as a result of her wrinkly forehead as she looked at the white mare at her side. Her voice was hoarse and angry as she unintentionally flew into another fit of rage, "What do you know about it!? You don't live there! You live in Ponyville where the sun always shines, while I work my flank off every day in that place!"
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Surprise's expression had a slight edge of sadness around it as she looked through stunned eyes at the angry filly. It took a few seconds before Pinkamina realized how she had just reacted. Feeling ashamed, she let her head hang once more, and she pushed herself a little closer to the mare, bringing their coats further together.
"I'm sorry," she said with a quiet voice, "I didn't mean to sh-,"
"Hold on a moment," the white pegasus interrupted, letting go of the pink filly and showing her a raised hoof to ask for patience. "I'll be back in a jiffy."
With that said, the white mare dashed down in a straight line, splashing through the ocean of clouds. Pinkamina did not get a chance to react before she was out of sight. Looking at the wavy clouds with dazzled eyes, she wondered what Surprise could suddenly be thinking. She did not seem upset in any way; neither hurt, angry nor sad. She just disappeared in an instant, leaving Pinkamina to drift in confusion.
But she was not left hanging for long before the pegasus' top half resurfaced in the gray sea. After gasping for air, indicating just how thick the cloud layer was, she grinned at the floating filly, waving her hooves eagerly around. "I've seen it!"
Pinkamina was still stunned. She had no words to express her confusion, instead replying to this crazy behavior with a baffled, "Huh?"
"I've seen it now," repeated Surprise casually. She flew back up to the filly, hovering before her with a silly smirk on her face. "I've seen your farm now. I stuck my head through the clouds and took a quick look around. I don't think anypony saw me, but if they did I would've said 'hello', because that would be the nice thing to do, right? But I couldn't stay for long, because I also promised I'd be right back, so I didn't fly down and talk to them."
Though her way of speaking was odd in itself, what really made Pinkamina blink at her was the strange act she had just performed. She blinked while looking the pegasus in the eyes, trying her best to comprehend her behavior. "Why would you go see it?"
"Well, I wouldn't be able to convince you if I didn't see it first, now would I?" the mare laughed.
"Convince me?" the baffled filly asked. "Convince me of what?"
"Now, just listen for a moment, will you?" the mare said with a smile, and Pinkamina had no idea how to respond other than with a single nod. Shortly after this, Surprise began singing.
"It's true your home is dull and gray
But please hear what I have to say
You don't have to let it get you down
Everything is A-ok
Don't let sadness break your day
Just laugh and replace that sad old frown
So Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you why
You shouldn't turn and run
Those sad old days, will go away
Just remember to have fun."
Pinkamina had no idea what was going on. Acoustic guitar and the sound of drums suddenly filled the air, coming seemingly from nowhere. She looked around swiftly, searching for any sign of the instruments, but there was nothing to be seen. Just like the balloon belt, Surprise had summoned the music from nothing. Looking at the white mare, the filly noticed how she did not seem disturbed at all. She was dancing around, bouncing on the clouds and swimming through the ether as if it was the most normal thing in Equestria.
When the pegasus got to the second verse, Pinkamina stopped caring about what was going on. Her smile increased in intensity, her hooves began tapping the air, and her head bopped along to the rhythm of the music. Happily listening to the music, she watched the white mare with awe and amusement.
"They may seem like a boring bunch
But Pinkie Pie I have a hunch
That they are not as boring as they seem
They just need a single chance
To laugh and play and sing and dance
Then I guarantee that they will beam
So Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you why
You shouldn't turn and run
Those sad old days, will go away
Just remember to have fun."
Surprise flew up to Pinkamina, who was now dancing completely in the air, and she grabbed her by the hooves. Shun spun her around in the air, leaning backwards to properly circle the filly around. While looking deep her eyes, Pinkamina cried with laughter. And for Surprise, it was time for the last bit of the song.
"Everypony loves to have fun
To laugh or giggle, to snort or chuckle, they love it either way
Gray is just a color; I can assure you of that much
So don't give up on, don't give in, lighten up, teach them how to play
So Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you why
You shouldn't turn and run
Those sad old days, will go away
Just remember to have fun
Yes, remember to have fun
Remember to have fun, just have fun."
When the song ended it did so in a grandiose manner. Horns played the guitar out, and streams of confetti filled the air from out of nowhere. Surprise finished it all off by throwing the filly forward spinning, leaving her to laugh as she pirouetted away. She grabbed hold of her from the front, laughing as she tried to look into the giggling filly's eyes, however hard that was with how fast they kept spinning in their sockets. The balloons had become entangled, and with the sudden stop they began spinning the other way, casting the light of the sun around in a pattern of rainbows on the clouds below them. Everything had to settle down before the two ponies could look each other straight in the eyes. A moment of silence fell between them as they smirked at each other. Their faces then steadily grew more and more cheerful, and in a matter of seconds they found themselves kicking the air in shared laughter.
"That was amazing!" Pinkamina called out with a cheerful tone, almost drowned in her merry tears. "How'd you do that?"
"Don't know," replied Surprise laughing. "But I'm glad it cheered you up. It's no fun hanging with your head when you're flying, am I right?"
Taking a moment to settle down, Pinkamina took a good glance at the innocent happiness in Surprise's eyes. She swiped a hoof across her face, wiping away the leftover tears that had cleaned away all her bad feelings from before. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Of course I'm right," the pegasus loudly exclaimed as she gave the filly a careful push, making her ride the wind backwards. "When it comes to having fun, I'm always right."
She tagged along with the floating filly. Back crawling through the air, Surprise slowly followed just beside Pinkamina, her eyes on the sky and a carefree smile on her face. She was perfectly relaxed with her hooves behind her head and her mane blowing in the slight breeze their movement created. Even Pinkamina could feel the soft cool caressing her flank as they slowly drifted away from the sea of clouds. She did not care that she could not see where they were going. She just let the balloons carry her away.
When they had floated far enough away from the sea of clouds, the filly saw the brown, dead landscape below. She saw the wall of trees that withered halfway, leading to the beautiful green by Ponyville River. Putting on a weak smile, she let her body relax, all the time staring at her cold home.
"You know, it really doesn't have to be all bad," the drifting mare said from beside her.
Pinkamina looked up at Surprise, but she was not looking at her. Instead, her eyes were looking far away, beyond the blue of the sky above. "I know," the filly responded with a quiet voice. "But it is. We can't have sun on that farm. We can't even have plants or animals. Even if I tried, I don't think I could make my family smile in that place."
"Pinkie," Surprise said, still without looking at the pink filly. She wet her lips and let her body relax with a sigh. "I've met a lot of ponies in my life. I've met big ones, small ones, happy ones, sad ones, funny ones, boring ones, and a whole bunch of other types, and you know what I realized?"
The pink filly shook her head in response, though since she was not within Surprise's vision, she added her voice to it. "No."
Switching to float on her belly, the white mare finally looked at Pinkamina, one hoof supporting her own cheek as if she was lying on a mattress instead of hovering in the sky. "I've realized that there's not a single pony who doesn't like to smile. I bet it's the same with your family."
The pink filly smiled. She looked to the sky herself, the edge of her balloon carrier visible in the top corners of her eyes. They were shining as pure as their colors were, the spark of Celestia enhancing their cheerful effect to a relaxing maximum, making it much easier for Pinkamina to have this conversation. "I know they're not bad ponies, but they're just not the same as everypony else. I mean, I've never even seen them do anything fun. My sisters are just kids, and even they don't ever laugh."
"You're a kid too, you know," Surprise added on the side, giggling as she did.
Pinkamina gave her a quick smile before going on. "Well, yeah, but I'm different from them. I hate spending time at that place, and they don't. They've never once thought about how it would be like outside the farm." She took a moment to breathe, her head shaking steadily from side to side as she looked to the ground below. "I really wish they'd give the outside a chance. Maybe they'd smile some more."
"So you'd like to make them smile, huh?" asked Surprise as she changed her position, going from horizontal to vertical.
"Of course I do," was Pinkamina's reply as she looked up at her idol. The filly noticed the smirk on the white mare's face, but she did not give it any further thought. She just continued, her voice low, "They're my family after all. I love making them smile, but it's just almost impossible to do that."
The pegasus shook her head. "It's not impossible, silly. You just have to try harder."
"Yeah, right," the filly snorted, rolling her eyes in disbelief. "As if it was that easy. They won't leave the farm in a million years."
"If the cake doesn't come to the mouth, the mouth gotta come to the cake," Surprise said merrily as she booped Pinkamina on the nose. "Just give them a good time at the farm. I'm sure you'll have loads and loads of fun if you do that."
"On that farm?" the filly asked with a raised brow, pointing her hoof to the dusty brown below the clouds. "Didn't you see it before? That place is the dullest place ever."
The mare shot her a heartwarming smile. She flew upwards for some reason, leaving Pinkamina's eyes to follow her curiously as she reached the balloons above. One by one she began popping them. Their short-lived yet loud bang blew little pieces of plastic to the side, which slowly drifted towards the ground and past an astonished filly. Not long after, enough balloons had been popped for Pinkamina to feel her course shift. She was drifting downwards now, slowly and carefully approaching the ground below.
Surprise flew back to her, looked her kindly in the eyes and grabbed her cheeks with each hoof, forcing her to look back at her. The intensity with which Surprise was staring at her made Pinkamina instinctively gulp. With a soft voice and a calming smile, the pegasus half-whispered to her with a soft, determined tone of voice, "Listen, Pinkie: There's no place where the sun can't reach. That's what I believe, through and through. You gotta promise me you'll think like that too, all right?"
Pinkamina was unsure how she would respond to this. She kept eye contact with Surprise for as long as possible, dazzled as she studied the purple color of her irises. After this long moment and just before they landed, the pink filly nodded slowly in response, her face unchanged.
The soft grass beneath her hooves suddenly felt like little spikes. Compared to walking on air, everything on the ground was rough and painful. Yet it also had a distinct, calming smell that no sky could reproduce. The variety of colors of the earth also had a swell effect on the mind, leaving Pinkamina to breathe steadily as she untied the balloon belt from her waist.
"I guess I should get home now too," she said as soon as she got the balloons lose. She hoofed it over to Surprise, but the white mare ignored it, caring little about this contraption of hers.
"It was fun seeing you again," the white mare said cheerfully, reaching her hooves out to hug the pink filly. "Make sure you come by again soon, all right? Though not tomorrow."
Before accepting the hug, Pinkamina tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Why not tomorrow?"
"I gotta meet up with some ponies about some thunderstorm preparations," she replied with a smile. "I may not look it, but I'm one of the best thunder pegasi around after all. Years of experience."
"Experience?" Pinkamina asked curiously.
But Surprise simply reached out a hoof and nuzzled the filly's mane. "I'll tell you some other day. You have to get home now, right?"
Smiling softly, the pink filly shoved away the white hoof. She leaped in for a hug, reaching her hooves all the way around the white mare's chest. The sensation of white hooves on her chest made her clutch even tighter and smile even wider, but she soon let go anyways. It was time for her to get home. She leaned back, her hooves on Surprise's chest, and shot the pegasus a wide smile, which was returned with an added wink. After their goodbye, the filly started galloping towards the farm, leaving Surprise to wave for her as she created a distance between them.
"Remember what I told you, Pinkie!" she was calling at the top of her lungs behind Pinkamina.
"I will," Pinkamina replied with her own wave as she galloped along. "See you later, Surprise!"
A bell rang her welcome as soon as she entered. It surprised her a little, since she did not hear one the night before. The loud nature of the party had drowned its jingle. What really surprised her though, was how much the bakery had changed in such a short while. All the confetti, as she had found out the small paper strips were called, and all the garlands and balloons had been taken down and swept away. The enormous speakers were nowhere to be seen, leaving the room in utter silence except for the meek chatter of a couple of mares at a table. Everything was neat and clean. But the merry atmosphere was still present in the everyday decorations and the tasty treats on display in the glass counter. There was a heavy of delicious cookies and delightful muffins in the air. It was a bakery after all, and it reminded Pinkamina's stomach of how hungry it was, making it snarl even louder.
She looked up at the desk before her, noticing a little silver bell, ready to call for assistance. Stretching her body along the surface of the tall counter, she did a few careful jumps in an attempt to reach it, but her body was yet too small for it to make any difference. When she heard the soft giggle of the mares behind her, and their whispers mentioning the words 'cute' and 'short', her cheeks flushed a deep red and she immediately stopped her attempt. Instead, she found a nearby chair, pulled it over to the counter and got up on it, making sure to keep her balance as she reached for the bell. Finally, she made it ring, sending its echo through the kitchen.
"I'll be right out!" a sweet voice called from the kitchen, and the soft clanking of hooves soon followed. Cup Cake appeared in the doorway, and she moved her gaze around the room with a smile, searching for the patient customer. As soon as her eyes fell on Pinkamina, her smile widened quite a bit and she trotted hastily over to the other side. "Why, if it isn't the sweet, little filly from last night? I sure didn't expect you to come around here so early."
Pinkamina returned the light cerulean mare's smile, though her ears also fell timidly down her face as she replied with a humble voice, "Sorry if it's any inconvenience."
"It's no inconvenience at all, dearie," the mare chuckled heartily. "I said you'd always be welcome, didn't I? I'm just a little surprised that you'd come by already. It's been less than a day, after all." She trotted back behind the counter and reached her hoof into the display. Pinkamina curiously followed her motions, and her eyes widened when the mare's hoof grabbed hold of a cupcake matched the mare's color. "Would you like a little treat?"
"Oh, I can't accept that," the filly replied, rapidly shaking her head and forelegs alike to decline. "I didn't bring any bits."
"Don't worry about that," said the earth mare while dismissing the filly's concern with the wave of a hoof. "This one's on the house."
Hearing that, Pinkamina did not hesitate to accept the offer. With a wide open mouth that ran a waterfall, she grabbed the treat from Cup Cake's extended hoof with her own two, and quickly bit deep into the tasty frosting. But before her bite went all the way through, her stomach interrupted her with a prolonged growl. Pinkamina's cheeks turned a much deeper shade of red, and she moved her eyes to their top corners to see the now giggling baker before her.
"My, my, looks like somepony's hungry."
Pinkamina hesitated a few seconds before responding. Telling Cup Cake that she usually skips her lunch would probably be a bad move. She had already once made the kind baker worry, and she would rather not do it again. She swallowed the large lump of baked goods, letting it slide all the way to her tummy before inconspicuously changing the subject, "By the way, is Surprise here?"
"Oh, she's out for the moment," was the reply from Cup Cake. The light cerulean mare trotted away from the counter all the way to a closet, from which she pulled out a pink-tipped duster. Spitting slightly from her semi-muffled words, she kept on speaking from behind the shaft, "She's helping Firefly out with something. She should be back in no time." She did not look at the filly while speaking. Instead, she trotted dutifully around the bakery, dusting off tables and shelves alike. As she followed her around and listened, Pinkamina could see a grin form on the shaft-holding mouth of the baker mare. "Besides, if she had been here, she would've greeted you in some crazy manner as soon as you rang the bell."
"I guess that's true," Pinkamina giggled. "She's kind of strange that way, isn't she?"
"Oh, don't get me started," Cup Cake said with a fake sigh of annoyance for comic relief. "She's constantly hyper, loud, completely clueless, and has a weird habit of dragging you into everything she does." She stopped at one of the taller shelves and got up on her hind legs, balancing as she struggled to reach the top of it. "I swear, I sometimes wonder why I'm still friends with her."
Pinkamina stayed quiet thought for a moment, eyes on the working mare. She sat down on her flank, shaking her head so her hair would fall down the side as it was supposed to instead of blocking her view. Her voice curious and low, she tilted her head to the side and asked, "Why are you friends with her?"
Cup Cake stopped in her tracks, still on her hindlegs as she looked down on the filly. Her face was frozen for a moment, her eyes focused on Pinkamina as if she was attempting to analyze her expression. But it did not take more than a few seconds before she replaced this expression with a hearty grin. Moving the duster from mouth to hooves, she put it down at the same time as she got back on all four.
"Well, I guess it's because she's plain fun to be around," she answered with a motherly tone while reaching out to nuzzle the filly's mane, making her hair fall back in front of her face so she had to blow it away again. "Surprise has this weird ability to make friends with anypony she meets. It's hard to frown at somepony as happy as her, don't you agree?"
Pinkamina nodded hastily in response. She was proof herself of Surprise's magnetic character. After all, even though they had only known each other for a day, the filly could hardly wait to see her.
"Besides," said the baker all of a sudden as she returned to dusting. "Since we're so different from each other, we kind of complete each other as a team. When I'm a downer, she lifts me up. When she's uncontrollable, I take control. Guess that's just how we work."
Pinkamina nodded in silence. Though still looking at Cup Cake, her gaze had become distant, looking into the depth of her thoughts. She found it strange that these two opposites could attract each other like they did, but there was no denying the evidence before her. Different as they were, Surprise and Cup Cake cared much for each other.
She awoke from her thoughts at the sound of a bell; the same sound that had bit her welcome when she entered the store. Both she and Cup Cake lifted their heads towards the door, curious about who might have entered. But nopony was there. Only a closed pink door and a little bell that moved slowly back and forth without making any further sounds. The mares were still at their table, so it could not have been somepony leaving the shop. Pinkamina looked back in wonder, and she saw a devious grin on the light cerulean mare's face, who had her sight fixed on the area above her. It was then that she noticed how she was standing in a shadow. With a confused expression, she slowly tilted her head back to see what this strange phenomenon was. She should probably have expected it, but was surprised anyway.
"Surprise!" the white pegasus yelled above her. With hooves spread like a flying squirrel, she was hovering just above the filly. A blast of confetti appeared from nowhere, accompanied by the sound of party horns, though none were actually in sight. It all startled Pinkamina enough for her hair to stand straight for a few seconds and her entire body to shake like a jackhammer.
The filly barely had time to catch her breath after the scare before a couple of white hooves reached under her, lifting her swiftly into the air. With no hesitation, the white mare spun her around in the air, laughing as she did. Pinkamina could see the room become nothing but streaks of light, but Surprise's face perfectly clear, sporting a silly expression. After a moment where she recovered from the surprise, Pinkamina joined in on the laughter. She could suddenly feel the pleasant tickle in her tummy as she flew sideways around, her limbs dangling from the rotation.
When they finally slowed down and Surprise put her down, she leapt forward to hug the white mare. Though dazed and confused, she had no problem reaching her target, and they both fell to the floor in laughter. While Surprise lay giggling on her back, Pinkamina pushed her cheek against the coat of her chest and rubbed it up and down, all the while clenching tightly to her in a hug.
"You're finally here!" she found herself yelling, feeling as happy as a dog whose owner had just returned after a long day.
"Yikes," Surprise replied, still laughing heartily as she returned the hug. "Guess I overdid it with the spinning, huh? Can't even stand up right now."
"My, I didn't expect for the Surprise to actually be knocked to her back," Cup Cake chuckled from the side. "Guess you've finally found your match, huh?"
The white mare looked up at her light cerulean friend with a toothy grin. She picked up the filly, did a crescent move from the floor and into the air, and held out Pinkamina in stretched hooves, looking her in the eyes as she said, "It's great to see you too, Pinkie."
Pinkamina could feel the excitement rush through her veins, leaving her out of breath. She smiled widely, nodding hastily with delight. When she was put down once more, she began bouncing in place, ignoring any sense of moderation she might have had. "I'm so glad you're here. I've wanted to see you all day so we can play together."
"That sounds super fun," Surprise replied. She joined in on the bouncing, landing and taking off the ground in perfect symmetry with the pink filly. "We can do all sorts of things together. So what you wanna do?"
Pinkamina then stopped her bouncing. She had not exactly thought about what she wanted to play with Surprise. She just assumed the white mare would have something to do. Putting her hoof in front of her muzzle, she thought it over for a moment before her eyes were caught by the wings on Surprise's back. Her pupils widened. Out of pure instinct, she raised one of her hooves in silence. The room was silent for a few seconds, the mood patient and still. Everypony, including the mares at the table, followed the pink filly's hoof to the point it marked: Surprise's wing.
Surprise quickly understood the hint, and she nodded in agreement immediately. Flapping her wings she cooled the air, and Pinkamina's still face slowly became filled with excitement as the white mare said, "Sure. That sounds like a superrific idea."
But Cup Cake did not seem to agree with the idea. She bit her lower lip, her eyes switching nervously from side to side. Pinkamina lowered her ears a bit when the light cerulean mare finally let her thoughts out with a quiet voice and a held back tone, "Are you sure about that, dear? I don't think-,"
"Don't worry, Cuppy," Surprise lightheartedly interrupted her. She gave her a pat on the back, rough enough for Cup to momentarily put on a pained appearance. "I'll make sure to be careful. Besides, you know I'm a good flier. You've even flown with me yourself."
"Yes, I know," Cup Cake replied with unease. "But that was different. I mean, we're both adults and we've been friends for a long time." She looked at Pinkamina, who sat quietly still, watching them through the best puppy eyes she could muster. But even with this adorable stare the baker resisted, and she swiftly looked back up at her carefree white friend. "But Pinkie's just a filly. Are you sure you won't suddenly take it too far?"
Surprise saluted in response, the force of her hoof stopping abruptly at her forehead making a whipping sound. "You have my word. I'll make sure to be as careful as a hippo on skates."
Cup and Pinkamina joined their voices in a clueless 'what', but they both let it slip as soon as they said it. They simply shrugged in unison. They looked each other in the eyes, Pinkamina begging in silence, and Cup Cake using all her strength to come to a conclusion. After a short while of intense staring, the baker finally gave in. She rolled her eyes and emitted a sigh of surrender, much to Pinkamina's delight. Cup Cake turned her head to face her friend with a serious look.
"All right, Surprise," she said, shaking her head in defeat. "I'll let you two do what you want then. But remember: You're responsible for her safety."
"No problemo," replied the pegasus happily. She jumped into the air, over her baker friend and landed before Pinkamina, who sat watching with a happy smile of her own. Putting a hoof on the filly's shoulder, she gave her a friendly wink and said, "So, are you ready for the ride of your life?"
And Pinkamina beamed with happiness. "Yes mam!"
"Great!" The white mare darted to the air, leaving a trail of visible wind behind her as a result of her speed. Pinkamina even had to squint as the air hit her eyes. She thought of it as a preview of what was to come. As soon as she straightened the windswept threads of her mane, she looked to the door that was now wide open, Surprise standing in its frame, ready for takeoff. She beckoned the filly to get on, seeming every bit as excited as Pinkamina was. "Come on, now. Let's get going."
There was no need for the white mare to beckon twice. Without hesitation, the pink filly balked and galloped the short distance to the door, her open-mouthed grin wide and her beaming with anticipation. Surprise bend over so she could climb up, though she still had some difficulties getting enough of a grip to get on the white pegasus' back without stepping on her wing. Luckily, Cup Cake was still there to lend a hoof, or rather a snout as she gave the filly a helping push. Pinkamina settled in. She let her hind legs hang down the white mare's sides, just behind her wings, and with her forelegs she reached around her neck, clutching tightly enough for her to be safe and comfortable, yet not so tight that she would suffocate her ride.
"You ready, Pinkie?" Surprise asked as she checked the firmness of the filly's grip with a hoof.
"I sure am," She looked at Cup Cake on the side, who stood smiling at her, though her look showed clear concern. Thinking she would make a little joke to lighten the mood, Pinkamina winked at her and said, "Don't worry. I'll keep her safe."
It seemed to work as the mare's tension eased with a hearty laugh. "Oh, will you now? Well, I guess I have no reason to worry then."
Meanwhile, Surprise had already begun flapping her wings. The air from the strokes cooled the coat on Pinkamina's legs and side, telling her to get ready for takeoff. She buckled up, clutching tighter around her idol's neck as the nervousness finally hit her. But there was not enough of this nervousness to change her expression. She was too excited.
"Here we go!" Surprise finally yelled, and without giving Pinkamina any time to cheer, she darted off with the speed of a bullet. She did not hold back. Pinkamina felt the full power of a pegasus' speed from the get-go, forcing her to shut her eyes tightly at first. They immediately took to the sky, Pinkamina holding on for dear life as she cheered loudly in competition with the pressuring wind. She was blasted into living out a lifelong dream.
----
She was flying. Though the wings were not hers, and though she had her hooves tightly bound to her white ride, the wind she felt flowing through her mane was the kind a pegasus felt. It blew her hair backwards, vividly shaking the pink threads in her mane as they ascended. Her eyes were forced shut, but she still kept a bit of them open to see the things they passed and would pass, ignoring the tears her stubbornness created. They were flying straight up with rocket speed, forcefully pushing their way through the air. Ahead of them was nothing but clouds, which turned to blurs as soon as they darted by them, leaving behind a whooshing sound.
"How're you feeling back there!?" her ride called out, though her words were hardly audible at this speed. Pinkamina did hear her though, but she was unable to reply with the wind bashing her throat whenever she opened her mouth. She could only respond with a smile that Surprise was unable to see. But she seemed to know about it anyways. "I know! It's amazing, isn't it!?"
The white mare slowed down when they reached the highest cloud. When they stopped completely, the sound of birds and Surprise's wings' flapping filled up the otherwise complete silence of the sky. Pinkamina had expected some more wind at this altitude, but she did not complain about the lack of it. This way she could enjoy the warmth of the sun and the comfort of Surprise's coat to its full extent.
"Hey, Pinkie," Surprise said with a now steady voice, though it was a little hoarse from the speedy ascension. She pointed her hoof forwards and downwards at approximately a 45 degree angle. "Take a look."
The pink filly climbed up Surprise's back just enough to be able to look over her shoulder. What she saw made her gasp loudly, and she almost forgot to hold on, though Surprise had a good grip on her flank just in case. With only a few clouds blocking her view, she could see all of Ponyville and beyond. With focused eyes she followed the long, curvy stretch of Ponyville River all the way to the dam, from which the water flowed violently through small, square holes. The mountains stood tall and majestic in the background, looking over the quiet village with kingly postures, crowns of snow shimmering on their heads. Everything was shining in the light of the sun. Trees, houses, water, and rocks, nothing was free of the gentle rays of Celestia.
"Wow," was everything she could say at this moment. An arrow of awe had penetrated her chest, leaving her at a loss for words and breath alike. She loosened her grip on Surprise's neck, moving her hooves to hold on to the pegasus' shoulders instead, and slowly moved her head to the side as she scanned the area.
"Pretty amazing, huh?" Surprise said with a surprisingly soft voice. She had her own gaze locked on the beautiful spectacle before them, and she even seemed to appreciate it just as much as Pinkamina did. Even though she could see this every day, she did not let a single piece of eye candy slip past her sugar craving sight.
Pinkamina nodded, her chin rubbing against the white pegasus' mane with every slow movement. Her voice had become quiet, almost a whisper, from the shock of the sight. "So this is Equestria?"
"No way, José," Surprise replied with a soft snigger. "This is just Ponyville. To see Equestria you pretty much have to go to the moon, and that's impossible, unless you're the mare in the moon, in which case it's possible. Or maybe Celestia, since she's said to be the one who banished that mare, but why would she banish herself? That'd just be silly."
Pinkamina laughed heartily at Surprise's silly little speech. She moved her head closer to the white mare, digging further into the comfort of her golden mane. Though the strains of hair tickled her nose, she did not wish to back out, containing the sneeze that pressed. She noted how the mane had a rubbery feel to it, almost like the skin of balloons, and it smelled sweet of cotton candy.
A thought suddenly came to the pink filly's mind, and the smile she bore lessened in its intensity. She turned her neck to look backwards, wanting to see what was on the other side of Ponyville. There, she saw a familiar sight, albeit from a different angle: Pie Fields. The dark clouds were still hanging thick above the farm, but this time she was able to see exactly how thick. It was much more than she had expected. In fact, they were about as thick as the space between the ground and them. Though they were needed to keep out the sunlight, such thickness still seemed unnecessary.
Her smile faded away. There was something about Pie Fields that could drain her of every bit of happiness with just one glance at it. She tightened her grip around Surprise, pushing her cheek further through the mane until she brushed against the soft fur on the white mare's neck. It was the only thing she could think of for comfort.
"Hey, Pinkie," Surprise said with a low and careful voice. She turned her head, though she was not able to turn it all the way to see the pink filly on her back. "Wanna go over there?"
Pinkamina looked at the white hoof, which pointed to the dark side of Ponyville. But she did not respond immediately. Closing her eyes halfway, she shrank on the pegasus back, slipping a little down the white coat so Surprise had to push her back up.
Still, the pegasus continued to ask, putting a pleading tone in her voice to convince her. "Come on, Pinkie. It'll be fun, I promise. I'll even do some tricks on the way there."
She still did not want to go, but the promise of tricks had her convinced. She nodded slowly from the white mare's back, her cheek rubbing up and down Surprise's coat.
"All right, then!" the mare cried enthusiastically. "But you'd better hang on, because this is going to be a rough ride."
Pinkamina heeded the white mare's warning. She got back in position, buckled up around the neck and narrowed her eyes in advance; knowing what kind of pressure would come.
"And away we go!" shouted Surprise as she took off with the speed of sound, leaving behind a trail of smoke in her and Pinkamina's shape.
She started off the trip to the clouds with a nosedive, one hoof in front of her like Supermare as she approached the ground with mind-numbing speed. It was even faster than when they had ascended, and Pinkamina struggled quite a bit just to maintain her grip. But she was laughing nonetheless. The way they sped through the air had the pressure tickling every part of her body. She could hardly keep her tears from escaping her eyes from sheer, muffled laughter.
"Hold on to your hooves!" she heard the wind-drowned voice of Surprise call out. They approached the ground rapidly, almost crashing into the middle of an apple orchard before Surprise leaned back and shifted direction towards the sky. Creating a crescent trail in the air, she ripped off a bunch of leaves and a few apples with the sheer force of her movement as they flew over the trees. As she ascended, she flew in spirals, creating rings in her trail all the way to the top.
They were half way there. It was now impossible to see all of the gray clouds due to the layer's massive size. Surprise ended her trick flying by rolling in the air, drilling her way towards the top of the layer. This was the hardest part for Pinkamina to hold on to. She lost her grip for a moment, screaming as she was cast backwards, blown away by the pressure of the air. She did not get to fly far though, before Surprise came rushing to her rescue, catching her in her hooves like a stallion carrying his newlywed wife into their new home. The white mare grinned at her, making it impossible for Pinkamina to do anything but laugh at this little incident. Flying carefully the last stretch, they reached their destination.
"Now, don't jump off me just yet," Surprise said as she landed with her hind legs on the gray fluff. Holding Pinkamina with one hoof, she had her other one on her back, searching for something with her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth. "Ah, there we go."
She pulled out a brown leather belt, onto which several already blown up balloons were tied. The pink filly blinked in confusion. She had seen no sign of this device on the white mare's back, making her wonder where she had been able to hide such a contraction.
"How'd you do that?" the filly asked out of pure instinct.
Surprise looked clueless for a second. She put her eyes on the belt in her hoof and kept staring at it for quite a while. Her face never changed, even when she shrugged and with a nonchalant tone said, "I don't know. I just do that."
Knowing that Surprise would never be able, or possibly willing, to explain how she disagreed with all laws of physics, Pinkamina simply shrugged as well. There was no point in questioning the unexplainable. She instead decided to focus on the strange item. "Well, what's that thing for, then?"
"Well, only pegasus ponies can walk on clouds," she said with a big smile, "So I brought this so you could have some time for yourself while we're here."
She hoofed Pinkamina the belt. The pink filly stared at it with a raised eyebrow for a moment, unsure what exactly to do with it. She grabbed it, put it around her waist, made sure to buckle up properly and presented it for Surprise to inspect when she was finished. As soon as the white mare had checked if everything was in order, she nodded a few times and then, with no warning whatsoever, she let go.
"Wait! Stop!" Pinkamina shrieked as the pegasus flew backwards away from her. She kicked the air instinctively, her legs creating a blur as she attempted to flap them like wings. But after a second, she noticed that she was not descending at all. Her face of terror quickly turned into one of surprise, and she looked above to see the thing that against all odds were holding her up: The balloons. Just like with Surprise the first time she met her, the balloons were keeping Pinkamina afloat. Her mouth gaped open and stretched to the corners of her eyes. She was floating by herself.
"There you go," Surprise said cheerfully, her hooves behind her back and her smile as wide as ever. "Isn't it so much better to be able to fly yourself?"
"I'm flying?" asked a dazzled Pinkamina. Though she was not actually flying, simply floating, she was doing so on her own. She looked down at her hooves, noticing her they felt heavy beneath her. With no ground to stand on, they were dragging her down, yet she stayed in the air. She began trotting through the air, checking if she would move forwards like Surprise did when she was held up by balloons. It was working. Slowly and steadily she moved through the air, a proud smile forming on her mouth as she kicked herself forward. Though imperfect, this was the freedom she had wished for. "Oh my Gosh, I'm flying!"
"You sure are," Surprise said with a nod of the head, seeming almost proud of the pink filly she had only just met.
"This is amazing!" Pinkamina kept going, reaching the highest possible keys in her voice out of excitement. She swam through the air, first with a crawl stroke and eventually with a breast stroke, and it made her go through the air with much more ease. "I can't believe it! I'm actually flying!" She stopped midair, her face turning serious as a realization rushed through her. Looking down, she saw the gray clouds below, under which her home was located. Looking up, she saw the clear blue sky she had always known was there, but never thought she would see. Now with a low voice, she spoke to herself, "I passed the clouds…"
Surprise bounced off the gray cloud, leaving it to vibrate smoothly for a moment. With a few short strokes, she flew up to Pinkamina who still had her eyes on the sky above her, and approached her from below. "What's the matter?"
As if waking up from a dream, Pinkamina blinked in surprise at the mare's arrival, even though it was one of her less surprising appearances. She looked down between her hooves where Surprise was looking up, a clueless, yet caring, look in her eyes. Letting her breath escape her slowly, the pink filly smiled, but she could not keep her eyes from revealing the sadness behind them. The sky above her was only temporary, after all. Her break would soon be over.
"I don't wanna go down there," she whispered with a sad voice, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, though they did not leave their place.
Surprise did a quick spin to look down at the gray clouds. "Why not?"
"Because it's so gray," the filly replied, "There's nothing down there but dumb, old rocks. All I see every day is that boring old landscape with the same boring sky and the same boring family. I hate it down there."
"Because it's boring?" Surprise asked with the same clueless expression.
Shaking it off as just another case of Surprise's obliviousness, Pinkamina let a weak smile form on her lips for a second. But she could hardly keep her head up. The gravity of the wasteland below pulled in her, forcing her to hang her head, her hair hiding her sad face. Reality was that the only thing holding her up was the balloon belt.
"Hey, cheer up, Pinkie," Surprise tried to console the hanging filly. She flew up on her side and put a hoof around her neck, drawing her towards the comfort of her chest. "It can't be that bad. I'm sure it just needs a little fixer-upper to be more fun."
This statement Pinkamina could not overhear. Her brows gathered as a result of her wrinkly forehead as she looked at the white mare at her side. Her voice was hoarse and angry as she unintentionally flew into another fit of rage, "What do you know about it!? You don't live there! You live in Ponyville where the sun always shines, while I work my flank off every day in that place!"
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Surprise's expression had a slight edge of sadness around it as she looked through stunned eyes at the angry filly. It took a few seconds before Pinkamina realized how she had just reacted. Feeling ashamed, she let her head hang once more, and she pushed herself a little closer to the mare, bringing their coats further together.
"I'm sorry," she said with a quiet voice, "I didn't mean to sh-,"
"Hold on a moment," the white pegasus interrupted, letting go of the pink filly and showing her a raised hoof to ask for patience. "I'll be back in a jiffy."
With that said, the white mare dashed down in a straight line, splashing through the ocean of clouds. Pinkamina did not get a chance to react before she was out of sight. Looking at the wavy clouds with dazzled eyes, she wondered what Surprise could suddenly be thinking. She did not seem upset in any way; neither hurt, angry nor sad. She just disappeared in an instant, leaving Pinkamina to drift in confusion.
But she was not left hanging for long before the pegasus' top half resurfaced in the gray sea. After gasping for air, indicating just how thick the cloud layer was, she grinned at the floating filly, waving her hooves eagerly around. "I've seen it!"
Pinkamina was still stunned. She had no words to express her confusion, instead replying to this crazy behavior with a baffled, "Huh?"
"I've seen it now," repeated Surprise casually. She flew back up to the filly, hovering before her with a silly smirk on her face. "I've seen your farm now. I stuck my head through the clouds and took a quick look around. I don't think anypony saw me, but if they did I would've said 'hello', because that would be the nice thing to do, right? But I couldn't stay for long, because I also promised I'd be right back, so I didn't fly down and talk to them."
Though her way of speaking was odd in itself, what really made Pinkamina blink at her was the strange act she had just performed. She blinked while looking the pegasus in the eyes, trying her best to comprehend her behavior. "Why would you go see it?"
"Well, I wouldn't be able to convince you if I didn't see it first, now would I?" the mare laughed.
"Convince me?" the baffled filly asked. "Convince me of what?"
"Now, just listen for a moment, will you?" the mare said with a smile, and Pinkamina had no idea how to respond other than with a single nod. Shortly after this, Surprise began singing.
"It's true your home is dull and gray
But please hear what I have to say
You don't have to let it get you down
Everything is A-ok
Don't let sadness break your day
Just laugh and replace that sad old frown
So Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you why
You shouldn't turn and run
Those sad old days, will go away
Just remember to have fun."
Pinkamina had no idea what was going on. Acoustic guitar and the sound of drums suddenly filled the air, coming seemingly from nowhere. She looked around swiftly, searching for any sign of the instruments, but there was nothing to be seen. Just like the balloon belt, Surprise had summoned the music from nothing. Looking at the white mare, the filly noticed how she did not seem disturbed at all. She was dancing around, bouncing on the clouds and swimming through the ether as if it was the most normal thing in Equestria.
When the pegasus got to the second verse, Pinkamina stopped caring about what was going on. Her smile increased in intensity, her hooves began tapping the air, and her head bopped along to the rhythm of the music. Happily listening to the music, she watched the white mare with awe and amusement.
"They may seem like a boring bunch
But Pinkie Pie I have a hunch
That they are not as boring as they seem
They just need a single chance
To laugh and play and sing and dance
Then I guarantee that they will beam
So Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you why
You shouldn't turn and run
Those sad old days, will go away
Just remember to have fun."
Surprise flew up to Pinkamina, who was now dancing completely in the air, and she grabbed her by the hooves. Shun spun her around in the air, leaning backwards to properly circle the filly around. While looking deep her eyes, Pinkamina cried with laughter. And for Surprise, it was time for the last bit of the song.
"Everypony loves to have fun
To laugh or giggle, to snort or chuckle, they love it either way
Gray is just a color; I can assure you of that much
So don't give up on, don't give in, lighten up, teach them how to play
So Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you why
You shouldn't turn and run
Those sad old days, will go away
Just remember to have fun
Yes, remember to have fun
Remember to have fun, just have fun."
When the song ended it did so in a grandiose manner. Horns played the guitar out, and streams of confetti filled the air from out of nowhere. Surprise finished it all off by throwing the filly forward spinning, leaving her to laugh as she pirouetted away. She grabbed hold of her from the front, laughing as she tried to look into the giggling filly's eyes, however hard that was with how fast they kept spinning in their sockets. The balloons had become entangled, and with the sudden stop they began spinning the other way, casting the light of the sun around in a pattern of rainbows on the clouds below them. Everything had to settle down before the two ponies could look each other straight in the eyes. A moment of silence fell between them as they smirked at each other. Their faces then steadily grew more and more cheerful, and in a matter of seconds they found themselves kicking the air in shared laughter.
"That was amazing!" Pinkamina called out with a cheerful tone, almost drowned in her merry tears. "How'd you do that?"
"Don't know," replied Surprise laughing. "But I'm glad it cheered you up. It's no fun hanging with your head when you're flying, am I right?"
Taking a moment to settle down, Pinkamina took a good glance at the innocent happiness in Surprise's eyes. She swiped a hoof across her face, wiping away the leftover tears that had cleaned away all her bad feelings from before. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"Of course I'm right," the pegasus loudly exclaimed as she gave the filly a careful push, making her ride the wind backwards. "When it comes to having fun, I'm always right."
She tagged along with the floating filly. Back crawling through the air, Surprise slowly followed just beside Pinkamina, her eyes on the sky and a carefree smile on her face. She was perfectly relaxed with her hooves behind her head and her mane blowing in the slight breeze their movement created. Even Pinkamina could feel the soft cool caressing her flank as they slowly drifted away from the sea of clouds. She did not care that she could not see where they were going. She just let the balloons carry her away.
When they had floated far enough away from the sea of clouds, the filly saw the brown, dead landscape below. She saw the wall of trees that withered halfway, leading to the beautiful green by Ponyville River. Putting on a weak smile, she let her body relax, all the time staring at her cold home.
"You know, it really doesn't have to be all bad," the drifting mare said from beside her.
Pinkamina looked up at Surprise, but she was not looking at her. Instead, her eyes were looking far away, beyond the blue of the sky above. "I know," the filly responded with a quiet voice. "But it is. We can't have sun on that farm. We can't even have plants or animals. Even if I tried, I don't think I could make my family smile in that place."
"Pinkie," Surprise said, still without looking at the pink filly. She wet her lips and let her body relax with a sigh. "I've met a lot of ponies in my life. I've met big ones, small ones, happy ones, sad ones, funny ones, boring ones, and a whole bunch of other types, and you know what I realized?"
The pink filly shook her head in response, though since she was not within Surprise's vision, she added her voice to it. "No."
Switching to float on her belly, the white mare finally looked at Pinkamina, one hoof supporting her own cheek as if she was lying on a mattress instead of hovering in the sky. "I've realized that there's not a single pony who doesn't like to smile. I bet it's the same with your family."
The pink filly smiled. She looked to the sky herself, the edge of her balloon carrier visible in the top corners of her eyes. They were shining as pure as their colors were, the spark of Celestia enhancing their cheerful effect to a relaxing maximum, making it much easier for Pinkamina to have this conversation. "I know they're not bad ponies, but they're just not the same as everypony else. I mean, I've never even seen them do anything fun. My sisters are just kids, and even they don't ever laugh."
"You're a kid too, you know," Surprise added on the side, giggling as she did.
Pinkamina gave her a quick smile before going on. "Well, yeah, but I'm different from them. I hate spending time at that place, and they don't. They've never once thought about how it would be like outside the farm." She took a moment to breathe, her head shaking steadily from side to side as she looked to the ground below. "I really wish they'd give the outside a chance. Maybe they'd smile some more."
"So you'd like to make them smile, huh?" asked Surprise as she changed her position, going from horizontal to vertical.
"Of course I do," was Pinkamina's reply as she looked up at her idol. The filly noticed the smirk on the white mare's face, but she did not give it any further thought. She just continued, her voice low, "They're my family after all. I love making them smile, but it's just almost impossible to do that."
The pegasus shook her head. "It's not impossible, silly. You just have to try harder."
"Yeah, right," the filly snorted, rolling her eyes in disbelief. "As if it was that easy. They won't leave the farm in a million years."
"If the cake doesn't come to the mouth, the mouth gotta come to the cake," Surprise said merrily as she booped Pinkamina on the nose. "Just give them a good time at the farm. I'm sure you'll have loads and loads of fun if you do that."
"On that farm?" the filly asked with a raised brow, pointing her hoof to the dusty brown below the clouds. "Didn't you see it before? That place is the dullest place ever."
The mare shot her a heartwarming smile. She flew upwards for some reason, leaving Pinkamina's eyes to follow her curiously as she reached the balloons above. One by one she began popping them. Their short-lived yet loud bang blew little pieces of plastic to the side, which slowly drifted towards the ground and past an astonished filly. Not long after, enough balloons had been popped for Pinkamina to feel her course shift. She was drifting downwards now, slowly and carefully approaching the ground below.
Surprise flew back to her, looked her kindly in the eyes and grabbed her cheeks with each hoof, forcing her to look back at her. The intensity with which Surprise was staring at her made Pinkamina instinctively gulp. With a soft voice and a calming smile, the pegasus half-whispered to her with a soft, determined tone of voice, "Listen, Pinkie: There's no place where the sun can't reach. That's what I believe, through and through. You gotta promise me you'll think like that too, all right?"
Pinkamina was unsure how she would respond to this. She kept eye contact with Surprise for as long as possible, dazzled as she studied the purple color of her irises. After this long moment and just before they landed, the pink filly nodded slowly in response, her face unchanged.
The soft grass beneath her hooves suddenly felt like little spikes. Compared to walking on air, everything on the ground was rough and painful. Yet it also had a distinct, calming smell that no sky could reproduce. The variety of colors of the earth also had a swell effect on the mind, leaving Pinkamina to breathe steadily as she untied the balloon belt from her waist.
"I guess I should get home now too," she said as soon as she got the balloons lose. She hoofed it over to Surprise, but the white mare ignored it, caring little about this contraption of hers.
"It was fun seeing you again," the white mare said cheerfully, reaching her hooves out to hug the pink filly. "Make sure you come by again soon, all right? Though not tomorrow."
Before accepting the hug, Pinkamina tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Why not tomorrow?"
"I gotta meet up with some ponies about some thunderstorm preparations," she replied with a smile. "I may not look it, but I'm one of the best thunder pegasi around after all. Years of experience."
"Experience?" Pinkamina asked curiously.
But Surprise simply reached out a hoof and nuzzled the filly's mane. "I'll tell you some other day. You have to get home now, right?"
Smiling softly, the pink filly shoved away the white hoof. She leaped in for a hug, reaching her hooves all the way around the white mare's chest. The sensation of white hooves on her chest made her clutch even tighter and smile even wider, but she soon let go anyways. It was time for her to get home. She leaned back, her hooves on Surprise's chest, and shot the pegasus a wide smile, which was returned with an added wink. After their goodbye, the filly started galloping towards the farm, leaving Surprise to wave for her as she created a distance between them.
"Remember what I told you, Pinkie!" she was calling at the top of her lungs behind Pinkamina.
"I will," Pinkamina replied with her own wave as she galloped along. "See you later, Surprise!"
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