[Ponyville] Visions of Frosting and Terror! [Open]

[RarityDash]

"I think it looks great on you, Rarity! It really matches well with your eyeshadow and mane!"

Rarity just glared at the mare at this comment, and then proceeded to roll her eyes. Her pleasant day off was suddenly a little less perfect. She was beginning to wonder if this had really been a good idea in the first place.

"Let's take a lookie! Sshh! It's okay sweetie!"

The unicorn continued to watch carefully as the foal, who was now more purple than Twilight Sparkle, was set aside. She gave another awkward laugh, still finding this all so very bizarre. Where could Pinkie possibly be going with all of it? It just didn't seem sensible.

"Madame Pinkie shall now read the pie goo of fate! Piefoal reading is surprisingly accurate, messy as it is! Heehee! I once used it to figure out...oh, look at that! See that!? Six pieces of crust, attached with little tendrils of blueberry slime! That means we share a deep connection with each other, and the other girls!"

Rarity had to laugh again. Sure enough, there were six pieces of crust around where it said friends. That certainly did reflect how many were in their group. Perhaps there was something to this after all? Or perhaps this was as ridiculous as it seemed and this was just all a coincidence.

"Family! See that big piece of crust and the little one? I think that means you and your little sister are much closer than you've ever been in your entire lives! I see two bigger crust pieces farther from your writing, which suggests a disconnect with your parents."

Hmm... This also seemed to kind of match up. She did feel closer to Sweetie than ever. As for her parents, as much as she loved them, there had always been some distance there, largely because she wished it. She had always wanted to be independent, and had tried not to rely on them so much. She could kind of see it reflected here... As the foal blotted her sitter's face with pie filling, Rarity wondered if maybe, just maybe, this was something real...

"Fashion! I think this suggests you're going to make a dress out of pie! I mean golly, look at it!"

And then all at once Rarity felt stupid for even considering that this was something real. She laughed in spite of herself. Still, it was kind of fun, she supposed, and Pinkie was clearly enjoying herself. The messy streak on her face and her less than fabulous mane aside, there wasn't much harm in it.

"These last two are difficult to make out. Hmmm... Are you okay? If you want some pie, there's a teeny bit left in the tin that Pumpkin didn't use for your reading! Feel free to stuff it in your face if you'd like! Hahaha!"

Rarity shook her head and sighed slightly. "No, thank you, Pinkie, but I think I'll pass on that for now," she said looking at the pie. She laughed politely. "After all this, I think I've had enough pie for quite some time, to tell the truth."

[Rosewind]

"No pie? Huh, I'll finish it, then!" Pinkie reached over and grabbed the messy remains of the pie, licking the tin clean. She set it on Pumpkin's head like a big, metallic hat. "Where were we? OH RIGHT! The last two readings." Pinkie dramatically spread her hooves wide and pulled her face close to the table, reading the last two elements of her Piefoal reading with extreme scrutiny. "Hmm! Oooh! Aaah! Eee! Mmmm!" Pinkie looked up, smiling. "Okie doki loki! I've got the last two bits of your reading, Rarity!" Pinkie cleared her throat, attempting to wipe pie goo off her face. Instead, it just left a big streak of purple across her cheek. "In about three months, your boutique is going to catch on fire. It won't destroy it though, but you will lose a lot of your work. Pretty awful, huh?!" Pinkie pointed to several shards of pie that looked like flames.

"Not to fret, though! While cleaning up, you'll find a secret box full of super rare rainbow diamonds you once stashed away and forgot, which will not only pay for the damages. but allow you to add a few additions." Pinkie pointed to a gem-shaped splotch of blueberry filling. "Oh right, and you want to know if you're making other ponies happy?" The pink mare pointed to the scrawl on the table, surprisingly clean of any pie. "You have no fortune there, because you're doing it already!" Pinkie smiled at her friend. "Neat, huh?! Next time we can try a custard-hammer reading! Those are great for figuring out romance. Besides inkhorn readings, of course!" Pumpkin licked several remnants of pie off her face. "Do you want your tablecloth back?"

[Solaria]

Colgate trotted happily down one of Ponyville's many quaint boulevards, her curled mane bobbing as she went along. It was a rather hot day, just short of scorching, but that wasn't putting a damper on the unicorn's spirits. Just the opposite actually! For once she wasn't bogged down with endless scores of ponies nursing toothaches or complaining of other mouth-related problems, and she'd been able to leave the office early. Not that she didn't love her job, it was just amazing what the citizens of Ponyville would put into their mouths. Didn't they ever stop to think first?

The biggest culprit was that mare who lived at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie. Colgate couldn't fathom how she'd never seen the earth pony at her dental practice, but she'd sure sent enough of others in her place. "My teeth started hurting after this chimmicherry tart!" or "Mah mouf ish numb afur etig dat Dragun Fahr cookeh!" they would say. Did half of what came from that place even qualify as food?

The mare's pace slowed as she passed the very bakery in question, the building looking for all purposes like the sweets it served. More interesting though was the large tent out front, with various bits and pieces of things scattered around and a rather intriguing sign.

"Madame Pinkie," Colgate muttered, rolling her eyes only the tiniest bit with a smile. "I have to see this."

Without further ado the blue pony ambled over and poked her head through the flaps, spying the pink mare as well as a foal and... what was her name? Rareness? Elusive? Rarity! That was it. It was a lot easier in the office when a pony could just look through a few files and have all the information they'd ever need at their hooves.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," the hygienist said with a bright smile. "I'll just be waiting... outside," she finished lamely, her eyes fixed on the bits of lettuce and other things before she ducked back out.

[AlisonRose]

With a small shy grin on her face Apple Pie trotted up to the lovely looking and strangely inviting tent. She pushed the entrance aside and trotted in and looked about. Noticing some strange chaos that was going on she imediatly started to back up out of the tent and sat down outside with a very quizzical look on her face.

"Sorry, didn't mean to intrude." She looked at the tent and just let her sentence fall down in the air as leaves do in fall. Apple Pie was deceptively smart but she also knew her place as a young filly and didn't want to intrude in the lives of the big ponies. Her mane was a touch mussed thanks to the walk to the tent but it was going to be alright since she had her bonnet in her saddlebags should her mane get even worse from her travels or from the events of the day. She turned to the pony next to her noticing that they themselves were also in the same predicament that she was.

"Oh, you also fell for the same thing that I did." Her voice was falling flat as it had been before, she knew that there was no reason for her to sound excited since she had just failed to notice the pony before her own eyes and still walked into the tent.

[RarityDash]

"No pie? Huh, I'll finish it, then!"

Rarity just stared in awe as Pinkie messily ingested the rest of the pie. This pony really was just far too much at times. She sighed as the pony finished, pie still on her face.

Where were we? OH RIGHT! The last two readings. Hmm! Oooh! Aaah! Eee! Mmmm! Okie doki loki! I've got the last two bits of your reading, Rarity!"

The unicorn just nodded quietly to her friend, still kind of interested to hear what she had to say.

"In about three months, your boutique is going to catch on fire. It won't destroy it though, but you will lose a lot of your work. Pretty awful, huh?!"

Rarity gasped, suddenly fully alert to what was being said. "What? That can't be! That would be the worst possible thing!" she shouted, starting to pace in the tent, a worried look in on her face.

"Not to fret, though! While cleaning up, you'll find a secret box full of super rare rainbow diamonds you once stashed away and forgot, which will not only pay for the damages. but allow you to add a few additions."

Rarity stopped in her tracks and looked at the pink pony. Oh? Well, maybe that wouldn't be that bad? Wait. Why couldn't she just find the diamonds now, now that she knew they were somewhere? Were there even any diamonds? More than that, why was she taking this so seriously? This was still Pinkie Pie talking... Though that said, Pinkie could do certain things other ponies couldn't. Maybe this was real... Rarity could feel her head start to spin.

"Oh right, and you want to know if you're making other ponies happy? You have no fortune there, because you're doing it already!"

The fabulous mare nodded at this part and smiled a little. Even if this was all coincidental, hearing this from her friend was was nice. She liked to think she was enriching the lives of others with her dresses, so a little confirmation always went a long way.

"Neat, huh?! Next time we can try a custard-hammer reading! Those are great for figuring out romance. Besides inkhorn readings, of course!"

Rarity backed up on reflex. She could only imagine what a custard-hammer reading entailed, and the messiness of it frightened her profoundly. That said... though she wasn't actively looking as much since the whole Blueblood debacle, her love life was pretty lifeless these days. Maybe a reading couldn't hurt...?She blushed and then looked downward.

"Do you want your tablecloth back?"

She shook her head and stepped back as she examined the messy cloth. "You know what, Pinkie, I think I'll let you keep that," she said as she continued to back away.

"I think I should maybe get going now," she said steadily. "But maybe I'll stop by for another reading some time... So... uh... thanks for this, I suppose. Bye now!"

Waving good bye Rarity stepped away and made her exit from the tent. She smiled at the small line forming, trying to make sure the non-blueberry pie blemished side of her face was on display. She picked up her pace as she continued, eager to return to the Boutique to search for both diamonds and potential fire hazards.

[Rosewind]

Pinkie smiled widely, wrapping her hooves around Rarity's neck in a big squeezy Earth Pony hug. She smooshed her juice-stained cheek against Rarity's...juice-stained cheek. "I can keep the cloth?! Thanks Rarity! It's true you really do know how to make other ponies happy! Do you want your yellow paint and paintbrush back, too?" Pinkie watched her friend bid her farewell and back out of the tent. She called after Rarity as she made her departure."So...that's a yes, right!?" She looked to purple Pumpkin. "Huh? I wonder where she was eager to get off to?" Several fireflies landed on the top of the messy table and feasted on the pie bits, as Pumpkin happily plunged her hoof into her mouth.

"I hear lots of ponies lining up outside! Madame Pinkie has her work cut out for her! NEXT!"

[Lux]

Guiding Light saw Rarity leave the tent. He remembered stopping at her place and buying a suit there for a party that unfortunately didn't happen. At least he had one for some fancy occasion.

Stepping into the tent he saw Pinkie Pie from the kissing booth at Sweet Apple Acres. The memories played back for him where she asked Apple Bloom if he was her coltfriend and she said no. He wanted to tell her how she messed up his happiness, even if it was blissful ignorance. It was then he saw a foal there, happily eating the remnants of a pie, the same one at the kissing booth with her father. He realized he couldn't yell at Pinkie, not with a foal in the midst.

It was then he realized that it wasn't her he was angry at but him for being so stupid thinking that a girl like Apple Bloom would ever be his special somepony, for his shyness that interfered with ability to make friends, and his inadequecies of not being the colt others wanted him as.

With a sigh, he took a seat in front of the table, waiting for whatever might come next.

[Rosewind]

Pinkie smiled at Light as he entered her tent. "Hiya Lightie! Here to see Madame Pinkie?! Oh my...you look positively heartbroken! You poor thing!" Pinkie flaired her pie-spattered cloak and sat in her woven wicker seat opposite Light. "There's some pie left if you want it! I don't need it anymore!" She motioned, of course, to the fragments of pie crust and goo on the table. "You have questions, rightie? Ask me and I'll tell you, dear Lightie!" The pink mare crossed her hooves, grinning something fierce at the colt. Pumpkin rolled her eyes and started to crawl toward the pair.

[Lux]

"Thanks but no thanks for the pie," Light said to Pinkie. He wasn't really that hungry anyway and his depressed feelings made all food, no matter how yummy it may be, look undesirable.

Pinkie then asked if he had any questions for her. Obviously from her appearance she was giving fortunes out to ponies.

"Well... um.. I could ask you something about love, but seeing as how it went with.... you know who... badly, I'm kind of a lost cause."

Light stopped. He really meant to say "that's kind of a lost cause." Yet what he actually said rang painfully true for him. Then as his eyes began to tear up from the truth, he blurted out his thoughts.

"I know no filly's going to want me as I am: a shy pony that acts like a foal. Who's going to want someponyy like that?"

Realizing that he made yet another stupid mistake of displaying his thoughts to her, Light recollected himself and tried focusing on what Pinkie asked him.

So I guess I have two questions. Is there hope for me to get rid of my shyness? I guess I can ask if there's hope for me in getting a special somepony in the future, too."

[Rosewind]

Pinkie set her hindhooves up on the table, leaning back in her wicker seat. She nodded, the beads of her pie-coated headdress clinking. "Mmmhm, mmhm! Yup! Yesarooski!" She said, her eyes closed blissfully. "I don't think we'll need any of my Gypsy Power to figure out your fortune today. I've got your new fillyfriend right here!" The pink mare sat up and scooped up Pumpkin, holding the foal up under her arms. She was a deep shade of purple and coated in unappetizing pie remnants, not to mention she was drooling. The unicorn foal wriggled around from her suspension in the air. "Meh? Eee? Wah! Aah!"

Pinkie smiled widely at Light. "Isn't she cute?!" She presented Pumpkin to Light. "Be sure to let Mr. and Mrs. Cake know that you're bestest best friends with their daughter now! I'm sure they'll be just thrilled!" Pumpkin latched her little mouth onto Light's nose, giggling and slobbering. Her drool was still purple from her pie snack. "About the shyness thing, mmm, I dunno anything about being shy. I suppose we could draw up some method to divine that, though! Which do you find more appealing: getting tied up over a cauldron of hungry caterpillers with lettuce lashed to your body, or feather tickles?"

[Lux]

Guiding light for a moment was excited the hear that Pinkie Pie had a possible fillyfriend for him. But when she produced the unicorn foal and said that was going to be his fillyfriend, his happy feeling deflated like a balloon. Was Pinkie trying to tell him that this was in the future going to be his special somepony?

"Err... I'm kind of looking for a pony around my age to be a fillyfriend," Light said as the foal decided to use his nose as a pacifier.

Then Pinkie mentioned ways to divine his future being shy.

"Wait, tickling with a feather," he said, not sure if that's what he heard.

[Rosewind]

Pumpkin's eyes watered as she saw Light's reaction, and she started to cry. Pinkie frowned at Light and pulled her away, cradling the infant as pitiful tears streaked down her purple cheeks. "Light! You're supposed to be friends with the fillies, not reject them! My Celestia above, we have our work cut out for us!" Pinkie smoothed over Pumpkin's orange ducktail. "Sssh! It's okay sweetie! He didn't mean it. You know we'll be best palsies forever!" The gypsy mare looked sourly at Light. "I think the feather reading will have to wait a bit until Pumpkin calms down." She sighed deeply. "Don't worry, we won't have to let her parents know that you two are breaking up."

[Lux]

"Wait," Light said to Pinkie in the confusion of the foal crying and Pinkie scolding him for rejecting her. How in Celestia did Pinkie think that a foal would be a substitute for a filly?

"I'm not rejecting her. It's just she's a foal and I'm a colt. I mean she seem nice and all, but oh dear."

He saw the sad pony who was cradeled by Pinkie pie. It reminded of how he felt when rejected by Apple Bloom.

"Um... It's ok... um.... Pumpkin. I think you'll find a better pony when you're a filly than me."

Light felt that this was going to be a losing battle, but he hoped that at least his words would save him from not even having his fortune read.

[Solaria]

Colgate watched idly as Rarity trotted from the tent, looking a little worse for wear when compared to her normally immaculate image. Pinkie would do that to you, she supposed. It was likely an occupational hazard of being her close friend. At least the pink mare seemed to love her job. A wailing sound from the soothsayer area caused the mare to prick her ears, but then again the baby would be well taken care of: her foalsitter was right there. A flat voice tugged the unicorn's attention to a younger pony standing at her side, one who had also poked her head into the tent.

"Well, it's a little hard to keep up with Pinkie's schemes half the time," Colgate admitted, having become accustomed to it after living in Ponyville for as long as she had. "Don't worry, you'll almost never make sense of them. But I guess that's half the fun," she laughed, shrugging. "I'm Colgate. Are you here to get your fortune read as well?"

[Rosewind]

Pinkie sighed, shaking her head at Light. "You obviously have a lot to learn about fillies! Why are ya in a hurry to hook up with anypony, anyway? I'm single, and look how I turned out!" She grinned at Light, as some pie goo oozed off her face. Pumpkin seemed to calm down, sticking her purple hoof in her mouth and suckling away with gusto. She gave Light a frosty glare from her cradle in Pinkie's arms, obviously not happy with him. "Oooh, I wouldn't want to be in your horseshoes, mister!" The pink mare adjusted her beaded headdress. "I believe everything happens for a reason, even if we don't like the reason. That's part of what makes us who we are. It's how we choose to react to the problems we face that will ultimately decide what we will glean from the trials of life, and the consequences thereof."

Pinkie picked up a drool-covered orange and held it up. "Think of this orange like you! If you bit into it right now, you'd have a bitter exterior to get through, before you get to the sweet juicy stuff inside." She bit into the fruit, juice splattering down her chin. She wrinkled her snout as she crunched through the peel. "See? You have to peel yourself before anyfilly will go for you. Wait to ripen a bit, and your juice will be all ready! Alrighty? Sage mare advice for you!" Pumpkin looked up, as juice dribbled on her forehead. She squirmed, obviously not pleased about it. "Anymore questions, Mister Light?"

[Lux]

Light listened to Madame Pinkie's advice. At first he was worried that the pink earth pony would try something silly again like pawning off the unicorn foal. Clearly that wasn't going to work as Pumpkin looked visible upset, staring daggers at him.

Pinkie then mentioned about an orange. At first he was unsure where this was going. After all, he was a pony, not produce. But then amidst the strange analogy, it actually made sense to him. He needed to, like the orange, mature a little more and then he would be able to find a special somepony.

"Wow... that actually makes sense! Thanks Pinkie... I mean Madame Pinkie! I think you answered all my questions."

[Rosewind]

Pinkie's rare moment of sage wisdom had passed. "What makes sense? Eating oranges with the peel on? I suppose it does save time. Want one?! Sure you do!" The pink mare picked up an orange and stuck it on Light's horn. "It must be so fun being a unicorn. You get to take your snacks to go! Tell me, in school, do other unicorns make fun of each others' horn size? I'm sure that might be something that fillies and colts may pick on -- you know how kids are these days, huh?!" She wrapped her arm around Light's neck and guided him toward her tent flap. "This was really fun! I think you should stop by again soon, Light! Maybe you can help me foalsit the Twins sometime! We'll bring snacks and sing, play games, watch the stars, start a fire in the kitchen..."

[Lux]

(OOC: So random Pinkie)

Suddenly the moment of clarity had left the pink pony and she gave up the orange/ pony analogy of growing up and just offered the fruit to Light. Before Light could say yes or no to the offer, the mare stuck the orange on his horn.

"Um... thanks," the colt said as the juice began to run down the horn and on his face and mane.

Then Pinkie mentioned about ponies making fun of the horn sizes of unicorns. Light hoped that she wasn't implying his was small. Plus he knew that as long as a unicorn did magic, size wasn't the issue.

The mare then mentioned something about foalsitting the twins. He knew the one pony was that unicorn that pinkie was trying to play matchmaker with, but it seemed there was another foal, too.

"Well... maybe I could, but I'd have to see."

[Rosewind]

"Okies Light! It's been real! Real what, I'm not quite sure!" Pinkie nudged the unicorn out her tent flap with a shove from her flank. "NEXT!"

She scooped up purple Pumpkin and flopped down in her wicker chair, petting the foal's curled orange (now grape purple) ducktail like a mad scientist stroking a cat. Pumpkin didn't seem to mind, and stuffed her hoof in her mouth, looking to the entryway for the next pony in line...

[Lux]

Light stood outside the tent, not exactly sure what he went through. Still he was glad he did as Pinkie pie did offer some good advice. Stilll he would look for his special somepony in life and if it took growing up a bit, that was fine for him.

Walking home, he realized that the orange was still stuck firmly to his horn.

Great. How am I going to explain this to my parents?"

(Exit Guiding Light! Thanks!)

[HarringtonSleuth]

Harrington Sleuth passed by the odd stand out on the side of the road. He looked at the short line that had formed in front of the tent and at the sign that hung beside its entrance.

Ask Madame Pinkie!

Fortune and Fa...

"Fame? Fate? What is that last bit supposed to even mean? There are many words that start with "fa." Fame. Fate. Fare. Fabulous. Falafel. Favorite. What is this 'Madame Pinkie' up to with this gig?"

He saw some of the locals leaving the tent as others joined the line, some of them giving mixed expressions as they left, but all who had yet to enter looked very interested in what was inside. Perhaps this "Madame Pinkie" was a con artist looking for a quick bit like most gypsies he saw along the roads of Equestrian towns. Bonus con points if they were from faraway lands.

Maybe she's doing it for the laughs? He wouldn't doubt the possibility of a gypsy or two out there who tell fortunes of terror just to get their kicks. Either way, now that he had opened up two reasons for a fortune teller, he had to find out.

Harrington bolted down his wagon to the side of the road before he stepped into the back of the line and waited with the hope this little investigation wouldn't take terribly long.

[Solaria]

Colgate looked up from her conversation as a male unicorn moved from the tent, an orange affixed firmly to his horn and a somewhat confused look upon his face. The fruit was to be expected considering the "clairvoyant" in question that they were visiting, and she supposed Pinkie's advice would leave most ponies confused. Following that logic, the other unicorn was leaving his session looking perfectly natural.

"Next!" came the jarring voice of the pink earth pony before she ducked back through the fabric flap.

Here we go, Colgate thought, mentally preparing herself for whatever randomness she would find inside. After all, wasn't she just seeing what Pinkie was up to? It's not like she was actually going to find her fortune here...

If anything, the area she entered was even more messy than when she'd stepped in a few moments ago. She could see why Rarity had left at least. Squaring her shoulders, she trotted forward to the table and stood opposite of the rosey mare, who was petting a foal and looking for all the world like any and every stereotypical villain she'd seen in plays or movies. She smiled.

"Hi Pinkie, it looks like you're having a lot of fun in here," she commented with a laugh. "I thought I'd come by and see what everypony was gathering up for."

[Rosewind]

Pinkie waved warmly as Colgate entered her tent. "Hi Colgate! You've come to see Madame Pinkie huh?" Pumpkin mimicked her wave from her lap, her purple hoof coated in drool. "Pardon the mess! We've had some serious fortune telling going on in here! Inkhorn readings, piefoal readings, hoof readings. Pretty soon I'll be doing reading-readings!" Pinkie set the unicorn infant on the table top. She happily stuffed her hoof back in her mouth, seeking stray pie bits off the table.

"I'm sure you have many questions to ask! Tell me, brave Colgate, what answers do you wish to seek?!" Pinkie stood up and flourished her cloak, which tangled around her body. She hopped several times and tipped over, her hind hooves and curly tail ending up over the table edge. "Don't worry!" Pinkie said, her voice muffled from under the table. "This is actually one of my super-secret special gypsy fortune warm up techniques!"

[AlisonRose]

Apple Pie just looked on and didn't even open her mouth as she was addressed by the other pony. She wasn't being rude she was just promptly interrupted by Pinkie Pie coming out of the tent and yelling for the next pony.

"Well I guess that just means I will have to wait my turn also." She nodded her head and let her voice fall flat knowing that she wasn't talking to anypony. As she looked about she noticed the subtle designs of the tent and kept looking at it noting the very very strange decorations on it. Not something that I would ever chose for a Gypsy tent layout but I guess it is anything goes with Pinkie Pie. She thought as she stood up onto her hooves and swished her tail about a few times before resuming her sitting position on the ground with a soft sigh into the wind. It wasn't long until she was lonely again and only was hearing the voices from inside the tent muffled and obscured by its many layers of cloth all about. It wasn't that Apple Pie WANTED to know what they were talking about or what they were saying but it was natural curiosity of what was even happening inside the tent.

"I will have to wait my turn like a proper patient pony." She convinced herself to be a good little filly for once instead of causing some sort of strange mischief that only her brain would comprehend until the dead was done. Surely Pinkie Pie would know some way that they could have fun or some other sort of enjoyable adventure.

[Solaria]

Colgate's eyes followed the foal as she moved around the table on her sweets-induced adventure to find crumbs, her smile growing. Nothing was cuter than a baby pony! They were even lucky enough to have teething to look forward to. They wouldn't appreciate it at the time, but getting to brush those teeth later... The euphoric thought made the unicorn weak at the knees sometimes. Maybe after this she'd even pull out her travel toothbrush and find a nice, remote patch of grass and... She shook her head to clear the daydream. She had brushed before leaving the office, now was not the time.

With a folding of legs Colgate lifted the edge of the table cloth with her magic, tucking her head under the table so that she was once again face to face with the upside-down Pinkie. The blue pony pondered for a moment about what she'd actually ask the random mare, but then she supposed her question really didn't need to make sense.

"Madame Pinkie. What do you see for the future of healthcare in Ponyville? Is it going to expand so we can get more proper coverage? It's a little lacking lately with all the new ponies we get every month."