After she decided to become her own self as Pinkamena (she’s still trying to decide to go by Mena or Diane if anything), the Juggler decided to find what it means to be alive. She has memories as Pinkie Pie, but they’re not easy to draw up to the forefront of her mind. Beyond that, they feel like stories she can recall rather than experiences as Pinkie Pie.
 
The Juggler’s Garb, she felt, could help give her the sense of identity she needed, so with it, the earth pony went back to Manehatten after promising to return after thinking more about who she is after forcing Pinkie to be honest with herself. The thought of giving herself a purpose was overbearing beyond imagination, but regardless of what soul searching she had to do, she still needed gil to support herself.
 
Her entertaining skills were only enhanced by the newer, brighter clothes given to her by Rarity. Since she stood out more in the grey city, the Earth Pony earned more money in a week than in a month. Pinkamena drew in crowds on the corners she performed on. Their smiles were infectious, but they didn’t make her hair the ball of fluff the original’s was. No matter how large the crowd or how vibrant the smiles, her hair remained flat. The more time marched on, the more disenchanted the standing situation made her. Eventually it hit a breaking point for her when she caught some comments about the mismatched way she carries herself compared to her acts.
 
Pinkamena decided to take a journey to Ponyville to get answers from the one mare she could get information from. She pondered a moment knowing that the situation between the two of them had been reversed. Though in her heart, she also realized it would also end the same way, a fight.