//------------------------------//
// Chapter 23 
// Story: Raindrops' Wrap Up 
// by Arkensaw Pinkerton 
//------------------------------//

"Sure thing, Spike! Don't worry about Pinkie getting into the book. I'm on the case!"

About fifteen seconds after Spike closes the door, you realise that Pinkie is leaning over the book, about to open it. You slam a hoof down on the cover and look her in the eye.

"No, Pinkie. Come on, I promised Spike. Just drink your cocoa and wait for him to get Twilight."

She sticks her bottom lip out, and it begins to quiver.

"I said no! It could be dangerous! That's the whole reason we're not supposed to look!"

Her eyes start to water, and she is somehow dilating her pupils. Sweet Celestia, that's disturbing. And adorable. Distorable.

"If you can't stop yourself from looking at it I'm going to have to keep it away from you." You stamp a back hoof for emphasis before lifting the book in your forelegs and hovering out of Pinkie's reach. She sighs theatrically and walks into the kitchen.

"Pinkie, I'm sorry! We have to be careful!"

You feel a little bad. You're about to go into the kitchen to see if she's alright when you hear a primal yell from behind you- she's somehow made her way to Twilight's balcony room and is launching herself at you. She lands on your back as you try to dodge and immediately starts tickling you.

"Augh! Pinkie, ha, no! I'll crash!" You shout, desperately trying not to laugh as you start to spiral around the room.

"So land! And we can look at the book! It might have recipies in it, or a secret candy compartment! Come ooon!"

"No looking at the book!"

You try to shake her off with a barrel roll, but you lose your grip on the book and the second it's slipped your grasp Pinkie drops off your shoulders. The sudden shift in weight makes you lose your concentration, and you end up jamming your head somewhere in the "G" section of the shelves.

You pull yourself together after a moment and yank your head out of the shelves, dislodging 'Green Hoof's Guide to Grocery Growing' and 'Great Unicorns of Magical Theory' as you land in a heap. Pinkie's sat with a pair of reading glasses and a new mug of cocoa, somehow, and is about to start reading the book.

"Oh, hello Raindrops!" She says in a mock-cultured voice. "Would you care to join me? I was about to get some- ah!"

You grab the book to pull it away from her and she drops her cocoa on the floor as she grabs it right back. She's distressingly strong- freaking earth ponies- and it takes a couple of solid yanks before you get it away from her, holding it triumphantly over your head as Pinkie falls backwards into the spilled cocoa. You don't notice the door open, or hear Spike say anything, before you start to crow over your triumph.

"I'm sure they haven't looked at it, Twilight. Raindrops seems really responsi-"

"HAH! SUCK FLOOR COCOA, PINKIE! NOPONY LOOKS AT THE BOOK! YOU SHOULDA oh hi you two."

This may require some explaining.

To attempt an explanation despite looking pretty guilty, Click here for chapter 51.
To throw the book at Twilight and run away, Click here for chapter 52.
To take refuge in an audacious stream-of-consciousness lie, Click here for chapter 53.

Requests closed for this chapter!

To go back a step, Click here for Chapter 10.