The Party
You are invited to Rainbow Dash’s and Twilight Sparkle’s Special Somepony Shindig.
It will be held at Sugar Cube Corner, starting at 6 PM, don’t be late!
See you there!
-Pinkie Pie
(Presents are not expected)
-_-_-_-
“I guess we better get ready.” Rainbow Dash set the invitation down on the centre table of the library and turned to the lavender mare sitting at the reading table.
“I guess.” Twilight sighed, sinking a little lower into her chair, her mane hanging down and hiding her eyes from the world. He vision filled with text from a book resting open on the table in front of her.
“What’s wrong?” Dash cocked her head slightly as she made her way over to her new marefriend. She rested a comforting cyan hoof on her shoulder, though the reaction she got was anything but comforted. Twilight shied away from the hoof, trying to shrug it off, without success.
“Nothing.” Twilight finally caved in and removed Rainbow’s hoof with one of her own.
“I know you’re lying to me. C’mon, what’s eating at you?” Rainbow asked, her concern trickling into her voice as she sat down next to Twilight in an effort to comfort her without touching her.
“It’s what Rarity said.” Twilight admitted sadly, her head sinking lower towards the book. A brief flash of rage went through Rainbow’s eyes before she regained control enough to speak.
“What’s that?”
“That it was almost unanimous in Manehatten. What if… what if it happens here too?”
“That’s all? Twilight, there is no way that law is going to get anywhere near what it needs to be passed.” Dash couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter, it seemed so obvious to her, and Twilight couldn’t see it?
“How do you know that?” Twilight whipped her head around to face Dash, a mixture of worry and hope painted across her features. Hope Dash was right, and worry that she wasn’t.
“Well, if our friends are any indication, five of six ponies are against it. Hay, even Rarity has no problems with gay couples, the only reason she’s doing it is because Manehatten did.” Dash smiled warmly, trying to support the flicker of hope she saw in Twilight.
“It was almost unanimous, Rainbow, an entire city.” Twilight stressed, albeit weakly.
“If most of Ponyville was against gay couples, then would they show up to the party?” Dash’s warm smile turned into that of a mare with a plan.
“Well, no, probably not.” Twilight raised a brow, not entirely sure where she was going with this train of thought.
“Well then, let’s go to the party. You know Pinkie will have invited the whole town, and only supporters of gay relationships will be there. So, if most of the town is there, we’ll know we’re fine. Make sense?” Dash smiled proudly and puffed her chest out slightly. Had she really outsmarted Twilight Sparkle?
“But…” Twilight trailed off, unsure of a counter argument.
“But nothing, if I’m right the majority of the town will be there, and if Rarity is right then only our friends and a few others will be there.” Dash pushed, encouraged by the thoughtful look Twilight had adopted. For a while Twilight stayed silent, her lips slowly turning up into a slight smile. Suddenly her face fell, her previous smile replaced with a look of worry.
“But… why?” Twilight asked, not really pointing the question at anypony in particular.
“Huh? Why what, Twi?” Once again Dash’s face was filled with confusion at the strange question.
“Why are you trying so hard to make me feel better? Why are we having this party? Why did we tell our friends? Why are we even considered together? It’s been two days, Rainbow!” Twilight’s voice built up in volume much like the moisture in her eyes. “Why… why are we together?”
“Because I love you.” Rainbow replied before she thought it through. Even after she had time to register what she had said, she wouldn’t take it back; it was the truth. A truth she had been trying to fly away from and suppress for a long time. Twilight, on the other hoof, was not so sure. She was speechless. She didn’t know how to respond, she didn’t know how she felt about it. She had spent weeks dreaming about how this would go, and all of them involved her confessing her undying love, and Rainbow confessing the same. But now that it was real? She couldn’t form the words.
“I… I-I I don’t… I don’t know-” Twilight was cut of with nothing but a smile.
“It’s okay. Take your time, think it through. I love you and that’s all that matters for now.” Rainbow held her smile and rested a hoof across the unicorn’s shoulders, this time she did not shy away; instead she leaned closer into it. The tears dried themselves before Twilight had even thought about it.
“I thought I knew…” Twilight mumbled sadly, her gaze directed out the window to the sun nearing the horizon.
“Hmm?” Dash asked, only half aware Twilight had spoken at all.
“I thought I knew how I felt. I already said it, but hearing you say it now… I don’t know what to think anymore. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I don’t know if I ever will.”
“Is that such a bad thing? Not knowing, I mean.” Dash nuzzled Twilight’s cheek gently, admiring how soft her fur felt.
Twilight remained silent as she pondered the question for a while. “No, I suppose it’s not. Had I known what I was doing I never would have told you in the first place, all of my books said it wouldn’t happen.” Twilight stated with an odd air of confidence. Like she was… happy she didn’t know. In truth, she was. Planning out every second of every minute of every day, it got old, especially when patterns repeated.
“Exactly!” Twilight smiled and looked toward Rainbow, her pink eyes bright as the sun. Twilight shifted her gaze from Dash’s face to another’s face, one with two hands, the shorter of the two pointed at the six and the longer pointed at the four.
“We’re late!” Twilight shouted, scrambling to her hooves and dashing towards the bathroom, her head poked inside for a second and came back out with a brush running through her mane. Rainbow Dash remained seated, giggling lightly at Twilight’s mad dash around the library.
“Twilight, calm down, we can go now.”
“But we need to get ready, I need to brush my mane and tail, and at the very least you could run a comb through yours, then we’ll need to-” Twilight was cut of by a cyan blur rushing in front of her and shoving a hoof in her mouth.
“Twi, your mane and tail look fine, unless it’s for the Wonderbolts I will not brush my mane or tail, and we don’t need anything for the party.” Dash smiled as she removed her hoof, pleased to see a somewhat calmer expression on the lavender unicorn.
“Alright, but let me just-”
“No, we are going. Now.” Rainbow enforced her point with a wing wrapped around Twilight and a slight tug towards the door.
“But-” Twilight tried to protest again, only to be silence by another tug as she was dragged towards the door.
“Let’s go.” With one final pull they were out the door, the brush still in Twilight’s mane as they made their way to Sugar Cube Corner.
-_-_-_-
The party was in full swing once they got there, it looked as if all of Ponyville had showed up. The music could be heard all the way to the end of the block, and the lights inside danced across the light layer of clouds the weather team needed for the storm planned for tomorrow. All in all, it looked like a pretty awesome party, if Dash said so herself.
Smiling brightly she approached the door, Twilight wrapped snugly in her wing. She had given up resisting; they were already more then half an hour late. Twilight copied Rainbow’s smile as best she could as she opened the door with a flick of her magic, the previously mumbled music spilled out into the street as the sound of happiness floated out the door to great them.
Instantly, the two were dragged in by a pink blob of pure energy and forced into the centre of the room. All the while Pinkie was saying something about being late, but that it was okay because the muffins she made were really distracting and the ponies had enjoyed them and Twilight had lost track right about there. Rainbow hadn’t even tried to listen.
For a few seconds they stood, partially stunned, in the middle of the room, surrounded by most of Ponyville. Suddenly the music cut out. Silence rang through the room as ponies looked at the pink pony that had stopped the music.
“Hello Ponyville! Hope you’re having a good time, and I’m sorry to interrupt, but the main guests have just arrived!” Pinkie shouted over the crowd of semi-silent ponies.
“Let’s give a warm welcome to Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash! Currently seated in the middle of the dance floor!” Pinkie continued to shout, though the crowed had opted to look at the couple in the clearing slowly forming around them. For a while an unnerving silence fell over the room, most ponies unsure of what to do. Pinkie, however, wasted no time in giving them a head start. She zipped through the room with a speed that should be impossible in the thickness of the crowd.
“Don’t be shy!” She yelled as she started stomping her hooves on the ground as applause, the rest of the audience quickly catching on and doing the same, a few whistling and hollering congratulations, though most were lost in the sea of noise Pinkie had created.
After a while the noise died down, just a few more yells of and cheers before the room was once again silent, all looking expectantly at the pair they were celebrating.
“FILLYFOOLERS!” A voice called from somewhere in the crowed. A gasp cascaded through the gathered ponies around them. Twilight whimpered and hung her head a little lower as the derogatory term reached her ears; her earlier fears coming back to light. In that moment the look of rage and hatred on Pinkie Pie’s face was unmatched by anything Twilight had ever seen. She swore she even saw her entire pink coat turn a threatening shade of red.
“Will somepony…” Pinkie spoke quietly as she paused, gasping for breath as she struggled to keep her rage under control. “Please be so kind…” Pinkie paused once more, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “AS TO SLAP WHOEVER SAID THAT AND THROW THEM OUT OF THIS TOWN!” Pinkie screamed, jumping off the floor, the audience around her cringed in fear as she spun on her hooves to look for the source of the voice. Her search was unnecessary, however, as a sharp smack was heard, followed by the bell above the door ringing and another thud as they were thrown out.
Satisfied with the sound, Pinkie returned to her usual happy smile and looked back at the pair. “So sorry about that, but I guess some ponies just like being big meany-mean-pants.”
“It’s cool Pinkie.” Dash replied with a smile. Twilight, on the other hoof, was anything but fine
“Cool? It’s ‘cool’? How is that cool? Somepony was just slapped and thrown out for voicing their opinion! That is not ok, Pinkie. And Rainbow, how could you support that? That was just plain wrong.” Twilight ranted more about how everypony was entitled to an opinion, but neither Rainbow nor Pinkie paid much attention.
“Even if the opinion is both wrong and offensive?” Dash asked when she was sure Twilight had finished.
“Well… yes.” Twilight stood up a little straighter, Dash recognized this as her ‘lecture’ mode.
“Alright Twi, it was wrong, we get it. Now can we enjoy the party?” Dash asked hopefully, trying to stop Twilight from going into a full blown lecture about rights and other nonsense. It was only then Twilight realized that the music was still off, and all the ponies were still staring at them.
“Oh… right… the party… shall we?” She grinned sheepishly as she motioned for Pinkie to start the music again, the pink pony doing so within seconds. The rest of the ponies present gave one last look towards them before continuing whatever it was they had been doing before. Some dancing, some trying to dance… and failing. Others were just standing around talking.
“Smooth, egghead.” Dash taunted over the music. Twilight’s comeback died in her throat as a familiar alabaster unicorn approached the two. The conversation from the previous day coming back in full force, Twilight shrunk back a bit, doing her best imitation of Fluttershy as she made herself as small as she could.
Rainbow took notice of this and looked to were the purple maned mare was coming from. She instantly took up an aggressive pose in front of Twilight, lowering her stance and flaring her wings. “What do you want?” She growled.
Rarity flinched at the aggressive tone, her approach halted instantly. “I’m here to… congratulate you?” The answer sounded more like she was asking permission.
“You made it perfectly clear you didn’t support us. Why the change of heart?” Dash took a single step towards Rarity, the unicorn mirroring by stepping back.
“Well, after our… discussion, yesterday, I was forced to think about my views on the subject, and…” Rarity trailed off, suddenly distracted by a stray strand of her mane.
“And what?” This time Twilight spoke, rising from behind Rainbow Dash and advancing a few steps past her, much to Rainbow’s surprise and Rarity’s displeasure.
“Twi, I got this.” Rainbow whispered, quietly enough that only Twilight could hear her.
“No, it’s time I defended myself for once.” She said firmly, casting a quick glance over her shoulder. Rainbow smiled as he straightened herself and stood next to Twilight; resuming her scowl as soon as she looked back to the white unicorn.
“Well, I realised I was… wrong.” Rarity mumbled the last word, the music and general noise making it impossible to tell she had spoken at all.
“Realised you were what?” Twilight pressured, glancing briefly beside her to ensure Rainbow was still there. She wasn’t sure if she could do it on her own, but she didn’t want to find out just yet.
“Wrong!” Rarity shouted, her ‘proper lady’ composure cracking like a dried up twig under a hoof. “I was wrong, alright? I was wrong to follow others so blindly! I should have thought, I’m sorry! Please, forgive me!” When she was done her breathing was irregular. She gasped for breath, trying to regain some form of decency.
“Does this mean you’re withdrawing your support from that ridiculous law?” Rainbow asked, her scowl softening into a stern glare.
“Well of course! I wouldn’t dream of associating with ponies like that ever again!” Her tone returned to its usual dignified ring as she held a dramatic hoof to her head.
“It was you!?” Applejack shouted, stepping out of the crowed, flanked by both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, all with firm glares on their faces.
“Uh, hi, Applejack, how are you?” Rarity’s eyes switched from face to face nervously, the rest of the crowed glaring at her as well.
“Don’t try and change the subject. How could y’all do that?” Applejack advanced as Pinkie and Fluttershy kept pace as she trotted until she was inches away from the unicorn.
“That’s just wrong.” There was surprising amount of force to Fluttershy’s voice: That animosity that was rarely seen from the usually timid pegasus.
“That’s just… that’s… I don’t know what it is, but it’s pretty bad!” Pinkie swung her hooves to emphasize how bad it was, though it just looked like she was trying to row a boat upside down.
“I know that now! I told you I’m sorry.”
“I have half a mind to buck ya to the moon!” Applejack shouted as she took the last step she had room for, her emerald eyes drilling holes through Rarity’s head.
“We know you are. We want to forgive you, we really do. But…” Fluttershy trailed off as the look on Rarity’s face sunk into a frown.
“I know. I’m sorry, but apologizing is really the only thing I can do to make up for it, unless you want a dress.” Rarity said sadly as she looked down to the floor out of shame. She brought her head back up when she felt a hoof rest comfortingly on her shoulder; her face meeting the smiling face of Twilight.
“It’s alright, Rarity, I forgive you. You were just doing what you thought was right. We all make mistakes, at least you learned from this one.” Twilight soothed gently, smiling comfortingly at the alabaster mare.
“T-thank you, Twilight.” Rarity reached over and wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s neck, pulling her into a much needed embrace. Once again Rainbow felt a twinge of something form in her gut at the scene.
Rarity pulled away to see the gentle smiles on the rest of her friends lips. “Now that that’s out of the way… LET’S PARTY!” Pinkie shouted, the DJ taking the queue and switching tracks to something more upbeat.
-_-_-_-
“C’ya later Pinkie!” Dash called as she walked out the door, her and Twilight that last ones to leave.
“Bye Dashie!” Pinkie waved out the door before closing it and returning inside, presumably to clean up.
“Well that was fun.” Twilight said sleepily beside her, wobbling slightly as her hooves threatened to give out. Rainbow wrapped a quick wing around her to steady the wobbling unicorn.
“Whoa, Twi, you alright?”
“Yeah… just tired.” She admitted sleepily as she started walking towards the library. Rainbow followed, letting Twilight lean on her as they made their way slowly down the street.
“C’mon, let’s get you to bed.”
The moon was high in the sky, almost midnight by the time they got back to the library. The sky illuminated by the stars. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked as she opened the door with her magic.
“Yeah?” Rainbow helped Twilight into the dark tree-turned-library.
“I love you too.”