//------------------------------// // Increasingly // Story: Insufficient // by Subsolar Drift //------------------------------// Pinkie's eyes stayed trained on the ground as she trotted through Ponyville, deep in thought. The morning ran through her head over and over again, each and every thing she'd done and said, and all of Twilight's reactions playing out in her mind. The unicorn had seemed so happy at first, but then all of a sudden... A shiver ran down Pinkies spine, followed by an itch in her left foreleg. She ignored it and walked on. Pinkie's frown deepened. Something was off with Twilight, she was sure of it now. Yesterday she had thought it was just an off day for the unicorn, but her eyes were different. Normally Twilight's eyes were filled with passion, curiosity, and a love of life, but today they seemed almost... empty. Pinkie sighed. Why hadn't she seen it sooner? She was supposed to be the Element of Laughter and she hadn't realized one of her friends was feeling so blue. Pinkie bit her lip. Had Twilight been putting on an act the whole morning? Was she just putting up with Pinkie's company to be nice? The earth pony's legs trembled as she trotted. Everything had seemed so great. The time had flown by and she'd almost forgotten everything that she needed to do today.  But then things had fallen apart faster than she could handle. Like the flip of a switch everything changed. She could only guess what Twilight was doing now. Probably thanking Celestia that she was gone. Pinkie kicked a rock on the path and sniffed. A pair of raised voices broke Pinkie from her revery. She looked up and did a double take. She had walked well outside of town already, not far from Sweet Apple Acres or Fluttershy's home. Another familiar yell came from ahead, and Pinkie went to investigate. As she came to the top of hill the source of the commotion was revealed. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were nose to nose glaring angrily at each other, taking turns shouting at each other. A flustered Fluttershy stood several feet behind them, looking as if she wanted to say something but wasn't able to get a word in edgewise. "For pony's sake Dash! What is this, the tenth time I've asked?" Applejack growled. "You need to find someplace else you can practice!" Dash rolled her eyes, letting out a groan. "And I've told you, there is no other place to practice. I can't practice in any major airway with commercial traffic between Ponyville and the rest of Equestria, the edges of the Everfree are a no go, and my practices have been deemed 'too dangerous' to do in any of the public flying zones!" she shot back. "Did you ever wonder if there was a reason for that?" Applejack spat. "You nearly destroyed a good quarter of my crop today!" "But I didn't!" Dash protested. "Not to mention the Cutie Mark Crusaders tree house!" Applejack continued as if she hadn't heard the pegasus. "What if they'd been in there, Dash? You could've hurt them." "I had everything under control," Dash reiterated. "It's not like I'm not good at flying." "Horseapples, you had everything under control!" Applejack shot back. "You just crashed and took out some of the oldest trees on the farm." "I wouldn'tve crashed at all if you hadn't distracted me," Rainbow pointed out. "You can't just yell like that when somepony's focusing, I could've been really messed up by that crash!" Applejack snorted. "You hurt yourself plenty without my help. Remember how you got yourself in the hospital last year?" "That wasn't my fault!" Dash protested. "The hills over there screw with the wind patterns and a stray updraft  caught me off guard." "Then how come you can practice here?" Applejack asked. "I'd reckon we have more hills here than most other places 'round Ponyville." Dash groaned. "The trees change the wind currents here, break up all the strong gusts. Like I said, this is the only place I can practice. If I could practice someplace else, I would. You think I like being screamed at?" "Girls!" Pinkie called, deciding to step in before things got out of hoof. She trotted down the hill and came to a stop between them. "Let's calm down a little. We're all friends here. There's no need to fight." "This ain't any of your business, Pinkie," Applejack said dismissively. "It is too," Pinkie protested. "We're all friends and friends aren't supposed to stay angry at each other. If you two can't figure this out on your own, it's my duty as a good friend to help you." "Look Pinkie, just let us deal with this, okay?" Dash asked. "This is serious." "Dash is right for once. This is my livelihood we're talkin' about. I can't risk that just cuz you're wanting to help us out." Pinkie looked taken aback. "B-but-" she began only to stop herself, the look in the other's eyes getting the message across.   "Come on, Pinkie," Fluttershy said softly. "Let's go. They can figure this out themselves, and you need that medicine for Gummy." Pinkie nodded, following the pegasus and leaving Applejack and Rainbow Dash to continue their argument. She sighed, ignoring the twitching in her back and the itch in her leg, and soon she and Fluttershy arrived at her cottage. Pinkie silently followed Fluttershy into her home and waited patiently by the door as the pegasus unlocked and opened the cupboard where she kept the animal's medicine and found the bottle with Gummy's prescription. "Thanks, Fluttershy," Pinkie said, trying to manage a smile as she took the bottle. "Oh, it's no problem, Pinkie," Fluttershy replied. "I'm just glad I can help." "I'll see you later." Pinkie said, turning towards the door. "Wait," Fluttershy called, biting her lip. "Yeah?" Pinkie asked as she stopped and turned back. "Umm, a-are you okay?" Fluttershy asked after a moments pause. "You seem quiet, and with Applejack and Rainbow..." she trailed off, not sure of what else to say. Pinkie paused before grinning widely. "Oh, don't you worry Fluttershy! I'm a-okay. I just stayed up late watching the twins last night and I'm a little tired. I'm not the best at staying up late, unless it's for a party. I can do nearly anything for a party." Fluttershy's concerned expression eased slightly at Pinkie's rambling explanation and the attitude she was used to from the pink pony. "Okay, have a nice day. I'm always here if you need anything." "You betcha!" Pinkie replied bouncing out and closing the door behind her and heading back towards Ponyville. As soon as she was out of view, her bouncing stopped and her smile faded, her expression returning to one of brooding. Her hooves fell heavy on the path as she headed home. Sugarcube Corner was mostly empty, the lunch rush long over. Pinkie could hear Mr. and Mrs. Cake talking in the kitchen as they worked, but didn't feel like talking. She went upstairs and to her room, closing the door behind her and flopping down on the bed. "Twice in two days," she muttered under her breath. Pinkie buried her face into her pillow, everything she had done and said playing over in her head, like a movie specifically designed to show just how poor a friend she was. And on top of that Fluttershy had begun to worry about her. "What's wrong with me?" she whispered into the pillow. There was no answer. With a sigh, Pinkie got up and closed the curtains, cutting off the afternoon light and shrouding her room in darkness.  She returned to her bed and pulled the covers over her, hoping and praying she'd feel better in the morning. Twilight sighed and closed her book. There was nothing else for it. She was well and truly bored. With a groan, she set aside her book and rose to her hooves. She stretched, her back popping, and trotted down the stairs. She took a glance at her calendar. "I guess I could get my shopping done early," she mused. With a nod to herself, she grabbed her saddlebags and headed out the door. She paused halfway out the door, taking a deep breath of the fresh air and smiling. It was nice to get outside for a change. Twilight set off at a quick trot, enjoying the chance to get her blood flowing. Soon, she slowed as the stores drew nearer, trotting from display to display depending on what caught her eye. A few stops, a new necklace, and a few new books later, she trotted towards the town square with heavier saddlebags and a brighter smile. The daily farmer's market was still running strong, stalls still bustling with ponies bartering over produce and various other trinkets. Twilight smiled at the sounds of good-natured haggling, closing her eyes and taking in the wonderful sounds of her peaceful town. "What the hay do you mean five bits? That's ridiculous! You usually charge me a bit, and now you want five? I mean seriously? Are you insane?" Twilight's ears flattened. "Should've seen it coming," she muttered under her breath. Her smile gone, she followed Rainbow Dash's voice to the source of the commotion. "Just consider it your payment for property damage," Applejack shot back, a smug grin on her face. She and Rainbow Dash were on opposite sides of her stall, bickering back and forth over the apples. Rainbow ground her teeth, glaring daggers at Applejack. "For the last time, that was your fault!" she growled, slamming a hoof down. Applejack opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off before she could begin. "Girls!" Twilight called, trotting up to the two. "What's going on?" Applejack opened her mouth to reply, but Rainbow beat her to it. "I was just flying and got a little hungry. I thought an apple would be just perfect, so I trot up here and ask for one, only to find she wants me to pay five bits for just one lousy apple!" she cried. "Oh, lousy are they?" Applejack asked, voice filled with venom. "Then if you want one it'll cost ya seven bits!" "W-what!?" Rainbow spluttered back. "Now I know you've lost it." "Girls, please!" Twilight snapped. Reluctantly, the two grudgingly stopped their scowls and turned their attention to the unicorn. "Rainbow, insulting her apples won't help," Twilight began, continuing before Rainbow Dash could voice the protest on her lips. "And if you two will be reasonable we can sort this all out, I'm sure of it." Rainbow snorted and looked away while Applejack raised an eyebrow in skepticism. Twilight sighed and shook her head. "Why are you trying to charge her so much, Applejack?" she asked. "It's like I said," Applejack replied, shooting a quick glare at the pegasus. "It's property damage. Rainbow here was practicing over my land, and I've asked her to find someplace else 'bout twenty times now, so you can bet I wasn't happy. Sure enough she goes and crashes, takin' out three of the oldest apple trees on the farm, and they ain't gonna replace themselves." "For the millionth time," Dash grumbled. "I wouldn't have crashed at all if you hadn't yelled at me! It's your fault that I hit those trees." "Okay Applejack," Twilight began, ignoring the pegasus for the moment. "I know those trees are important to you." Applejack nodded. "But I also know Rainbow Dash knows that, too. She hasn't ever destroyed any of them before, has she?" Applejack scowled. "That may be well and true, but it don't excuse the fact that I've asked her not to fly around my farm. If she'd crashed ten paces further north, she'd have taken out Applebloom's and the Crusader's treehouse too," she explained. "Those three are always running around the orchard, and they get up to all sorts of mischief. If Rainbow's rocketing around not paying attention, who knows what could happen to them." "For Celestia's sake, Applejack," Rainbow snapped before Twilight could speak. "I've been flying for years, I'm not some filly who just got her flight feathers. I don't crash without a reason, and the least likely place for me to crash is over your farm!" "Now Rainb-" Twilight tried to start. "Are you stupid?" Applejack asked over the unicorn's words. "You just crashed there!" "Gir-" "Okay, so what I crashed?" Rainbow shot back, ignoring the Twilight's attempts to talk. "I damaged some trees, but nopony got hurt!" "I know nopony got hurt, but that doesn't mean no pony will ever get hurt! You don't think, Rainbow. You're too gosh darned reckless, and you know it." Applejack growled back. "Am not!" Dash insisted, turning away from the earth pony, her eyes falling on her friend. "Twilight, tell her I'm right." Rainbow urged. "You know I'm careful when I fly. I know what I'm doing and nopony will get hurt." Twilight was taken aback, caught off guard by the request. "Twilight knows I'm right," Applejack argued. "She knows someday, you're going to crash and hurt somepony or something. Ain't that right, Twi?" Applejack asked. "Uhh..." "Well, Twilight?" Rainbow asked, staring impatiently at her. "Who's right?" Twilight looked from one expectant face to the other. She swallowed. "Well, you both make good points. Dash hasn't hurt anyone, but Applejack did ask you not to fly there. But then again, you don't own all the air above your land Applejack." "We don't want to know who made good points, Twilight." Rainbow sighed. "We want to know who's right!" Twilight chewed her lip, looking back and forth. "I think you're both right?" Twilight offered with an awkward smile. "We can't both be right!" Applejack and Rainbow cried out in exasperation, now both glaring at Twilight. Twilight's ears flattened and she took a step back. "I-I..." she began, but was unable to continue. "Come on, Twilight." Rainbow said. "I thought you were supposed to be the one with all the answers for friendship. Don't you see that Applejack is being completely stubborn and unreasonable?" Applejack snorted. "Unreasonable? I'm surprised she can't see that you're the one who never listens to anything your friends tell you!" "G-girls, please!" Twilight tried again, her voice wavering. "Please don't fight. We can figure this out," she said, smiling what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Just drop it, Twilight," Rainbow sighed, ruffling her feathers. "I'm out." Without any further ado, the pegasus took off, streaking back towards her home. "We'll figure this out ourselves." Applejack said, turning away from Twilight. "It's our business in the first place." Twilight's ears flattened but she nodded, turning away with a pit in her stomach and heading home. Her hooves drug along the ground, as if they were too heavy to even pick up. When she got home, her saddlebags were thrown off and left on the floor, contents forgotten. Her horn flared, and with a pop the couch she kept in the basement appeared in front of her. She flopped down, exhausted. Her horn glowed, locking her door. Ponyville could survive another day without it's library, and she needed a nap.