Free sample! · 5:29pm Jun 1st, 2017
“Okay, Corbie… the teddy bears are having a picnic.” Twilight leaned forwards, one eyebrow raised, and had a look of mock-seriousness upon her face. She waited, letting the moment build, and allowed just a little of her own inner playfulness to emerge. “Now, tell me, what do the teddy bears bring to their picnic?”
Without skipping a beat, Corbie clopped her two front hooves together and replied, “An apple!”
This of course earned a nod of approval from Applejack, who also sat on the floor, sitting in a rough circle with several others. Not far away, Spike was reading to Nuance, who appeared to be doing a little better today, but then again, it could have been the painkillers. Invoking as much drama as she could muster, Twilight turned to Rarity, drew in a deep breath, and asked her friend a question with as much seriousness as one might ask when inquiring about the meaning of life.
“Rarity, the teddy bears are having a picnic… now tell me, what do the teddy bears bring to their picnic?”
Lifting one well-hooficured hoof, Rarity began tapping her chin, no doubt trying to think of something suitable that the teddy bears could bring to their picnic that was not at all gauche. She sat for a time, causing Corbie to squirm, and Rainbow Dash as well. Seized with inspiration, she pulled her hoof away from her chin with a sweeping flourish and she batted her eyelashes at Twilight.
“Darling, the teddy bears bring apples and biscotti to the picnic!” Pleased with herself, Rarity’s barrel puffed out, due in no small part to the fact that this was the ideal form of competition; no effort, and perhaps more importantly, no sweating was involved.
“Flutter-butter-shy is next!” Corbie blurted out, and this caused Rainbow to groan.
“Nuts, I was gonna say cashews.” Rainbow let out a sigh and resigned herself to waiting.
“Flutter-butter-shy,” Twilight said, maintaining her serious mien, “what do the teddy bears bring to their picnic?”
“Oh… oh, I like this game… it’s non-confrontational.” A demure grin of pure bliss spread over her face, allowing Fluttershy’s radiant beauty to shine. “They bring an apple, some biscotti, and some cheese to the picnic.” The pegasus mare heaved a sigh of satisfaction, and added, “This sounds like this is going to be a nice picnic. I hope it stays that way.”
Lifting her head, Twilight glanced at Seville, who was hard at work on his papers. Even stranger was Pinkie Pie, who was helping him. Twilight figured that Pinkie would get bored soon enough. Her eye lingered for a moment before she returned her attention to the game, which really wasn’t a game, but an important exercise to teach Corbie the value of making and remembering lists. It was never too early to learn all about proper organisation and inventory management.
“Applejack—”
“Yeah, hun?”
“What do the teddy bears bring to their picnic?”
“Oh come on!” Rainbow cried in exasperation. “I was gonna say doughnuts.”
“Dangit, Rainbow, now I can’t say that without lookin’ like I’m takin’ the easy way out!” Reaching over, Applejack gave the blue pegasus a hard shove, which tipped her right over onto Fluttershy, who began giggling while she held Rainbow up. “Yer a no good booger-licker, Rainbow Dash!”
Sticking out her tongue, Rarity made a disgusted sound while making a dismissive wave with her hoof. Corbie’s wings fluttered while she began giggling and she watched as Rainbow Dash tried to recover. In response to Applejack, Rainbow stuck out her tongue, bent it back around, and she was just about to lick her own nostril when Rarity made a vocal objection:
“Rainbow Dash! Don’t you dare go mining for nose-gold in front of Corbie!”
Admonished, Rainbow slumped over, her ears drooped, and she sulked.
“I’m bringing me some apples, some biscotti, some cheese, and some dewberries.” Applejack cocked her eyebrow like a loaded gun and gave Rainbow Dash a sidelong glance. “And I ain’t sharing none of it with no booger-licker.”
“Noooo,” Rainbow whined, “now I have a hard letter. I can’t think of anything.”
“Rainbow Dash”—Twilight leaned in the direction of her dear friend— “what do the teddy bears bring to their picnic?”
“Ugh!” Rainbow squeezed her cheeks with her front hooves while leaning against Fluttershy, and she made the most ridiculous face ever. From over on the couch where he sat, Nuance burst out laughing, then did his best to contain himself while Rainbow continued smooshing her face like silly putty.
“Enchiladas, Rainbow—”
“Thanks, Pinkie!” Rainbow pulled her hooves away from her face and blurted out the list. “Apples, bananas, cheese, doughnuts, and enchiladas.” While she recited the list, Applejack facehoofed, Rarity cringed, Fluttershy meeped, and there was a double facehoof from Pinkie Pie and Seville.
Corbie, who sat there blinking, was stunned. With a slow turn of her head, she glanced over at Rainbow Dash, her head bobbing up and down, and in a soft voice she spoke: “And Nuance says I’m stupid.”
Twilight, never one to miss an opportunity, also nodded her head. “What she said.”
Rainbow Dash is bananas.
Biscotti? ore like "dis-gotti-be-a-joke" because.. ehm.. I dunno, just wanted a lame pun.
Rainbow Dash, you ninny....