It was noon of the next day. Twilight and Rarity, being the ones who had partaken the least in alcohol, had managed to get up just a little bit later than they usually would. Scruffy had also woken up early, but had been feeling under the weather and thus remained at the library, while Twilight and Spike met up with Rarity.
The trio proceeded to Trixie’s home to clean up after last night’s revelry. Pinkie was already up and as chipper as ever, even if her mane was messy, and she had small bags under her eyes. She explained that Trixie was still sleeping, feeling a bit woozy after last night, and that they should let her sleep for now. Trixie had a long day ahead of her, after all.
Once all the cleaning was done, and Pinkie had woken up Trixie (and Trixie finished complaining), they decided to head in to town to have something to eat. While on their way, they wound up bumping in to Fluttershy and Applejack. Everypony could tell that Applejack was more bashful than her usual self, but they didn’t press the matter. Since Rarity had left Rainbow to sleep off a headache at Carousel Boutique, and none of them had eaten yet, Fluttershy suggested they should head there to join Dash for brunch.
Rarity agreed that it was a splendid idea, but told them that they needed to make a quick visit to the market to ensure that she would have enough to feed them all. During the trip Applejack seemed to very conscious of herself around Fluttershy, constantly making sure she wasn’t in her way. Fluttershy, despite making both of them to blush slightly whenever their eyes met, kept telling Applejack that she was fussing too much, and calmed her down.
Eventually they arrived at the boutique, where Rainbow had managed to crawl out of bed, and was in the process of brewing coffee, to the immense relief of Trixie. While Rarity and Pinkie got arranged to prepare some simple and quick food, the rest of them gathered around the dining table at the other end of the kitchen.
“So...how’s everypony feeling?” Twilight finally asked. A chorus of groans from all around Rarity’s table was the answer.
“Terrible,” Rainbow croaked, slumped against the table. “I feel like Little Strongheart’s whole tribe is stampeding inside my skull.”
“Whose?” Trixie asked.
“They are a tribe of buffalo living near Appleloosa,” Pinkie explained.
“We’re...I’m fine,” Applejack said, pausing mid sentence and coughing awkwardly.
“Um, a bit tired, but I’m fine too,” Fluttershy stated next.
“Trixie wishes it wasn’t so bright…” Trixie complained, holding her pointy hat over her eyes. “Trixie also wishes for some coffee.”
“Here you are, darling,” Rarity said while offering a cups of coffee to Rainbow and Trixie, and cups of tea to the rest.
“Thanks, Rarity,” Rainbow mumbled gratefully and took a gulp of the life giving nectar. Trixie also politey thanked Rarity, and grasped for her cup.
“Do you need anything?” Applejack asked Fluttershy.
“It’s okay, Applejack. You don’t need to fret so much,” Fluttershy responded with a hint of amusement.
“But…”
“Hush now. Focus on your tea.”
“I see somepony’s night was a success,” Rainbow noted. If there had been music playing, it would have screeched to a halt. Everypony turned towards Rainbow, before snapping towards Rarity, who unfortunately had been in the middle of cutting vegetables and half embedded her knife in her cutting board with an audible splintering of wood.
“Rainbow!” Twilight hissed, closing Rainbow’s mouth with her magic. “Ehehe...don’t mind her. She’s just talking nonsense! That’s all!” Twilight tried to explain to Pinkie and Trixie, who both looked on questioningly.
“What’s this then?” Trixie asked.
“How suspicious,” Pinkie added, turning towards Applejack and Fluttershy, both squirming under her gaze.
“Did something happen last night?” Spike asked.
“Nothing. Nothing at all!” Twilight declared, a slight red tinge crossing her cheeks.
“Me thinks something did happen,” Pinkie smiled devilishly, putting two and two together. Applejack sighed.
“Anypony seen my hat? I’d like to hide under it,” Applejack grumbled, and with no sign of her hat, hid under her hooves instead.
“Um, Pinkie darling, maybe you should-...” Rarity started, but Fluttershy stopped her.
“It’s okay. We...probably should talk about it anyway,” she interjected, her blush slowly increasing.
“Trixie is very intrigued, do tell,” Trixie mused, sipping her coffee and steepling her hooves.
“Sorry…” Twilight apologized to Applejack and Fluttershy, but they just waved it off.
“There’s nothing to tell,” Applejack said, straightening herself. “Nothing happened.”
“Applejack, you’re a terrible liar. I saw you kiss Fluttershy,” Rainbow replied, before getting her mouth closed by Twilight’s magic again.
“Oooohh!” Pinkie and Trixie went in unison.
“Well...I’ll admit, that happened...but nothing after that!” Applejack loudly declared, but her red cheeks and red ears told another story. Pinkie let out a loud gasp.
“Oh my gosh, that party is getting better and better even after it’s stopped!” Pinkie giggled maniacally, while rushing to Fluttershy’s and Applejack’s sides and grabbing them both in a hug. “So, sneaked off for some snuggle time, eh?” Pinkie asked, eyebrows lecherously wriggling, although her genuine smile betrayed her. Both mares’ reaction was to blush even more.
“Pinkie!” Applejack pleaded in embarrassment.
“Oh my…” Fluttershy half hid behind her hooves.
“Ah told you, nuttin’ happened!” Applejack repeated, her accent getting thicker.
“Trixie does not understand why you are trying to deny it. Normally something like this is to be celebrated,” Trixie casually remarked.
“Because, nothing-...!” Applejack tried to repeat again, but Fluttershy gently nudged her with her hoof.
“It’s okay, Applejack,” Fluttershy said and offered an encouraging smile. Applejack sighed and stopped. “It’s the truth. Nothing...um…’happened’ last night,” Fluttershy meekly continued.
“What?!” Rainbow and Pinkie asked, greatly surprised.
“But what about the kiss?” Twilight asked, accidentally revealing that she too was interested in what had happened. She quickly clamped her mouth shut with her hooves.
“Yes, I did k-kiss Fluttershy,” Applejack sighed. “After that, we went to Fluttershy’s cottage, and went to sleep.”
“Tooogeeether?” Pinkie asked with a wide smile.
“Yes, Pinkie! Together,” Applejack said, getting slightly exasperated.
“If nothing happened, then why are you both acting like an shy, new couple? It can’t be over that one kiss,” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah. The way Fluttershy keeps nudging Applejack is like me and Twilight’s parents during dinners,” Spike added. Applejack sighed again.
“Forgive me for asking but...nothing bad happened, I hope?” Rarity asked, getting worried by her friends behaviour.
“No, nonono,” Fluttershy quickly assured. “It’s just…” she continued and glanced at Applejack, who suddenly found herself at the center of attention again, which caused her blush to return anew.
“Just tell ‘em,” she said, defeat clear in her voice.
“W-well...uh...umm…” Fluttershy fiddled with her mane, trying to think up how to say it.
“Out with it. Trixie’s going to sit here all day if she must,” Trixie implored them to continue.
“...Ah...t-that is...w-when we got to my home...we d-did...uhh..we were going t-to…” Fluttershy stuttered in embarrassment. Everypony was on the edges of their seats. “...w-well you know!” she squaked. “B-but...um...be-before we could...Applejack fell asleep,” Fluttershy finished, and Applejack smacked her head against the table.
Pinkie and Rainbow made a silent ‘oooh’ as they realised why Applejack had been so embarrassed. For a mare with pride like Applejack’s, passing out on your “date” like that would have been quite a thick pill to swallow, especially since Applejack prided herself as somepony who could hold her liquor quite well. Trixie held back a guffaw, shaking her head at the situation. She had been expecting something far, far more embarrassing than that from the way they were acting.
“Oh heavens…” Rarity amusedly muttered to herself, holding a hoof to her mouth.
Rainbow got up from her seat, walked to Applejack, and patted her back with her wing to show Applejack her camaraderie.
“Happens to the best of us,” Rainbow noted.
“Glad that you agree…” Applejack murmured.
“Dash is right,” Fluttershy said and gently stoked Applejack’s hoof with her own. “You don’t have to feel bad about it,”
“Yes I do...not only did I...kiss you like that, but then I failed to treat you rightly…”
“Oh Applejack,” Fluttershy giggled slightly and hugged her friend. “I admit...I...umm...am slightly disappointed…” Fluttershy almost whispered, deeply embarrassed, “...but umm...if I say that it really is okay, it’s okay.”
“But…” Applejack lifted her head to look at Fluttershy, who smiled her usual gentle smile. Fluttershy reached closer and nuzzled Applejack’s forehead.
“If you ever decide to kiss me again, just make sure to do better then, hm?”
“Oooooooooh!” almost everypony else went again in the room, snapping Fluttershy and Applejack out from their tender moment. Having momentarily forgotten that they were not alone, they both blushed all the way to their ears. The rest of the group started to laugh merrily.
“Well, I guess it’s official then!” Rainbow said enthusiastically. “Pinkie, I think you need to start planning the wedding!”
“Ooohohooo! I love weddings!”
“Hmm, and I need to start designing the suit for the groom and the dress for the bride,” Rarity added.
“Trixie can take care of the entertainment,” Trixie idly thought.
“I’m sure we can ask Princess Celestia to hold the ceremony, right Spike?” Twilight decided to add for her own part.
“Of course!”
“Girls!” Applejack and Fluttershy complained, thoroughly embarrassed, but soon they joined the laughter with everypony else.
********************
After the group had teased Applejack and Fluttershy enough, they finished the brunch they had started, and it was time for Trixie to leave. The group headed for Twilight’s library, so that Trixie could pick up the last remaining items she still had there, and also to say goodbye to Scruffy.
Everypony gave Trixie a hug, with Pinkie bursting to tears and hoping that she would come back soon. When it was Scruffy’s turn, he held out his hands until Trixie finally relented, and accepted the hug.
Take care now, Scruffy wrote on his notepad.
“Trixie will. Make sure you keep on improving your Equestrian, and maybe you can be the Great and Powerful Trixie’s assistant in the show!”
One of Scruffy’s eyebrows rose in amusement. Scruffy is great and strong too?
“Hah! Sure.”
After one final round of well wishing and Trixie gathering her things, she said her last goodbye and walked out of the library.
“I miss her already,” Pinkie complained, causing the others to roll their eyes.
“I’m sure that once she has had time to study the spell you gave her, she’ll send us a letter,” Twilight helpfully noted.
“I can’t wait!”
“Oh! That reminds me!” Twilight suddenly said, and went to her bedroom. She soon returned with an ornate box of wood and gold.
“What’s that?” Applejack asked.
“It’s very pretty,” Fluttershy admired.
“And elegant,” Rarity added.
“This is the reason why Spike and I spent so much time in Canterlot,” Twilight explained and turned to Scruffy. “This is for you.”
Twilight opened the box, and inside was a beautifully crafted amulet. The amulet was a golden disc, with an oval shaped, vibrant amethyst in the middle, and the necklace itself was composed of deep blue cords that looked like they were plucked from the night sky. The gem pulsed with magic runes.
“I crafted this together with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It’s an Voice Alteration Amulet. With this, you’ll be able to speak Equestrian!”
Mesmerized, Scruffy looked at the amulet for a long time. He carefully took it, turning it around and looking at it from every angle, before writing down with shaky hands:
It real gold?