On the Inside

by Rose Quill


On the Inside

I sat across from Maud, trying to not feel nervous. This was a pretty big favor I was about to ask.

“So you want my help with something involving Pinkie,” she stated in her usual deadpan way.

I blinked. “Yeah,” I said, confused. “How did you…”

“I may not show it, but I’m rather perceptive,” she said, slowly taking a sip of her drink. Everything she did was the opposite of Pinkie; slow, methodical, and overly scientific. “You and I don’t have many things in common beyond her, so you asking me here would indicate that you have something that you need my help with.”

“Yeah,” I said again, sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck. It was obvious in hindsight. “I kind of need her distracted for a little while so I can go talk to Limestone and get her something, but she is just scarily perceptive when it comes to surprises.”

Maud nodded. “She does have an extraordinary talent for sniffing out fun,” she drawled. “What did you have in mind?”

“If I remember her calendar for next week, your turn in PSSSD,” I said. “I just wonder if you could do something to keep her occupied for a bit.”

“PInkie is not easy to distract sometimes,” she said. “What is it that you’re going to get her?”

I felt a warm flush in my cheeks from the thought of what was awaiting me in Equestria. “I took the shards of my old Song and had some set into a ring,” I said, the warm glow spreading though me. “I’m planning on giving it to her instead of a traditional engagement ring.”

Maud raised her eyebrows. Not much, but the outward display of emotion on her is easily picked up.

Ari…

“That’s a significant surprise,” Maud said. “Something like that might trigger her Pinkie Sense.”

Ari…

“I know, that’s why I wanted some help to…”

“ARI!”

I snapped out of my reverie to find Pinkie leaning in front of me, buttoning her shirt. I glanced down, realizing that I had frozen in the middle of zipping up my boots in memory as I had caught a glance of her ring sparkling in the mirror.

“Sorry,” I said, hurriedly zipping the boot and standing. I swayed over to her and pecked her on the forehead. “I got a little distracted.”

She gave me a sly look, pausing for a few moments before buttoning the top buttons of her shirt.

“Distracted, eh?” she purred.

“Not by those,” I said, softening it by sticking my tongue out. “Remembering asking Maud to help with the scavenger hunt the day I gave you the ring and asked you to marry me.”

She grinned a thousand megawatt smile, her hand automatically going to feel the stone adorning the ring. “I remember it too,” she said, throwing her arms around my neck and pulling me in closer.

“Pinkie,” I said. “You ever think you’d wind up here?”

“Of course,” she chirped. “I didn’t know when or with whom, but I knew one day I’d be with someone and it would be the bestest and most special person I’d know.”

“Glad one of us saw this as a future,” I chuckled. My phone started ringing, the short clip of one of Flashdrive’s songs indicating it was Flash calling. I let it go to voicemail.

“I never really saw it,” I said. “My future was always a little bleak, especially right after the BoB. No Song, no friends, no hope. I had some really dark days there.”

She nodded, reaching down and tracing a hand across my wrists. “I’m glad you don’t do that anymore,” she said, referring to the cutting I had turned to just to feel anything. I only had one scar on my right wrist due to the healing ability Siren’s had, but sometimes I could see them all, the lines I had opened on my forearms or thighs. I’m sure she saw them too, darker and more grisly than they probably were. “I’m glad you tried for friendship.”

“Well, getting dragged along by Sonata for one of her catering gigs helped,” I said. “Otherwise, I would have just moped around the apartment Fluttershy helped us find too.”

She leaned in and rested her head on my shoulder, and I was surprised again that the energetic woman was so subdued and simple when it came to showing affection.

“You’re really happy,” she said simply.

“What gave it away?” I asked as I started walking over to pick up my phone and jacket. I saw a text alert and went to see what it said.

“Well, last night for one,” she said, the sly grin returning.

“I’m not sure who was happier about that,” I said, smiling as well. “You or the salesman at the bedding store when we had to go replace our pillows.”

She waved a hand. “Psssh,” she tutted. “Me, obviously.”

“Humble much?” I teased, reading the text. “Flash wanted me to know that there’s no show tonight, the club is stripping the floors a day early. So, want to catch a movie instead?”

“Think we can get the girls to come too?”

“Well, maybe not Sunset or Twilight,” I said, glancing at my watch. “They’ve probably got their hands full with the kids and it’s kind of short notice to get a sitter, even family.”

She nodded, a dreamy look coming over her face. “Those kids are cute. Almost as cute as you are.”

“Flatterer.”

“Hey, I am being serious here!” she protested. “But you’re right, it’s a little late. Maybe we could make it just you and me and see something incredibly romantic.”

Return of the Windigoes did just open,” I mused.

What?!?!” my wife exclaimed. “You knew that movie opened and didn’t tell me?”

“I thought you were keeping an eye on the release date,” I said simply.

She grabbed my wrist and started pulling me to the door, grabbing the car keys and tossing them to me.

“You drive,” she said. “I’m too nervoucited!”

I smiled.

“You know that’s not a real word, right?”

“Can't talk, scary movie excitement.”

I laughed as she skip-hopped to the Jeep, reminding me of how she was back in school, memory flashing again.

”I want you to know how important this is,” Maud said as she handed me a string of rock candy. “She is my little sister, after all.”

I nodded. “I understand,” I said. I passed the starting hint card to her. “And thank you so much for helping, Maud.”

She nodded turning to go meet her sister to start the game.

“Ari!” Pinkie called. “Movie time! Let’s go!”

I smiled and climbed into the driver’s seat, starting the engine.

And I felt the warm glow of memory and love energize me, all the way to my core.

Pinkie reached over and took my hand and kissed it before releasing it so I could shift. Her love rebounded off me, striking a chord that resonated deep inside. Her family may be guarded, and only showing emotions under their masks, but she wore hers openly for all to see.

Just as I now wore mine. No longer on the inside, now they were shared with the family I had gained years ago, starting from a simple offer of food.

“Remind me to thank Fluttershy,” I said as I merged into traffic. “A lot of this is because of her.”

“I already did,” she replied. “She hasn’t blushed that hard since High School.”

We shared a giggle as we headed to one of the most romantic evenings we could have. Nothing beats a good monster movie.