-PINKIE PIE-
It was almost noon o’clock when I went on a visit to Twilight’s house. I wanted to tell her about the welcome home party I was throwing for Applejack and Rarity today, but after getting a tearful call from Fluttershy last night where she told me that she and Twilight got into a big argument, I figured I needed a quick change in priorities.
“Twilight!” I called as I knocked on the door. “Twilight?” No reply.
I stroked my chin in a puzzled manner. Twilight wasn’t a very early bird, but she should have at least been having her morning coffee by now. But for some reason she wasn’t answering the door. Now the thought did cross my mind that she was just really upset and still in bed because of that, but I couldn’t take the chance that something had happened to her and I wouldn’t know about it until it was too late!
So, it was time to break into her house!
“Twilight!” I called out as I jumped up to her bedroom window from my trampoline, still in the same place I left it a few days ago when I was at Twilight’s. “Twiiiliiiiight!!” Still no reply! Time to get serious!
As I jumped up to the bedroom window I grabbed hold of the ledge jutting out and gently maneuvered myself on top of it so as to have leverage against the window, pushing the glass up just enough to get my stubby little fingers under it and lift it up, allowing me entrance into Twilight’s room!
Unfortunately I missed that the blinds were still closed and a curtain drawn over the window so as soon as I put my feet into the building I slipped and fumbled into the blinds and the curtains, knocking both off the wall as I tumbled to the ground in a heap.
“What the hec-” Twilight arose from her bed with a start, frantically looking around the room until she saw me on the floor, peeking out from a pile of curtains and blinds. “URRRGH! Twilight slapped a hand over her face and dragged it down as she made her signature grunt of frustration. “Pinkie Pie, what are you doing in my house?!”
“You wouldn’t answer the door so I thought something bad might’ve happened to you so I used my trampoline from before, y’know the one that I jumped up here a couple days ago when we were fighting in the tournament can you believe that was only a couple days ago it feels like months and yet here we are-”
“PINKIE!!” Twilight yelled, cutting off my rambling. To be honest I’m surprised I got that far. Twilight closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, releasing it as a sharp exhale from her mouth. “As you can see, Pinkie, I’m fine. So please leave.” Twilight threw herself back into the bed and covered herself in a blanket.
“You seem really really down, Twilight.” I said sadly, kneeling near the bed. No response. “I talked to Fluttershy. I heard you guys got into a scrap!”
“If by ‘scrap’ you mean ‘I’m the worst friend ever’, then yeah we did.” Twilight grumbled from underneath the blanket. “I’ve made both of my two local friends cry in less than a week, never mind the stuff going on with Rainbow… honestly I feel like you guys would be a lot better off without me here.”
“That’s not true, Twilight!” I said emphatically. “You’re smart, funny, a good leader, really good at card games, insightful and all these other great things! And more than that, you’re our friend, Twilight! And I know Fluttershy doesn’t want to lose you over a petty argument.”
Twilight stayed silent and I couldn’t tell what she was thinkin’ about cuz she was under the blanket. It seemed needlessly mean to just take the blanket off of her, so I did the thing I always did when I felt awkward, I kept talking.
“Maybe a paaaarty would make you feel better?” I said, rocking back and forth in the fetal position beside Twilight’s bed. “A welcome home party for Applejack and Rarity, perhaps?”
“I’m not in the mood for a party, Pinkie.” Twilight said somberly. “Now please leave.”
“But you’re all sad and a party is great for cheering me-” I said.
“No, Pinkie.” Twilight tossed the blanket off her face and stared daggers at me. I honestly thought that a party, plus seeing AJ and Rarity again, would make Twilight happier, but I guess not. I needed to make a different choice this time than I’ve done before… but it’s hard.
“Okay.” I said sadly and started getting the shakes. “I’ll go. But later I’m gonna send you a text to check up on you and you’d better answer it!”
“Okay, I will.” Twilight said, falling back down into bed.
“Do you Pinkie Promise?” I said, pointing at my own eye and leering intensely at Twilight.
Twilight sighed irritably and glared at me, but I just stared unblinking back at her and she lightened up ever so teensily. “Yeah, alright, Pinkie. I Pinkie Promise.”
“Cross your heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in your eye?” I said, crossing my hand over my heart and then putting my fist right up close to my eye.
Twilight groaned. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Twilight also did the gestures but they were pretty halfhearted. I could tell she wasn’t feeling well though so I cut her some slack.
“Alright.” I nodded confidently, crossing my arms. “In that case, I’ll see you later, Twilight. I hope you feel better!”
“Thank you, Pinkie.” Twilight threw the covers over her head again as she spoke.
I sighed dismally as I headed out the door. This didn’t feel right, just leaving Twilight behind like this… but Maud was right. I couldn’t force anyone else to be happy and I knew Twilight, she needed some time to herself to work things out. And she did Pinkie Promise to answer me if I checked in on her later… it was okay to let her do stuff at her own pace, but I didn’t have to like it!
****
-APPLEJACK-
As I was watchin’ out the window of the train headed back to Fillydelphia, seein’ the clear green view of nature gave way to the smoggy and dusty view of the city, and I couldn’t help but thinkin’ it was good to be back.
“It’s been a long time. Huh Rarity?” I said to my girlfriend sitting across from me.
Rarity was the apple of my eye, and there weren’t nary a prettier sight to be seein’ all of the time during an eight hour train ride. Dark skin, curves for days and a sense of elegance and flair, that was my Rarity. She was dressed in stunnin’ white jeans and a matchin’ blouse, a powder blue cardigan and with a burgundy headscarf wrapped around her head, leavin’ just enough room for her flowin’ bangs to peek out and cover one of her eyes. And the fact that I noticed all of that was proof positive that she was rubbin’ off on me!
“It certainly has been.” Rarity said with a beamin’ smile, staring lovingly out the window, her eyes all aglow. “And the city looks just as breathtaking as the day we left. Not a thing has changed!”
“Yup, same ol’ Fillydelphia.” I said as I tipped my hat in front of my eyes to look cool. “It’ll be nice t’see the others in person too. S’been too long since I been able to hug my sisters-in-arms.”
“I wouldn’t refer to our dear friends with such a tacky term, but I agree with your point.” Rarity said with a cute giggle. “That said, I still think you could have dressed up just a tad for our reunion.”
“What’s wrong with what I got on?” I said defensively, lookin’ at my outfit. Let’s see, red plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, blue jeans… hat. I don’t know what she was complainin’ about, I looked perfect!
“Well at any rate…” Rarity chuckled at me as I inspected my outfit, and her laugh always put me in a good mood. “It will be lovely to see the others, to look at Fluttershy’s garden again, taste Pinkie Pie’s baking, hear Twilight go on and on about the latest book she read. I’ve missed them all…”
“Yeh, all of ‘em.” I said distantly, still starin’ out the window.
“Do you think we’ll be able to see Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked.
“Uh, I dunno.” I shook my head with a scowl, restin’ my elbows on my knees and steeplin’ my fingers. “I heard she and Twilight almost got a reunion goin’, but that they’re already on the outs again.”
“I heard the same.” Rarity sighed, resting her chin on her hand and her elbow on the windowsill. “I had a discussion of some length with Twilight about it. It’s a shame really, the two of them used to be thick as thieves.”
“True, but the closer y’are to somebody, the more it hurts when they do ya wrong.” I said.
“Perhaps.” Rarity sighed huffily. “But I’d still like to see her if given the opportunity. I miss the days when the six of us could just spend all day together. I miss when we used to play Duel Monsters all the time. Ooh! That’s another thing we need to do when we get to see the girls again! It’s been too long since I’ve played!”
“Well, I’ve been keeping my skills sharp.” I boasted, Rarity rolling her eyes at my theatrical egotism with a snide smile. “But yeah, it’ll be fun to play with the others, like old times.”
“Agreed.” Rarity nodded and flashed a perky smile. Just then the train pulled into the station, the conductor soon announcin’ that we’d reached our stop and it was time to get off the train. “Ooh, here we are!” Rarity said gleefully. She was so beautiful when she was happy. I mean, she was always beautiful, obviously, but especially when she got real happy. “Are you ready to hand out big, muscly bear hugs to everybody?”
“I… I wouldn’t put it like that.” I said, blushing and tryin’ to cover my face with my hat.
“Big, muscly, sweaty, bear hugs where your soft, tender, well-muscled flesh will softly caress the smooth, warm skin of our nubile female companions?” Rarity said teasingly, leaning close t’me and putting her hand on my arm, rubbing my biceps up and down as she spoke in a soft, breathy whisper. Sometimes this girl was too much. “Kidding, of course.” Rarity planted a smooch on my lips and headed out of our cabin, daintily walkin’ toward the train door with me followin’ right behind her… soon as I managed to put my head back on straight anyway.
“RAAAAARITYYYY!!!” Me and Rarity heard a piercing wail assault us as soon as we stepped off the train. “AAAAAPLEJAAAACK!!!!” It was Pinkie Pie, because of course it was Pinkie Pie. We looked around fer a sec to find her and to be honest it didn’t take long, there were only like five other people in the train station other’n Pinkie and a very embarrassed-looking Fluttershy who was holding a giant card that had a crayon cartoon of me and Rarity on it.
Rarity got the giggles from Pinkie’s display of affection and we walked over to the two of ‘em, and I tried to talk sense into Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie, is all that clamorin’ really nece-”
“-ssary?! YES! It is!” Pinkie loudly replied. I guess I should’a figured how well that ‘talkin’ sense into Pinkie Pie’ thing was gonna work out. Pinkie glared at me for about two seconds, Fluttershy’s eyes nervously darting around the room, before Pinkie jumped on me and Rarity with a hug. “I’m so glad to see you guuuuuys!” She said, the waterworks startin’ to come on.
“Shucks, Pinkie, it ain’t like y’all haven’t seen us at all since we left.” I said, squirming out of her hug which was enough to even crush my spine, but then I just embraced her in a big hug of my own, lifitn’ her up off the ground.
“I know!” She sniffled as I put her back down. “It’s just that… you guys are back! In Fillydelphia! You’re back home forever! This is a moment to celebrate!” Pinkie pulled out a party blower and blew on it, which was cute. Then she pulled out an airhorn and blew on that, which was less cute.
“It’s good to see you too, Pinkie.” Rarity said, starin’ off into the distance, eyes wide as she tried to re-center herself from the blare of the airhorn. “And to you too, Fluttershy darling.” Rarity took Fluttershy’s hand and gave it a tiny kiss, making Fluttershy recoil her hand and blush.
“Th-thank you.” She said bashfully. “I mean, it’s really great to see you both again.”
“It so is!” Pinkie hopped up on my shoulders. “And we’re gonna throw a welcome home party! There’ll be snacks and games and fun times and all kindsa stuff! It’s gonna be so rad!!!”
“Sounds like a good time.” I said cheerfully. “Just one question though. Where’s Twilight?”
Pinkie’s exuberance went away pretty quickly and she dropped to the ground again, and Fluttershy looked over to the side suspiciously.
“That’s a good question.” Rarity looked around and put her hands on her hips. “You’d think if anybody would want to see Applejack and I as soon as we got back, it would be Twilight. It’s quite odd that she’s not here for her oldest friend and favorite sister-friend.”
“Yeah, um…” Pinkie said, twiddling her fingers. “Well she’s at home. In bed. With the covers over her head. Like, forever.” Pinkie paused a second before a lightbulb went off above her head and she started ramblin’ a bit. “I mean, I don’t mean that she’s dead or anything! That’s not what I meant at all even though it kinda sounded like that’s what I meant but it isn’t because what I meant was that she’s sleeping like the dead okay that was a bad time for a pun I’m sorry and also she wasn’t really sleeping at least I don’t think she was sleeping maybe she was before I-“
“Alright Pinkie, we get it.” I put my hand on Pinkie’s head to stop her incessant crazed rantin’. That’s just something you gotta get used to when yer friends with Pinkie Pie.
“So she’s depressed?” Rarity said seriously. Pinkie Pie nodded. “Whatever for?”
“She and I got into a fight.” Fluttershy said sadly.
“Over what?” Rarity asked.
“I wanted help making a Duel Monsters deck.” Fluttershy explained, lookin’ down at the ground and lightly kicking up dust. “I asked for her help with it and when I went to her place and showed her my cards she said they were really bad, so I explained to her that I didn’t want a ‘strong’ deck, I wanted one with my cards but she wouldn’t listen so I tried explaining again but she still wouldn’t listen so I got impatient with her and yelled.”
“Whoa, it must’ve been serious if you yelled.” Pinkie said, mirroring my thoughts exactly.
“She kept talking over me and insulting my cards.” Fluttershy said as the tears started flowin’. “I was really upset but as I was leaving I started crying because I didn’t want to make Twilight upset and I did anyway and now I’m even more sad.” Fluttershy held herself and tried to keep the waterworks in but tears were already streamin’ down her cheeks.
“Shh, it’s okay.” Rarity embraced Fluttershy in a hug and gracefully caressed her hair as Fluttershy cried into Rarity’s chest. “It’s okay to speak up for yourself when you feel you’re not being heard. It’s not your fault if that upsets someone else.”
“But Twilight’s been feeling so down recently.” Fluttershy sniffed. “Over everything going on with Rainbow Dash.”
“Exactly.” I said with a shrug. “Twilight’s got a lot on her mind, it’s been a rough few days for her, so if she’s holed up in her bed or what have you then there’s more to it than just gettin’ in a fight with you. So don’t blame yourself.” Fluttershy looked at me like I was speakin’ a different language then looked up at Rarity who nodded in agreement, and Fluttershy looked back at me and did the same.
“Do you have your cards with you, by any chance?” Rarity gently took hold of Fluttershy’s chin with two fingers, tilting her head upward to look at her. Fluttershy nodded with a smile and got her cards out of her backpack. “Let me take a look.” Rarity said, Fluttershy handing her the cards to look through. “Well these cards are positively precious! No wonder you want to make a deck with these, Fluttershy!”
“That’s what IIIIII said!” Pinkie said musically.
“They’re not tier 1 or anything,” I added, lookin’ over Rarity’s shoulder at Fluttershy’s cards “but who cares? My cards are underpowered too. You should play with whatever cards you like, Fluttershy, and don’t let Twilight or no one else tell ya otherwise.”
“Thank you all.” Fluttershy said with a smile, wiping tears from her face. “It means a lot that you’d all say that, but I still feel bad for Twilight.”
“Don’t you worry about ol’ Twilight.” I said with a grin, poundin’ myself on the chest. “Leave her to me.”
“What do you mean?” Pinkie asked suspiciously, then she gasped. “Are you gonna fistfight Twilight?!”
“No.” I said.
“Wrestle her?” Pinkie asked.
“Nope.” I shook my head.
“Caress her soft, tender chest and pronounced feminine hips?”
“Wh-what?” I fumbled backwards, feelin’ completely dumbstruck and caught off guard. Also it suddenly felt very hot in the train station and I think my cheeks were turnin’ red.
“Oh nothing.” Pinkie said with a shrug and a coy smile. “Just thinking out loud.” Rarity and Fluttershy were giggling but I was still lost and for some reason a little embarrassed.
“Point is, I’m gonna go talk to her.” I cleared my throat in an attempt to get the conversation back on track.
“But she wouldn’t open the door!” Pinkie said. “When I went to visit her I had to break in through the window!”
“Pinkie Pie, darling, maybe don’t admit to breaking and entering in public, okay?” Rarity said, delicately takin’ Pinkie’s hand.
“Ok fine.” Pinkie grumbled, crossin’ her arms in a huff. “Take all the fun out of everything.”
“At any rate,” I cleared my throat even louder and more obviously in order to get back to the topic at hand “Pinkie, Twilight may not have opened the door for you, but I think it’ll be a different story for me.”
“Why’s that?” Pinkie asked innocently.
“Twilight and I have a special bond between us.” I explained. “Heck, we been friends practically since we were babies. She’ll listen to me. Plus it’s been two years since we’ve seen each other in person so she’s not gonna say no t’seein’ me. But to be honest, I’m just stubborn.” I shrugged with a smile. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
“She’s not wrong.” Rarity said with a giggle. “If there’s anyone who can talk sense into Twilight Sparkle, it would be me or Applejack, and let’s be honest, Applejack is far better at talking sense in general than I could ever be.”
“Exactly.” I said, plantin’ a kiss on my gf’s cheek. “So jus’ leave Twi to good ol’ Applejack.”
“And while Applejack is helping Twilight,” Rarity put her arm around Fluttershy, makin’ the little cutie blush “how would you like my help building a deck, Fluttershy? We can use all of these cards if you want.”
“Well actually I needed some of the cards trimmed out, that was the problem I was having.” Fluttershy murmured. “There were too many cards there for one deck…”
“Then it’s settled.” Rarity said proudly. “I will help Fluttershy make a great Duel Monsters deck, Applejack will help Twilight get back on her feet…”
“And I’ll write lesbian fanfic about all my friends!” Pinkie said excitedly, throwin’ her hands in the air and causing the three of us to stop and stare blankly at her. “I’m kidding.” She said with a smile, her cheeks red.
“Alright, sounds like a plan.” I chuckled.
I took Rarity by the hands and looked into her eyes. She leaned into me and planted a kiss right on my lips and said “I’ll see you tonight. I love you.”
“Um, eeyup.” I replied, my cheeks burning red hot. I didn’t know what else to say. It’s not that I didn’t lo… er, care about Rarity, I just couldn’t say it… and I dunno why. “I’ll see ya tonight.” I said, taking off for Twilight’s place.
****
“Twilight!” I banged on the door of Twilight’s house. “Twilight I know yer in there! Y’should answer the door! It’s me Applejack!” I banged on the door another couple of times but no answer. I was startin’ to feel a little peeved. “Honestly, of all the bad manners…” Just then somethin’ occurred to me.
Twilight’s house stood pretty much alone in this neighborhood, no surprise considerin’ Twilight’s tastes, but the interestin’ thing about it was its backyard led directly into a big patch of trees. I circled around the house to Twilight’s backyard, grass as green as you’ve ever seen it, majestic trees standing guard around the edges and a beautiful crystal clear river runnin’ straight through… and who do I see sittin’ on a big stone by that river? Why none other than Twilight Sparkle herself.
“I guess you actually couldn’t hear me, could ya?” I chuckled as I approached Twilight.
“No, I did.” Twilight said without lookin’ back at me. “I figured you’d find me back here if I didn’t answer.”
“Could’a saved me some trouble.” I said teasingly. Twilight didn’t respond, which made me a little uneasy. Nothin’ unusual ‘bout me and Twi ribbin’ each other a bit, but when she wasn’t havin’ any of it that’s when I always knew things weren’t right with her. “What’s goin’ on, Twi?” I said as I sat down next to her on the stone by the river. “How come you didn’t come to see me and Rarity at the train station?”
“I… I couldn’t… I didn’t want… I…” Twilight groaned in frustration, throwin’ her face into her hands. “I don’t know. I just… I don’t know.”
“I heard what happened with Fluttershy…” I said, putting my hand on Twilight’s shoulder.
“It’s not just Fluttershy!” Twilight snapped, battin’ my hand away. “I have made all of my friends cry over this last week! And Rainbow Dash waltzing back into my life didn’t just bring up a whole heap of new problems, it also made me realize how much pain I still had over her leaving… how much that pain is still affecting me day to day… I… I haven’t been the same since she left.”
Twilight folded her arms over her legs and buried her face in ‘em while I tried to gently rub her back.
“Losin’ a friend is…” I sighed, tryin’ to think of the right word. “It’s tough. I know that’s a real speakeasy way to put that, but I dunno what else to say. It hurts like… like gettin’ bit by a rattlesnake. And just like a snake bite, it can poison you. It can leave wounds that take years to heal, if they even do…”
“This is a really bad inspirational speech.” Twilight said, her words muffled since she was still hidin’ in her own arms.
“No, this is just the part where I empathize.” I chuckled, pattin’ Twi’s back. “The inspirational part comes after. The thing is, you can extract the poison out of a snake bite. You can patch up the wound, stop the bleedin’, suture up the skin, all that stuff. And there may still be a scar left over, but that scar ain’t gonna stop ya from livin’. You’ve been through a lot, Twilight. And we’ve all done dumb stuff that made our friends mad at us, or hurt their feelings. But true friendship is stronger than a few angry words, and I promise ya that yer stronger than a couple of snake bites.”
Twilight sat back up and looked at me, a pretty vacant expression on her face. Her eyes were still red from cryin’ and she had bags under her eyes like she’d slept maybe three of the last twenty-four hours.
“How do I keep going when I just seem to keep hurting people?” She whispered.
“You try to make it right.” I said seriously. “And whether you can do that or not, you learn from it and move on. That’s the golden rule of life, sugar cube.”
“The golden delicious rule?” Twilight said with a coy smirk. Atta girl.
“You’re startin’ to come back, huh?” I said with a beamin’ smile.
“Maybe.” Twilight smiled for a moment before it disappeared and she sighed, buryin’ her face right back in her arms again.
“Let’s walk around a bit, Twi.” I said, helpin’ Twilight to her feet.
“Okay.” She said coldly. I could tell she wasn’t all there, either from the lack of sleep or the depression or both, but I figured gettin’ her blood flowin’ would help her out.
“You remember when you texted me the other day,” I put my arm around Twi as we walked along the river, ‘tween them and the trees “askin’ me about what to do cuz you made Pinkie cry?”
“Urgh, don’t remind me.” Twilight shook her head in frustration.
“You remember what I suggested?” I kicked a rock that we passed by into the river. “That you apologize? Did you?”
“Of course I did.” Twilight broke away from me and leaned back against a tree.
“How did it feel?” I asked, walkin’ up to the tree next to hers and leanin’ against it.
“Painful.” Twilight grumbled, her hand over her face. “But… Pinkie forgiving me swept that pain away pretty quick. But how many times are my friends going to accept my stupid apologies if I just keep on hurting them?”
“You’d be surprised by the power of a genuine, heartfelt apology.” I said with a smile and a pat on Twilight’s shoulder. “And Twilight, you have good friends. Good friends who want to be friends with you. Don’t let that go to waste.”
Twilight took a deep breath and then slowly sighed.
“I’m not sure I can apologize to Fluttershy…” Twilight said distantly, turning toward the tree and resting her forehead against it. “I just feel like I screwed up too badly this time.”
“Honestly, Fluttershy’s more upset that you’re upset than she is about the cards thing.” I shrugged, pacing back and forth behind Twilight.
“I’m not sure that makes it better.” Twilight groaned, hitting her head against the tree.
“But this isn’t about Fluttershy, is it?” I tapped Twi on the shoulder so she’d turn around and look at me, then stared her right in the eyes. “This fight with Fluttershy is just one more brick in the pile, ain’t it?”
“What do you mean?” Twilight took her glasses off and looked down at them, probably tryin’ to avert eye contact in a way that didn’t scream ‘I don’t wanna make eye contact’… not sure it was workin’ that well.
“You said that Rainbow comin’ back into your life revealed a whole bunch of nasty stuff for you to deal with, right?” I tilted Twi’s head up by her chin as she put back her glasses and nodded. “I think, and this is just a theory, but I think that you blame yourself for what went wrong with Rainbow Dash. I think you blame yourself for the failure of that relationship and that you’re tryin’ to punish yourself by cuttin’ yourself off from your other friends, the guilt is makin’ you think that you deserve to be hated by them, or by us.”
Twilight shifted uncomfortably and blinked a couple times, but she didn’t say anything or try to interrupt, or even look away from me.
“And I think,” I continued, puttin’ my hand on Twi’s head and gently brushin’ her hair “that the self-esteem issues you have, stuff with your family, stuff with your school days, stuff with your old Canterlot friends…”
“Friend.” Twilight interrupted. “Singular.”
“Right, friend.” I said. “…point is, I think that stuff’s messed with your self-esteem to the point where you don’t feel like you can afford to make any mistakes, otherwise your whole self-image comes crashin’ down and that’s why you can’t apologize. Because you can’t admit ya done wrong without takin’ that to the extreme conclusion that you’re just a bad person, and thus you deserve to be alone, and because that’s your hidden emotional truth you sabotage yourself to make that a reality.”
“When did you become such a philosopher?” Twilight scoffed, wigglin’ away from me and walkin’ back to the river.
“I know my friends, Twilight.” I hugged Twi from behind, rockin’ back and forth slowly. “And Twilight, I know what you need. You need a distraction.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.
“You need somethin’ that’ll occupy your conscious mind so that you can work through these issues with your subconscious…” I chuckled, really havin’ no clue if what I was sayin’ made sense. “Or somethin’ like that. Point is, let’s duel.”
“What? Why?” Twilight said flippantly, spinnin’ around to face me and nearly fumblin’ backwards into the river, lucky I managed to catch her in time, bringin’ her in close to me.
“Cuz, Twi.” I looked down at Twilight as I held her close. “Focusin’ on the duel will give your brain time to, like… marinate on these issues. I said a buncha stuff out loud that you’ve been thinkin’ to yourself this whole time but were too afraid to admit it, and now your brain needs time to deal with the fact that you can’t hide from it anymore.”
“You…” Twilight looked at me angrily for a moment but then her expression softened and she let out a sad sigh and she looked away. “You’re not wrong. I don’t… I don’t know if I really considered all that stuff you said, heck, I’m not sure I entirely understand it even now.”
“Which is why we duel.” I took a few steps back and got out my red Duel Disk. “Plus I’ll throw in a bonus, t’make it interestin’. If I win, you apologize to Fluttershy. But if you win, I’ll apologize to her for ya on yer behalf. Sound good?”
“Those are good stakes.” Twilight laughed, tryin’ to fight back some tears. “Alright, Applejack. Let’s duel.”
****
-TWILIGHT SPARKLE-
DUEL!
Twilight Sparkle vs. Applejack!
I appreciated what Applejack was trying to do but I wasn’t sure a duel was really going to put me back in the right place. My head was a foggy mess, everything felt so dark and unclear and I just… ugh. I had reservations but maybe AJ was right, maybe all I needed was a little distraction.
Applejack and I stood between my house and the river, the house to my back and the river to Applejack’s, with nothing between us but a few rocks and sticks on my too-grassy-needs-to-be-mowed-like-seriously-it’s-a-jungle-out-here lawn.
“I’ll go first.” I said, drawing my opening hand. “And I’ll start with my combo of Spellbook of Secrets and Temperance of Prophecy.” My slender brown-robed, shadowy-hooded magician appeared on the field, brandishing the bright blue Spellbook of Secrets.
“So now you can add a Spellbook to yer hand,” Applejack said “and summon a high-Level Prophecy monster.”
“That’s right.” I nodded. “And I choose to add Spellbook of Power, and because I played a Spellbook this turn, I can sacrifice Temperance to summon Prophecy Destroyer from the deck!”
Temperance held aloft her two chalices and they both glowed with a blue light as dark mist frothed atop them, spilling out and absorbing my magician. From the dark mist that formed around her body came a flickering orange light and then a leathery-winged, skull-faced, glowing-sword-wielding demon… Prophecy Destroyer!
“I’ll add one more face-down card and end my turn.” My face-down card was Drowning Mirror Force, which I could use to defend myself in case things went south for my Destroyer.
“Well Twilight, I’m about to blow yer mind with this move.” Applejack spoke with fire in her eyes and a confident smile on her face “I summon a face-down defense monster and one set card. Yer move.”
I was awestruck. I think my mouth started hanging open.
“That’s it?” I asked.
“Yup.” Applejack put her hands on her hips and nodded proudly. “That’s all I need.”
“Fine then.” I said. Applejack’s move may have looked pretty pathetic, but I didn’t doubt that she had some strategy up her sleeve. “I’ll summon my Strength of Prophecy!” My short-red-haired, black-armored, giant-mace-wielding magician appeared alongside my Destroyer, giving him a loyal salute. “She can put my Spellbook of Secrets back into the deck to raise my Destroyer’s ATK to 3000. And not only that, but I can further increase my Destroyer’s ATK with the Spellbook of Power! Now he has 4000 ATK!”
“That’s mighty impressive, Twilight.” Applejack chuckled like it was no big deal, but I could see her starting to sweat a little bit. I couldn’t blame her, one hit from my Destroyer and she was as good as done. “But let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to hit me that beast of yers.” Applejack smiled devilishly and I couldn’t help but smile back, accepting her challenge.
“Strength of Prophecy, attack Applejack’s face-down card!” I declared.
My wild-red-haired lady leapt into the air and came crashing down on Applejack’s mysterious Monster with her mace. The creature turned out to be Sylvan Bladefender, a wandering bearded samurai with leafy clothing and a big rice hat, but its 700 DEF was no match for my Strength’s 1500 ATK and my Monster’s attack crushed it into dust, leaving Applejack’s field wide open… or so I thought.
“Now ya’ve done it, Twi!” AJ threw her head back in laughter. “When one of my Sylvan monsters goes to the graveyard, I can summon this beauty from my hand! Sylvan Sagequoia!”
Sagequoia was a tall, thin leafy tree with tiny spectacles on his face, a dainty thin mustache and a braided leafy beard. Despite his unassuming appearance, the creature boasted an impressive 2500 ATK!
“Okay, good comeback.” I smiled graciously and nodded, impressed but not deterred. “But not good enough to stop my Destroyer! Attack her Sagequoia!” My devil ran toward the enemy and jumped into the air, slicing through Applejack’s tree vertically and cutting it right in half, destroying the monster and reducing Applejack’s Life to 2500, plus I was also able to add my Spellbook of Secrets back to my hand for next turn thanks to the Spellbook of Power’s Effect. “Your turn, Applejack!” I said confidently.
Applejack drew her card and looked at her hand, her smile widening from ear to ear, making me a little nervous. I dug my feet into the ground and glared at Applejack as she considered her options. I was feeling tense about losing this duel… but then I remembered my duel with Pinkie Pie. Losing wasn’t the end of the world.
Losing a duel didn’t make me a bad person. It didn’t make my friends want to turn on me or hate me or think I was a loser. Losing that duel… honestly it didn’t really mean anything. It’s just a game, and my self-worth doesn’t need to be completely wrapped up in my ability to play a game well.
But not only that. Just because I got into a fight with Fluttershy, or Pinkie Pie, or even Rainbow Dash… just because we fight sometimes doesn’t mean we aren’t friends. Just because we get mad and we may yell at each other sometimes doesn’t mean I don’t care about them and they don’t care about me. I’ve known these girls almost my whole life, they weren’t merely friends, they were family and I care about each of them so very much and yes, even Rainbow Dash, even still after everything, I still cared so dearly about Rainbow Dash.
Just because I lose a fight, doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Just because I lose a game, doesn’t mean that I’m worthless and just because I argue with my friends doesn’t mean those relationships are at an end.
“Applejack, you were right.” I said with a smile, clutching at my heart. Applejack looked up from her cards to look at me.
“How so?” She said with a smile of her own.
“This duel did help.” I answered. “Thank you.”
“I’m glad to hear that…” Applejack said with a kind smirk, her expression softening for one moment before putting her game face back on. “Cuz I’m about to end it.”
“Bring it on.” I said with a huge grin. Honestly, I kinda wanted Applejack to win. I was excited to see how she would pull it off, especially considering my Drowning Mirror Force was still on the field.
“I activate my face-down card, Sylvan Blessin’!” Applejack declared. “By puttin’ one card in my hand on top of the deck, I can summon Sylvan Bladefender back from the graveyard! But that’s not all, I’m gonna tribute Bladefender to summon Sylvan Guardioak!”
In exchange for the samurai Applejack summoned a big stout green ogre, with leafy hair and tree branch limbs, holding a massive wooden club across his shoulders.
“Guardioak’s ability lets me Excavate three cards off the top of my deck.” Applejack’s deck relied on ‘Excavating’ her cards, which basically meant looking at them and then putting them back in the deck, except… “And I’m sure you remember this, Twi, but when my Plant-Type Monsters are Excavated, they go to the graveyard and their Effects can be activated.”
“I do remember that…” I said tensely, remembering that Applejack just chose a card from her hand to go on top of the deck.
“Now I wonder what card could be first?” AJ said teasingly, looking at the first of her three Excavated cards. “Oh lookie here, it’s Sylvan Princessprout!” AJ looked at the second card, an irrelevant trap card which went to the bottom of the deck. AJ looked at the third card and laughed. “Ha! Sylvan Peaskeeper! I couldn’t’a asked fer a better card than this’un!”
As Applejack sent her two Plant monsters to the graveyard, their Effects were activated.
“Peaskeeper’s Effect goes first, allowin’ me to revive my good ol’ buddy Bladefender!” Applejack said, Bladefender returning to the field yet again, this time from inside a pea pod. “Then my Princessprout’s Effect goes off, and it’s pretty special! Not only is she summoned back to the field, but I get to choose her Level! And I choose 7!”
I couldn’t deny that Applejack’s Princessprout was adorable. She looked like a little shrine maiden with a flower bud face dressed in an ornate, flowery gown.
“Now I’ll return Bladefender to my hand,” Applejack said “to summon Fallen Angel of Roses!”
A war-worn woman with grey skin and pale eyes, long black hair and majestic wings with black rose petal feathers. In her hand she held a thorny whip and she was dressed to the nines like a dominatrix… Fallen Angel of Roses!
By the way, it may seem like Applejack’s taking an absurdly long time to make all of her moves, but this was pretty standard for her and her bizarre hand-and-deck-manipulation-combo deck.
“Now then, Twi…” Applejack pounded her fists together, which she often did when she was certain of victory. “Are you ready to end this? Cuz I Overlay my Level 7 Fallen Angel and Princessprout, to summon… Orea! The Sylvan High Arbiter!”
Orea, Applejack’s favorite card, was a majestic green bird of prey whose radiant wings glowed with green, yellow and red feathers. She had palm fronds as a tail and a wreath of red lilies around her neck, giant red braids flowing behind her head and a garden of blooming red flowers crowned her. She was beautiful, graceful and powerful, and as soon as I saw her I knew as well as Applejack did that this duel was hers.
“Orea’s Effect allows me to detach an Energy card to Excavate three cards off the top of my deck.” Applejack said. “And for each Plant Monster Excavated, I get to bounce one card on the field back to the hand!”
“What are the chances of all three being Plant Monsters?” I scoffed, referring to the fact that my field had three cards on it.
“Pretty good, considerin’ more than half my deck is made up of Plant Monsters.” Applejack said confidently. “Now let’s take a look! One!” Applejack looked at the first card, it was a Plant monster. Orea’s feathers began to bristle with anticipation. “Two!” Another Plant! Orea’s gaze fixed on me and it gave me chills. “And three!”
Another Plant. Orea rose into the sky and flapped her wings, blowing a mighty hurricane across my field and sending everything on it flying away, back into my hand.
“Good game, Twilight.” Applejack said, putting her fist forward.
“Good game, Applejack.” I sighed.
Applejack’s Guardioak threw his club my way, making me wince and reducing my Life to a mere 1600, and then Orea charged up a beam of green solar energy in her mouth, blasting it at me and reducing my Life to 0.
“Alright, you remember the deal?” Applejack said as she walked toward me.
“I remember.” I nodded. I walked over to Applejack and stood in front of her, motionless. She took the hint and embraced me in a hug, which I hesitantly reciprocated. “And a deal’s a deal… but will you come with me?”
“Of course.” Applejack said, swaying back and forth with me in her arms. The best part of my day, to be honest.
****
I stood on the entry step in front of Fluttershy’s house, feeling nervous enough to throw up, with Applejack standing behind me. AJ prompted me to knock on the door and I took a big deep breath and did so, tapping several times quietly on the door. After waiting a moment or two, Fluttershy answered.
“Oh! Twilight… it’s you…” She looked excited for less than a second before becoming downtrodden. That didn’t make this any easier.
“Fluttershy… “ Getting the words out felt like choking out hot coals. “I’m sorry.” I said with a bow. Like ripping off a bandage. “I didn’t listen to you and I talked over everything you said, and I turned something that was supposed to be fun into something ugly and stupid. And I’m very, very sorry.”
“Oh Twilight, I forgive you.” Fluttershy said, opening her arms for a hug that I happily accepted. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I was worried about you.”
“Yeah, Applejack helped me get out of the hole I was starting to fall into.” I said with Fluttershy still in my arms, smiling at Applejack who gave a hearty thumbs-up in response.
“Wow, she really did have the mojo!” Pinkie Pie said happily, walking into Fluttershy’s living room from the kitchen or someplace.
“I told you, Pinkie.” Rarity added, following behind Pinkie. “Never doubt Applejack once she sets her mind to something.” Rarity walked over to me, Fluttershy opening the door wider and stepping aside so Rarity could stand before me. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, darling.” Rarity said as she embraced me in a hug.
“Me too.” I replied with a happy smile, tears a-flowing. “It’s good to see you.”
“The pleasure is mutual, I promise you.” Rarity couldn’t hold back tears either.
“So Fluttershy,” Applejack interrupted the sentimentality, as she was wont to do “how’d that new deck come along?”
“Oh! Did you put together a deck?” I said, wiping away tears and glad for the distraction from all the crying and nostalgia. “Sorry I couldn’t help you with it.”
“Rarity and Pinkie helped me put it together.” Fluttershy said happily, holding the deck close to her heart. “I’m actually really excited for it.”
“That’s fantastic, Fluttershy!” I clapped my hands happily. I was a little jealous and sad that Fluttershy made the deck without me after I blew it, but I was mostly just glad that Fluttershy could play now and I couldn’t wait to see that! “You want to give it a test run?” I said with a sly grin.
“Twilight Sparkle, are you challenging me to a duel?” Fluttershy replied with a smirk.
“I am acutall-” I was interrupted by the sound of my phone and everybody staring at the pouch on my belt that held it. I took the phone out and looked at it and my eyes widened. “It’s from Rainbow.”
“What does it say?” Applejack asked gravely.
“It says ‘Meet me at the airplane graveyard. You know the place’.” I was starting to get chills and had a burning feeling in my gut. This was important and I needed to go there. “Sorry again, Fluttershy, but can I postpone our duel for a moment?”
“Of course!” Fluttershy nodded vigorously.
“You need to go, Twilight!” Pinkie added, waving her arms frantically. “Go go go!”
“She’s right, sugar cube.” Applejack said, her hand on my shoulder. “I can go with you if you need.”
“No, I need to see her alone.” I said. “I have something for her anyway.” I placed my hand over the second deck box hanging off my belt. “Guys, I’d better go.”
“Well why are you still standing here?” Rarity pushed me down the brick path of Fluttershy’s yard. “You had better hurry!”
“Right!” I ran off and bolted down the sidewalk as fast as I could, which admittedly wasn’t fast since I had no athletic ability and got winded after ten minutes of running. “I’ll catch you guys later!”
Everyone waved and said kind words of encouragement as I headed off to confront Rainbow. It was nice… and then I felt something wet hit me on the head. It was a raindrop.
Because of course it was.