Minty Image

by mintgreenconspiracy


Chapter 4-2: Meet the G4 ponies!

After a few minutes of wondering around, Rainbow Dash began to become exasperated. "I'm concerned, Pinkie darling, I can't seem to find this other Ponyville anywhere! Do you think we misread the map, Pinkie darling?" She said, with concern.

Pinkie just smiled. "I think we did!" She said, with a giggle. "Though, I see a clearing, maybe we can look at the map again!" She said, looking off into the distance for a minute before pointing to an clearing in the forest (near some really beautiful blue flowers, that they were told to avoid.) As they got closer, Pinkie smacked her lips. "Yup! Definitely a clearing!" She said, peeking out from between a break in the trees. "Oh and there's someone's house up there!" She said, with a smile. "Maybe we can ask them where Ponyville is!"

"Oh that sounds like a dashing idea, darling!" Rainbow said, with enthusiasm. "We'll ask the darling, and maybe they can help!" She said, crossing a bridge. "Oh what a darling bridge! And just look at that darling little Château!" She said, taking the view in. "It's so dashing!" It was certainly nice to get out of that hut and out of that dark, spooky, old forest -- and Rainbow Dash could feel it.

As they walked up, Pinkie smiled. "So who do you think lives here?" Pinkie asked, contemplatively. "Maybe a sporty person like Scootaloo, or maybe someone fun like Storybelle!" She said, thinking about some of Ponyville's other ponies.

"Well shall we find out, darling!" Rainbow said, as she slowly started to tap on the cottage's door. "Hello! Darling! Is anyone home?" She asked, as politely as she could, wondering if anyone was home (too bad Scootaloo wasn't around: she's a good knocker!) She wondered, if maybe they should leave and find someone else?

After a few seconds, however, their patience was rewarded, when they could hear hoof prints approaching and a soft spoken voice calling out. "One minute please. I'm coming." The voice said, followed by hoof steps.

"Oh well! She sounds like a nice person!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "She'll definitely be able to help!" She said, with glee, as the door opened slightly.

A butternut yellow pegasus with pink hair slowly peered through the opening. "Hello?" She said anxiously, just below her breath, before seeing, what she thought was her Rainbow Dash's symbol. "Oh. Hello Rainbow Dash." She said, a smile slowly materializing on her face, as she preceded to open the door further. She immediately, however, regretted it, as all she got out was the words "What brings you? --" Before screaming at the top of her lungs in abject terror, and freezing in place for a second (if you listened real quietly you could hear goats bleating.) Finally, she managed to rush back behind the safety of her door, loudly babbling something about Rainbow Dash hurting herself doing one of her dangerous and scary stunts, causing her muzzle to swell up in size like 50 times, cutting off the circulation to her brain! Causing her to become a zompony!"

"'Zompony' Huh?" Pinkie said, sarcastically to her friend. "Maybe you scared her slightly?"

Rainbow Dash waved her hoof. "Oh darling! You know I'm not a zomb-whatever! I don't eat brains, darling! That would be un-dashing!" Rainbow dash opened her mouth to try to convince this strange yellow pegasus not to be worried, however she had already quickly flown behind the door, and locked it behind her -- adding something to her previous rant about Pinkie doing her 'I bet you can't make a face crazier than this' face and her face getting stuck that way! Causing her to go crazy!"

"And apparently my face is the 'I bet you can't make a face weirder than this' face." Pinkie said, chuckling to herself. "Maybe I should talk to her, and see if she's ok!" Pinkie said contemplatively. "But I don't think it will be easy!" She said to herself, in her signature thinking pose. "She's pretty nervous! I haven't seen anyone that nervous of anything, since that time when Thistle Whistle visited during Ponyville's cloud jamboree!"

"That won't be necessary, darling!" Rainbow said, with a smile. "I'll talk to her." She said, lightly tapping on the door again. "I'm sure that when I explain, she will understand that I didn't mean to hurt her with -- whatever it was I did!"

Pinkie just nodded.

A frightened voice shrieked from inside. "Go away! There's nopony home! No brains here!"

Rainbow Dash's face simply dropped, as she stood there utterly speechless. Her ramblings did remind her of Thistle's though! (Albeit with less whistling!) Maybe she should try a different tact?

However, while she was contemplating her next move, Pinkie decided to chime in. "Oh let me talk to her!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "So um... Hi!" Pinkie said, innocently. "I know Rainbow can be kind of scary! -- "

"Hey!" Rainbow shouted. "I am most decidedly not scary, darling!"

Pinkie just waved to her, discreetly. "See! Just like that! But she's actually quite harmless, and really friendly!" She said, like a mother to her child. "And all she wants to do is be your friend! And maybe make you a nice scarf!" She said, emphasizing the last sentence.

After a few minutes of trying to coax the nervous yellow pegasus out, Pinkie could hear some gulping, and a soft voice calling out from behind the door. "Hello?" The voice said.

"Oh! Hi!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "I'm sorry if we scared you earlier! We are just new to town, and we were trying to find out where town was!" She said, with a blush. "You see, we kind of got lost and -- "

The pegasus slowly opened the door. "Oh hello Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash!" She said, with a nervous smile. "What do you need? I thought Rainbow Dash weren't returning from her trip, with Scootaloo and Lord West Wind, to Cloudsdale until this afternoon. Is Tank sick or something?"

Rainbow stood there confused. "Oh darling! I think you have me confused with someone else!" She said, with a smile. "I'm actually here to get some supplies for Zecora, who's been busy helping my darling friend, Minty."

"Oh ok." Fluttershy said, looking slightly more confident. "I thought for a second you were my friend, Rainbow Dash, and that you had hurt yourself doing one of scary stunts, and had turned into a zompony."

Pinkie, resisted the urge to giggle. "Oh no! She no zombpony! In fact she's just fine, and fashionable!" She said, imitating Rainbow Dash for a second. "So what's your name?"

"Who me?" The Pegasus asked. "I'm Fluttershy. And you are Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, correct?"

"Oh! Yes! That's correct!" She said, with a giggle. "I'm so glad you chose to open up! I would have had trouble talking to the door instead of you!"

Rainbow Dash decided to interject herself. "I'm so very sorry for scarring you, darling. I only meant to ask you for directions to Ponyville."

"Oh I think I can help you with that. " Fluttershy said, with a smile.

"Why thank you, darling!" Rainbow said, politely. "But what made you finally decide to open up?"

"I'm not really sure." The pegasus said, nervously. "I'm sorry!"

"Oh darling, I didn't mean to upset you." Rainbow said, blushing. "I just was curious what finally coaxed you out of your shell? Maybe we can use it to help our, darling friend, Thistle Whistle through her fear of clouds!"

"I don't know either." The pegasus replied. "I was ready to flee into my basement, and then suddenly I wasn't scared anymore. Like magic! And it just felt like my fear simply vanished. I think it's because your Pinkie is really persuasive!"

"Oh I am?!" Pinkie said, with a self gratified smile. "I always feel my best when the other ponies around me are happy! And I've always had an unnatural ability to make friends, and ponies feel good about themselves!"

"Kind of like our Pinkie?" The pegasus responded.

Pinkie just shrugged her withers.

********

After a few minutes, and some more small talk, they were back on the road again.

"Ok, darling. Let's look at the map again." Rainbow said, starting to get tired. "Are we getting close yet?"

"I don't know. We've got to be close though!" Pinkie said before, what appeared to be, her poofy haired mirror image meandered out from behind a bush. Pinkie froze for a second. Was she staring face to face with herself? (albeit darker, poofier, haired self.)

Rainbow Dash, put her hoof on her chin. "Hmmm... This does seem familiar, doesn't it, darling?" She thought to herself. But wasn't she on a slide last time?

Pinkie cocked her head, her mouth agape. Her reflection did the same. "That's odd, a mirror in the middle of the path?" She thought to herself. waving her hoof, in an unnatural manner. Her duplicate did the same. "That can't be right, can it?"

She turned to the side slightly to look at her own symbol in the mirror. It was definitely still there, but why was her reflection's hair so unruly? She took great care in make sure her mane was positively perfect. And she was sure her muzzle was bigger than this!

She turned to her other side, holding her hoof up -- her double, once again, mirrored her movements. "Definitely strange!" She thought to herself. "Maybe someone wants to distract me again?" She asked herself, facing forward, and raising her other hoof -- a confused expression still glued to her face. "If I didn't say better, this is supposed to be Minty!" Once again her double kept pace. "Ok! This time I can feel it!" She thought to herself, bending her front legs -- smirking fully -- this time her double failed to keep pace -- giggling manically instead.

Pinkie stood there, her own mouth fully agape. And her mind full of puzzlement (Not to be confused with Puzzemint -- that's a different pony.) This was weirder then if it had been a mirror! And why did she want to say 'Minty! Minty! Minty!' even though Minty wasn't even here?

Her double continued to laugh for a minute, before something in her brain appeared to break, as her face suddenly changed expression, and her double launched herself, hovering in mid air, for a full minute and a half. "HUURRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!" She screamed, at the top of her lungs, before speeding off rapidly.

"What do you think that was about Darling?" Rainbow Dash asked, her migraine temporarily returning. "And why did it seem to very familiar?"

Pinkie simply shook her head. "Oh.... I don't really know." Pinkie said to herself. "Definitely puzzling!" (Sorry there was no frosting on her hoof to lick off this time!)

Rainbow Dash responded. "Indeed, darling, but why ever do you think she ran off like that?"

Pinkie thought for a second, before responding. "Maybe she was late for an important meeting or something?" She said, thinking some more. "Or maybe she forgot her cookies in the oven! I still have those nightmares occasionally!"

"Maybe Darling!" Rainbow said, to herself.

********

"Oh! So this is Ponyville!" Pinkie said, with a smile, walking along, looking at streets she had never seen before. "It looks so very different from ours!" She said, taking in the sites. "For one thing: there are almost no hearts anywhere!" She said, her smile dropping slightly. "I even miss them a little!"

"Well not to worry, darling!" Rainbow said, encouraging her friend. "Minty will be better soon, then we can go back to our Ponyville!"

"Oh that sounds great!" Pinkie said. "The Winter Wishes Festival is only a week away! And I'm hoping to win the decoration contest this year!" She said, with a smile.

"Oh of course, darling!" Rainbow said, feeling competitive. "But you will have to beat me, of course! So I wouldn't get to eager, darling! Because I never, ever lose!"

"Oh! You're on!" Pinkie replied, feeling more chipper. "Maybe we should ask someone where to find Heart's Desire, because I think we're kind of lost. She said, looking around, feeling suddenly surrounded in a sea of strange ponies.

"I suppose, darling!" Rainbow said, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "And do you think that I'm crazy when I think everyone is talking about us?" She said, suddenly noticing an orange earth pony with green hair, talking to another pony -- pointing at the two of them.

"Oh! I don't know." Pinkie said, with a smile. "I think you're imagining things!" She said, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.

"Well, in any case, darling. I think we should find someone who -- " She said, talking for a second, before running into an amber earth pony, with a dark amber mane, and an hour glass cutie mark, knocking him down. "Oh I'm terribly sorry, darling!" Rainbow said, apologetically. "I wasn't watching where I was going and! --" She said, trying to help the earth pony up, by grabbing his hoof with her mutant hoof.

"Ouch! That's not quite the way to do that!" He said, struggling against her grasp.

"Oh! Sorry, darling!" Rainbow said, apologetically.

"No! It's mine!" He said, with a suave smile. "I wasn't watching where I was going and... and... and.... and... and... and..." He said, his face starting to show abject panic.

"You ok, darling?" Rainbow said, concerned as to why this pony was acting so odd. "You look like you've seen a ghost." She said, before looking him over for a second. And shaking her head. "I apologize for asking this, darling, but have we met before somewhere? You seem familiar to me?"

He started to back away. "Oh no! M...m....mmmmm..my name is Time Turner, and I don't believe we've been introduced." He said, starting to turn away.

"Ok, darling! My bad." Rainbow said, with a smile. "But would you mind telling me where I can find Heart's Desire, darling?"

"Oh certainly." He said, trying to cover his face with one hoof, and his cutie mark, with his tail. "Ask Rose, she has a store down by Sugar Cube Corner, just down the road there." He said, before rapidly speeding away.

Rainbow dash sighed. "Is it just me, darling, or is everyone in a terrible hurry here in this Ponyville?"

Pinkie just shrugged. "Maybe they're all late for Story Club or something?"

"Maybe, darling." Rainbow said, taping her hoof on her chin. "Though that man did seem familiar! In any case we know where to go." She said, starting off, down the road.

********

The sights! The smells! The stores! Rainbow was feeling uncomfortable, but no longer! Just the look of the storefronts reminded her of the store fronts back home. All she needed now was a boutique! But in any case, she had work to do, and nothing would distract her.

"So where did Time Turner say we could get Hearts Desire again?" Pinkie said, putting her hoof on her chin, while walking along. "He said there was a pony around here we could buy it from, right?"

"Yes, darling! I think her name was Roseluck, darling! You know, like our Desert Rose!" Rainbow said, with a smile. "I hope that darling Wysteria is doing alright, darling. She was feeling under the weather when we left!" Rainbow said, frowning for a second.

"Well! I'm sure she's ok now!" Pinkie said, to her friend. "But I think it might have been just Rose. What I'm wondering, though, is where her store is?" Pinkie said, looking at the words on one of the store fronts, with a frown. "I still can't read this writing! It's like we've entered another country!" Pinkie said, with a sigh.

"Yes! It's strange, darling! It's like no one reads English here!" Rainbow said, with dismay. "Maybe we can ask someone?" She said, noticing a pink earth pony, a green mane and a white flower cutie mark, staring into one of the store fronts.

Rainbow gingerly walked over to the earth pony. "Excuse me, darling!" She said, with a friendly smile. "I'm looking for Rose's place, and I was wondering, if you could give me directions, darling!"

'Why sure, Rarity!" She said, with a calm voice. "It's just over there." She said, pointing at another store front. "You looking to get something for this evenings date with -- " She started turning around, her face contorted in terror. "The horror! The horror! Rainbow Dash has been exposed to Poison Joke, while doing one of her outrageous stunts, and it's changed her into -- "

"Oh, darling!" Rainbow said, waving with her hoof. "Whatever do you? --" She asked, noticing suddenly that the other pony has disappeared into a cloud of kicked up sand. "That's interesting!" She said, to herself.

"Yes, very strange!" Pinkie said, licking some icing off her hoof, that had been left when she tried to order a pastry from a nearby cart. "For some reason they act really odd when they see us!" Pinkie said. "Do you think they're planning a birthday surprise for me? Like that time that Minty -- " She said, suddenly realizing she had remembered something with clarity that never happened. That birthday, she was thinking about, never happened, right?

"In any case, darling!" She said, walking up to the storefront. "Maybe we can ask Zecora later." She suggested to herself, as she walked up to a cream pony, with a raspberry mane, and Desert Rose's symbol. "Excuse me, you're rose, correct darling?"

"Yes, that's me!" She said, turning around with a smile. "What can I do for you Rarity, are you ready for your date with that stallion from House Ivy, what was his name?" She said, before getting a good look at 'Rarity' -- her face suddenly contorting with terror. "The horror!" She said, fidgeting with her door. "Rainbow Dash has hurt herself, doing one of her dangerously outrageous stunts, and it's knocked her feminine side loose! And now she's going to steal all the flowers in town to catch up on 18 years of being a girl!" She said, with horror, still trying to force her door open -- why wouldn't it open?

"Excuse me, darling!" Rainbow said, firmly. "But I believe you have me confused with another pony!" She said, approaching the counter. "As you can see, I'm clearly different then this 'Rainbow Dash', and I've certainly never been called Rarity!" She said, frowning slightly.

Rose took a few breaths, practically hyperventilating, before she could calm down. She stood there for a second, staring the other pony up and down, before. "Yes, I suppose you're right!" She said, with a blush. "You don't have wings, and your cutie mark is different, after all!" She said, apologetically. "So what did you need?"

"Well, darling! I'm looking for Heart's Desire. And some..." Rainbow said, looking at her ingredient list. "Easter lilies."

"Wow! Heart's Desire huh?" Rose said, getting closer. "What do you need it for?" She said, with a playful expression on her face.

"Well, darling!" Rainbow said, oblivious to Rose's desire to peer into her love life. "These are so Zecora can make a potion for my sick friend. You see she hurt herself a few weeks back, and --" She said, looking at Rose who was now looking sullen.

"I was hoping they were so you can impress the stallion of your dreams!" Rose said, frowning.

"Oh, darling! I wish!" Rainbow said, blushing a bright red. "Sadly not! There are just so few eligible stallions in my town. I haven't had any luck getting the ones I'm interested in to notice me."

"It's that way here too!" Rose said, sighing wistfully. "And all the good ones are spoken for!"

"But you best not give up, darling! I have my eyes on a couple! (Just watch Twinkle Wish and, you too, will understand the mystery of the one guy!)" Rainbow said, with a smile. "And one just came to town last spring. His name is Kenbroath."

Rose looked at Rainbow Dash, with a confused expression. "Kenbroath! That's an interesting name!" She said, getting closer. "Tell me more!"

Rainbow simply blushed. "No. Sorry, darling!" She said, turning away with a bright shade of red on her cheeks. "I've said enough! Zecora gave me these to pay with!" She said, handing over a couple of bits, her face still a bright red.

Rose, carefully prepared the items on Zecora's list, giving them back to Rainbow Dash, a mischievous grin on her face. "So you won't tell me anymore?" She said, hoping for more gossip.

"Sorry, I've said enough darling. Kenbroath is a close friend, and the princess mentor of a friend of mine, and I really would hate for him to get wind of this." She said, frowning slightly. "Besides, I really should be on my way to collect radishes for Zecora's potion."

For the first time all conversation, Rose frowned. "I'm sorry! The only place is the bazaar, and they are all out!" She said, looking sad.

"Oh! That's a disappointment, darling." Rainbow said, with a sigh. "Is there hopes I can pick them up from anyone?"

"Well, you could ask Twilight Sparkle. I saw her leaving the bazaar before I arrived. Maybe she got some?" Rose responded, still looking skeptical.

"Well! It's worth a try, darling!" Rainbow said, with a smile. "I apologize, but I'm new to town, could you point me to her house?"

"Sure!" Rose exclaimed. "She's in the Golden Oaks! I'll give you directions." She said, smiling.

"Excellent, darling!"

"Of course." Rose said, remembering something. "You could try Pinkie Pie, or Applejack." She said, with some enthusiasm. "They might also have something."

"Pinkie?" Rainbow said, with a flummoxed expression. "Isn't she standing right here?" She said, pointing to Pinkie.

Rose just about fled back into her store, before she realized: this was a different Pinkie Pie. "Nope! Different Pinkie. Course she might be hard to find at this time of day, as she's probably helping other ponies to smile!" She said, with a smile. "Applejack might be out at her stall selling apples."

"Thank you, darling!" Rainbow said, with a smile. "But how about directions to this Golden Oaks first! I've met Twilight before, and Zecora needs me to return a book to the Golden Oaks for her." Rainbow said, picking a book up out of her saddlebag (with her bare hoof, of course -- what else would she use to pick it up?)

"Ok!" Rose said, with a smile, as she started to give directions to the town's old library.

Pinkie, meanwhile stood there puzzled. It's amazing how many similarly named ponies they had run into! And now another Applejack, and Pinkie Pie (that must have been the pony she ran into earlier). Maybe it is just a small world, after all!

********

Sometimes a pony just needs to fly, and for Rainbow Dash, now was that time. If it wasn't bad enough that she had to end her date with Lord West Wind early due to some knucklehead concessionary giving the squirt bad hay blintzes. But, no sooner had she gotten back to Ponyville and explained things to Mrs. Gold Heart (she was none too happy that the half-pint got sick -- seeing as she already felt Rainbow was reckless, and irresponsible -- go figure!). Then, upon finishing her talk, she found out that some grey ditz messed up what should have been a very simple weather schedule; and she, therefore, had to work triple time on her day off to make up (and she hated to work straight, she preferred to work in spurts -- but not today.)

Finally, to add insult in injury, she started getting reports that there was another her in town (actually it was more like ponies were glad that the swelling in her muzzle had gone down, and her wings were still attached.) And what's worse, this pony was girly, and fashionable -- two things she was decidedly and intentionally not!

So fly she did, hoping she could either find this imposter, or find someone who had. After a period of time her temper began to recede, and she thought about working quadruple time on that weather schedule. Fortunately, for her temper, she caught sight of Fluttershy, who was heading out towards the bazaar.

"Hey Fluttershy!" Rainbow shouted from above. "You have a minute?" She said, looking from behind the cloud to see if anyone was watching her. It took a few minutes of subtle hints before her old friend from flight camp could notice her.

"Oh hey Rainbow!" Fluttershy said quietly, with a smile. "What's going on?" She asked quietly.

"Hey Fluttershy! You better be on the lookout! There's an imposter on the loose -- and she's trying to ruin my good name!" Rainbow said, with a scowl. "I can't believe she's all out there talking, and acting like Rarity! Makes me mad!" She said, fuming.

"I'm sorry." Fluttershy squeaked, cowering slightly.

Rainbow sighed, scaring her friend wasn't her goal. She just got so angry sometimes. "I'm sorry 'shy! It's just I'm so angry!" She said, with a scowl.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But other than that, how did your date with Lord West Wind go?" Fluttershy asked, inquisitively.

"Awesome! Just like me!" She said, with pride. "Lord West Wind is pretty awesome once you get to know him, and I was primed to win a fortune at the derby." She said, her face turning sour. "That was, of course, till the short stack got sick!"

"Oh my!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "What happened!"

Rainbow's face darkened. "When I find the dork that made those bad blintzes I'll give him a hoof to chew on!" She scowled. "The squirt got some bad blintzes, and we had to leave in a hurry." Rainbow said. "To top it all off, the weather team kind of goofed the weather today."

Fluttershy smiled. "I was wondering why it was sunny instead of partially cloudy, as was originally planned." She said, chuckling. "By the way, Rainbow. I'm glad your face is looking better! I was worried for a while there that you hurt your face and muzzle, and became a -- " She said, gasping slightly. "Zompony!"

Rainbow groaned. "You too shy? That wasn't me!"

Fluttershy apologized again quietly. "Sorry about that Dash! I didn't mean to upset you. I just forgot that she wasn't you and --"

"You saw her!" Dash said, suddenly filled with enthusiasm. "Where did she go?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy squeaked. "She went to see Rose to get some supplies for Zecora."

"Great!" Rainbow Dash screamed, already zooming across the sky at high speeds. "I can give imposter a piece of my mind!"

********

"Oh!" Pinkie said, looking carefully at the street signs. "I think we're getting close to Twilight's place." She said with a smile. "It's kind of hard to tell, though, where the right place is, because all the signs are messed up." She said, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe its..." She said, walking within a few feet of a tree. "Over here!" She said, enthusiastically. "Oh Rainbow Dash! I found it!" She said, with a smile.

"Oh darling! Let me see!" Rainbow said, herself becoming enthusiastic. This was her chance to really meet one of this Ponyville's princesses. And she didn't want to miss the chance (last time they met, she was kind of indisposed.) "Are you sure, darling?" She said, her face dropping. "This hardly seems fit for a princess. Remember: Spike specifically chose the Celebration Castle for Wysteria's place while she was princess!"

"Oh yeah! I know!" Pinkie said, contemplatively. "But I'm pretty sure this is Twilight's place!" She said with certainty. "I agree, I was totally expecting a giant sparkly crystally tree castle thing!" She said, her face going straight. "Instead of a regular tree with a book sign." She said, frowning.

"Yeah I know!" Rainbow Dash said, trying to console her friend. "But maybe they haven't had a chance to renovate the place yet, darling! She has been a princess less than a year, after all!" Rainbow said, forcing a smile. "Maybe it's on the schedule for later!"

"Oh I suppose!" Pinkie said, not believing her friend's words -- but smiling anyway. "In any case, we should probably bug Twilight about the radishes!"

"Yeah, I suppose we should, darling!" Rainbow said, lightly tapping on the door. "Do you think she's home, darling?" She said, trying to peak into a nearby window.

After a few seconds, a familiar alicorn opened the door. "Hello? The sign says open, so you can feel free to --" Twilight started, before getting a good look at the two ponies. "Oh hi Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie! What brings you here to the Golden Oaks?"

"Why hello, Twilight!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "Rainbow and I came by to return this book that Zecora borrowed." She said, grabbing the book from Rainbow Dash, and handing it to the Princess of Friendship (AKA the Princess of the Ponyville Library!)

Twilight smiled. "Great! And just on time!" She said, looking at the checkout time on the book. "Spike!" She shouted, for her 'number one assistant'. "Could you take this book back to section 4, subsection 34. Thank you!" She said, handing the book to her eager assistant. "So girls, do you have a library back home in Ponyville?" She asked, trying to make small talk.

"Oh yes!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "It's run by Kimono, and it's a lot bigger than this one." She said, looking around.

"Great!" Twilight said, with a smile (and having mixed feelings about the Golden Oaks being smaller then that other Ponyville's library.) "So do you girls like books?" She said, once again making small talk.

"Who me?" Pinkie asked, with a chuckle. "Yeah a little!" She said with a smile. "But what I really like are stories! I am, after all, one of the four members of Ponyville's story club -- along with Minty, Sunny Daze, and Storybelle! I did tell you about Storybelle, correct?" Pinkie said, with enthusiasm -- she could still remember the story from last spring, it was one of her favorites to date! "And have you heard of a story called Two for the Sky? It's one of my favorites!" Pinkie said, giggling slightly.

Twilight shook her head, no. She hadn't heard of that story.

"Oh! Too bad!" Pinkie said, disappointed. "I think you, Kimono, and Storybelle would get along so well!" She said, as Rainbow nodded politely. "Seeing as you are all really smart!" Pinkie said, her smile returning. "Though that doesn't mean I don't like books." She said, contemplatively. "I just don't find them as fascinating as fantasy stories." She said with a smile. "Though that does remind me of the time Butterscotch, and Sunny Daze found those glasses that literally made books come to life!" She said, giggling at the thought. "Kimono asked them to put them in the Ponyville museum instead!" Pinkie said, whimsically. "Can't say I disagree though, books are interesting enough as they are."

Twilight was fascinated. She liked fiction and fantasy, as much as the next pony, but really preferred to expand her mind with heavy reference materials and magical guides. "So why do you prefer fantasy Pinkie?"

"Oh it's just that I can get away from my every day adventures, and embark on grand adventures!" She said, with a smile. "Though I read more than just fiction." She said, starting to blush. "When no one is looking, sometimes I take a peek into the romance section." Pinkie said, starting to get a full blush.

"Interesting." Twilight said, starting to contemplate what book she would give the pink pony for her birthday (well she didn't know it was today, otherwise she'd have it already.) "And you Rainbow Dash?"

"Well, darling! I mostly prefer books on fashion, and design." Rainbow said, with a smile. "It's the best way to come up with new ideas and to really impress your friends with something new!"

Twilight frowned slightly. "Too bad! I have some books here that you would love. Sadly Rarity has them all checked out right now!"

Rainbow smiled, reassuringly. "No worries, darling! I'm sure this Rarity has a good reason for them! If she's also into fashion, then she sounds like just the sort of darling pony that I would like to meet!"

Pinkie stood there thinking for a second. Finally she remembered something she wanted to ask. "Excuse me, Twilight, but you wouldn't have gotten any radishes on hand, would you? Zecora needs them for Minty!"

Twilight frowned. "Sorry, the vender says he ran out last week, and won't have any in stock for a while!"

"Such a shame, darling." Rainbow said, with concern. "Zecora needed some really badly."

Twilight simply shrugged.

Pinkie's face suddenly lit up. "That's it!" She said, hopping slightly. "A think-a-squink!" She continued with enthusiasm.

"A squink?" Twilight said, her face filled with wonderment. "What's a squink?"

"Oh darling. Sadly you'll just have to wait, and see." Rainbow Dash said, with a smile. "Our friend Fiesta Flair tried to explain it to Tink-a-Tink-a-Too, but all it did was confuse the darling." She said, starting to gesture to her pink friend, who was bobbing back and forth, her back legs fixed, while she hopped back and forth between her front hooves -- making sure to wave her hair generously.

"That's interesting." Twilight said to herself, mildly amused. "Is this like Pinkie sense or something?" she asked, unaware of the magical dandruff beginning to fly.

The pink pony began to gallop in a small circle, as if chasing a small plane.

"You see, darling. First Pinkie Squishes." She said pointing to her friend, who bent her knees and hips slightly for a minute -- causing her to bend forward -- before resuming bobbing. The pixie dust beginning to thicken.

Finally, as the pony stood still, a visible pink fog began to form over the pink ponies head, as a cartoon style thought bubble began to visibly form. Several dozen boxes of radishes sat in a small pyramid in the cloud.

"What in the!" Twilight exclaimed -- this was definitely not just a Pinkie Sense kind of thing.

"Quiet darling, she's only getting started! And I said this would be easier to show, then to explain, darling."

"Then that darling, Pinkie, winks!" Rainbow said, as her pink friend turned her head, her eyes wide opened, and performed an exaggerated wink. Before one more quick bob -- this time back into a thinking position.

"Then, darling!" Rainbow said, with finality. "Pinkie thinks!" She said, as the thought bubble formed, once again. This time showing a scene.

"Ahh, darling! Apparently that pony over there has several boxes! And he's at some kind of darling merchant's gathering!" Rainbow said, as the image showed a brown pegasus ,with a blond mane, and a blue hat kicking a bunch of boxes of radishes further away from view under his stall.

"Hey! That's Crafty Crate!" Twilight said, with a scowl. "He told me he was completely out! And apparently it happened.." Twilight said, disbelieving what she saw. "This afternoon! (She knew that because the celery merchant, the next stall over, wasn't supposed to get more until that afternoon.)"

"In any case, darling!" Rainbow said, with a smile. "And there you go, darling! A Pinkie Squink."

At that point it was like a bell went off in Twilight's head. "How'd you do that!" She said, shaking Pinkie, causing her thought bubble to pop! I want to see that again!" She demanded, to a puzzled expression from the pink pony.

Twilight was, however not deterred. "Spike did you see how she did that?! That was amazing!" She said, with complete and utter astonishment. "She cast divination magic! Very, very, powerful divination magic! Princess Celestia powerful divination magic! Without so much as a pair of wings!" She said, screaming with enthusiasm into Spike's face.

"Yes." Spike said, deadpan. "I heard you the first time!" He said, crossing his arms. "What's so special about Pinkie doing weird stuff? You remember the whole Pinkie Sense incident, don't you?" He asked, reminding Twilight of the obvious.

"This isn't the Pinkie Sense incident!" Twilight said, with agitation. "This is real! Honest to Celestia arcane magic! Cast by an earth pony!"

"So?" Spike asked.

While the two continued to argue back and forth, Pinkie finally piped up. "I'm sorry Rainbow!"

Rainbow looked quizzically back at her friend. "For what?" She asked.

"For doing the squink. Mama Pie told me never to use it as it's very powerful." Pinkie said, starting to sob quietly. "And she said to only use it in emergencies." She sighed, feeling found out. "Ok! So I used it at the Magical Musical Show! But no one was coming together for the Magical Musical Show, and the music was really, really, bad!"

"Oh, darling!" Rainbow said, reassuringly. "I'm sure, wherever she is, that she doesn't mind!" Rainbow said with a smile. "We desperately need those radishes for Zecora, so she can fix Minty up!"

"Yeah, I suppose!" Pinkie said, as Twilight started to materialize from behind her.

Twilight's ear was twitching, and her eyes were bulged, and kind of crazy."So do you mind doing another squink?" Twilight asked. "I'd love to do more research on it!"

"Umm! Maybe later Twilight, darling!" Rainbow said, excusing the two of them. "We really have to be going!"

"Yeah! That sounds like a good idea!" Pinkie said, with urgency, as the two of them flew out the door.

"Oh dear! It's like she never saw a squink before!" Rainbow said, with sorrow.

"Yeah! She does seem eager though." Pinkie said, giggling slightly.

"Yeah! I suppose so!" Rainbow said, smiling to her friend. "In any case, I think we know where to go! We just need to find a pony that can give us directions!"

********

Pinkie approached a pink earth pony, with blond hair, and a trio of white flowers, with confidence, hoping she could give the directions that Pinkie was looking for. "Oh! Excuse me, miss." Pinkie said, with a smile. "But could you tell me which way it is to the bazaar?" She said, with a friendly smile.

The pony looked at Pinkie for a second, like she was about to give her directions, before pointing down a street -- with fear in her eyes -- quickly panicking, and galloping off into the distance, at top speeds, shrieking something about "The horror! The horror! Pinkie was involved in one of Rainbow Dash's radical stunts, and hit her head, causing her muzzle to explode (literally!) And now she thinks she's psychotic!"

"Oh dear!" Pinkie said, looking at Rainbow solemnly. "That's like the 27th person today!" She said, with a frown. "I don't know why everyone's so grumpy today! But it is really upsetting me!" She said, about to cry.

"Oh yes! I know, Pinkie darling!" Rainbow said, with a sigh. "It's like no one has seen us before!" She said, thinking for a second. "Or maybe they think we're someone else?" She said, unsure of what she was saying. "In any case, she did point down that street, maybe we'll find this 'bazaar' there!" Rainbow said, with determination.

"Well shall we try?" Pinkie said, with a smile, as she started off in the last direction she was pointed into.

"I suppose!" Rainbow said, with a smile.

After a couple of minutes, a city of stalls began to emerge.

"I suppose the darling pointed us in the right direction, after all!" Rainbow said, with relief. "I thought, for a second, that the darling might have pointed us the wrong way!" Rainbow said, looking to the side.

"Well, see!" Pinkie said, her smile returning. "I told you everything was fine!" She said, reassuringly (despite how she felt a few minutes before!)

"I suppose darling!" Rainbow said, feeling slightly better. "Do you suppose that might be the pony from your squink?" She said, suddenly pointing at one of the merchants.

"Oh I'm sure it is!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "Excuse me sir!" She said, walking over to the store clerk. "I was wondering if I could buy some radishes from you!" She said, smiling ear to ear.

"Well you're wrong!" The store clerk scowled, his face covered in agitation. "I don't have radishes! Now go away!" He said, motioning with his hoof.

Pinkie frowned, her squinks were never ever, ever, wrong! She couldn't be wrong this time could she? She decided to continue her question. "I hear what you are saying, but I got it in a squink, and my Pinkie squinks are never, ever wrong." She said, with a smile. "Maybe you have just one or two I can buy, or borrow?" She said, sheepishly. "You see they are for a sick friend, and we need them to help make her feel better!"

The merchant simply looked on uninterested. "Maybe, theoretically, if I actually had some -- which I don't -- you could have one, for say 50 bits!" He said, with agitation.

"Oh! That's too high!" Pinkie said, looking serious. "Zecora only gave us 5 bits for radishes, and our friend really needs us! And Zecora's been so kind to us, I couldn't dream of spending more money then we absolutely need to!" Pinkie said with a smile. "And it would be really nice and friendly if you could sell us some. Maybe I could help you out somehow, like maybe throw a party or something?" She said, trying to barter with the stingy merchant.

After a couple of minutes of Pinkie trying to convince him to help, the merchant had had enough. "SHUT UP YOU DAUGHTER OF A DAME!!!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

This caused Pinkie to start sobbing, uncontrollably. No one had ever acted this way to her before. And she didn't know what that phrase meant, but she could tell it wasn't kind at all. And all she wanted to do was help her friend.

Rainbow's head began to ache something fierce, and she started to fill up with a bottomless rage. It was like someone had insulted her sister, or mother, and the more she thought about it the more angry it made her. She rushed up to the counter, standing on only her back hooves, and started rebuking the merchant, her hoof deforming slightly to form a slight bulge where a finger would be.. "Now see here, darling! That was the single most unrainbowy! Undarling!... Undashing!!! Thing I have ever had the mis-opportunity to hear in my entire life!" She said, wagging the bulge in her hoof back and forth in a chastising manner.

Her vision began to be clouded by a bright green light, as she found her strength leaving her, and she was forced back onto all four hooves. But it didn't stop her rant, in fact, the more sick she felt, the more angry she felt, and the more angry she felt, the stronger the field of green became. "I'll have you know, darling! Pinkie isn't causing any trouble! She's just trying to help her friend! And we'd be more than happy to pay for those radishes, if you weren't so stingy!" She demanded, feeling like she had put her hoof into the light socket. "In fact, all she wants to do is be your friend!" She ranted, with a scowl.