//------------------------------// // Ease // Story: No Hugs for Sugar Crush // by FerociousCreation //------------------------------// Rarity stood in front of a mirror as she scanned the outfit she wore. “Spike, do you think I should wear this sky-blue dress, or should I wear a simple yellow shirt with a hat to compliment?” Before the dragon could make a suggestion, Pinkie Pie bounced beside Rarity’s reflection. “Why don’t you try on something pink?” “Hmm…” Spike folded his arms. “I’m not sure if pink is an appropriate color for a casual day.” “I agree, Spike,” Rarity nodded. However, Pinkie scoffed at such notions. “Pink is best when you don’t expect it! That’s why I wear it all the time!” “We… know,” Spike said. “It’s your natural color.” The dragon returned to admiring Rarity. “But if we want to go with Pinkie’s ‘casual pink,’ I suggest the yellow shirt and hat.” “Splendid suggestion!” A trunk popped open and a few outfits became animated. “You are very sharp when it comes to complimenting colors.” Spike ran a claw over his fins. “Aww, it’s nothing.” Though I don’t mind the compliment. Pinkie Pie jumped into the bed and crawled over to the nightstand to obtain the Bright Spotlight. “So while Rarity gets dressed, let’s come up with a battle plan. We got us a friendship problem, and we are going to solve it!” Spike climbed onto the bed and looked down at the issue. “Are you still convinced the friendship problem involves the Vamponies?” “I just have a feeling is all. You know when I get a twitch in my tail and something falls? It’s… sort of like that. More of a hunch. Which leads me to my strategy.” Rarity turned her head to observe her pink friend while a yellow hat with a fluffy white feather gently landed onto her head. “I was thinking that Spike and Rarity should go to the jousting field near the outskirts of the city, while I go to the Chocolate Palace.” “I would suggest you and Spike should go to the fields,” Rarity countered. “Besides, why would you want to send us there first, while you go off on and enjoy yourself?” Pinkie dramatically gasped, “I am not going to 'enjoy myself!'” She then fiddled with her hooves. “I just want to try a Mineral Milk Cookie.” “As much as I would love to venture about the kingdom and enjoy some of the features displayed in that magazine, we have a task to complete.” “But what if Sugar Crush is there and I ask her about Mineral Water? You know you want a Crystal Coat after all.” Rarity’s ear twitched and gave nothing to add to the conversation. Spike rose his claw, “Remind me who this Mineral Water is.” A few turns of the magazine pages revealed a purple crystal pony. A pink hoof slapped onto the picture of him and Sugar Crush. Spike had to fight off the urge to not become jealous of the unicorn. He didn’t want Rarity to run off with a semi-good looking stallion. “You see before we left, Rarity got a business card for Mineral’s Mineral Coat from Roseluck. When she got it and read about the Mineral Milk Cookie story, Rarity almost caused my ears to fall off because of how loud she screamed!” The white mare turned away from the two, but her blush was visible via her traitorous reflection. “Anyways, I know Rarity will get just a little bit carried away if she sees Sugar; she will interrogate the poor mare in the name of being…” Pinkie Pie threw a hoof onto her forehead and dramatically proclaimed, “...FABULOUS!” A rough clear of the throat was a sign Rarity did not want to be teased. “If you are done taking jabs at me, I think I am ready for the day.” When Pinkie and Spike looked to the dressed unicorn, they were met with a simple, yet lovely outfit. A light-yellow shirt with a white trip at the top easily complimented Rarity. The hat she wore looked heavy, but it was balanced with ease. “You look wonderful, Rarity!” Spike beamed as his tail twirled a little. “Glad to know somepony wants to say nice things to me instead of making fun of my sense of fashion.’” Rarity flicked her head and watched her curls bounce from the mirror. “Now allow me to make my own input, Pinkie Pie: instead of Spike and I go to the jousting fields while you treat yourself, why don’t we all go to the Chocolate Palace? I wouldn’t mind getting a snack myself, and we can see if Sugar might know anything about the Crystal Fayre. Perhaps her friend, Mineral Water, can help us as well.” Rarity looked away from Pinkie Pie’s suspicious grin. “Now before you interject with a flurry of teasing words, yes, this is a way for myself to ask Mineral about his body wash. And you also get to have what you want.” She looked at Spike and asked, “Is there anything you wish to do, Spike? I know Pinkie and I want to do our things, but we don’t want to exclude you from having fun.” Spike rubbed his chin and answered, “I am actually very interested in how the crystal ponies joust. Ever since I got a look at that Vamponies interview, I’ve been itching see some of the action they endure.” Rarity’s smile made Spike’s heart flutter. “Then I believe we have all reached an agreement? We all go to the Chocolate Palace and plan as the day goes?” “Sounds good to me!” Spike nodded. Instead of answering the question, Pinkie Pie sprung off the bed. “Alright, everypony! Before we head off to solve us a friendship problem, let’s build up some energy!” The over-the-top energy was too much for Rarity to endure. “Pinkie, it’s too early for you to be this loud-” “SOMEPONY GIVE ME AN ‘E!’” she exclaimed as she pulled two flags from her mane. It was too late; there was no stopping the curly-manned earth pony once she was wound up and let loose. Spike knew they would remain in their room if nopony answered Pinkie’s call, so he chose to speak an unenthusiastic, “E.” “GIVE ME AN ‘A!’” “A.” “GIVE ME AN ‘S!’” “S…” Pinkie Pie’s energetic twirling came to a halt. “Come on, Spike! We got to let the Crystal Empire hear us! Otherwise, they won’t take us seriously!” “And we wouldn’t want that to happen,” Spike rolled his eyes; Rarity silently agreed and rolled her own eyes as well. “Now… somepony better be loud when I say… GIVE ME ANOTHER ‘E!’” “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” The sudden screech made Rarity shriek and caused Spike to fall off the bed. However, Pinkie Pie was unaffected by the noise. “Now that’s what I call an ‘E.’” “What- What was that?!” Rarity exclaimed. Pinkie shrugged, “I dunno.” Through the windows, a figure twirled and spun about like an energetic bee fluttering about a lovely rose. Pinkie Pie walked over to the window balcony's doors and threw them open. Another “EEEEEEEEEEE!” ripped through the morning air just as the open air entered the bedroom. “Thank you for your ‘E!’” Pinkie Pie cried to the figure. At once, the pony in the air stopped their joyous flying. “Am I being too loud?” a mare called back. “Naw! You are doing fine!” “O-Okay…” Instead of resuming to her flips and spins, the loud pony descended from the air and into the city. Pinkie’s ears flopped back. “Aww… I wanted to hear her joyful ‘E’s’ some more…” Spike walked up behind the mare and asked, “Who was that?” “Just a mare starting her day.” “By screaming?” Rarity asked. “Or was it screeching? Regardless, it was loud and uncalled for.” “But she helped finish the word I was trying to spell out!” Pinkie exclaimed in defense of the loud pony. Spike creased his brows, “You do realize you spelled ‘ease,’ right?” “Nope! I was trying to spell out ‘EASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” Rarity and Spike had no time to react to the boisterous cry, and they both displayed their displeasure by squinting. A voice from the city cried, “Can you be quiet! It’s a Saturday, and I am trying to sleep in!” Pinkie Pie leaned over the balcony and shouted back, “It’s also daytime! Time to wake up! You don’t see me complaining about having to wake up early to solve a friendship problem!” “Alright, Pinkie Pie,” Spike said while grabbing the mare’s hoof. “Let’s just go back inside and get ready to go to the Chocolate Palace. No need to create two problems.” "Fine... But I do know solving the friendship problem will be easy. I mean, what's the worst that could come out of this issue?"