It was quite the stormy night. Even the pegasi had all gone home. Only the bravest stayed outside, and that was why both Twilight Swish and Fleur de Shy were confused to find the other out in such a storm. Especially since their encounter took place underneath a picnic bench.
"Only the bravest, they said," Twilight replied to Fleur's question, a hint of anger in her voice. "That's why Rainbow Zap and Apple Jet were working together on trimming the trees. That's why they hadn't gone back to the barn. That's why I had to go for a flight out in the storm. To prove I wasn't a pussy. That I wasn't just an 'egghead' who stayed indoors all day."
"And that's why that happened?" Fleur asked, pointing to her friend's side.
Twilight stretched out her burnt wing gently, being careful not to let it touch anything. "Yeah. I didn't put two and two together until the lightning struck."
Fleur nodded.
"Well, what about you?" The pegasus asked. "What brought you out here? You're pretty far from the boutique."
Fleur chuckled a bit sheepishly, a soft blush rising on her cheeks. "I forgot about the storm. I was over at Pin Cushion's place looking at some of his new fabrics and got a little lost in...conversation."
Twilight opened her mouth before closing it. She hadn't known Fleur for long, but it seemed that this particular mare was colt-crazy. "You guys weren't talking about fabrics, were you." This mare was straight out of a Rain Blossom book.
Fleur opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a holler from their right. "Twilight, Fleur! What are you girls doing out here?" Fleur mentally thanked Celestia that Gummy had interrupted that train of thought.
Twilight growled. Of course Gummy would be in the ranks of the bravest of the brave. Didn't matter that he was a baby dragon, just that he was an actual dragon.
"You know what, never mind the why, you guys come with me, SugarCube Corner is right over there." He pointed with his claws across the street. Directly in front of the two mares was the often un-used dirt road that led to SugarCube Corner. Twilight mentally thanked Celestia that Gummy hadn't heard her grumbling in response to this easy option. Meanwhile Fleur snorted, she couldn't believe she was being invited in to that dump.
Twilight slowly crawled out from under the table, her mouth still twisted in the frown. Even the element of laughter couldn't cover up how annoyed she was at this entire scenario. She hissed in pain as she bumped her wing on the edge of the table. Once out, she stood up and brushed herself off with her spare wing. She stood off to the side, waiting for Fleur.
Fleur didn't crawl out quite as quickly. In fact, she seemed determined to stay put. "Zank you, but no zank you. I am perfectly fine underneath zis table."
"Er, Fleur? It's dangerous out here." Gummy responded.
"I will be perfectly fine right here, zank you very much."
Lightning struck in the distance, the corresponding thunder rolling through the hills. The table shook at the barrier-breaking sound. Fleur didn't move an inch.
Twilight growled in annoyance. She may not be the element of loyalty, but she was still Fleur's friend. As an idea came to her, the pegasus smirked. "But Fleur, what about the mud?"
The unicorn quirked an eyebrow. "What mud?"
Twilight gave her spare wing a large flap, sending a wind current just big enough to send some rain under the table. It splashed Fleur in the face, causing her to slam her eyes shut. The water also seeped into the loose dirt beneath the table, turning it to mud. Fleur opened her eyes to see that the land where she was positioned had now completely converted to la gadoue, the substance commonly known around Ponyville as mud. She turned her gaze upward to Twilight and narrowed her eyes. "Fine. You win. Zis time."
Fleur teleported out from underneath the table. She reappeared directly next to Twilight, using a last flick of her magic to transfer the mud from her coat to the pegasus's. "Ha."
Twilight's eye narrowed, but she said nothing.
Gummy furrowed his brow, wondering what was going on between the two mares. He decided against questioning it, and instead gestured them toward the sugar-coated building. "I should warn you two though," He spoke, halfway to his home. "Dawn's in a partying kind of mood."
Twilight shrugged, wincing as she felt her wing move. "I don't see what's the big deal."
"Oui." Fleur added. "Dawn is always in a partying mood."
Gummy chuckled in a way that ever so obviously indicated that he knew something they didn't. "You guys don't understand. That's her normal mood." By now, the trio had reached the front door. "This," He said, opening the door ever so slightly. "Is her partying mood."
Instantly, a fluff of pink poked its head out the door. Fleur instantly recognized it as the mane that had graced her boutique only two weeks ago. Dawn grinned a smile that was too wide to actually fit on a pony's face. "Hi girls!" She all but yelled. "You girls want to have a sleepover??"
Twilight had to back up. Not only was Dawn's hair bigger and poofier than normal, but the entire first floor of the old cafe was covered in streamers, confetti, and balloons. The amount of festivities packed into the room was a bit much, even by Twilight's standards.
Dawn's smile widened (who knew that was possible) and stretched her forelegs out. Her left leg grabbed Fleur, and, by some unknown feat of magic, her right leg reached far enough to grab Twilght and drag her in as well. Gummy was left out in the cold as he shook his head. "This is going to be a loooooooong night." He muttered, following the three ponies into the cafe, shutting the door behind him.