//------------------------------// // Pinkie Power Down // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Pinkie Power Down (Sunset’s residence) Sunset Shimmer paced around her room that night, eyes flaunting all over the place while she held onto her cell phone, counting down the minutes as she waited for a call from Twilight. Her mind hung over the magical wave from earlier and it’s been bothering her ever since she got back from school. She sent a message to Princess Twilight on her magical diary trying to see if there was anything related to what was happening in Equestria. And thankfully her friend on the other side responded quickly. Unfortunately however the reply she got was less than stellar. As far as the princess was concerned, nothing notably major was going on in Equestria. The mirror portal she had in her possession was safely stowed away in Canterlot Castle under strict guard. She even reassured her that Princess Luna and Celestia would keep a close eye on the mirror itself for the next few days just in case anyone tries anything. They’ll even double the guards if they have to. Still… that didn’t really made her feel any better. Sunset would’ve investigated this whole mess if she had a clue. Normally when a magical emergency happens she’d at least have a suspect or a clue in where to start. But right now all she can do is wait for Twilight – this Twilight, to give her some intel. She only wish there was something she could… “Shake your tail cause we’re here to have a party tonight!” “Gah!” She flipped out when her phone suddenly began to ring. But… that wasn’t even her ringtone. Did someone change it? She could only imagine either Pinkie or Rainbow Dash were to blame. But the thought of punishing those two will have to come later. After fumbling through the buttons she answered the call. “Twilight?” “Oh hey Sunset. Good. You’re still up.” Twilight spoke from the other line. “Listen closely. I’ve been studying that magic burst that we felt from school.” “Did you find out what it was? Is it harmful? Is anyone in danger?” “Slowdown.” Twilight spoke back. The sound of a keyboard typing could be heard in the background. “I’ve analyzed the energy spectrum and crossed reference it with all of my data regarding magic.” “Ahuh. Ok.” Sunset gripped the temple on her nose. “Look Twilight. Not everyone has your level of genius. Can you dial it down for us – or me at least?” “Oh… right. Sorry. I keep forgetting that not all of us has a degree in techno-sorcery.” Wow. If she wasn’t her friend Sunset would’ve thought that this Twilight was actually being arrogant for a second there. “Ahem. To put it in laymen’s term: The energy that we felt is completely different from those from Equestria. It has a different wave like uh… comparing fruit juice with milk.” A strange comparison but Sunset wasn’t gonna point that out. “So you’re sure that it’s…” “I can guarantee you that whatever it was, didn’t come from the other side of the portal.” “Phew. That’s a relief.” She breathed out a sigh. “I’ll tell Princess Twilight that she doesn’t have to worry about problems on her end. But if this thing didn’t come from Equestria, then where did it come from?” “I looked into that as well. Luckily I can perform a city wide scan to pinpoint the smallest probably location.” “You can scan the city for magical energy?” Sunset inquired suspiciously. “Since when did you get that kind of tech?” “Oh I just planted some detectors in various locations around the city. It boost the range of my scanner, giving me a wider area of view.” “When did you do that?” “Oh… in my free time.” She answered innocently enough. “Girl. We really need to get you a hobby.” Sunset added. “So what does that mean exactly?” “It means I can detect anyone using magic, if it’s strong enough.” “Ah… hehe. Is that so?” The redhead’s eyes widened as she chuckled awkwardly. “You wouldn’t have been using that radar to track our every move, would you?” “What? No~~ I would never do such a thing. I would never abuse my technical findings to spy on my friends as they go to oh… I don’t know…” She was grinning. Sunset couldn’t see her but she was definitely grinning. “… to watch a screen play of Love’s First Free-Fall in the old amphitheater.” “So you did spy on us!” “Oh relax.” Twilight reassured her. “My scanner can only track when magic is used. The only reason why you popped up on my radar is because you were trying to read the mind of that actor on stage.” “Hey I don’t know much about show biz here on this world but I know for a fact that, that man is a genius.” She groaned. “Anyway, that’s a topic for another day. Do you know where that magic burst came from at least? Or what it did?” “Well I can answer one of those questions.” A shuffling of papers came along. “The magic was pretty feint but it left a trail behind. From my scanner, I’ve been able to narrow it down to a few blocks between Bonjove Avenue and Rorick Road.” Sunset gave it a thought. “That’s near downtown.” “And a lot of ground to cover.” Twilight agreed on that remark. “Thankfully I have a way of narrowing it even further.” “Ok so what’s the plan?” Twilight shrugged on the other line. “Well I’ll need to get a better reading. We can head over there tomorrow after school and try to pinpoint the origin of that magic.” “Uh… no.” Sunset replied plainly. “We promised to help Fluttershy in the animal shelter, remember?” “This is important Sunset. Whatever caused that magical burst must’ve been pretty powerful. If we don’t investigate this, something dangerous could be unleashed. And you know all our experiences with magic.” They’ve been dangerous, that much is true. Near life threatening even. “You don’t have to come. I just need my trusty detector to find our culprit.” “I don’t know Twily. I don’t like you going alone.” “Oh please. You do remember who you’re talking to, right?” The egghead countered back. “If it gets too dangerous, I’ll run. Besides, I won’t be alone. I’ll have Spike with me. Isn’t that right boy?” A bark could be heard on the other line. “Besides, I’m not really that comfortable with something that powerful being used on this world.” Sunset wanted to argue back but knew better than to debate with the queen of logic herself. She too was uneasy about this new found power. Because as far as she was concerned, all magical occurrence seemed to stem of her Equestria. This world she came to had no such thing as magic. Not unless you count Trixie’s smoke and mirrors as such. “Alright Twilight. I’ll leave you to it. Just… be careful. And remember to keep me posted.” With a sigh, she closed the line and got to bed. Sunset couldn’t sleep. Something strange was about to happen in this city and she was afraid of what it was. (Friday) (Canterlot High School) School was in that morning in Canterlot High. While the cold chill was still in the air, the thought of the last day of school energized the student giving them something to look for during the last bell. Mr. Cranky Doodle was at the door of course, making sure that everyone was accounted for. While the faculty did trust their fellow students to behave it didn’t hurt anyone to leave someone to supervise them. Rainbow Dash was first on the scene leaping from the school bus and into the school hallway where all of her friends and classmates gather. There was still some time before the first bell and it gave her time to collect her thoughts and mossy into the area. And lucky for her she stumbled upon the first person she wanted to see. “Yo Pinkie!” She greeted the bubblegum girl with the same energy as ever. “Are you ready to tackle this afternoon’s Brain Freeze Challenge!?” “Ready?” Pinkie laughed hiding her face inside her locker. “I was ready before I was even born! An arctic snow storm could freeze this brain. A bunch of tasty treats won’t stand a chance.” “Good because that ‘all-you-can-eat’ ticket is gonna be ours! Put your game face on and empty that stomach, sister! Because those guys in the competition are going down!” “You said it!” “This is gonna be the easiest competition we ever diaaahhhh!” RD jumped back, her face contorted with terror as Pinkie’s face came into view. “Holy molly! Pinkie! What happened to you?” Pinkie looked around her but saw nothing wrong. “What do you mean? I feel perfectly fine.” “B… but… but your hair? It’s… combed!” Rainbow continued, still maintaining that ghastly tone. “And your dress! It’s… prim and proper. And you’re wearing pants and shoes!” “Like… a lot of people?” “Pinkie is not like everyone else! She is a one of a kind party animal and… and… is that…?” Rainbow quickly closed the distance between them, sniffing the girl’s face. “Are you wearing perfume!? Pinkie never wears perfume! The smell interferes with the taste of her sweets! She said that herself!” She thrust an accusing finger at her. “You’re an imposter!” “Oh come on Rainbow Dash. You’re exaggerating. I’m just trying a new look. It’s not that big of a deal.” Her fake smile didn’t exactly make her any more convincing. “Hey guys?” Sunset came along, drawn in by the noise that Rainbow was making. “Is everything alright? I heard yelling. Did something hap…” “Sunset! You’ve got to help me!” Rainbow grabbed the redhead by the collar shouting directly to her face. “Pinkie has been kidnapped and replaced with this… this… imposter!” “Imposter?” Sunset glanced over to the accused fake and immediately noted the large differences. Pinkie was wearing clothes. Not the carefree type of clothes but more of a proper girl kind. She traded those sleeveless shirt for a blouse and blazer which gave her a rather sophisticated air. Those frilly skirts that she enjoyed wearing were gone, replaced by long pants with no stains and no paint marks. Even her sandals were gone, and instead came a pair of lady shoes. But most importantly was her hair. The fluffy cotton-candy-like hair which was her pride and joy, was combed and straightened down to a perfect line. It actually kind of reminded them about her sister, Maud. “Wow Pinkie.” Sunset whistled impressively, all the while trying to get Rainbow off her. “You look… great.” Smart even. But she wasn’t gonna add that just yet. Heck, if you add some glasses and a little eye-liner, she’ll probably look even smarter than Twilight. “Trying on something new?” “Yeah, my mom did it for me. It’s for umm… reasons.” “More like a failed imitation!” Rainbow accused. “Who are you!? Some magical creature from the other side!? Are you like… some kind of hive monster bent on eating and replacing us all with your clones!? Or some kind of parasite that takes over our brains to act as your hosts!?” Girl, you have got to stop watching those late night horror movies. They are really not good for you or your imaginations. Though that last bit sounded a lot like a changling, before their reformation Luckily the girl didn’t have to answer that ridiculous question when the bell finally rang signaling the beginning of school. “Oh! That’s the bell. Later girls!” With a fond farewell, Pinkie was gone leaving the two girls behind to discuss the matter. “RD… please get off me.” (Later) (Cafeteria) Lunchtime rolled around faster than Rainbow could’ve hoped for. The whole day she’d been fussing over Pinkie’s new transformation. And while most of her classmates saw it to be something unique and fun, she found it to be an abhorrent abomination against nature itself. She knew Pinkie better than most people did. That girl was the very definition of a party animal. She’d be messy, annoying, loud, obnoxious and even semi-wild at times. She’s the kind of girl who’d jump into a pool of whipped cream and laugh about while gorging on the cream itself. Eventually Sunset was able to give her the thought that she might’ve been trying on a new look. But when lunch came along, she was now more than convinced that Pinkie was replaced by an evil clone. “Ok. Come on guys. You’ve got to find this weird too!” She called on her friends who gathered at one table as she pointed at Pinkie who remained different from her original counterpart. For one… the bubblegum gal was eating her food. She was EATING… properly! Normally Pinkie would just shove her face on her meal and eat it from there or just grab it with her bare hands and gobble it up without a care for any spillage or stains. But now she was using utensils, taking things one bite at a time. She even had a napkin on! “I’ll admit, it is a little strange.” Fluttershy agreed, looking at Pinkie like a giant elephant in the room. Though naturally she’d prefer if there was an elephant in the room. “Normally Pinkie would be… wilder?” “More chaotic? Unpredictable?” Applejack added also agreeing. “Messy?” “Maybe she’s just going through a phase?” Twilight chipped in, pushing her glasses up. “Like Rarity when she was going through those dark themed dresses.” Rarity coughed. “It’s called Goth – and it wasn’t a phase. Just a period of strife.” Sunset laughed. “You had that gloom and doom attire for a whole week. In school time, that’s considered a phase.” “Regardless!” She steamed. “I on the other hand find Pinkie’s transformation a pleasant change. She now has that look of sophistication and regal beauty! I especially love your makeup and nail polish darling. Very impressive.” “Thanks!” Pinkie gave a toothy smile in return. “No more of that dirty attire that I wish to burn to the ground. It’s actually quite charming to say the least.” “Well I’m not buying it!” Rainbow declared. “There’s just no way someone can change like this overnight. She must be a clone! Quick, Twilight. You said that there was this big magic boom yesterday, right? Do you think that could’ve changed her?” “I wouldn’t really know.” The egghead shrugged back while taking a bite off her sandwich. “That energy was really weak when it reached us. And if it was some kind of charming spell, my detector would’ve sensed it. And right now…” She pulled out her sensor. “… it’s picking up nothing. Other than Applejack’s super strength.” “Ah… yeah. My bad.” The cowgirl chuckled softly. “I’ve been needing to move a lot of stuff to get the barn ready for the family reunion this Sunday. It’s gonna be the biggest one yet.” “Then an evil clone! Or a robot!” “Cloning takes a long time to do and if it was a clone she’d be exactly like Pinkie Pie, not… this.” She pointed out. “And robot replica of humans is still decades away according to my estimates. Besides, if she was a robot.” Twilight pulled out a magnet from her pocket and tossed it over to Pinkie which simply bounced off her hair. “She’d have a magnetic touch.” “Fine!” Rainbow lost it. “At this point, you leave me no choice. Sunset… read her mind.” “What? No.” “Come on! It’s the only way we can know for sure! I am not going to that Brain Freeze Challenge with Ms. Proper over there.” They darted over the said girl who looked back. “What?” “Rainbow, you’re being ridiculous.” Sunset calmed her. “This is the same Pinkie. She just has a different look right now. I’m sure she has a logical explanation if we just asked her.” “Oh yeah? And what’s that?” She challenged, quickly rushing to Pinkie’s face. “Spill it girl! Admit it. You’re some sludge monster, aren’t you!? What did you do to the real Pinkie Pie!? Give my friend back!” “Hey! Easy!” Pinkie retorted, patting the wrinkles off her blouse. “It’s just a look that my mom wanted me to try out. Nothing more. I just need to wear this for one whole day and I’ll be back to my original self.” “So it’s just your mom trying out new looks for you?” Twilight deduced. “That’s sweet of her.” “That… and she also has a big date later tonight.” A stoic voice added garnering their attention. “Maud!” Pinkie yelled out to her sister who stood at the end of the table with a deadpanned face. “What did we talk about spilling beans!?” “Sorry.” The older sister replied unapologetically. “Couldn’t resist.” “WHAAAAAAAT!!!!!?” The table exploded in a wild chorus of high pitched squeals and shouts as the girls huddled over their friend, all thoughts of clones and robots and evil parasite monsters vanishing and replaced with delicious questions. “A date!?” Rarity gasped, fanning herself with her hands as she tried and failed to control herself. “Darling, you should’ve told us! We would’ve helped you.” “Who is it?” Fluttershy, while soft-spoken, asked with almost hungry looking eyes. “Is it that boy who you’ve been talking to in the hallway lately?” “That yellow guy?” Rainbow recalled. “Who was it? Cheese something?” “Yup that one. I like him. He’s funny.” “So who is it, Pinkie? Spill!” “Where are you two going!?” “Guys! GUYS!” Pinkie hushed them. “Calm down. It’s not even a real date. We’re just going out as friends.” “Oh it’s totally a real date.” Maud added taking a seat on their table with something that looked like the beginning of a smile on her face. “They even booked a table at this fancy restaurant called the Huffs and Hooves.” “The Huffs and Hooves!?” Figures Rarity would know such a place. “Why that’s one of the fanciest place in all of Canterlot! It’s ranked amongst the top 10 places for absolutely romantic settings! It’s so busy every day that there’s a 2 months back log of reservations! How on earth could you have possibly get a table there?” “Family connections.” Maud explained shrugging. “Her date got the table there.” “Ooooh~ A wealthy clientele?” Pinkie turned a darker shade of red. “S… something like that.” “Oh he’s totally loaded.” Again her sister cut her off earning a mean yet adorable glare from Pinkie. “He made the whole arrangement – or at least I think he did.” “This is so exciting!” Twilight gave a cute glee. “I’m not really good with interpersonal relationships but I’m actually feeling tingly inside. Who is it? What’s he like? Is it someone we know?” “He’s actually in this school.” The stoic sister answered. “In fact he’s mphhmm!!” “Hey Maud! You look hungry. Why don’t you try this cupcake!?” Thankfully Sunset decided to be the voice of reason here and have everyone back off. “Alright guys. Let’s not give Pinkie too much pressure. We can all respect her privacy.” Pinkie gave a pout of gratitude which she immediately regretted. “… provided she gives us all the details on the date after.” Betrayal! “I can go with that.” “Oh yes. I agree.” “Don’t forget to take pictures!” Sunset chuckled softly at Pinkie’s expression. “I’m gonna get a refill. See you in class.” But just as she turned a corner to the kiosk she bumped headfirst onto somebody. “Oh! Sorry I wasn’t looking…” The owner of that body laughed at her clumsiness. “Don’t be. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve bumped onto one another.” “Flash?” “Hey there Sunset.” The boy gave her a warm smile which she returned in kind. “You’re looking great as always.” “Ah… yeah. Thanks.” Her cheeks colored over. “You too – with that new hairstyle of yours.” He combed over his head giving off a weak laugh. “Yeah well, there’s a big thing coming this weekend so I’m just being prepared. Anyway, are you busy right now? I thought we could talk.” “Talk?” She froze. “Here?” She looked around. “Now?” “Yeah. Is it a bad time?” “W… well…” “Ahem!” A loud cough could be heard directed at her from the table. From there she saw Rainbow Dash giving her ‘the look’. Come on Dash, can’t you give a girl a break? It’s not exactly to talk things out like this. “AHEM!” Ugh… fine. “Actually… now is a great time.” She replied quickly enough which surprised him. Perhaps he was expecting her to blow him off again like all the other times which wouldn’t be much of a surprise at this point. “Really? Great!” He leaned back when he felt his voice reaching a little too loud. “I mean… good. We never really had a chance to talk alone since… well… a long while ago.” “Yeah. I know.” She brushed the side of her arm, putting the empty cup away. “We’ve just been really busy with school, jobs here and there…” “Defeating magical creatures with your superpowers?” The two of them shared a laugh on that last part. When was the last time they shared a moment like this? Sunset couldn’t seem to recall. It felt rather… nice. Warm even. “Yeah. I can understand that. But anyway. I actually wanted to continue our talk from Camp Everfree.” “Our talk?” “Yeah. I asked if we could start over but you kinda ran off on me.” The girl palmed her forehead with a groan. “Oh right! You did that. Sorry. It’s just that…” “Hey it’s fine. I completely understand.” He replied quickly, not really wanting to make her apologize more than she already did. “You girls had to fight off some crazy plant thing. And if it wasn’t for the seven of you, we’d all be stuck there.” Stuck there with magical vines growing all over. “I just wanted to get things out.” “Get what out?” “Us.” He answered with one hand over his chest. “I know that you and I didn’t exactly have the best breakup.” Ah… so that’s what he wanted to get out. Sunset’s face soured at the memory. She could still recall it. Her old malicious-self cutting through the hallway of the school terrifying each and every one with her mere presence. Their fear outweigh their hatred for her. And the sad part is… that it felt good. The feeling you get from everyone bowing to you was intoxicating. She felt like she could do anything she ever wanted and no one could stop her. No one. Not even the teachers could touch her back then. She felt like a god. It’s a shame that it only took the near destruction of the entire world to snap her out of it. “Sunset?” “Huh?” The girl shook up when she realized that she hasn’t said anything for a whole minute. “Sorry. It’s just that… you saying that brought up some… bad memories. About the old me.” “Hey it’s ok. I think the whole school already forgave you for that. And honestly I kinda like the new you.” “Really?” “Really.” He nodded with an honest to god smile that would’ve melted her heart if it was still made of ice. “And that’s why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to ask you properly just to make things clear.” His eyes locked to hers, those cerulean orbs focused and giving out a cold yet comforting glow. Sunset did the same, a grin crossing her face. “Do you want to start over? As friends I mean.” He added that last bit hastily to avoid confusion. “I really want to get to know the new Sunset better. If… that’s ok with you.” Sunset glanced at his extended hand and then back to his face. The grin she held blew up into a wide smile and she took his hand with a firm grip. “I wouldn’t mind getting to know the old Flash either.” She replied earning a chuckle from him. “This is awesome!” Flash’s voice bombarded her mind. “This is literally the second best day of my life!” Pffft! Sunset held a laugh. “Oh by the way, are you free tomorrow?” “Tomorrow?” She gave him a quick raised brow, forgetting that puppy expression he had. “I guess so. Why?” “Well… my dad is holding this fundraiser project tomorrow night at the museum. I was thinking maybe you might wanna come along?” “The museum? You sure you know your audience?” She teased. “I don’t know about you but looking at old stuff in a stuffy old building isn’t exactly my idea of a good time. You’re better off asking Twilight that.” “Yeah… Twilight.” He grunted. “The other one on the other side…” “Or this one here.” Sunset pointed out to the girl in question. “She might not be the same Twilight but I’m sure she’d be interested in seeing anything educational.” “If you say so. But… I might hold onto that.” He brushed the thought of it away. “Seeing her… kind of brings back some old memories too.” And surprisingly enough, they were all good ones. “Hey! Flash!” His friends interjected from afar. “What’s the hold up?” “Be right there.” He answered back, flashing another smile at the beautiful lady before him. “Anyway. It’s nice talking to you again Sunset. I’ll catch ya later?” She returned his smile waving back cheerily enough. “Yeah… later.” (Evening) (Downtown) Downtown Canterlot was perhaps THE busiest place in the whole city. With its numerous shops, stands and town square and large municipal gardens that doubled as flea markets on several occasions, it was a magnet for shoppers, tourists and pedestrians alike. If it exists, and if there’s a price on it, you can most likely find it somewhere in this area. Twilight leap off the bus with Sunset and Fluttershy. Their gaze falling upon the busy streets of downtown. Many of them good potential for being new owners of adorable puppies being put up in the animal shelter. “Well… looks like this is our stop.” Sunset declared. “You sure you’re gonna be ok on your own?” “I’ll be fine.” Twilight waved her friend’s worries off. “And I told you: I’m not doing this alone. I got Spike to watch my back. Isn’t that right, buddy?” The said dog plopped its head out of her backpack giving a reassuring bark. “Sorry I can’t help with the animal shelter today.” Fluttershy didn’t seem to mind. “Oh that’s ok. I don’t really mind. I know that magical emergencies takes precedence over a lot of things. But I’m sure Sunset will be more than enough help around there.” “Just remember to be careful.” Said Sunset. “We still have no idea what this magic is. If you run into any danger or trouble, book it to the animal shelter pronto. Or give us a call when you can. Alright?” “Yes mom.” She jokingly grunted before parting ways. Sunset was kind of acting like a den mother there. “Geez. I wonder what’s up with Sunset. She’s sounding almost… too protective.” It’s almost like she thinks she couldn’t defend herself. She’s Twilight Sparkle for crying out loud. The smartest, and sometimes the most powerful magic user in the gang. If any monster or villains tried to get on her bad side she’ll toss them away with a single wave of her hand. Telekinesis for the win! “Maybe she’s just worried.” Spike deduced, plopping his head next to his owner. “It’s normal for friends to be worried when their friends are off on a solo-adventure.” “Yeah but not when we’re in the city.” She said with her eyes on the device. “Besides, I can handle myself just fine. I don’t need people watching my back when I have you.” The mutt gave it a thought and agreed. “Well I can’t fault you there. I am pretty awesome.” “Whoa.” Twilight nearly slipped on her feet when she suddenly noticed her detector suddenly going off. “Well would you look at that. Not even twenty steps off the block and I already got a hit. Chalk up another one for science!” (3 Hours later) “Ok… maybe that cheer came a bit premature.” Twilight groaned out loud as she leaned back on a bench, her feet raised from exhaustion. Her montage of a search around the downtown area came to a complete halt as she spent the last few hours trying to pinpoint the origin of that strange magical burst. She expected it to be as easy as having a giant magic to look for a needle in a haystack. But unfortunately that was not the case. Her search led her from one building to another which then led her through an alleyway full of stray cats, which then led her down a sewage drainage pipe, which then led her back to where she started. To put it short, it was a big waste of time. “Boy… am I beat.” Spike whimpered softly as he dropped from her backpack, stretching his legs out. “Spike, you were in my bag the whole time. You can’t be tired.” “Sure I can. Watching your back has become my full time job. You’ll never know when some monster will sneak up behind you and have you for lunch. You need someone to shout ‘Look out!’ or ‘Run Faster!’. You know? For motivation. And speaking of lunch.” Twilight wanted to argue but was too tired to do so. Instead she decided to comply with his wishes and pulled out a dog treat from her bag, letting him munch it happily. “I don’t get it. I calibrated this device to detect all magical energy. But it looks as if the energy is just dispersed to… well… everywhere. It’s like it’s fluctuating from place to place.” She tinkered with the device for a spell trying to see if she made any error, which was probably not the case, but it didn’t hurt to double-check. But she stopped when heard her phone rang. “Hello?” “Hey Twily. How’s my favorite resident genius doing?” “Timber!” A smile splashed itself across her face when she realized it was her boyfriend on the other line. “H… hey!” “Something wrong? Did I catch you in a bad time?” “What? No! Of course not.” She giggled back. “Just… exploring the city. Seeing the sights. That’s what… girls like me usually do… right?” Spike raised a brow. “Are you asking me?” “Ah… yeah. Sure? Anywho, I figured if you’re free, maybe we can hangout this weekend. I heard that they have this new movie, Bone Chiller 3. They say it’s pretty awesome. It might even top Bone Chiller 2.” “That crazy film about a snow monster?” Twilight recognized the name. It was supposed to be some horror movie about a possessed Snowman that comes to life every winter and terrorizes the people. It is then repeatedly defeated by a bunch of teens using some vague nonsensical magic mumbo-jumbo. It would be scary too if magic was still something unknown to her. “I don’t know. I’ll be very busy on Sunday with Applejack’s family reunion. Plus I got some stuff on my plate right now.” “How about tomorrow then?” He suggested. “After that we can visit your favorite spot at the botanical garden.” “The botanical garden!?” The girl grinned from ear to ear in anticipation. “Ooooh! I love that place. They just added a new greenhouse! I’ll definitely go!” “Great! I’ll pick you up, same place?” “Yes! Looking forward to it already!” But her smile died out rather quickly when her sensor device activated again. This time however, the magical readings were stronger. “Uh… I gotta go now. I’ll see you tomorrow then?” “It’s a date.” She hung up and hastily packed her dog back into her backpack before bolting off. “Come on Spike. I think I got it this time. Once more into the breach!” (Taxi cab) Maud wasn’t really sure what to make of her adorable little sister. On one hand she was proud of having such an energetic sibling who didn’t have the same stoic attitude as the rest of the family. But at the same time she wished that Pinkie would be a little… tamer especially when it came to her official date. Right now the two of them were riding on the back of a taxi, on route to the Huffs and Hooves to meet with her supposedly secret date. And honestly enough, for the first time, Pinkie actually had a decent look on her. Other than the drool of icing on her lips, the attire that their mother picked for her gave the bubblegum girl a very lady-like look. Instead of the clown she often was. “Ooooh. Tummy… hurt.” She groaned lowly, pressing her hands over her stomach which was slightly bloated due to the Brain Freeze Challenge. “I told you to stop.” Maud replied in the same stoic manner as she always did. “You didn’t have to finish those last four cups. You already won the match.” “79 cups… of ice cream!” Pinkie pointed to the ceiling, grunting. “New… record! Ugh…” She held a hurl. “Totally… worth it!” “I hope you still have room for dinner with your date.” “It’s not a date!” She retorted, holding firmly to that statement. “It’s just an outing with some guy. All because mom and dad wants me to buddy-buddy with their friend’s son. We’re just gonna meet, have fun and go back with no strings attached.” “Hmm… still sounds like a date.” “Don’t you try to pull one over me, sister!” Pinkie poked her by the cheek. “The only reason I was chosen is because you already have a boyfriend!” “Mudbriar and I have a healthy and developing relationship.” She countered deadpanned. “It would be unethical to go with someone else when you’re into someone else. That’s why I decided to pass on this opportunity to you.” “Gee. Thanks a lot.” “I don’t see what the problem is. It’s not like you’re going out with anyone at the moment.” “I just know that it’s going to be so awkward! Me and HIM!?” Pinkie dragged her hands down her cheek stretching them. “It’s a good thing no one found out. I still haven’t forgiven you for that incident in the cafeteria.” “I’m sorry. It was the slip of the tongue.” Yeah right. “Anyway. I don’t want anyone finding out. So promise me you’ll keep this to yourself!” “Fine.” She shrugged. “I promise.” “Promise it to Boulder?” Maud’s eyes widened startled but returned to normal when she brought out her pet rock. “Fine. I promise on Boulder’s honor that I won’t say a word to this to anyone. Rockmaster’s oath.” “Good. Because the last thing I want is for people to get the wrong idea around here. I don’t know if I’m even ready for a date. How do I even act?” Maud placed a hand over her chin in thought. “How about… not being Pinkie?” Her sister gave a ‘huh’ in reply. “This is a different date. Something you’ve never done before with a boy whose dad is an important friend to our parents. I would suggest you do the total opposite of you.” “Aren’t you supposed to give proper advice? Like… being myself and all that?” “I would… if your true self didn’t come with party cannons and confetti.” She explained stoically like always. “So… be… opposite Pinkie.” “So… Eiknip?” The elder Pie sighed. “Yeah… sure. Eiknip.” “But I’ve never been on a real date before. I mean… I’ve always wanted to try one but never like… this.” “Well we’re about to find out.” Maud Pie stated. “Because we’re here. And look who it is waiting for you.” Pinkie’s face went full on dread when the taxi finally came to a stop at the super fancy restaurant with all the fancy lights and the fancy looking people with their fancy looking suits. And much to her surprise, her date was already there, dressed to the nines, looking like he was waiting for a while now. It took a moment for him to register her face before approaching the cab, opening the door and greeting her with a warm and gentle smile. “Hey there.” He said with one hand extended to welcome her. “You’re here early.” “Ahehe… I am?” She accepted it and got out, her face turning a cool color of pink. “I mean… I AM!” “Smooth, Pinkie.” Maud whispered earning a glare from her sister. She ignored it and darted her attention to the young man. “Make sure you bring her home by 10. Dad gets cranky when we stay out too late at night.” The boy nodded back with all the confidence he could muster. “Not a problem.” He looked at her. “And you’re looking pretty good today.” “Ah shucks.” Pinkie snorted a laugh. “It’s just something my mom did and…” “Oh and before I go.” Maud called out to their attention, quickly snapping a shot at their faces, catching them by complete surprise. “I promised mom I’d take pictures. That’s done now. Have fun.” She then signaled the driver to go leaving the two behind to groan inwardly. “Ugh… sorry about that.” Pinkie apologized. “That’s just my sister doing… her thing.” She made a mental note to catch her later. “Heh. I can see that.” The boy chuckled softly, again extending his arm to her. “So… wanna give this playdate a try, Pinkie?” She shrugged back but didn’t decline the offer. She held onto his arm and nodded. “Lead the way Flashie.”