“Huh. I guess this is the place.”
Sandalwood had never actually seen Pinkie Pie’s house before. It was surprisingly normal for the home of someone like the pink-haired party lover. Just a regular two-story house like any other.
He checked his phone again, sure enough this was the address she’d given him. He shrugged, and then dialed the number she’d given him too.
She picked up within the first ring. “Yeeees?” Pinkie’s voice asked, Sandalwood practically feeling the anticipation.
“Hey Pinkie. Uh, I’m outside right now.”
“I know that, silly! I can see you from my window! Hi!”
Sandalwood looked up and indeed, he could see a familiar face waving energetically to him from the upper floor. He chuckled. “Alright then. Well, guess I’ll come on in then?”
“Okie-dokie! I’ll meet ya at the door!”
He said goodbye, ended the call and then shouldered his backpack as he walked up the front path to the house. Sandalwood had no idea what he should expect, he’d rarely spoken to Pinkie; either before or she’d stopped following Sunset Shimmer. The most interaction they’d had was back during the week of the Friendship Games, when she’d offered him and Flash and others a batch of brownies, as her way of saying “sorry.”
They were really good brownies too.
So, it had been quite a surprise yesterday when she’d been so keen on being partners for Miss Cheerilee’s assignment.
“Alright everyone, I hope you’re all ready for this month’s project!” Cheerilee said with a smile as she held up the book that her English class was currently working on. She was somewhat new to Canterlot High, having recently gotten into teaching, but she was already well liked and good at her job.
“You have two weeks to create a report on one of the books here…” she gestured to a small table where a couple of approved works of literature had been laid out. “And then do a presentation at the end of the month! You will have a partner to help you, but that’s no excuse to slack off, understand?”
The class nodded and made other noises of assent.
“Good. Now, I’ll give you a few minutes to choose a partner – quietly,” Cheerilee added warningly, arching an eyebrow at Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, the latter of which was about to vault out of her desk.
“Hehe, whoops.” Dash chuckled sheepishly.
The class was abuzz with a quiet murmur for the next several minutes as various students partnered up: Rainbow Dash made to get with Applejack, but the farm girl had already partnered with Fluttershy; Octavia took pity on the rainbow-haired girl and offered to be her partner. Lyra and Bon-Bon naturally were together. Flash Sentry wound up with Vinyl Scratch. Sandalwood was looking around, just about to ask Micro Chips if he wanted to work together on a project, when--
“Hi Sandalwood!” squeaked a high-pitched voice from behind. Sandalwood turned around in surprise to see Pinkie Pie there, bouncing on her heels, as she eagerly held her binder close to her stomach. It was a very endearing sight, and the hippie boy couldn’t help but smile.
“Hey Pinkie. Guess you wanna be partners, huh?”
“Youuu bet!” the pink-haired girl squealed loudly – Cheerilee looked at her warningly, and Pinkie blushed in apology. “Oops. You bet!” she repeated in a whisper, giggling slightly.
“Uh, sure. I mean, if you really want to,” Sandalwood shrugged. He’d never worked with her on anything before, and he really had no idea what it’d be like. There’d probably be balloons involved, he was like ninety percent certain of that.
“Yes please! I mean, if you’re okay with it?” Pinkie added, to his surprise. Was it him, or did she sound a little nervous?
“Yeah, sure, it’s fine with me dude – dudette,” the hippie said, trying to reassure her, “I don’t have a problem with it or anything.” Pinkie’s smile widened, and with a squeak she began to suck in a massively deep breath to let out a loud cheer—
“Pinkie Pie,” Cheerilee said in deadpan.
--And the party lover wheezed, almost seeming to deflate as she stopped herself at the last second. Sandalwood shook his head softly. Never question Pinkie Pie, that was the rule.
“Okay then!” Pinkie chirped, at something approaching normal volume. “That’s great! You and me, partners! Can you come over to my place tomorrow and we can get started on it?”
Sandalwood blinked. “Uh, sure, but like shouldn’t we pick out a book first—”
“YAAAAY!!”
“Pinkie Pie!”
Sandalwood chuckled at the memory, as he rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.
It wasn’t long at all, barely a few seconds, before the door opened, but it wasn’t the Pie he was expecting. This girl's skin was dark sandy blue, with eyes the color of a ripe lime. She wore dark blue jeans with a gray shirt and black sleeveless vest. Her hair was short on one side, spiked out like it was gelled in place, while the other side was a bit long and hitting her shoulder. Though the biggest detail that Sandalwood could see was the mechanical piece that was in place for a hand not being there, a hook spinning around with the sound of gears turning and cranking.
Though Sandalwood saw it, he did his best not to focus on it. “Oh, ‘sup?” Sandalwood cheerfully asked, as Limestone Pie stared at him with angry suspicion in her eyes. “I’m sorry, I was just waiting for Pinkie—”
“How do you know her name? How did you find this address?” The elder Pie sister snapped; her eyes narrowed furiously as she zoomed in on the hippie on her doorstep. The hook spun around in a circle, with a whirring sound.
“Whoa,” Sandalwood put his hands up reassuringly, “It’s cool man, I’m just here to help Pinkie with a project!”
Pinkie’s voice suddenly rang out from behind her sister, “Hi Sandalwood!” The bubbly girl squeezed around her scowling older sibling, somehow not spilling the plate of cookies in her hands. “Sorry about the delay, I had to stop off in the kitchen and pick up these babies!” She offered him one with a hopeful smile, “Try one?”
Sandalwood took the offered sweet and had a bite. And he did not regret it, in fact it might have been the most delicious cookie he’d ever had in his life.
“You like?” Pinkie squeaked hopefully.
“Yeah! It’s delicious!”
The pink girl laughed with happiness, “Come on then!” She took him by the arm and eagerly pulled him through the door, somehow managing to avoid crashing into Limestone, whose scowl if anything had grown even more pronounced.
“I’ve got my books and stuff up in my room,” Pinkie chattered cheerfully as she directed Sandalwood to the stairs. “It’s on the second room, third door on the left. We can start on that project and have lots of super-duper fun too!”
”Pinkie Pie,” Limestone said through gritted teeth. ”May I have a word with you?”
“Okie-dokie!” Pinkie chirped, turning around halfway up the stairs, Sandalwood just a few steps above her, looking a bit dubious. “It’s alright Sandalwood, I’ll meet ya in my room in just a minute, Limestone just wants to talk.”
“Right…” The eco-boy said uncertainly. He was both reluctant to walk away, and also very eager to have a reason to get out of Limestone’s line of vision; she was eyeing him with the same intensity of a hawk looking at a field mouse. In short, not the way that anyone ever wanted someone to be looked at.
Limestone turned her gaze to her little sister, and folded her arms. “Pinkie,” the grouchy Pie sister hissed in an undertone, “What are you thinking, inviting a boy into the house, and then into your room?”
“Huh?” Pinkie asked. “What’s wrong with that?”
Limestone clapped a hand to her forehead sharply. She began to massage one of her temples as though trying to fend off a headache. “Pinkie,” she growled, “What do you think happens when a teenage girl invites a teenage boy into her room?”
Pinkie blinked placidly, smiling at her older sister with an expression of the utmost cheerful innocence on her face.
Limestone heaved a sigh. “Right. Forgot who I was talking to. Fine. But tell him that I work in a mine and I know a lot of places to get rid of a body.”
“Okay!” Pinkie sang out as she turned and charged up the stairs and to her room. Limestone huffed, and then turned to see the other younger Pie sister, Marble, peeking around a corner at her.
“What?”
“Mm?”
“Don’t give me that! Pinkie’s at that age. Someone’s got to keep an eye on her!”
“Mmhmm...” Marble mumbled.
“Whatever,” Limestone scoffed. “All I’m saying is there better be no funny business up there…”
Pinkie Pie’s room was a strange case of being everything Sandalwood would have expected it to be, and still being surprising at the same time. On the one hand, the wall was a warm and friendly shade of yellow, with balloons and stars painted on it at various points; the bed was covered with fluffy blankets and lacey pillows. A PoniStation and TV sat on top of the dresser, along with some choice games.
On the other hand, there were a few posters up on the walls, for some stuff that the hippie found rather.. surprising, compared to the rest of the décor. And then there was the terrarium on top of a desk, and inside it sitting on a rock was what looked awfully like a baby—
“Ooh! Somebody's just met Gummy!”
Sandalwood blinked, as Pinkie flounced around him and gently scooped up the little reptile.
“Gummy?” the eco kid asked. “You named an alligator Gummy?”
“Uh-huh!” Pinkie chirped, as she held the tiny crocodilian to her chest in a loving hug. “Isn’t he just the cutest little thing?” A part of Sandalwood wanted to say that Gummy probably wouldn’t be quite as cute when he got bigger, but he thought better. It was Pinkie he was talking to after all. Looking for a different subject, his attention was drawn to one of the posters on the wall.
“I never knew you were a fan of Skull Cruncher.”
“Huh? Oh yeah!” Pinkie nodded, her curls bouncing up and down as she squeaked with excitement. “Fluttershy introduced me to them a year ago! She says that their lyrics are all 'poignant' and stuff, but I just think that they really know how to make a rocking beat!”
“I wouldn’t know. Never really listened to them,” the hippie admitted as he set his backpack down. “Always sounded a little too… skull crunch-y, for me, y’know?”
Pinkie’s smile flickered slightly, too fast for him to notice. “Aww, that’s okay. I know it’s not for everybody.” She gave Gummy a gentle rub on his back as she mused, “But I do like them a lot. Their music kinda helped me out before. Y’know, back when…” the rest of her sentence trailed off, and she kept her eyes focused on the gator in her arms.
Sandalwood realized what she had been about to say.
Back when I was one of Sunset’s gang.
“Uh,” he tried to think of something else, anything, to fill the sudden quiet that had fallen over the room. “So! Uh, those cookies you made were really nice.”
“Hmm?” Pinkie looked up at him, and a hopeful smile appeared on her face again.
“Yeah, of course!” he nodded. “Like those brownies you made back in the Friendship Games.”
“You remember my apology brownies?” Pinkie cooed, her smile growing.
“Sure!” Sandalwood laughed. “I think I still have dreams about those brownies, Pinkie!”
“Aww…” Pinkie Pie giggled, and was she blushing slightly? “Thank you, Sandalwood!”
“No problem,” the eco boy smiled, relief settling over him. It was good to see her smiling again. He’d never really thought about it before, he’d barely interacted with her either before or after the Games, but she was quite cute when she smiled…
Wait, what? He blinked a second later, as realization sank in. Back it up there, dude, this is for school and all!
“Right.” He said out loud. “Well, should we uh, get started on that reading and stuff for Cheerilee?”
“Okay…” Pinkie said softly, still smiling as she gave Gummy another gentle hug.
For a while it was quiet in Pinkie’s room, as she and Sandalwood read their copies of the book they’d picked for the report. The eco boy was a bit surprised; he’d wondered if the pink girl would get distracted or bored with work, but Pinkie stuck the course, avidly reading as she rested on her belly, her feet idly kicking in the air as she scanned each page. Complete with a pencil in her mouth in case she wanted to take notes!
It made for a very cute sight, and Sandalwood couldn’t help but chuckle as he realized how much Pinkie Pie had truly changed since the days when he’d first known her.
“Hmm?” Pinkie looked up, curls bouncing. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” he answered vaguely. “Just doing some thinking.”
“Okay…” she answered. A moment later, her cheeks reddened, as a gurgling sound rumbled up from her lower torso. Sitting back upright, she patted her stomach softly, and let out an embarrassed giggle. “Oopsie. I guess my tummy wants a snack.”
“That’s cool,” Sandalwood shrugged, as she hopped to her feet and flounced to the door.
“You want anything?” Pinkie called back.
“…You got any more brownies?” the hippie asked, sheepishly.
Pinkie snickered, “Okie-dokie!” And in almost no time at all, she was back, with a plate carefully stacked with warm gooey chocolate treats; smelling so fresh and tasty that Sandalwood almost asked if she’d actually been baking them just in case. But again, he stopped himself. It was Pinkie Pie, the saying went. Do not question it.
The two of them took a break from homework, focusing for the moment on enjoying the brownies. The chocolatey treats were (naturally) delicious, and Sandalwood found himself relaxing more and more with every bite. He hadn’t known what to really expect in coming to Pinkie’s house, but honestly it was working out great!
As they ate, they also began talking. About things at school, and other stuff as well.
“Say Pinkie,” Sandalwood mused as he munched on another brownie, “You ever thought about joining the cooking club? I mean, those cookies, and these brownies, they are legit!”
“You really think so?” Pinkie squeaked.
“Yeah! I do! I think I like, have dreams about those apology brownies you baked back at the Friendship Games.” It was only half a joke, really. He really couldn’t think of any other comparable sweet.
Pinkie giggled, and snorted, a faint blush on her cheeks. “Aww…” she cooed.
They continued to talk, the mention of the cooking club leading into other school clubs that Pinkie was interested in joining, now that she and the other Rainbooms’ detentions were over and done with. She was excited about trying out for the drama club, the movie club, the chemistry club, the gardening club…
“Whoa!” Sandalwood chuckled, before she could go on. “How are you going to find time for all of that?”
“Oh, silly!” Pinkie laughed, “It’s easy! I’ll *make* the time!”
She giggled at that, and after a second Sandalwood found himself chuckling too. He had to admit, her enthusiasm was infectious. (And cute, too.)
Eating the brownies soon had both teenagers feeling thirsty. However, that problem was easily resolved, as the door opened and Pinkie’s elder sister Maud was there, carrying a tray with two glasses and a pitcher of lemonade.
“Hello Pinkie,” she said in her monotone voice. “I thought you and your guest might like a drink.”
“Thanks, Maud!” Pinkie chirped, taking her drink and enjoying a happy sip, “You’re the best!”
“Yeah, like thank you,” Sandalwood added, picking up his own drink and enjoying the taste, was it fresh-squeezed?
“Wow… It’s really cool of you.”
“You’re welcome.” It was more a statement of fact than a pleasantry. But that was the way of Maud Pie.
“If you’d like a refill, there’s more in the kitchen,” Maud told Sandalwood. “But Limestone doesn’t trust you in the house, so you should come find me if you want more.”
“Oh. Uh, thanks?” The eco-boy answered, bemused.
Pinkie giggle-snorted. “Silly Limestone.”
“I heard that!” a distant harsh voice shouted from downstairs.
Maud blinked placidly. “Anyway, I need to go feed Boulder.” She reached into her pocket and held up a small round gray stone. “He’s a rock,” she explained. “Pinkie, don’t get distracted from your schoolwork.”
“Yes, Maud!” Pinkie energetically saluted her big sister, beaming. Maud left without another word, Boulder still in hand. Sandalwood wasn’t quite sure what to think – Pinkie Pie was one thing, but her sisters were also something else too! Oh well. At least Maud was nicer than the other one, Limestone. The two of them drank their lemonade, and as Sandalwood drained his glass a question occurred to him.
“Hey, Pinkie?” he asked.
“Yeees?” the pink girl singsonged.
“Can I ask you something?”
“You just did, silly!”
Sandalwood chuckled. “No, I meant another thing.”
“Okay!” Pinkie plopped herself down on the edge of her bed, smiling up at him in the most innocently adorable way.
Sandalwood paused for a moment, running the question through his mind before he said it out loud.
“What made you pick out *this* book?” he asked.
“Hmm?”
“I dunno,” he shrugged. He scratched the back of his head idly as he glanced over to his copy of the book they’d been reading over, “What made you pick Romeo and Juliet for our project? I mean, Shakespeare’s cool and all, but I never thought you’d be into a play that’s like, got a sad ending.”
Pinkie didn’t say anything at first. In fact, Sandalwood was worried when he saw that her smile had faded. “Pinkie Pie?” he asked, carefully.
“It’s alright,” Pinkie answered, giving him a subdued little smile. She slid off the bed, hopped to her feet, and picked up her copy of the play. “I know it’s not a happy play. But it’s got a lesson to it that I like to think about.”
Sandalwood blinked. “Yeah?” he prompted.
“Mmhm.” Pinkie nodded slowly – wistfully, as she looked at the cover of the book and thoughtfully traced a finger along the title. “I know that some people like the story of Romeo and Juliet being in love. Rarity thinks it’s super-duper romantic – and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash just think it’s dumb.” She frowned, “But there’s more to it! I mean, so much of the bad stuff in the play happens because Romeo and Juliet’s parents hate each other and won’t let go of some feud with the other family! And it only stops when it’s way too late!”
She hugged the book to her chest, and Sandalwood felt a rush of worry at just how pensive, how downcast Pinkie Pie looked then. “It’s something that really makes me think a lot. I guess I look at the play, and I kinda wonder about… about what would have happened with me, and the other girls…” Pinkie sniffed. “And Sunset too.”
Sandalwood flinched.
Pinkie gave him a feeble smile. “You remember those apology brownies I made? I’m glad. I remember them… and I was so happy that you took them, and that you liked them!” She sniffed, “I was really scared going into that, all the stuff in the Friendship Games, you know? Everybody was so mad at us, and I, I knew why… but it still hurt. Sunset hurt my friends, so we hurt other people, and then they hurt us… and none of it made anything better!” She sniffled again, hugging herself, and Sandalwood felt his heart break.
“Pinkie Pie,” he said gently.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he walked over to her, carefully put out his arms, offering her a hug. She took it, immediately snuggling up against him, letting out a shaky, squeaky little sound that sounded both miserable and deeply relieved. Every bad thing that Pinkie Pie had ever done with th Rainbooms had been forgotten. Sandalwood didn’t care about that, didn’t even give it a second of consideration. He’d just seen this girl, this sweet and energetic, and oh-so-vulnerable girl, just open her heart to him, and he did not want her to ever be so sad again if he could help it.
“Hey, hey Pinkie,” the eco boy gently patted her on the back, “Don’t cry, okay? It’s alright. Nobody here’s mad at you anymore – least of all me…”
“I know…” Pinkie Pie whimpered softly, her face pressed against his shirt, “I’m sorry for crying… this was supposed to be fun, and now look at me.” She looked up at him, her curly hair drooping as she tried to muster up a smile. “It’s really sweet, that you’ve been so nice. I really appreciate it…” she snuggled back into the hug, although this time she seemed less upset.
Sandalwood gave another gentle pat on the back. “It’s okay,” he repeated, “I’m your partner, right?”
“Right,” Pinkie mumbled.
“Right,” he nodded. A second later, an idea occurred to him, and he said:
“And besides, no way I could just leave you crying and upset like that. Your sister Limestone would, like, literally kill me!”
Pinkie giggled, a bit guiltily. “Aww,” she snorted as she looked up at him – this time, with a real smile, “I know Limestone wouldn’t really kill you. She’d just beat you to a pulp!”
Sandalwood stared at her, eyes wide.
Pinkie laughed. “Gotcha!” she said, and playfully booped him on the nose.
He rolled his eyes, but it was good-natured. It was just nice to see her happy again, and to hear her laugh. “Yeah,” Sandalwood said, slowly disengaging from the hug, before asking, “Now, you sure you’re alright?”
“I’ll be alright,” Pinkie nodded. She gave one more quick hug, “But thanks for asking!” Within seconds, back to her old bouncy self, she skipped back over to the bed and plopped down again on it. To his surprise, she patted a spot next to her, clearly inviting him to sit there.
Sandalwood sat down beside her, and Pinkie Pie beamed at him. “So!” she chirped, holding up her copy of Romeo and Juliet, “You wanna read over a scene or two?”
He found himself smiling, relieved by how quickly she seemed to have bounced back. “Sure!” he said.
Pinkie squealed happily, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. It was really an adorable sound…
Seriously, dude, he scolded himself, take it easy. It’s not like she’s looking for a date right now!
Twenty minutes later, they decided to take a break from live-reading the play. Pinkie Pie went to get a refill of lemonade, as well as another plate of snacks (at her insistence, to Sandalwood’s amusement). When she returned with the drinks and a platter of assorted cookies, the two teenagers fell into a comfortable silence as they took their much-needed refreshment.
“Pinkie?” Sandalwood asked, after polishing off a particularly yummy macaroon.
“Uh-huh?”
“Thanks for inviting me.”
“Aww, no problem!” the pink girl cooed, her face lighting up. “I was super-duper happy to!”
“Oh yeah?” Sandalwood chuckled, as he idly picked up a chocolate chip cookie and started to bite into it.
“Yep!” Pinkie chirped, before she added: “It’s great to have a cutie like you here!”
Sandalwood coughed, nearly choking in surprise at that. When he got it under control, he looked over, and was able to see that Pinkie was blushing – clearly having realized what she just said.
The eco boy blinked, trying to find some words. “Cute?” he said dumbly, “You think I’m cute?”
Pinkie blushed, deeper than her hair color, as she nodded. “Mmhmm,” she squeaked, sounding very much like her sister Marble just then.
It was Sandalwood’s turn to blush. And he also found himself thinking, realizing a few things from earlier on, ever since Pinkie Pie had come over to him that day in Cheerilee’s class. “Pinkie Pie,” he asked carefully, “Did you like, want to be my partner because you, uh… had a crush on me?”
Pinkie nodded very rapidly, blushing even further. She twirled a curl of hair around one finger, and she seemed to be trying very hard not to look at him. But she still did anyway, peeping at him in very brief glances, clearly very nervous and excited.
Sandalwood sat back, stunned. Then, after a moment’s thought, about a lot of things, he found himself smiling at her.
“Wow,” he said. “That’s, that’s really cool of you.”
“You mean it?” Pinkie said, in a soft hopeful voice.
“Sure!” the hippie nodded, reassuringly, “Pinkie, it’s great! I mean, you and the other Rainbooms, you guys did so much stuff at the Friendship Games, I know you’ve changed, it’s something really amazing!”
“Really?” Pinkie squeaked, her eyes practically shining with hope.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “I mean it, Pinkie.”
Sandalwood put out a hand, and gently took hers in it. “I’m flattered that you like me. I dunno if you’d want to, but--”
“But?” Pinkie asked, blushing.
Now it was Sandalwood’s turn to turn pink. “Well… I mean, if you’d like to… maybe we could, like, try to go out sometime? Maybe?”
Pinkie stared at him. And then she sucked in her breath, in one massive gulp of air, and then she let it out in the biggest, happiest, most delighted squee that could be imagined.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
In milliseconds, Sandalwood found himself nearly flattened by a pink blur, as Pinkie had leapt at him, and happily was hugging him and nuzzling him in delight.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The two teens were startled as they suddenly heard a series of banging sounds from beneath their feet; it sounded like someone was hitting the ceiling with a broom.
“THAT BETTER NOT BE WHAT I THINK IT IS!!” Limestone Pie’s voice thundered from down below.
A moment after, Pinkie and Sandalwood both laughed.
“Alright,” the eco boy chuckled. “Maybe we should get back to work before she comes up to kill me?”
Pinkie snickered guiltily. “Okie-dokie,” she said softly.
She leaned over, and quickly planted a kiss on his cheek. “But I’d like to talk more about a date sometime,” she whispered, making him blush again.
“Okay,” Sandalwood answered, smiling at her. “Maybe like, next week? Dinner and a movie?”
“Ooh! I like movies!” Pinkie beamed.
“Cool. I’ll look forward to it,” he said, giving her a thumbs up.
Pinkie gave him one more quick kiss. And this time, Sandalwood got to return it.