//------------------------------// // 4 - Lingo // Story: The Stolen Acorn: A RariTwi Exquisite Corpse // by SigmasonicX //------------------------------// Pinkie had never wondered what sound of two skulls clonking together would make, but now that Twilight and Rarity had demonstrated it for her, she was considering ways to replicate it for a comedy routine. In the same line of thinking, she was wondering what mish-mash of household objects would sound most like Rainbow Dash’s coughing. Before her musings got too far, her ear twitched and three vertebrae in her back realigned themselves. With no hesitation, she leapt into the air, executing a flawless corkscrew front-flip, and landed squarely behind Dash. Pinkie wrapped her hooves around her stomach and gave a solid squeeze. As she planned, her friend deflated like a bag-pipe, wheezing near-musically and expelling the acorn from her throat. Leaving Dash to recover, she retrieved the tree seed and wiped off any saliva. It was around this time that the unicorn and alicorn had recovered from their coconut demolition derby impression, rubbing sore foreheads and thanking the princesses that neither had been impaled by a horn. “That game was super fun, but I don’t think I’ll use it at my next Pinkie Party. Run Fast Then Dogpile could really hurt somepony!” Rainbow Dash shook her head, “I don’t think that was a game, Pinkie, but thanks.” “You’re welcome, Dashie! But if it wasn’t a game, then what were you all doing?” “Well it involves those two,” Rainbow said, pointing toward the two horn-heads, “so I have even less of a clue than usual. Something about a mean bird and that acorn.” Pinkie tilted her head, ears flopping against her poofy mane. “Other than growing into a great big tree one day, what makes it so special compared to any other acorn?” “I have no idea, but I’m going to find out.” Twilight supplied, climbing to her hooves and looking pointedly at Rarity, who was still scouring the ground for a certain shiny object. The contents of the saddle bags were strewn about everywhere, whatever she and Twilight had been diving for was lost in the ruckus. “What’s so special about it, Twi? And what’s Rarity looking for?” “I’m not sure. Maybe she lost her glasses?” “But.. she wasn’t wearing any?” “You’re right! They must be in the boutique somewhere. Why don’t you go look for them there?” And in the next moment, Rainbow Dash found herself standing in Rarity’s boutique, mouth still open in an attempt to question Twilight further. Darn lovestruck unicorns. Twilight turned to Pinkie next, her horn still smoking from the spell. “I’ll check at my place!” Pinkie cheered with a mock salute, hoofing Twilight the acorn and running off before she could also be poofed. Only once they were alone did Rarity reconnect with her surroundings, sheepishly looking up at her unamused marefriend. Her coat was splotched with mud and her mane disheveled. She was, in short, a mess. Twilight, on the other hoof, wasn’t even winded from the sprint. In her magic floated the acorn. With a wave of her horn, the contents of her saddlebags levitated up and held a slow orbit around her. She appraised each item, checking them for damage, and only one earned her attention. It was shiny and small and immediately recognizable. Why Rarity would be lunging for it would make sense. Why she would also be worried about an acorn, of all things, was incredibly perplexing. “So,” she started, gazing at her marefriend with a raised eyebrow, “mind filling me in? I’m a little out of the loop after you nabbed my bags and ran off.” “I’m sorry, darling, I was acting a bit like Rainbow Dash, not quite thinking things through. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if it wasn’t for that feathered menace!” “Dash?” “No, the bird she helped me chase for the acorn.” “This acorn?” It levitated between them. “Yesss, that one.” “Rarity, why in the world were you chasing a bird over an acorn?” “Over that acorn.” “Over this acorn.” She avoided Twilight’s gaze, rubbing her leg anxiously. “Because…” “Because?” “Because it came from the library…” “What?” Twilight took a step back, the objects held in her magic wavering for a moment before resuming their slow path. “Why? How did you?” “It was wedged in the roots above the map table, Fluttershy found it while dusting the other day. We confirmed with Applejack that it’s still a viable seed.” “What were you going to do with it? Rarity?” “I was thinking of planting it, getting it to grow into a new library for you. It may take a lifetime of waiting to get that large, but at least one of us will live to see it.” “Oh Rarity…” Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Rarity brushed a bit of her mane back into place, striking a proud little pose. “Yes, I am amazing, you don’t have to say it… but don’t let me stop you from saying it anyways~” Twilight shook her head, smiling. Rarity will be Rarity. That just leaves the other item. “And this? What about this? How did this get into my saddlebags?” “I may have mistaken your bags for my own and slipped it inside. And when I realized my folly, I attempted to retrieve it from your bags, but when I alerted you I panicked.” “And in that panic, you dropped the bags. Which is why Pinkie had them.” “Indeed. Quite the detective you are, my sweet.” Twilight again presented the shiny object. “I don’t need to be a detective to know what this is, but why don’t you tell me anyways?” Rarity sighed, at ease with her fate. “That, my darling dearest, is…” And then the bird returned, ornery and filled with malicious intent.