Her eyes were large. Her skin was pink. Her hair was fluffy and possibly had sentient lifeforms in them.
She was a pony. Turned human.
I shifted my vision to the table next to me. All the other crewmates were there, happily eating their double-scoop ice creams with flavors of their choosing. It felt weird finally seeing the faces of the people I’d been working with for several weeks.
“It’s just a bite!”
“It’s a very huge bite! You ate half a scoop!”
“It’s not my fault your ice cream is so small!”
“Reeed! White stole my ice cream!”
It felt weird seeing the professionals I’d been working with for several weeks acting childish. “White, don’t steal Blue’s ice cream.”
“I didn’t!”
“Yes, you did!”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Yes, she did!”
I tuned them out as they started giving each other deathly stares. The temperature drop in the room was more pronounced now that they’re not impeded by their visors. Good for the ice creams.
The other table next to me was occupied by The Impostor, still in its yellow suit, and something akin to a pony-ladybug. Pinkie said that he was a changeling. They were talking amicably in a language I didn’t understand; I wouldn’t be surprised if they were using pheromones.
Pinkie shouted something to the ice cream pony—yes, it was a pony—in Equestrian. She was a white mare with two-colored mane and tail, something I’ve never seen before. Her colors even matched the Baskin-Robbins color theme—If that’s not a coincidence, whatever this “destiny” their species believed in must be a humorous entity.
She grabbed the scoop in her telekinetic grip, took a scoop of Gold Medal Ribbon® and Rainbow Sherbert, then carefully put them in a cup.
I looked at Pinkie as she trotted toward us. “I’m not paying for another scoop.”
Pinkie swallowed her ice cream and giggled. “It’s not for me, silly!”
I huffed. “Well, I’m still not paying for another scoop, even if it’s mine.”
Pinkie used her spoon to point at herself. “This scoop’s on me!”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really?” I took the cup from the pony and smiled. “Thanks.” I smiled again at Pinkie. “Thank you.”
Pinkie winked at the pony. “Thanks, Sweetie!”
“Anytime, Pinkie!”
I frowned at her.
“What?”
“You know her?”
“Of course, I do. She’s my sister’s friend!” She paused. “Er, she’s my friend’s sister!” She shook her head. “But she’s also my friend! So she’s a friend of a friend that is also my friend! But she’s also a sister of my friend, and actually, my sister is also friends with her so she’s kinda my sister’s friend too and—”
“I get it.”
Pinkie grinned. “She’s my friend!”
“You got this one for free, didn’t you?”
She nodded eagerly.
I sighed. “Well, free ice cream is free ice cream, I guess.” I took a spoonful of ice cream and—
“Red!”
“Gah!”
“I’m Blue, not—”
“I know.” I slapped my visor. Er, face. And lamented on the wasted ice cream splattered all over the table. “What is it, Blue?”
“Actually, my name is Wien. My friends call me Windy.”
“What is it, Windy?”
“But you can call me Blue if you want!”
I looked desperately at Pinkie, who returned it with a mischievous grin. I grunted. “What is it, Blue?”
“Can you buy me more ice cream? White ate most of mine.”
“No, I didn’t!” she called from the other table.
“No.”
“Aww, please?”
“No.”
“Pretty please?”
“No.”
“With cherry on top?”
“No.”
“Apples?”
“No.”
“Pear?”
“No.”
“Chocolate bonbons?”
“No.”
“Hot dogs?”
“That’s just disgusting.”
“Cricket candy?”
“No!”
“But they’re delicious!”
“Why don’t you buy it yourself? You have money.”
She paused. “I do?”
“Yes, you do.”
Blue took out her wallet and gasped as she looked inside. “I do have money!”
“Don’t spend it all on ice cream, though.”
“Of course I won’t, silly!” She ran toward the counter and started excitedly picking new flavors to try.
“Hey, Pinkie?”
Pinkie swallowed the last of her ice cream and looked at me. “Hm?”
“Have you ever wondered how cricket candy tastes like?”
She nodded. “I’ve tried one!”
“Are they good?”
“Delicious! You should try one!”
“Really?”
“Yeperoony!”
I stroked the underside of my visor. Er, chin. “Maybe I should—" I gasped. "Hey, Pinkie?"
Pinkie raised an eyebrow.
I looked around and ushered her to get closer.
Pinkie gave me an excited grin and leaned in.
I ushered her to be closer.
She leaned in further.
Boop.
Pinkie went cross-eyed as she stared at my finger before she passed out on the splattered free ice cream.
I stared at my finger. That felt good. No wonder people like to do it to ponies. There was something... magical about it.
Pinkie slowly rose and blinked.
"Pinkie?"
She shrieked something out of the boundaries of human perception and woke up the entire underworld. She jumped and tried to tackle me with all her strength.
I jumped out of the way and ran laughing my insides out. Everyone looked at us in amusement.
No wonder they hated The Boop so much. I think I found myself a new hobby.