//------------------------------// // Knock, Knock // Story: Lunar Soul // by ShadowedKnight68 //------------------------------// "Angel I already told you Blake just moved into a new house, they'll need food" Fluttershy said to her small bunny friend as she walked through the market filling her saddlebags with different foods, of course paying the vendors. Fluttershy was so worried for Blake last night, she didn't want to leave her alone all night. She knew how scary sleeping alone was, hence why she always had someone with her now. if not Angel Bunny then another of her animals friends. That was specifically why she was getting food for her today, she knew she wouldn't have any unless Twilight gave her some but it wouldn't hurt to see. Plus if she brought too much then they could possibly have a picnic...oh! Maybe discord could come and they could be friends, Blake seemed like someone who would enjoy Discords personality. Fluttershy trotted up to the door to Blake's new home and gently tapped her hoof against it, she smiled waiting for Blake to answer....after a couple seconds she knocked again and hummed softly waiting. But after a couple seconds of no answer she knocked a bit harder starting worry, though she worried she might disturb blake if they were just sleeping. Oh no Twilight said she had been having bad nights recently...oh dear what if she just woke blake up from a good rest??? Even as she worried...she found the door still had no answer...Fluttershy was now very worried, why wouldn't they answer the door?? Were they afraid to? Or maybe they were upset and didn't want to be disturbed?? Or what if they were hurt and couldn't answer the door??? Fluttershy almost felt like fainting from the troubling thoughts, picking Angel Bunny up as she flew towards the castle, she needed to tell the girls about this. The girls all sat around the friendship map, Twilight having sent them a letter telling them to come to the castle because Fluttershy had something important to tell them "Fluttershy now that we're all here can you explain what's wrong?" Twilight asked. "Yeah I was on my way to Wonderbolt practice before I got the letter.." Rainbow Dash grumbled. "And ah had apples to buck..." Applejack adjusted her hat. "W-well earlier today, I had gone to Blake's new home to deliver some groceries because I believed she wouldn't have any" Fluttershy explained. "Oh how is Blake?" Rarity asked. "That's just it, when I knocked they didn't answer, I even knocked louder than I usually would but still no answer" Fluttershy said both sounding and looking worried. "Darling I'm sure everything is fine" Rarity tried to calm her down. "Yeah she's probably just sleeping in" Rainbow Dash shrugged, she'd sleep in a lot herself. "But what if they aren't....?" Fluttershy looked to her friends still worried. "Well...why don't we go there and see?" Twilight offered. Pinkie suddenly gasped "we could surprise her with a housewarming party!!" "A nice idea Pinkie....but I'm sure surprising Blake with a party may not be best in the case she isn't feeling to well" Twilight said looking apologetic. Pinkie deflated "fiiine.." Nodding Twilight stood and they all left headed for Blake's new home. Upon arriving they noticed the windows had their curtains closed still, walking to the door Twilight knocked and they waited for an answer, but found none. "Here, ya ain't knocking loud enough" Applejack walked up and turned around before she bucked the door giving a loud bang, she then turned back around smirking. Fluttershy whimpered hiding behind her hair, she really hoped that didn't scare Blake... The door remained closed, and no sound emanated from within "...well that's....discouraging" Twilight frowned "Rainbow Dash can you fly up to her window and knock on it?" Rainbow Dash nodded and flew up there knocking on the window "yo Blake...you awake? We've been knocking on your door for like eeeever" she hovered there waiting but got no answer. She put her hooves against the glass trying to see in, however she saw the curtains closed, grumbling she flew back down "she didn't answer and I can't see through the window." "Did you knock loud enough?" Twilight asked. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes "yes Twilight I knocked loud enough, why don't we just bust the door down??" "Besides that being a bit extreme how do you think Blake will feel with us just bursting into her home? Especially if she's not in a good mood?" Twilight looked at her brow raised. "Ughhhhh then what do you want us to do??" Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. "Well..." She rubbed her chin trying to think of something to do....before she suddenly had an idea, specifically the idea of another "Pinkie you said you wanted to throw a Housewarming party right?" Pinkie jumped up smiling and nodding "yes!" "Well...why don't we all go search for gifts for Blake and meet back up here to surprise her with gifts and a housewarming party?" Twilight offered looking to her friends "that way if we do wake her and she comes out upset, she'll be surprised with gifts to help cheer her up." "YES!!!" Pinkie yelled jumping up into the air releasing balloons and confetti, she then zipped off. "Well I suppose that decides that" Rarity said smiling. "Alright, good luck everyone" Twilight asked and vanished in a teleportation. Rarity and Applejack walked off together, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew off together all intending to find a gift for Blake. "Ah don't know what Blake would want..." Applejack said walking around the market. "Oh what about this? I'm sure Blake would like this! Or maybe this?? Or this too!" Rarity was picking out a bunch of items that were very beautiful. "Rarity...were getting a gift for Blake...not you" Applejack deadpanned. Rarity frowned and put the items back "fine your right....honestly I can't think of anything that mare would like...." "Yeah well...that's partially our fault...we never asked her anything like that, to busy caught up with not trustin her..." Applejack frowned. Rarity did too before she had a look of encouragement "than we will find a gift to make up for our mistakes!" Applejack smiled and nodded getting encouraged as well. "Now let's guess what she would like...she doesn't like make up, or dresses" Rarity said thinking. "And she doesn't like hard work...but she would still do it...." Applejack thought as well. "Her and Rainbow Dash share similar qualities too..." "Both like pranks.." "And are afraid of spiders..." Suddenly the two mares spotted a set of items sitting on a market stand which immediately caught their eyes, simultaneously the two mares looked to each smiling as they had found the perfect gift! Meanwhile... Rainbow Dash groaned "I don't know what she'd like..." "Oh well...maybe something for their house would be nice?" Fluttershy looked to her hot-headed friend. "Fine but what?? I don't want to just get her a picture frame or lamp...that'd be lame" she grumbled crossing her arms. Fluttershy thought about it "hm well maybe we'll find something that will work?" Rainbow Dash huffed and flew around with Fluttershy looking around, she was never good at this, getting gifts for her friends was so hard....Blake was worse because she didn't know what she liked! And she didn't want to get her something lame. Fluttershy hoped they could find something Blake would like, hopefully it would cheer them up, oh but what would they get them? Maybe a recipe book? They could use it for making meals....or maybe a new blanket?? One they could snuggle with when they were scared or alone?? Rainbow Dash looked around slightly annoyed ever her eyes spotted something that checked off all the things she was looking for, it was useful for the house, and it wasn't lame! It was the perfect gift!! Meanwhile.....once more.... Twilight was levitating books from her bookshelves over reading through this before setting them aside "hmm...no..." She set another aside and read through another only to huff and put it away. "Twilight?" Spike walked up seeing the stacks of books "rearranging?" "No I'm looking for a gift for Blake" she set another book down. "In a book?" Spike raised a brow. "Yes, there has to be something she'd like in here" Twilight huffed as she kept looking. "Well...why don't you ask her?" "What?...Spike I'm pretty sure that'll ruin the surprise if she knows it's coming" Twilight looked at him. "...ask her subtly" Spike nodded. Twilight frowned "Spike..." She suddenly went silent as she found something in the book she held in her magic, she gasped aloud "Spike...I found it! This is the perfect gift!!" Meanwh-ok you get it at this point... Pinkie slid down her yellow and orange slide down into her Party Planning Cave or the PPC for short, she zipped over to a large board, she used this when she was desperate for information on the pony she was planning a party for, looking to it she stared at the collected information.... A single photo of Blake running around outside of Twilight's castle sat on the board. Pinkie put her hooves to her cheeks "how can this be???? How can I have nothing on her???" She rushed to her file cabinet and searched through her files, there was nothing on Blake!! She sat on the ground hand under her chin thinking, she didn't know her favorite flavor of ice cream, favorite color, or hobby! And she couldn't go find out now with Blake hidden away in her house, if only she could of had a longer day with Blake and gotten to know her better....she could have helped her make that cake better too... Wait a minute! She rushed over to a pile of boxes moving them aside even throwing some before she found one small crafted wooden box, slowly opening it causing a golden light to shine from within. She gasped eyes sparkling...before she pulled the flash light out "I was looking for that" she giggled and put it in her mane before she pulled out the small book within, flipping through it she stopped it on a chapter that was perfect for this situation, this was the best gift ever!! Just kidding it was the perfect gift!! Rarity and Applejack hurried towards the market stand as they saw the perfect gift for Blake, it was the full collection of Daring Do, and if Rainbow Dash and Blake were as alike as the two mares believed than that meant this gift would be exactly what they needed. As they hurried to the stand they both gasped as upon arriving they found the books gone! Rarity looked to the vendor "sir, do you know where the collection of Daring Do novels went??" "Hm? Oh yeah I just sold them to that stallion over there" he pointed with his hoof to caramel colored stallion fading from view. The two mares jumped to action chasing after him, they couldn't let their gift get away! The mares raced after the stallion but lost him in the large crowd of ponies panicking they looked to each other. "Ah'll look on the right side" Applejack said. "And I'll look to the left" Rarity said. The two mares rushed off splitting up to find the stallion, Applejack raced by ponies looking around trying to see if she saw the stallion anywhere. She looked under a wagon but didn't find him there, she then spotted him and ran towards him. Rarity squeezed by and dodged ponies as she looked, he had to be somewhere he couldn't have just vanished into thin air! She looked around for a quick second...darn it...last time somepony said that Blake appeared....lightly grumbling she hurried through the crowd before she spotted the stallion, smiling she hurried towards him "excuse me sir I would like to-" Applejack suddenly crashed into Rarity and they tumbled across the ground. The stallion turned and looked behind him for the voice who he assumed called to him, not seeing anyone really looking at him he shrugged and continued walking. Rarity groaned as her and Applejack were wrapped up in each other's limbs "Applejack darling....could you please get up?" "Right away Rarity once ya get up off mah tail" Applejack grumbled. The two struggled to stand only to collapse back on the ground stuck on each other.... actually stuck on each other though.. "Applejack....are...are you able to pull away?" Rarity asked. Applejack tried but found she was actually stuck to Rarity, not like their limbs were wrapped around each other but that they were almost like glu-Applejack's eyes widened as she saw the stand they had bumped into during their crash was a in fact a glue stand...and one of the jars was knocked over pouring glue onto them "Rarity...we have a problem..." "I'm well aware Applejack, how would I not be?" "No...ah mean a bigger one.." "What?" Rarity looked back towards Applejack's head and her own eyes widened seeing the spilling jar "ohhh ponyfeathers..." {Rainbow Dash & Fluttershy} "This is it!!" Rainbow Dash said as she grabbed a lava lamp though it had a multi colored wax inside instead of a single color. "Oh do you think they'd like that?" Fluttershy asked looked at the globules as they floated inside. "Of course! These things are cool and this one's twenty percent cooler than normal" Rainbow Dash smirked. Fluttershy nodded "ok then we should get it." "Hey are you gonna pay for that?" A mare asked annoyed. Rainbow Dash set the lava lamp down beside her and grabbed some bits before giving them to the mare "there happy?" The mare gave a nod and looked to her other customers. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and went to grab the lava lamp...only it was gone "uh....Fluttershy...have you seen the lava lamp?" Fluttershy nodded before realizing she meant where it was "oh didn't you just set it down?" "Yeah but it's not here anymore" Rainbow Dash looked under the market table, even the thing she set it in was gone...did someone steal both?? Fluttershy looked around before eeped in fear and poked Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "What didya find it?" Dash looked up to her. Fluttershy pointed forward, Rainbow Dash following her hoof and her eyes going wide, down the road a wagon was moving, on the back of it the lava lamp bounced and shook, both mares flew after it one going faster than the other. "No no no don't fall!!" Rainbow Dash yelled catching up to the wagon and trying to catch the lamp before it fell however the wagon suddenly lurched to a stop causing Dash to fly right over the lamp and past the wagon looking underneath herself back at it in shock before she crashed into a tree. Fluttershy winced and flew over to Rainbow Dash "are you ok??" "Ngh..fine..." She pulled herself from the tree "where's the lamp??" The two flew back to the wagon quickly before the driver left. Fluttershy flew over to the wagon driver "um excuse me...but I believe a friend of mine accidentally left something on your wagons if you wouldn't mind we'll just retrieve it.." "Oh sure!" The stallion smiled and unlatched the wagon from his back setting it down, as the wagon shifted form the movement the lava lamp toppled over and bounced off the back of the wagon before rolling down the road. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew to the back of the wagon just in time to watch this causing them both to gasp and fly after it as it rolled back into the market. {Applejack & Rarity} "Ok ok right hoof...left hoof...now right again" Applejack said slowly. "I.." rarity blew her hair out of her face "know how to walk Applejack" she grumbled. "Yeah so do Ah but Ah never had to do it stuck to another pony" Applejack growled as the two mares were currently stuck together via glue, fortunately they were stuck side to side allowing for easier movement... unfortunately Applejack's left leg was stuck to Rarity's chest while Rarity's right leg was stuck over Applejack's back, Rarity's right back leg was also stuck to Applejack's left back one, along with their tails. Even stuck the two mares were focused on getting the Daring Do novels, both had made their fair share of mistakes when handling Blake and both wanted to make up for it, even if they currently were glued together. "I see him!" Rarity exclaimed pointed forward only to result in hem falling over from the lack of balanced support. Wincing Applejack looked up and spotted the stallion as well "c'mon! We can't loose him now!" Helping Rarity up they began a awkward run towards the stallion, the other ponys around them quickly moving out of the way giving strange looks at the two mares in the awkward position. "I got him!" Rarity launched forward. "No wait, Rarity!" Applejack exclaimed before loosing her footing as Rarity leapt forward sending the two mares crashing and rolling across the ground in a ball. The stallion hummed as he trotted before he paused hearing a strange noise, looking confused he looked back and his eyes widened as a white and orange blur rushed at him and slammed into him. Rarity and Applejack groaned with heads spinning, a third groan joined them and they looked down seeing the stallion with a grey mane and tail beneath them looking dizzy as well, they got off him wobbling as they regained an awkward balance. The stallion got up "what is wrong with you two??" He rubbed the bump on his head. "We're dreadfully sorry sir, but as you can see we've had quite the day and we may have overreacted when we saw you" Rarity apologized. "We...?" Applejack looked at her brow raised. Rarity nudged her glaring at her. "Oh well if that's the case...bye" the stallion grumbled recollecting the saddlebags. "Wait! We need those Daring Do books!" Applejack said quickly. "What? Why??" "A friend of ours has been very down lately and we believe a gift to her will cheer her up, those books specifically" Rarity explained. He looked at them brow raised "well....I bought these with my own bits...I can't just give them to you." "We can pay you back!" Rarity reached for her coin purse but realized it was on the side of where they were glued together "...Applejack darling...your bits wouldn't happen to be..?" "Yup.....they are" Applejack huffed. "Oh ponyfeathers.....um well I'm sure we can pay you back...later?" Rarity smiled hopefully. He stared at them before beginning to walk away. Rarity hung her head sadly. "Don't worry Rarity...we'll...we'll just ask Rainbow Dash for hers? We'll get new ones for her after" Applejack tried to comfort her. "Wait...did you say Rainbow Dash??" The stallion walked back over. "Um...yes?" Rarity looked at him confused. "Your friends of Rainbow Dash?? Why didn't you say that! I'll gladly give you the books!" He smiled hoofing over the novels. Both Applejack and Rarity gasped, smiling "wow thank you!" "No problem, Rainbow Dash would do the same if I asked" he smiled. The two mares looked at each other then him "how do you know Rainbow Dash?" He blinked "wait... Rainbow Dash didn't tell you about me?" They shook their heads. He huffed "did she even mention my name?...Quibble Pants?...we met at a Daring Do con??" They both stood silently. He huffed and gave them the books "it's fine..it's fine....not like we went on an adventure with Daring Do herself" he grumbled softly. "Well....thanks!" Applejack made Rarity walk with her as they left headed for Blake's house. {Twilight} Twilight looked back and forth between the book she had open and a table with numerous crystals, glass bottles, and magical ingredients. She took a bottle of green liquid and poured it into an empty bottle before looking back at the book, she then grabbed a small bowl of grey louder in her magic and sprinkled some into the bottle causing the green liquid to fizzle and change to a yellow color. "So....what exactly is this gift?" Spike asked, looking at her frantic back and forth behavior. "Well if I'm right this should remove the need of that ring in her horn, i can't imagine how uncomfortable it must be to wear it twenty-four seven." Twilight replied. As she spoke to the small dragon she poured a blue liquid in the mixture causing the yellow color to change to a light blue color. "How'd you figure out how to do that?" Spike asked curiously. "Oh well I've been thinking about it since Blake told me about her sun condition" Twilight said turning to spike "I searched through nearly every book i had on either the sun, medical conditions, and magical afflictions, I finally found one which seems like it should work for Blake." As Twilight explains with Spike holding his chin nodding as he listened he slowly peered over her shoulder witnessing the bottle foaming up and beginning to pour out the top "uh Twilight" he raised a claw up with his eyes wide. "Spike don't interrupt, you asked me how i found this potion and i was explaining, don't just get bored while I'm trying to explain" Twilight scolded the little dragon growing. "No no Twilight the potion!" Spike said hurriedly. "What?" Twilight turned back and her own eyes went wide. The once only slightly foamy overflowing liquid,was now a huge mount of blue bubbles that only grew with each second. {Pinkie} Pinkie flipped through the small book quickly, the pages flying by as her eyes quickly scanned over them before she closed the book and placed it in her mane "got it!" She zipped around the Cake's bakery before arriving back at the counter and depositing a collecting of items which spilled across the counter. She moved a large bowl into place and then grabbed some butter before smearing it around the bowl before dropping it in it. Pinkie then grabbed some cake and crumbled it into the bowl following it with three eggs, some milk, a lil cream, a dash of vanilla, and then nutmeg, sugar plums, gingerbread, cookies, and candy canes. Grabbing a whisk she mixed the ingredients together stirring them around till the compile of ingredients soon became a teal gel within the bowl. Pinkie dipped the tip of her hoof into the bowl before tasting it and gasping as her eyes went wide, fireworks going off in them "it's perfect! Now i just gotta get a container, don't you go running off now pudding" she told the pudding and giggled before hopping away Blake was gonna love this gift! This pudding was known for bringing friends together! And with it she'd learn all her secrets, and with those...she'd be able to plan the perfect party for her!! Pinkie laughed maniacally as lightning flashed and thunder boomed "Pinkie, remember how I told you maniacal laughter scared the customers?" Mr. Cake asked, standing in the kitchen. Pinkie blinked, holding a flashlight and a thunder sheet, chuckling sheepishly as she put the two objects back in her mane "sorry!" She grabbed the container she was after and quickly hopped over to the counter where the gift lay. Or not, seeing as it was gone now. Pinkie's eyes went wide and she looked around for it, she searched the kitchen and the floor before going to the cabinets and opening them all, upon opening the next one she found the bowl of pudding, and two foals sitting around it delightfully digging in. "No! That was Blake's gift" pinkie said despairingly to pound and pumpkin, the foals looking to one another before holding the empty bowl out to her frowning apologetically. Pinkie sighed but smiled "oh it's ok, i can just make more...but don't eat it this time you little sneaks" she giggled grabbing the two and the bowl before setting them down. Once more she made the pudding, buffering a bowl, crumbling cake, three eggs, some milk, some cream, vanilla, nutmeg, sugar plums, gingerbread, cookies, and candy canes. She gave it a taste before sighing in relief, looking around for any would be gift thieves she stuffed the bowl into her mane and rushed out the door headed for Blake's house. Rushing through the town she skidded to a half upon arriving at the house, she noticed no one else had arrived yet "ooo Dash is gonna be made when she sees I got a gift faster" she giggled and pulled the bowl from her man, and looked down at her before gasping in horror. {Rainbow Dash & Fluttershy} The two pegasi mares flew into the makers trying to keep track of the lava lamp as it rolled between pony's hooves. The two were unable to grab it with the traffic of ponys moving around. Dash focused in on the lamp before rushing down when she saw an opening in the crowd, diving in she scooped it up smiling victoriously before suddenly getting her tail stepped on causing her to yank back down to the ground, the lamp going flying through the air. Fluttershy flew backwards hooves open wide "i got it i got" she smiled as it came down towards her....and then proceeded to fall past her into a wagon with a large pile of hay "....i don't have it" she replied sheepishly Rainbow Dash groaned and flew up to Fluttershy looking down at the hay with her "alright, shouldn't be too hard just gotta get a lamp out of a haystack, c'mon how hard could it be?" Twenty Minutes Later... "Gah!! This is impossible!!" Rainbow Dash cried in frustration as she kicked some hay away, she had sticks of hay in her mane and tail while she sat in the pile. Fluttershy popped up from another section of the pile "yes...it's a lot like looking for a needle in hay-...oh" she blinked in understanding. "I swear I searched this whole thing! How can it just hide in here?!" Dash dived back down and dug through the layers of hay. Fluttershy watched her friend dive down, she looked around the hay from outside before she raised a brow at a clump on the ground and shimmied her way over. Dash dug down till she got to the bottom of the wagon, it was hard to look around and avoid hay going into her eyes, and hardly any light made its way through the pile so it was dark too. She felt around at the bottom moving around in search of the lamp. She couldn't just show up without a gift, Blake was an alright mare, sure a little odd but she definitely was way cooler than Nightmare Moon, plus the way she was so excited during the flying lessons really reminded her of herself and Scootaloo... She couldn't even imagine failing to get Scootaloo a gift, especially when she was feeling down, but searching for a lamp in hay was getting really annoying!! The haystack exploded out sending hay flying all around the area, Dash floats in the air, limbs extended as she breathed heavily, teeth gritted, she looked around for the lamp, surely it was revealed because of that right?? Nope! Apparently it still was hidden!!! Dash yelled in anger and rushed around to each smaller pile of hay made from her outburst. She tore the smaller hay piles apart, her hooves kicked and swatted the piles in frustration. "Um Dash?" Maybe it was in this pile?? Dash kicked the hay away but nothing was there. "Dash?" Or this one! She kicked another toilet away revealing nothing. "Dash!" Fluttershy suddenly yelled gaining the attention of the blue mare, she blushed and hid behind her mane "sorry...but um..." She held up the lava lamp. "You...but i...how??" Days asked baffled. "Well um when you hit that first bit of hay away it um was in there...i guess" Fluttershy explained. Dash's eye twitched before she face hoofed "ok...ok that's fine, we got it, let's get it to Blake so it is her problem" she groaned. Fluttershy nodded and began flying that way with the lamp in her arms, a defeated Dash following behind sulking. {Twilight} Twilight flew close to the ceiling and held her small dragon assistant in her arms, as below a roaring blue bubble ocean was filling the room. "Twilight, how do you make it stop??" Spike asked fearfully. "Um well m-maybe a dispelling spell?" She lit her horn up getting ready to cast the spell only for a wave of bubbles to rush up and spam the two into the ceiling "or maybe a fall into the bubbles?" She groaned and fell downwards with the dragon. The two were thrown around the bubbly storm as more and more was made from the bottle, if not stopped soon it would fill the entire room and the two i side wouldn't have any air. Spike tried swimming towards the top before he was lifted up by a rush of bubbles and then thrown across the room by a wave, he yelled as he flew. Twilight suddenly appeared above the bubbles in a flash of purple and gasped, a quick teleportation spell always came in hoofy-sSpike crashed into the purple mare sending them both in the bubbles. Twilight was throwing around the rushing bubbles, she looked around cheeks puffed out from sir being held in them, she had to think, how could she stop all this? A dispelling spell maybe but she'd need to get to the source and that was somewhere at the bottom of this mess. She couldn't even understand how this happened, this was supposed to be a potion to stop sun afflictions not make a bubble bath of doom! An idea suddenly came to her, she looked around through the bubbles before spotting light shining through, focusing she lit her horn and teleported there, she appeared beside the window and then switched spells shooting a blast at the glass shattering it, direct sunlight shined through the open window hitting the bubbles. The bubbles glowed brightly before they all began to pop slowly draining the room till the glass vial on the table was left with a single bubble at the top. Spike was mid swim when the bubbles vanished, he looked around before looking down as gravity returned and he hit the floor with a thud. Twilight sighed in relief flying over to her assistant "are you alright spike?" Spike rubbed his head as he stood "yeah, nothing like a fall to make you wish you had wings" he grumbled. "We'll be happy it's over, I guess I added a bit too much of something to cause that kind of reaction" Twilight said trying to think which one she accidentally added too much of. "A bit?" Spike deadpanned looking at her. Twilight looked at him and nervously chuckled "ok...maybe more than a bit.." Pop! The two jumped and looked to the source of the noise seeing the final bubble at the top of the bottle finally popped, the two sighed in relief exhausted from the event. {Pinkie} Pinkie gasped in horror looking down in the bowl she clutched in her hooves, sitting there with a bloated gut was the small alligator. "Gummy?! You...i..." Pinkie looked down at the gator. It stared with its large purple eyes going the opposite directions before slowly blinking one after the other. "Ohh i can't stay mad at you" she smiled and nuzzled him before putting the gator back in her mane, she then rushed down the street back to Sugarcube corner. Pinkie rushed into the kitchen and slammed the bowl on the counter. She grabbed each ingredient and threw them in the bowl, taking a whole cake and crushing it into the mix before she pulled out a large drill from her mane and shoved it in, turning it on. Teal globs of pudding went flying across the kitchen as it all missed together, tossing the drill away she picked the bowl up and rushed out of the kitchen "everyone out if my way!!!" She yelled as she ran out. Mr and Mrs Cake blinked as they both were covered in pudding, pound and pumpkin soon began wiping the pudding off their parents faces and ate it. All six mares and one dragon came rushing to the front of Blake's house before gasping at each other and their appearances, each looked like a mess. "What happened to you??" All seven asked in unison. "Rarity and Ah were lookin for the right gift and then we spotted it but it got taken so we chased after the pony who had it" Applejack started. "And then we got drenched in glue! My mane and fur are ruined, but we got the books!" Rarity said, eye twitching as she held the books up. "I was making a potion to solve Blake's sun problem more permanently but then it went out of control and tried to drown us-" Twilight explained. "Fluttershy and i were looking for the best gift and we found but then it got on a wagon and then in the hay-" Dash replied "I was trying to make pudding but everyone kept eating it, and then I got here before everyone else before I found gummy in the bowl after he ate it too!" Pinkie said holding up the pudding All seven of them blinked at the mess of explanations before bursting into laughter, each not expecting the others to have gone through similar struggles with their gift getting. Pinkie suddenly gasped "we didn't put up any decorations!" The rest of the group went wide eyed in realization. Pinkie quickly pulled out a box of decorations and rushed towards the front of the house trying to decorate it quickly, the group jumping in to help too grabbing different items to help. "Come on we gotta hurry before-" Twilight began to say as she lifted a banner up over the door. "Before what?" A familiar voice asked curiously. All seven spun around and found Blake standing before then outside the house looking at them confused. Pinkie quickly jumped in front of them whipping out her party cannon "surprise!!" She yanked the cord as a blast of confetti blew out and sprinkled down, behind her the mess of decorations which were rushed upon the house didn't look the best. Some decorations in places they didn't belong, like the table cloths hung up on the roof and windows, the balloons taped to the ground, and the banner was upside down and lopsided. The banner's left side suddenly came loose and fell off the house. "We uh noticed you weren't answering your door so we thought you were feeling down and thought you could use some cheering up" Twilight smiled. "Yeah! So we each got you awesome gifts" Rainbow Dash said pointing to the lava lamp. Each of the girls held up their respective gifts and presented them to Blake, each smiling nervously as they knew how messy this was. Blake blinked looking at all them and the decorations. She looked at the gifts and then back to the mares seeing them each a different type of mess, a smile slowly grew on her face before she snickered and proceeded to break into a fit of laughter. She held her stomach laughing, having to sit down in order to not fall down, her wings splayed out wide as she laughed. The mares looked at each other's ears pinning down, they made her feel better...only if just by making fools of themselves. Blake slowly calmed down, she wiped her eyes with her arm and chuckled looking at them "i-i wasn't in my house all day" she revealed her reason for laughter. The mare's eyes went wide and their jaws dropped. "Y-you weren't?" Twilight asked. "So then we..." Rarity said, looking at her glued body. "I ran into a tree For nothing??" Rainbow Dash yelled. Blake chuckled "not nothing...this is all amazing" she smiled and walked over looking at the decorations and gifts "the fact you guys wanted to make me feel better by getting me gifts when you thought i was sad is...well amazing, you all are so nice and i can't thank you enough" she smiled and grabbed them all and pulled them into a hug "thank you guys..." The mares' moods brightened after hearing that, all their struggles weren't really for nothing in the end it seemed, they hugged her back smiling. The group began handing out the gifts to the larger mare and explained each story that came with them, Blake apologizing for making them go through it all for her, but in the end the mares were happy to go through it for their friend, and looking back found it funny themselves. "I can't believe you all went through through all that... especially for me" Blake said as she looked at the mares. "Well we haven't been great to you, so this is us trying to make it up to you" Twilight smiled. "And i was so worried when i thought you weren't answering the door on purpose that i may have worried the other girls" Fluttershy blushed. "Well i have been hard to handle, and Fluttershy it's really ok, you don't need to beat yourself up over it" Blake smiled. Fluttershy smiled. Blake looked to the bottle of blue liquid gently tapping it "so...this will replace the need of the donut on my head?" She asked looking to Twilight. Twilight nodded "correct, it will be the same effect just without the uncomfortable feeling of a ring on your horn" she smiled. "Hm...ok.." she wrapped her lips around the top before tipping her head back and chugging it, she set the bottle down and gagged "it tastes like cough syrup" she held her tongue out. "Good thing it didn't explode into bubbles again" Spike said. "It what?!" Blake yelled before she hiccuped a squeak and her hooves flee to her mouth. The mares blinked. "Twilight i think-" squeak "-there's a side effect" Blake blushed. "Oh well...I'm sure it'll wear off" Twilight smiled nervously. Blake glared before squeaking out a hiccup again. "Well at least our present doesn't cause you to squeak" Rainbow Dash said pushing over the lava lamp. Blake smiled widely "i always wanted one of these!" She pulled the lamp over and pressed her muzzle against the glass watching the colorful globules drift up and down, her eyes sparkling. Dash and Fluttershy hoofbumped. "Mine didn't make me squeak" pinkie smiled holding up the pudding they each had a smaller bowl of. "That is true" Blake said looking from Pinkie to the pudding "definitely never had pudding like this" she chu kids softly before squeaking and growling softly shooting a flare at Twilight Twilight hummed eating a spoonful of pudding as she looked away trying to act like she didn't notice. "Ah don't know if s book can make ya squeak but Dash may have to be judge for these" Applejack said gesturing to the stack of books. "Daring do does not make me squeak" Dash replied. "How come she looks like you?" Blake asked looking at Daring Do on the cover. "She does?" Dash asked. "What you don't see it??" Blake held the book up showing her. Dash put her hood to her chin squinting "...not really.." "What about you guys??" Blake held the book beside Dash. The girls and Spike looked between the book and dash before shaking their heads. "Oh come on i cannot be the only-" Squeak "-ugh" Blake gave up and the girls all laughed, Blake eventually getting a small smile before she soon joined in the laughter too. A day full of panic and disaster in the end seemed to turn out alright in the end for the group of ponies and dragon.