Chapter Eight
Secrets
“Okay everyone, we're down to the wire, the end of the line, bottom of the pickle barrel!” Pinkie screamed into her microphone making the ponies in attendance shout with glee. “Okay, this last event is my favorite, and it's going to be so fun.” Pinkie clapped her hooves together. At her signal a procession of ponies hurried out bearing tables.
The competitors watched on the sidelines as the tables were rapidly set up, and when that was done, as another pony rushed out and began laying down colorful tablecloths and lighting candles. When she finished Pinkie than zipped over, grabbing the the other and placing them behind the tables.
Spitfire looked at the table with a raised eyebrow, not sure what to think. She then looked over to Soarin who was tentatively poking the tablecloth as though it might bite him. She knew he always hated fine dining. Then she glanced over to Applejack, hoping for answers, but the cowpony was in the same boat, as the suspicious mare looked under the table as though she was half-expecting that something was going to pop out at her.
“Y’all know what we're doing out here?” Applejack asked as she looked around.
“Don't look at me, you know her a lot better than I do. But if I had to guess, I don’t think its anything too hard, otherwise I don’t think we would need tables,” Spitfire suggested.
It was then Mr. and Mrs. cake walking onto the field each with two carts so stacked full of pies they made the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness look small.
Soarin’s eyes widened in pure joy as his tongue slipped from his mouth letting his drool pool at his hooves.
“The final round of this year's Iron Pony Competition for the first time ever is Pinkie Pie’s Super-duper Pie Eating Contest! Courtesy of Sugarcube Corner.” The cheers were now a mixture of excitement and confusion, but one thing was for sure: this was going to be fun, and very, very messy.
The Cakes smiled at the publicity as they set to work lining up the pies on the tables. Soarin breathed deep the scent of the baked goods, and looked was ready to dig in, but much to his annoyance Spitfire was there with a steadying hoof to keep him in line.
“Okay, here are the rules: you’ll will be given one pie to start with and you have to eat it without the use of your hooves. The pony who eats the most pies with in the time limit wins! Now, on your mark...”
Soarin dug his hooves into the soil and cocked his knees with his snout only a half an inch from the apple pie in front of him. It was clear this was not his first pie eating contest.
“Get set!” Pinkie shouted. She was so excited to start she was bouncing in place.
The others mimicked Soarin’s actions to ready themselves while Spitfire just rolled her eyes and growled, “This is going to kill my weight restrictions.”
Applejack nudged her and gave her a warm smile. “Don't you fret now. From what I can see y’er in great shape, a few pies won't kill ya.”
Spitfire found herself with a stupid grin from Applejack’s words, and she swore that her cheeks felt flushed. Acting quickly, she attempted to hide the blush by fluffing up her wings and puffing out her chest.
“Spitfire what are ya doin’? We’ve already started!” Spitfire shook her head and saw that Applejack had already finished her first pie. Crumbs flew from the mare’s lips as she yelled.
“Oh, pony feathers!” Spitfire wasted no more time in as she dove face first into her blueberry pie. Fans cheered loudly as Soarin downed his first pie and started on his second, but they stopped when his head shot up and he raised a hoof to his throat. With wild red eyes he backed away from the table, flapping his wings in a panic, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a fish out of water. Soarin was choking.
The other competitors stopped eating and were about to move into aid the pegasus when a pink blur zoomed across the tables. At a speed that would make Rainbow Dash proud, Pinkie was behind Soarin, and with a look of raw determination began performing the Heimlich. After several thrusts, Soarin spat out a large piece of pie which was followed by a big gulp of air. He continued coughing and hacking, while Pinkie rubbed his back. The rest of the competitors looked on in concern, until Pinkie waved for them to continue. Once they saw that Soarin was going to be fine they all went back to their pies, trying to make up for lost time but making sure to chew thoroughly.
Pinkie continued her ministration, as Soarin struggled to slow his breathing. “That’s it... nice and slow, take big breaths. Do you think you’re going to need the doctor?” She signaled for a glass of water.
He shook his head before another coughing fit took him. When it passed, Pinkie handed him the glass with which accepted with a gracious nod. He drank deeply, draining the glass before looking over his savior’s shoulder and let his head drop. Pinkie could see he was not only embarrassed, but knew that there was no way for him to catch up with the others now. She could feel it as his body tensed in frustration.
“Come on, it's okay... there's always next year,” Pinkie soothed. Soarin mumbled some incoherent reply. Pinkie glanced around before leaning in to whisper, “And I know that there will be more, and fresher pies at the afterparty. If you take them to the back room Spitfire won't see you.”
Soarin’s ears pricked a little at the invitation before he looked back at the pink earth pony. “Thanks. I guess... that does make me feel a bit better.” Looking over Pinkie’s shoulder once more Soarin pointed back at the remaining pie-eaters. “Shouldn’t you be watching them?”
“Don't be silly, I have an egg timer to let me know when it’s-” Pinkie’s explanation was cut short when - much to Soarin’s shock - her mane started shaking and buzzing as if bees lived in it. “Time!” Pinkie screamed into Soarin’s face, scaring him so bad that he was now hiccupping on the ground.
The now-engorged contestants slumped heavily to the ground. Spitfire fell to her haunches, letting her wings hang limply, inspecting her swollen stomach with an almost horrified expression. Applejack was not doing much better. Her hat lay fallen to the ground. The only thing preventing her head from joining it was the table. Zecora fell the the ground moaning as she held her sides. Big Mac let out a grunt of his own at being full, but tremendous belch brought on a look of relief.
Pinkie bounced happily over to the table before speaking into her mic. “Okay, now let’s see who ate how many! Soarin, I'm sorry but you only ate...” Pinkie’s ears drooped as her shoulders sagged. “One pie.” Soarin gave a sad nod.
Continuing to bounce down the table Pinkie stopped at the next contestant who looked quite pale, her face very close to one of her unfinished pies. “Umm... Zecora, are you okay? You don't look so good..." Pinkie Pie twisted her head upside down so she could have a better look at her friends face.
The zebra in question shook her head and let out a low moan. It seemed as if she was trying to say something but gave up after a few attempts. “Uh oh. We need a doctor, stat!”
Nurses Redheart and Tenderheart rushed out from the medical tent and lifted the pained zebra onto a stretcher before taking her away, as Pinkie gave the departing ponies a cheery wave. "Don't be sick for too long or else you'll miss out on who wins." Pinkie returned her attention back to Zecora's empty pie tins.
"Zecora managed to put away two and a half pies, putting her in the lead." Pinkie bounce up onto her hind legs as she spoke through the megaphone.
Moving along Pinke stopped and counted the pies from both Applejack and Spitfire. Both ponies were panting from eating so much so fast but they looked to be in far better shape than the last competitor. “Wow-wee! You two both ate four pies in less than five minutes.”
Applejack bent down grabbing her hat, dusting it off before putting back up and put it atop her head before wiping her mouth free of crumbs. “Pinkie, I still can't even imagine how you can eat pies and cakes like that all the time. I feel like I’m gonna pop any minute now...”
“I don't even think I can walk, let alone fly,” Spitfire managed in a labored tones, rolling to her side in an attempt to relieve the pressure of the ground against her belly. “I am not doing this again anytime soon.”
Pinkie simply smiled as she walked to the last pony. Big Macintosh was standing like it was any other day, a simple smile across his lips.
“Hiya Macky, how many pies did you eat?” she asked, as she started counting the empty pie tins. “Five, six- Wow, you ate seven pies! Boy, you sure can eat!”
Big Mac bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Eeyup.”
Pinkie pulled out her megaphone and jumped up onto the table with enough force to launch two of the remaining pies into the faces of both Spitfire and Applejack. Standing on her hind legs Pinkie took a deep breath. “Okay everypony! The winner of the first ever Super-duper Pinkie Pie Pie-eating Contest is Big Macintosh!”
XXX
While she did not have a phobia of hospitals, Dash couldn’t exactly say that she was fond of them either, as the pegasus walked down the hospital corridor. When she arrived, the doctor had brought Twilight into another room. A nurse had taken Dash aside and looked at her head looked at again, and her bandages had been replaced. Right now she was on her way back to Twilight’s room. The unicorn had asked her to go to the library to inform Spike what had happened as well as to grab a few books to read.
Looking over her shoulder at her wings as she let out a heavy sigh. Walking to and from the library had been mind-numbingly slow, as the spell locking her wings down was still in effect. Her wings still squirmed against their magical constriction. It was maddening. “I hope I’m not grounded for too long...” she grumbled to herself before pushing open the door and entering Twilight’s room.
As she stepped inside she had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing out. Twilight was out of her bed and was standing on her hind legs, while she used her hooves to fight with the latch on the window. The surprisingly colorful language coming from the librarian’s mouth was only making it harder for Rainbow to stay composed.
“Hey Twi, having trouble?” Dash managed, barely able to restrain her mirth.
“Ahh!” Twilight screamed and spun around so fast that she lost her footing. Her head smacked against the wooden head of the bed as she fell, and she gripped it in pain. After a few seconds, she uncurled, looking to the door with ears laid back in annoyance as she send the most nasty glare she could muster. “Rainbow! Don't you know better than to sneak up on ponies?”
“And don’t you know how to open a window without your magic?” The pegasus snorted as she walked past her glaring friend “I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed your saddlebags.” Dash spoke while she set the bag of book on the table next to the bed. “Oh, by the way... that window doesn't open, so next time you want to plan your escape... try the vents.”
Twilight looked to her friend and to the window and back again before sighing, pulling her self of the floor the purple mare collapsed back to her bed. “Dash, how did you know I was even trying to escape, let alone about the window?
“Well for one you would not stop asking the doctors if you could go home, and after they put that anti magic thing on your horn, you looked ready to banish the nurse to the moon.” Dash laughed at her own joke, but it quickly trailed off when she saw Twilight’s expression.
“It’s not funny! It's only a bump on the head and now they slap this anti-magic ring around my horn like I’m some little filly that can't be trusted!” Twilight snapped as she laid down on her belly, an angry pout painted across her face. “It’s like telling you that you can't fly because you sprained a hoof.”
“Come on Twi, just relax. I know it sucks, but think about it this way - you don't have to stress over keeping your silly schedules for a night and you can kick back for a bit! It’s like... a vacati...” Rainbow stopped her current line of thought as she received a cold, hard stare from her purple friend. “What I mean to say is look I brought you some books! I know how much my little egghead loves her books.” Dash gave a nervous bark of laughter as she grabbed hold of one of the books and gave it to Twilight.
Twilight tried holding her icy stare longer, but her mind had fixed itself onto what Dash had said. ‘my little egghead’... what had Dash meant by that? Surely it couldn’t mean that... could it? ‘my little egghead’. Maybe she was overthinking this. Maybe Dash was speaking from a completely platonic perspective.
With a jolt, Twilight was suddenly aware that she had been silent for an increasingly awkward amount of time. “S...So,” she stuttered with embarrassment, “What took you so long to get to the library and back? You are usually much faster than...” Twilight's eyes snapped wide open with realization. “Your wings are still locked! Don’t worry, I can just-” Then she remembered the ring, and growled in annoyance before slumping into her pillows.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and waved a dismissive hoof, amused by the display. “Don’t sweat it, Twi. Being grounded for a day or two won't kill me.” That was a bit of a lie. She would have liked the spell ended as soon as possible, but having Twilight stress out about it was the last thing she needed right now. “And it's not like I have to go to work; I have the next two days off.” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “But seeing how I said I was going to stay with you while you're here, well... I don't need to go home.” Rainbow smiled as she started walking back to the door.
“Wait! Rainbow, where are you going? I thought you said you were staying!”
“Oh, this was my room last time I was here. That window doesn't open it gets really stuffy, so I’m going to see if I can get us a better room for the Daring Doo marathon. Back in a bit.”
Before Twilight could say anything Dash had zipped out of the room, leaving the unicorn to her own devices. Reaching over, she grabbed her saddlebag and opened the flap and saw the stack of adventure books. “You're lucky you're so cute,” Twilight sighed to herself, reaching for the one on top.
“Well, aren't you a sweet talker? Tell me, do you say that to all the pegasi you meet?
Twilight yelped, the book she had been holding slipped from her grasp. She made a clumsy grab for it, but the book thudded to the ground. She turned to the speaker, only to find Spitfire leaning against the door frame, wearing an expression of supreme amusement on her face. “Spitfire! W-what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the competition?”
The Wonderbolt straightened. “It’s already over. Big Macintosh won gold, and I tied for third place with AJ. But you can't win them all, not even me,” she joked, but there was a hint of disappointment in the Wonderbolt’s voice. “But I came here in the hope I can ask for your help.”
Twilight smiled as brightly as she could given her condition. “Well sure, if you think I can, I’d be more than happy to help.” She watched Spitfire approach the bed. Gone was that irritatingly knowing smile, and there was hesitance to pegasus’ movements. Spitfire had struck her as a rather self-assured pony, and Twilight was surprised to see what almost looked like... sheepishness?
Once Spitfire was close enough she gave a soft smile, but her wings nervously twitched and fluttered a few times. “I was wondering... do you know if Applejack is seeing anypony?”
“Seeing anypony?” It took a moment for the meaning of what Spitfire had said to set in. “Oh!” Twilight's eyes widened in understanding. “You mean... as in romantically?”
Now Spitfire was blushing more than a little. “Well yeah, that’s kinda the idea. I mean, I know that I don't really know her all that well, but I would... you know... like to get to know her better.” She smiled before shaking her head at the thought of her acting like a school filly with a crush.
“I’m sorry, but it’s really my place to talk about AJ’s love life without her permission,” Twilight shrugged apologetically.
Spitfire nodded. “I understand. Every day I have a pony asking about Soarin and if he’s dating, or if he's gay... it's all part of being famous.Trust me when I say I know what you mean.”
Twilight tilted her head in confusion, she stuck her tounge out the side of her mouth as if she was trying to understand something “But I thought you and Soarin were engaged?” she said, recalling a rumor that she had heard from Dash.
Spitfire was laughing now as she shook her head. “Goddesses no, that’s just a cover.” Her smile vanished as she placed a hoof on Twilight’s bed and looked the wounded mare in the eye. “But in all seriousness, what I am about to tell you is not to leave this room. It could cost me my job and my reputation. Can I trust you?”
Twilight could see that Spitfire meant every word that she said. “Are you sure you want to tell me? If it means risking your career...?” she left the implied question unspoken.
Spitfire turned away. “Only a few know this my family and my best friend. The truth is I’m a fillyfooler. Soarin and I cooked up that cover story to protect me. You see, last year we had a rookie on the team who came out, and the sponsors were not happy with that at all. After she came out the sponsor’s all pulled their bits. Most of the team are in it for the money, and would not fly until she left.”
“That’s horrible! How could anypony be so cruel! What happened to her?”
“Well, Soarin and I fought tooth and hoof for her, but the rest of the team started taunting her and bullying her - Fleetfoot even wrote ‘Get lost Dyke’ across her locker.” Twilight gasped at the news. “She was so devastated that her friends cared more about the bits then her, so she did what they all wanted her to do, and left.”
“Thats horrible! If the Princess knew about she...”
“What could the Princesses have done? Force the companies give us and her their bits? Disband the Wonderbolts?” Spitfire sighed and walked over to the window, staring outside. “Sometimes even the princesses are powerless. The point is if word got out about me, my career is over.”
Twilight nodded her head and sighed. “Okay, okay... but I don't even know if Applejack even like mares like that. I've never seen her show any interest in anypony before.”
“Well, how did she take it when you told her about you and Rainbow?” asked Spitfire.
“What?” Twilight shouted and scrambled to her hooves. Unfortunately the sheets of the beds had found their way around her legs making her fall off the bed and to the floor.
Spitfire winched at the very audible thud of impact. “Are you okay?” she asked, peeking around to the other side of the bed.
“What? I never said I... we never... I mean, Rainbow... “ Twilight untangled herself from the sheets and stood back up, vainly trying to project a veneer of composure. “What makes you think... I mean, what are you talking about?”
“Wait, aren't the two of you together?” Spitfire’s expression grew increasingly worried. “I mean, the way you were acting around her, the whisperings, and how jealous you were about Gilda... Oh goddesses, please don’t tell anyone what I told you!” Spitfire’s voice had risen to a panicked pitch.
Twilight saw the growing panic in the flier’s eyes and brought her hooves up. “No, no! You're right about me, I’m.... I’m a fillyfooler too, and do sort of have this huge crush on Dash. I just can't get the courage to tell anypony, let alone her. So I guess I’m not the one to help you. But I do know that AJ responds well to hard working and honest ponies, and she always puts her family first.”
“Thanks, that’s not exactly why I came here but that does help a lot. But do you think you can tell me more?”
“Like what?”
Spitfire smiled from ear to ear as she helped Twilight get back into bed. “Things she likes. Music, favorite foods, flowers, places she likes to go, things she likes to do...”
Twilight hesitated, unsure where to start. “Okay. Well, Applejack...” She told Spitfire all she could without delving too far into Applejack’s private life and even told Spitfire a few short stories as well.
Spitfire listened with rapt attention through it all, asking a few questions but mostly staying quiet till Twilight had finished. “Thank you so much Twilight. It may not seem like it, but this is a big help. If you can ever think of a way for me to repay you please don't hesitate to ask. I owe you one big time. Now if you'll excuse me I need to find Soarin before he asks Pinkie Pie to marry him or she stuffs him so full of pies he’ll never get off the ground again.”
Spitfire saluted and turned to leave Twilight to rest, carefully, closing the door behind her. But just beyond the doorway, she came face to face with a certain cyan pegasus, standing with shock and confusion upon her face.
“Oh, crap...”
XXXX
As always I would like to thank Mr. X for all his hard.
Oaky everypony, like you all know I have said that I have been unhappy with this story. I had let more than a few opportunities slip by and I feel I have really messed up the shiping. But I have found a way to make it all work out in the junkyard I call a brain. I am using this as a platform for the other parts of my this story. So Yes There is a part two, where Twi and Dash will build up as well as more of Trixie and Vinyl! The best part is am already working on it so please don’t give up on me!
Thank you all for reading and making me feel like I am not wasting my time. It is the readers that make it all worthwhile. I love you all. even that fan who is sending me death threats for not updating faster. You know you who are!
^ This is what I have to deal with. Pity me.
-‘Mr X’ (Apparently)