"Hey, Pinkie Pie? You in here?" Anon steps in Sugarcube, holding the strap of his backpack that's firmly wrapped around his back with one hand; Pinkie is nowhere to be seen. "Huh, not in the kitchen either, where did she get to?" He looks around, finally deciding to go upstairs, Anon heads towards Pinkie's room. He knocks, calling out her name, he waits for a response. Contemplating for a moment, he decides to see if the pink mare is fast asleep.
Opening the door, an endearing scent surrounds her room. Bubblegum, vanilla, cotton candy, a dash of perfume; it's hard to make out the exact fragrance that encompasses the inside of her cozy little living quarters, but it's welcoming to say the least.
"Well look at that." A small picture frame sits on Pinkie's dresser. Taking a closer look, Anon recognizes when and where the picture was taken, his memories flooding back a year prior; when Pinkie threw Anon a late surprise party. "She practically forced this party, didn't she?" Anon smiles, being reminded of how distraught Pinkie was when she found out his birthday was a couple days before, and the bright look on her face when everything she managed to set up for him, was rewarded with a simple, albeit, embarrassed grin, that lasted as long as the pink pony was there to see it.
Although it was a rough transition going from a home world where humans just like him, populated every semblance of his day to day life; to being in such a daunting, though, vibrant and colorful world such as this, Pinkie always made sure since Anon arrived, that he was welcomed fully, even if just by her. It's something he's never been able to shake off. Of course he felt weird talking to a pink horse with a passionate personality and a very forward way to show how she cared, but eventually, he settled in, and now, he wouldn't trade Pinkie Pie, or this whole world for anything else.
"Wait, what's this?" Under the picture frame, a folded piece of paper sits aptly behind, looking as though it had been forgotten for quite some time. "A poem?" Anon reads it, confused on where it came from, if Pinkie wrote it, or if somepony else gave it to her.
"Hiii!~" Anon jumps; a sweetly, cheery, high pitched voice echoes behind.
"Oh, there you are!" Anon faces Pinkie, quickly stuffing the poem in his pocket before she notices that he's been snooping around her room.
"Sorry I'm late, food ingredients were running low so I made a quick trip out to the market." She explains, bags strapped to her sides.
"No, I think I'm a bit early actually. Just wanted to stop by and see what you were up to."
"Really?" Pinkie looks to her alarm clock, checking exactly what time it is. "Oh, it really is early." She cheerily confirms.
"Do you need help with putting everything away?" Anon asks. Pinkie looks down on each side of her, studying the items she bought.
"Hm, it would be nice." She puts a hoof to her chin. "But I don't want to trouble you Nonie." She admits.
"Oh come on Pinks, it's no trouble, since when do I get to help you with anything?"
"Well when you put it like that..."
"And it would be faster if the both of us worked together, right?" Anon tries to persuade the pink mare.
"Hmm, ok!" Pinkie agrees, smiling ear to ear with her eyes closed. She begins to walk away, heading out from her room to the kitchen. "Wait...." Pinkie stops, finally realizing something. "Nonie?"
"Yeah?" Anon follows behind, noticing her curious demeanor.
"Is that the first time?"
"'First time'?" Anon repeats.
"You've never been in my room before, have you?" Pinkie questions, trying to think back on a time where Anon has ever seen her room before.
"Huh, I guess not." Anon inquires nonchalantly. "I liked the picture you took of us." He adds.
"Oh, r-really?" Pinkie smiles bashfully, knowing exactly what he's talking about.
"Absolutely! That dress you wore was amazing, and that party- man Pinks, it was some of the most fun I think I've ever had!" Anon says excitedly, just recounting it all brings a smile to his face.
"Oh please, it wasn't that good! I couldn't even get enough ponies to show up, and I ruined the cake, and-"
"Are you kidding?" Anon interrupts, baffled. "I mean sure barely anyone showed up, but I'll be damned if I didn't have a blast. Pinkie, you're what made that party, it was the first time I was able to talk to somebody here without feeling nervous; heck, if it wasn't for you, I might've still been a hermit locked inside my house." Anon subtly jokes, being genuine to his bright friend.
"You, really mean it?" Pinkie asks, unsure.
"A hundred-percent! Pinkie, do you remember how scared I was to even move when I first came here?"
"Well, I mean, I guess so." Pinkie slowly voices. "But~ the ponies around here were also pretty intimidated, with you being such a tall.. uh, 'hoo-man?'" Pinkie tries to pronounce Anon's species, becoming cross-eyed by her cutely frustrated attempt to correctly say it.
"Well yeah I suppose everypony was, but you weren't." He tells her a-matter-of-factly. Pinkie looks up at Anon quizzically. "I do mean it when I say you made that party." Anon smiles at her, winking playfully. Pinkie's bewildered face returns a smile as well, his compliment filling her with a rush of happiness that he only seems to give.
"You ready to put those ingredients away?" Anon looks at Pinkie's saddle bag, eying the strawberry jam that's tucked neatly inside.
"Abso~lutely!" Pinkie grins, walking toe-to-toe with her one, and only, human.
-------*-------
"I had no idea you ever liked that dress." Pinkie brings up. The two walk along the sidewalk, talking to each other as they do so.
"Ah well, you did look adorable in it." Anon preaches mindlessly, slightly cringing at the embarrassing confession. He stays calm regardless, smiling all the while.
"Oh?" Pinkie slows her pace, Anon follows suite, slowly walking beside Pinkie.
"Well, you know, uh- you just looked, I don't know, pretty cute?" He smiles, though a bit more weakly; his brain continuing to say awkward things. "Will you shut up!" His mind tells him.
"Hmm." Pinkie mutters, studying Anon's words carefully. "I never knew you were into that kind of stuff Nonie." Pinkie voices, sounding absentminded as she interrogates Anon.
"W-What stuff?" Anon forces out, trying desperately to play cool.
"Ponies wearing cloth-wear." Pinkie says confidently.
"'Cloth-wear'?" Anon mocks, slightly annoyed. "Pinks, it's 'clothes', didn't Rarity ever tell you that?"
"Huh." She thinks. "Maybe, but I don't wear clo- clothe- cloeaths-" She frowns, failing to pronounce the word. "But even still, you really like that?" She emphasizes.
"Ugh, Pinkie." Anon nervously spouts. "You don't have to make it weird, I just thought it looked good on you... that's all." Anon states.
Pinkie giggles, "I know Nonie, I'm just kidding!" Pinkie edges closer to his side, smushing her face up to his shirt; Anon tenses up at the sudden intimate contact. "I think your cloth-wear is pretty cute too." She smiles. "-Or wait, is it 'handsome' towards stallions? Cute, handsome, cute, handsome-" Anon sighs, shaking his head; Pinkie once again back to her old, silly ways.
-------*-------
"You know, I'm curious as to why you never asked where we were headed." Anon casually says to Pinkie, the both of them a little ways out of Ponyvile now.
"Well~" Pinkie starts, gleefully. "I do like surprises, you should know this, Nonie!"
Anon smirks at Pinkie's innocent comment. "I guess I should know better, it is you I'm talking about, isn't it?"
"-That being said~" Pinkie continues. "I have been wanting to ask just a teeny bit where we're going." Pinkie looks back, noticing how far they've traveled. "It isn't out of the ordinary to take such super-crazy walks like this, I mean, my hooves can definitely take it; it's just pretty far out." She inquires.
"Well, if the backpack is any indication-"
"It's not really." Pinkie retorts effortlessly.
Anon's face is that of confusion. "Maybe she doesn't even know what a 'backpack' is?"
"Surely you must have some idea?" Pinkie looks at Anon, then to the backpack on his back, then to Anon again. She doesn't say anything, but Anon gets the idea that the look on Pinkie's face, is a sign that she really has no clue.
"Nevertheless, we're almost there, I promise, it'll be worth it."
They both walk out of sight from Ponyvile, at a glance it would seem like they're just two hikers, adventuring and exploring; going from tree's, up hills, to finally, a patch of flat grass. The peaceful calming of nature fills Anon and Pinkie's lungs, birds chirping, the green grass looking so inviting; it's a perfect way for Anon to show his appreciation for Pinkie, his best friend. Even though it took a bit of courage to take charge, he doesn't want a repeat of what happened at Applejack's farm.
"Heh, hold on... heh- Pinks." Anon puts his hands on his legs, catching his longwinded breath. Pinkie turns around, looking worried at Anon's expense. "-I'm... fine. Just a bit out of breath." He admits, himself not realizing just how taxing this endeavor was going to be. He gives a thumbs up, looking ahead at his friend.
Pinkie's mane flutters in the breeze, her eyes shining greatly with the weather. Anon thinks just how perfect her posture and correlation with the scenery is, like a piece of marvelous artwork she stands gracefully. Anon smiles at Pinkie, it seemingly being out of nowhere for her.
"Nonie?" Pinkie questions, Anon standing still while studying the cute pink pony.
"Phew." Anon stands up fully. "You ready?" Pinkie nods a bit optimistically. Anon reaches out his hand, inching for Pinkie to take it, they follow along the path that Rainbow had mentioned to Anon; the 'perfect place for just the two of them', is how she put it.
"Oh my- wow!" Pinkie lights up, the view of Ponyvile, and likewise, Equestria, is taken in with a breathtaking stare from the both of them. "I...- Anon, this is beautiful! I've never been to this spot before!" The look on Pinkie's face is priceless to Anon, although he doesn't do nearly as much for others as he should, partly because of everyone being intimidated by him, moments like this are bliss to his mind.
Anon puts his hand on Pinkie's soft mane, playfully ruffling it. "I was hoping that you'd like it." Anon states with satisfaction. She takes a moment to stop gazing at the wonderful sight, Anon catching her attention. "That's not all though." Anon takes his backpack off, setting it down on the grass. Going through the bag, he reaches for a striped blanket, placing it thoughtfully on the floor.
"I thought, while we're up here, why not have a little lunch?" He takes out two wrapped sandwiches, handing one to Pinkie.
"Oooh, I do like me some peanut butter!" Pinkie examines the food thoroughly. "Is that bag some sort of magic?" She asks, looking toward the oddly shaped design.
"No, at least I haven't seen any magic come out of it. It's just like the saddlebags you carry around with you, just that, you know, this is for a human and all." Anon explains. "So she doesn't know what a backpack is after all."
Pinkie plonks down on the soft blanket, Anon doing the same; they both admire the view, unwrapping the sticky sandwich.
"You know Nonie, even though this is really-super-cool, why bring me all the way out here?" Pinkie says with a mouthful of peanut butter. Anon looks at her, unsure of what to say. "Not that I'm complaining, I love going out, seeing the sights, enjoying a bit of peace and quiet every now and then. But, it's just not like you- to do this sorts-of stuff I mean." Pinkie feels around the blanket with her hoof, ironing out some of the wrinkles that befall it.
"Ah, I just thought I should, you're always the one to ask me to do things, so... here we are." Anon responds a bit unconvincingly; he turns his head from Pinkie, staring blankly down at the jaw dropping view.
"That can't just be it." Pinkie says with suspicion. "C'mon Nonie, what's gotten into you?" She continues, her sweet voice reaching Anon's ears.
"N-Nah, that's it." Anon rubs his arm, fidgeting around. He looks at Pinkie who looks back with her lip bitten, not convinced. He turns his head again, feeling her gaze still locked on him. "You really gonna stare me down like that?" She nods slowly, even though Pinkie has a hard time being taken seriously, her cute intimidation tactics always seem to work wonders on Anon.
"Not this time." He mutters. Anon lays on his back, his stomach facing towards the sky with his arms locked behind his head, acting as a pillow.
Pinkie grumbles childishly, Anon tries to ignore it. Seeing that she has no effect, she moves closer- maybe a bit too close, as her conspicuous face hones down on Anon's. "Pinkie, I just wanted to take you out. Isn't that enough?" She grumbles quizzically. "Ya know, you aren't very scary doing that." Pinkie pouts at Anon's words.
"What?" Pinkie says curiously. Anon can't help but smile when she does stuff like this, her cute, alluring aura seeping into him.
"I love you Pinks." He blurts out, changing face quickly as he notices what he's just said. Pinkie makes a quick and cute surprised noise, her expression changing drastically. "No! That's not-" Anon sits up shaking his head. "I meant, y-your great to be around- I just, love you- but like in a cool, endearing way... yeah, that- that's right!" Anon clears his throat, he looks over to Pinkie who seems to be in a state of shock, blinking rapidly at Anon with no words to say. "I really blew it this time..."
"Ok, ok. I'll tell you why I took you out here." Anon doesn't actually want to tell the reasoning, but to him, it's better then this awkward situation he always seems to find himself in; he changes the subject. "Pinks?" He motions to get her attention, she looks like a horse caught in the headlights; he waves his hand in front of her face, she blinks a couple more times before shaking her head.
"Oh." She says, her expression no longer static. "O-Ok." She continues, agreeing for him to go on.
"To be honest, I felt really bad." Anon plainly states, Pinkie being none the wiser of what he means. "I didn't know how to react, how to properly just go along with things, you know?" Anon explains further. He takes a moment for his words to set in, but alas, Pinkie doesn't seem to budge. "Do you know what I'm talking about?" He says, curious. Pinkie shakes her head slowly; she tries to understand, but not quite fully reading what Anon is saying.
"Ok, I'll be less discreet then." He closes his eyes for a moment, knowing full-well that whatever he's about to say, is going to give an iffy result. "But first, I have to know something. That day, when I asked you to go to the carnival, did you really want it to just be the two of us?"
Anon can't read Pinkie's face, her monotone look says a thousand words and yet all of them lead to an unpredictable answer.
"Well... sure." Pinkie rubs her hoof, not sure of what exactly she should say. Anon tilts his head slightly, unsatisfied with her answer. "I mean, of course I would've loved for it to just be the two of us, why wouldn't I?" She further explains.
"But would it have mattered if you and Applejack went instead?" Anon pushes more.
"Anon, I don't understand, what's this about?" She inquires, out of the loop about what Anon is getting at.
"I just- please, I need to know." He reaffirms. Pinkie's puzzled, but plays along.
"I think so." She leaves her response vague, slowly outing her words.
"You 'think so'?" Anon replies back, frustrated. "Pinkie, I need you to be more open with me, tell me what you're feeling, please."
"But I am-"
Anon swiftly grabs her hoof, looking her dead in the eye. "When we talked yesterday, I told you I wanted to know the real you, the Pinkie who isn't afraid to show how she's feeling." Pinkie's eyes droop down, uncomfortable with being open to how she feels. "I know you're a happy mare, I know you're the mare someone can come to when they're feeling down; but I also know there's more to that pink, bright, fluffy maned party girl. Please Pinks, will you show that side to me?" Anon's expression shows determination, he isn't sure how to get Pinkie to open up, but he's damned to try.
"Anon- Nonie-" Pinkie looks down, pondering for a moment, she looks back up, her face retaining a worried look, but her voice offering more as a warning. "I don't want to drag you down with me." She blatantly, and with no reprimand, firmly says to him; a little hiccup of fear coming with.
Anon stays stunned, her utmost confidence with her damning words rendering him almost speechless; she's never said anything that bleak before. Pinkie reads Anon's face like a book, worried that she might've said something she shouldn't of; in an instant she smiles brightly, her persona switching back to more in line with how she usually is.
"The sandwiches were really good though, Nonie, the best I've had all day- well, actually, that's all I've had all day." She giggles.
"Pinkie, what-"
"And the view, it really is something! We should do this more often and-"
"Is it... fake?" Anon interrupts, Pinkie's 'cheering up and changing the subject plan' not quite working this time.
"Is what fake, Nonie?" She says with her same Pinkie-esk, demeanor.
"How long have you been doing this, Pinkie?" His words pierce right through her, just as much as him seeing right through her.
"I... don't... know?" But she does, and Anon finally understands too.
"This is how you hide it, isn't it?"
"Nonie, what're you saying?" She nervously chuckles.
Anon stands up, sighing heavily, he looks away from Pinkie, staring wistfully at nothing but the flat grass beyond.
"I hurt you Pinkie, I know I hurt you." Anon finally speaks the hard truth he was unwilling to ever want to say. "Rose gave me those tickets. When she saw how distraught you were- she told me this would be the best way to make it up to you. I had planned to take you to that carnival but I.. I just- I didn't understand."
"'Understand'?" Pinkie chimes in, her voice softly coming behind him like a whisper, she sounds hurt, her feelings, nay her true self becoming all too real.
"I mean we have nicknames for each other for crying out loud!" Anon frustratingly yells out to himself. "When I told you it would suck being the two of us.... Ugh, why is this so hard to say!" He takes another deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "The truth is, I wanted it to just be the two of us, I wanted to take you out and make you the happiest mare alive. I wanted you to know that I can do things for you too- the things I should've been doing from the start. And at Nightmare Night, I tagged Rose along because I thought you didn't want it to just be me and you, in hindsight I feel like a fool."
"How do you feel about Rose?" Pinkie asks Anon, an out of the blue question that's caught him off guard. "Do you... like her?"
"Pinkie, what does this have to do-"
"If you really want me to be open with you, I want you to do the same." Pinkie commands with a shakiness in her tone, not sounding all too confident.
"I don't have feelings for her."
"Do you.. have feelings for anyone?" Anon can tell Pinkie is mustering all she's got just to force her words. She's scared to ask, but she has to know how he feels.
"I do." Anon plainly states.
"Tell me." Pinkie beckons. "Please, can you tell me?"
"I like-" Anon feels a soft touch grazing his arm, Pinkie's hoof lapses on it.
"I want you to tell me; I want you to look at me." Her voice is that of desperation, fear, anxiety; Anon realizes this is no 'Pinkie Pie' that he's ever known.
"Ok." He begins to turn around, he knows this'll take all that he's got just to tell her face to face, but if it will get her to be open with him- He stares at her, Pinkie looks back, eager as ever to hear Anon's pressing voice.
"The truth is, Pinkie- Pinks, I... like-"
A warm feeling interrupts his speech, his voice turns to mumbles with the surprising grace of Pinkie Pie's face. Anon stares, confused, wide-eyed. Her breath envelopes his senses, her lips pressed up against his, her hooves wrapped around his neck, while her back hoof lifts into the air. Pinkie's eyes stay closed, taking in the heart pumping moment. Is this the right thing to do? She doesn't know, she doesn't care either.
Pinkie snaps away, slowly gauging the situation at hand. The fear and anxiety she had built up, all but fades away with the courage she finally found to kiss her human. Anon's expecting a worried look, a fearful look; but Pinkie just looks at him and smiles.
"Rainbow told me." Pinkie voices softly, sincerely. "She felt so bad that she felt like she betrayed me, going to your house to talk, she told me how you feel." She nuzzles her snout into Anon's shirt, embracing the protection of her wonderful human. "The truth is, Nonie, I really like you too."