Episode 32:
The One Where Pinkie Knows
"Five hundred and sixty-six, five hundred and sixty-seven, five hundred and sixty-eight…Phew!" Pinkie Pie wiped away the sweat from her brows before sliding down the ladder she had been standing on for the past hour. The pony was covered in baking powder and cake batter, along with her chef's hat, but she was still smiling and being cheerful about everything around her as always. She looked on proudly at her work as she had just got done icing exactly five hundred and sixty-eight cupcakes. All neatly placed on seven plates, all stacked one over, decorated with beautiful flowers and a bell ornament arch at the top tied together with a lovely purple bow.
"Look at that, Pound Cake! I am so close to breaking my personal cupcake-icing record!" She said to the baby foal, sucking on a pacifier while riding on Pinkie's pet gator, Gummie.
“And you’ll get there once you have more ingredients to make enough cupcakes to ice with…” Bunga spoke as he rolled in a cart of more freshly made cupcakes while wearing a chef’s apron and hat. “…which I already took the liberty to have prepared for you!”
“Perfect!” Pinkie moved to hug the flour coated honey badger. “You’re the best!”
Bunga smiled proudly. “Don’t I know it?”
Just then, another pony walked in, Mrs. Cake carrying the other baby twin sister on her back reading a letter she had just received. Upon reading the letter’s contents she gasped in shock. “My goodness! I can't believe what I'm seeing here!"
"Pretty impressive if I do say so myself." Pinkie Pie proudly smiled while leaning against her accomplishment though it wasn’t exactly what was on her mind, even though she would definitely say yes had she been completely paying attention to her surrondigns.
"Pinkie, Bunga, would you mind watching the counter while I pop to the supply room? We've just received a very special order, and the ingredients need to be perfect."
"Okie-dokie-lokie."
“Sure thing!”
"Thanks, dears!" Mrs. Cake quickly zipped away, dropping the letter in the process and causing both Pinkie and Bunga to spin around and lock their eyes on the paper she had just dropped.
"Wonder what good stuff is in here?" Bunga wondered as he got a good look at what content is on it. As both read the letter the more their eyes sparked with curiousity that literally had their eyes locked on the writing itself.
“What good stuff?” Ono asked as he flew inside and managed to get a good scan at the writing from above. “Oh…”
“…my…”
“…goodness! A baby?!"
“A baby?!”
“A baby?!”
"Ye-ha!" Pinkie exclaimed happily while tightly hugging Ono to the point he can’t breath.
“So it is finally happening!”
“So Un-Bunga-veilable!”
“Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are having a baby! Woo hoo!”
“This is the best news ever!”
“Both Twilight and Kion are going so psyched!”
Just then, Mrs. Cake popped her head inside the room they were in once she heard all the commotion, "Oh, em, Pinkie, uh... it's a top secret surprise." She said with a whisper before heading back to the supply room. The excitement had died down and Pinkie Pie released Ono, who was already turning blue in the face for a lack of oxygen. Once he was free, he took in the biggest inhale he could master.
"A top secret surprise?!" Pinkie started to panic. "That means I have to keep the exciting news... *gulp* ...to myself!"
“So…?”
“You’ve kept secrets before. You even forced us to Pinkie Promise on many secrets about our friends. Even the time when Ono needed ointment for…”
“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” Ono hastily interrupted. “Remember the Pinkie Promise for that! I don’t want to talk about and you both swore you would never bring it up again!”
“Anyways…how does is this secret so different than every other secret?!”
"Are you kidding?! There is going to be a new born foal in the Sparkle Family!” Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are going to be parents! Twilight is going to be an aunt! Kion is going to be an uncle! How can I not tell them?!”
“Easy. You just don’t.” Ono simply replied with an emotionless expression.
“And maybe try thinking of something else to keep your mind off of anything related to babies. Like these cupcakes that need icing.” Bunga added while pointing to said cupcakes there just recently pulled straight out from the oven. “Think more about that and you’ll forget all about it. It’ll be Hakuna Matata…” He snapped his fingers. “…just like that.”
“You’re right about that, Bunga…for once.” Ono admitted.
“Of course I’m right. I can be right almost any other day! Isn’t that right?”
“Yes!”
“No.”
Pinkie replied happily while still unsure if she can deep down while Ono just gave another blank look in his direction.
“Exactly! Everything’s going to work out fine no matter what happens next! I’m sure of it!”
“Doubt it…” Ono muttered to himself as he is beginning to feel that maybe telling both Kion and Twilight will actually spare them the trouble for once in his life. If only some things were done as much as they could be said. If only…
The next day, Pinkie Pie was heading off to Twilight's castle where she and everyone else from the Guard have been summoned first thing in the morning. Gummy rested on Pinkie’s back as she tried to continuously remind herself of the secret she knew and has to keep.
"Even though I didn't technically make a Pinkie Promise to Mrs. Cake, I can't tell Twilight or anypony the big news! That would make me a... a... a big old surprise ruiner! Right, Gummy?"
Gummy was sucking on pacifier, which only made Pinkie giggle. "Did you take that from Pound Cake again? Don't you know it's wrong to steal from a baby?"
"What's all this about a baby?" Rarity asked once she approached her friend. She was accompanied by Kyoga. Their presence, and the mention of the word 'baby' was enough to get Pinkie to get nervous as she tried to dismiss the claim as calmly as she can.
"What? Who? What? Who said something about a baby?!"
Rarity arched an eyebrow, "You did, Ms. Pie, just now."
"Is everything okay?" Kyoga asked, "What were you talking about?"
Pinkie Pie started to panic, this secret was too big for her to keep to herself. She then remembered Bunga and Ono’s advice. She then recollected herself and just acted like what just happened never happened. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” She then merrily made her way inside much to both friends confusion.
“Um, okay…” Kyoga said just flat out confused.
“…what was that about?” Rarity asked.
“Knowing Pinkie, I’d have to say she’s having trouble keeping something to herself.” She deduced.
“Like what could it be?”
“Good question. Probably has something to do with baby troubles.” She replied while noticing the anxious pony who is already making her way inside while taking the pacifier from Gummy and began sucking on it herself.
“Most likely.”
With enough said the two followed after her inside so they can meet up with Twilight for her important meeting inside the castle throne room.
Once inside the castle, Pinkie and Rarity took their spots on their respected thrones. Pinkie saw Flash, inconspicuously pointing at his hoof, silently asking if the rubber band was working. She rubbed her hooves and smiled in response while nodding.
"Great! Everybody's here." Twilight told everyone, looking especially happy today. In fact she has been feeling happier with every passing day as the Princess of Friendship. All of the Lion and Pony Guard had gathered together to hear the princess's announcement. Spike unfolded a scroll and Twilight levitated it so she can read it word for word.
"Now I don't have to wait any longer to tell you all the wonderful news! Somepony special is coming to visit Ponyville, and I need your help getting everything ready!"
"Ooh, who's coming?" Bunga asked rather excited himself like he doesn’t know what is really happening right now.
"It's…"
"Shining Armor and Princess Cadance!" Both Pinkie Pie and Twilight said in unison, thus surprising everyone inside the room. Ono can only face palm himself upon seeing that the secret keeper is starting to crack.
“Hapana…”
Twilight arch an eyebrow in confusion but still continued none of the less. "Yes, and they're coming—"
"Tomorrow!" Both ponies said in unison once again. Pinkie smiled nervously, her eyes darting all over the place before landing on Ono and Bunga, who both looked on like she was crazy.
"Yes, on the—"
"Friendship Express rather than the Crystal Empire train so as not to cause too much of a scene when they skip town to come visit?" *squee*
"Yes." Twilight responded, rather unsure and confused as to how Pinkie Pie knew all of this in advance. Pinkie then gained up on Twilight, hoping for her to say more. She hoped that maybe she was already told about it so she would no longer have to worry about keeping it anymore.
"Annnnnd?"
"And that's it."
"Oh." Pinkie backed off, with her ears lowering in disappointment.
"Uh, how did you know all that?" Kion asked, rather suspiciously. Much like the princess, he could tell when one of their friends in their inner circle wasn’t being completely honest, including keeping a secret from someone. But Pinkie still persisted in trying to ensure it wasn’t something she wasn’t supposed to know in advance.
She simply shrugged as she laughed nervously. “Uh…just a lucky guess from my Pinkie Sense.” She sat back on her throne getting a grip on it to keep herself under control or at least try to restrain herself.
“Right…” Kion said still looking on suspiciously and unconvinced that’s it just a mere Pinkie Sense. After all, her tail didn’t twitch in the slightest which is what happens when her Pinkie Sense truly goes off.
"So, you said you needed our help with something?" Rainbow asked.
"Follow me." Twilight flapped her wings and the group followed her to her upstairs bedroom, which she had decorated with some interesting items. On the floor was a railroad track with a toy train, a chest with an assortment of boy-themed toys such as action figures, toy armor and even several comics books, an ant farm on the counter and even a few posters of action hero ponies.
“Poa!” Beshte gasped in awe.
"Sweet posters!" Rainbow Dash complimented.
Bunga rushed over and gasped at the pony on the image. "No way! Is that Smash Fortune?"
Twiight giggled upon seeing that he is a big fan of his comics. “It sure is! When Shining Armor said he wanted to come to the castle and visit, I started collecting things he liked when he was a colt as a surprise!"
"Surprise?!" Pinkie Pie's head popped out from the toy chest donning a warrior's helmet on her head. Once she saw the glare from Ono’s eyes she laughed nervously before covering her face and mouth with the helmet.
With that moment aside the egret looked around the assortment of action figures, all perfectly polished and organized for his arrival. "I can definitely tell that you really did a thorough job because this has got to be the entire collection do date, Twilight."
“It sure is!”
Fluttershy smiled at the little insects walking within the glass case, "Aww, look at the cute little ant farm!”
"And check out all these old comic books!" Spike said as he held up one of the old books, which were all in their mint condition packaging.
"Be careful, Spike!" Kion warned. "They're mint-in-bag!"
Spike blew off some of the dust from the cover…only to accidentally burn it with his fire. The dragon whistled nervously as he placed the burned remains into one of the plastic packages.
“I’ll take that!” Kion quickly whisked the bag away with his magic and then used his mind to make a copy of the comic that Spike accidentally burned.
“Right…will do.” He just simply placed the comic back in it’s original resting place before sprinting away from it in a dash.
Pinkie Pie rummaged through Shinning Armor's old toys and found one that looked like a stuffed pony, similar in style to Twilight's old SmartyPants doll. "What's this?" she asked.
"This is Brutus Force. Shining Armor used to carry him around like his baby!"
Hence, Pinkie’s trigger word. No matter what she tried putting her mind to she still couldn’t keep her mind off of the big surprise. She nearly dropped the toy before placing it back into the chest, laughing nervously.
"Yeah! Really cute!"
Both Kion and Twilight looked at their friend very suspiciously. Still trying to understand why she is acting like this. If they didn’t know any better they’d think she’s hiding something and doing a rather terrible job at it.
At the same time, Ono was feeling equally anxious. While keeping a secret is normally no biggie for him, dealing with the stressed out party pony at the same time was starting to get him to crack. But he had to keep his beak shut since this surprise would mean so much to both leaders of the Guard. It had to be Shining Armor who told him otherwise then the surprise would be ruined. He would never deprive of him of the fact that both of his friends are going to be an uncle and aunt, nor would he even dream of doing anything like that.
"It is a bit juvenile for castle décor, but it is very sweet of you." Rarity commented.
"I'm sure Shining Armor will love it." Fuli assured with a kind smile.
Twilight smiled thankfully in response. "Me, too. But there's a few more things I'd like to add before he gets here, and I could really use a hoof collecting them."
"Whatever you need, sugarcube, we'll help you get it." Applejack said ready to make good on that promise.
“And that I can definitely help you out there!” Kion added with full support. “Any family of yours is family of mine too!” And that’s a fact that everyone know for sure ever since he first met both ponies and has definitely been cemented ever since their wedding.
"Thanks, Kion." Twilight said feeling very grateful for the support especially Kion’s. "Thanks, everybody and everypony! I just can't wait 'til they walk in and see everything!"
"Totally understandable." Beshte agreed. "Like my dad always says, Watching somebody else be surprised with something is almost better than being the one who's getting the surprise!"
“You’ve said it!” Kyoga nodded in agreement.
"But… eh…" Pinkie Pie crawled out of the toy chest, her eyes widening more along with her increasing heart rate with every word she tries to process out of her mouth. "What if the surprise is something so incredibly exciting that a pony can't keep it in any longer, and she has to tell the pony standing next to her what it is or she might explode?!”
She hugged Fluttershy so tightly she nearly choked her to death. "I would say... no." She merely replied.
"That'd be as bad a breaking a Pinkie Promise." Bunga pointed out. "Probably worse."
Rarity then started to gain up on Pinkie Pie as she too agreed with them. "The pony who ruins a surprise for somepony else has to live with that guilt forever!"
Pinkie Pie laughed nervously before sucking in her lips. It was clear now that she couldn't be around her friends, unless she wanted to ruin her surprise and be burden with that guilt for the rest of her live.
"Gotta bounce!" She quickly said before rolling herself into a ball, and then bounced around the room like a ping-pong ball before crashing into the wall of the castle and running off much to the others confusion.
Rainbow Dash was the first speak her mind about it. "So, I know the bar is set pretty high, but does anybody else think Pinkie Pie was acting weirder than usual?"
"She looked like she was hiding something." Kion deduced before turning to Ono. “Any idea what might be bugging her?”
“Don’t know!” He said while acting like it’s a mystery to him too while darting his eyes around feeling nervous himself with sweat falling onto his beck. “But I’ll tell you what. I’ll check up on her to make sure she’s okay.”
“Good idea.” Kion approved. “And let us know so we can help her out if she needs it, okay.”
“I’ll try.” He said before flying out the window in pursuit of Pinkie Pie which is truthfully the best reply he could give without making it a promise.
Pinkie Pie zoomed across town before reaching Sugar Cube Corner and closed the door shut while breathing heavily. "Phew, that was close! Too close. I almost spilled the beans. Beans that would be really hard to clean up!” She then continued stressing over the need to keep this a secret for Twilight’s sake along with Kion’s. “I obviously can't be around my friends right now. Or anypony for that matter! Hmmm... That's it! If Shining Armor and Cadance are coming tomorrow, then all I have to do is lock myself in my room away from everypony until they arrive! Then I won't ruin anything!"
"Oh, good, you're back!" Mr. Cake happily told her upon opening the door much to the pink pony’s startled surprise.
"Mrs. Cake needs my help, but these deliveries can't wait! I can't thank you enough for agreeing to be my backup delivery pony, Pinkie!"
"I… did?"
Twenty four hours ago….
Mr. Cake recounted the boxes he had stocked onto his cake cart, "Maybe I should hire somepony to be my backup delivery pony." He said to himself out loud.
"I'll do it!" Pinkie immediately volunteered, while she stirred the bowl of chocolate cake batter while sitting on the front porch of the store.
"Really?"
"Sure! There's no possible way that I could ever have anything that might interfere with doing that task, like a gigantic, emotionally exhausting surprise that would make it super hard to be around other ponies."
"Great! Uh, you're sure you won't change your mind?"
"No way! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
Twenty four hours later…
"Oh, yeah.” She remembered now. “I Pinkie Promised I'd do it. And I never break a Pinkie Promise! Never!"
"Well, thanks again! You're a real cake-saver!"
Once Mr. Cake left, Pinkie sighed, her puffy mane practically deflating as she laid down on the stairs, looking distraught at what she just promised without realizing it.
"Hm. Maybe it'll be a quiet day and I can just avoid everypony!" She hoped to herself thinking she’ll still have hardly anyone to talk to all day with an optimistic smile...
…before opening the door to be greeted with many ponies she’s well acquainted with all around town. To her this job just got harder than she expected.
Regardless of the situation, Pinkie Pie still pressed forward with it unable to break her Pinkie Promise to Mr. Cake. She placed on a disguise, which was really one of those plastic funny glasses with the red nose, fake eyebrows and mustache, similar to when she spied on the Lion and Pony Guard once. She tiptoed her way across town, the wagon of cake’s polls were attached to her back in order to pull it trying her hardest not to be obvious about like last time as she hid behind every tree, house, bush and stand she could find. So far so good, she thought to herself. Maybe this plan of hers will work after all…
"Hiya, Pinkie Pie!"
Apple Bloom’s voice called to her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, now with their brand new cutie marks, walked up to their friend who began to sweat nervously.
"Heard any good gossip today?" Sweetie Belle hopefully asked.
"Yeah, we're bored." Scootaloo added. "Please say you have some interesting news."
Pinkie's eyes darted back and forth, forcing a wide and innocent looking smile on her face. "Nope!" She quickly replied before dashing off, away from the fillies much to their confusion before shrugging it off to find somepony else that knows of something juicy.
Pinkie ran as fast as her hooves to could take, before she bumped into someone else causing her ‘disguise to fall off and land on said guy he bumped into. Ono who is now wearing her 'disguise' while he was just looking for her.
"Pinkie! There you are! I was just looking for you."
"Ono! You have no idea of what I just got myself into! I just remembered that I promised to be Mr. Cake's backup delivery pony and just after I thought to myself that if I tried avoiding everypony I could avoid telling anyone about the big secret! Not only to find I can’t get myself to stop thinking about it!” Ono quickly placed a wing on her mouth to ensure no one is around to hear them.
“Pinkie, its okay as long you calm yourself and take a deep breath.” He attempted to assure the pony who did just that once Ono let go of his grip on her. “Okay?” She nodded. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen. I’ll be by your side while you take care of these cakes. That way I can help you get the job done faster and you wouldn’t have to worry about dealing nor speaking with anybody and anypony else.”
“Really?”
"Of course! And by the time this is all over we’ll have both forgotten about what we were stressing about. That shouldn’t be too hard should it?"
“Nope.“
"Pinkie! Ono!"
The two flinched when Fluttershy appeared. "Fluttershy, what a surprise!" Pinkie said before catching what she just said, "I mean, not a surprise!"
Ono quickly spoke up over her while placing a wing on Pinkie’s mouth again before moving to greet Fluttershy. “Sorry, what Pinkie meant to say was, Hi Fluttershy. What brings you here?”
"Nothing other than you were in such a rush earlier. Twilight wanted me to ask you if you would bring some snacks to the castle for Shining Armor and Cadance's visit."
“Oh, of course, Fluttershy!”
"Definitely! Got it! Pinkie Promise! Yeah! Heh." Pinkie laughed nervously as she attempted to politely leave.
"You know, maybe some baby carrots…"
Ono’s eyes twitched at the mention of the word baby as Pinkie looked on in frozen shock. “What did you say?!"
"Baby carrots! They're Shining Armor's favorite."
"Mine too! Baby carrots are kinda like big carrots but smaller, kinda like how foals are tiny versions of their parents but smaller and cuter and—" Pinkie stopped after Ono covered her mouth with his wing, again.
“Hapana!” Ono gasped. “Is that an albino squirrel I see?” He pointed his wing up in the air to get Fluttershy to look around.
"Where? Is it Albert?" But when she did she didn't find her squirrel friend…and Ono and Pinkie Pie had disappeared, probably and hopefully to go and find what they were asked to get.
While flying away, Ono could only face palm himself seeing keeping their minds of it is easier said than done. “Hapana, we’re doomed!”
The two retreated to nearby house as Ono sighed in relief. "Okay, new plan. I'll take care of the deliveries while you try and avoid everyone as much you can."
"Got it!" Pinkie Pie took out a helmet and placed it over her head, "It's time to kick this operation into hyper-hoof!"
And the two were off, Flash carried the boxes both on his back and with his front hooves while Pinkie Pie took care of the rest of the deliveries. Pinkie managed to place the boxes in the front porches of the pony's homes without so much as even making eye contact. Flash was able to hand the residence their cakes with ease, while also getting a few little foals to want his autograph. News of him being the Princess's boyfriend did make him a bit of a celebrity for some of the younger negations, while for some strange reason some of the older ponies…didn't seem to like him for some reason. Weird.
Pinkie Pie at the same time ran across town making the deliveries, while also avoiding her friends at every turn. Along the way she came up with new and creative ways to deliver the cakes without needing to talk to anypony. One example was when she used a crossbow to zip line Rarity's cake order and another when she used a toy boat to give a young foal his birthday cake. But while her plan worked smoothly, she still felt terrible at needing to avoid her friends, who kept on running into her, waving and smiling.
Once they were done with the deliveries, she met up with Ono near another house.
"Doing okay, Pinkie?" He asked.
The pony lowered her hears sadly in response. "Not so good. It didn't feel good ignoring my friends like that…"
"I know, but they’ll understand once Shining Armor and Cadance tell them the big news. I mean it’s not like a dark secret like dealing with the threat of Scar looming over our heads or something like that.” He quickly realized what he said before correcting himself with what he meant to say. “I mean…we just need to be a little more patient about all of this, then we can both give a sigh of relief knowing it’s all over."
"Yeah, you're right." Pinkie agreed before she spotted a female pony drinking inside her house from the window outside, "Maybe I can tell just one little pony the surprise?"
“Uh-uh. No.” Ono quickly shook his head while pulling Pinkie away by the tail out of the pony’s view. “Remember what Rarity said.”
Said pony’s voice rang through her head. “The pony who ruins a surprise for somepony else must live with that guilt forever!"
"You're right Ono! I can't tell anypony at all! Then they would tell Twilight, and she wouldn't be surprised, and it would be all my fault." Pinkie said with a sad sigh and covered her face with her hooves. Ono placed a wing on her back in sympathy.
"Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine. Look…” He showed her all of the check marks on their list. “…we got the deliveries done and now we’re clear heading into the home stretch. We should be good going forward!” His eyes perked up. “Speaking of which, now that we’re done, think maybe we could make some cupcakes together. I’ve been meaning to ask the other day before the whole Rescue in the Outlands took place but never got around to it?”
“Sure thing, Ono! Let’s go!”
Back at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie had just prepared his very favorite batch of cupcakes from the recipe of the cake that once served as a distraction to the guards during the whole Wonderbolt investigation.
"Here you are, the most fancy cake this bakery has to offer!"
"Thanks, Pinkie Pie."
The pink pony sighed once her body collapsed on the floor feeling that her work is all cut out for her for the day. "Finally, I'm all aloney on my owney."
Just then, Ono felt something on his tail feathers. He looked down and saw it was Gummy chewing on them. “Along with a hunry Gummy.” He said with a deadpan tone and look as he looked the piece of paper Gummy had in his mouth.
"Wow, great idea! I'm starving too!" Pinkie said, talking out a green apple from her hair and ate it all in just one bite, "This apple is delicious!"
“I’ll bet.” Ono removed the letter from the left side of Gummy's mouth and his eyes widen in horror. "Oh, no.”
“What is it?” Pinkie asked as her friend handing her the letter. She then gasped in horror upon reading it. “Oh, no! It's the list that Twilight helped me make yesterday so I wouldn't forget all of my Pinkie Promises today!" She fell down on the floor, "And I have three more things to do! Aw, four if you count bringing those snacks to Twilight's castle!"
“You've been getting liberal with those Pinkie Promises lately…"
“Yep.”
“Anything I can do to help make it any easier for you?”
"Nope. These I can handle no biggie.” She moved to leap out the window once before carrying them out. “Thanks again for everything today, Ono!”
“Don’t mention it…ever.” He mentioned the last part to himself.
One of the three last things for Pinkie Pie for the day to do was make balloon animals at the annual school fair at the Ponyville School House. A line of happy fillies awaited as Pinkie made adorable balloon creatures in just seconds. Next in line was Sweetie Belle.
"Ooh! I want a flamingo!" sShe walked off happily with her new balloon flamingo, which Pinkie made for her in two seconds flat.
"I want a goldfish!" Apple Bloom requested, and she got just that in two seconds on the nose. Scootaloo was next, but she didn't have a specific animal in mind.
"Surprise me!"
Pinkie Pie inflated a pink and blue balloons and began creating something for the filly. She heard crying and spotted a mother pushing her stroller nearby, with her baby crying. A baby, the very thing Cadance and Shinning Armor were going to have, and the very secret she needed to keep from her friends. She was so distracted she didn't notice what she had done with the balloons.
"Is that a... baby bottle?"
Pinkie Pie screamed once she realized what she had constructed. "No! It's a... a... puppy! Ha ha, woof woof, ha ha! Eh…"
"Are you sure? Because it looks like a—" Scootaloo was silenced once Pinkie placed the top of the balloon bottle into the filly's mouth.
"Next!"
Scootaloo decided to go along with this with no more questions asked as she did asked to be surprised. Next in line was Featherweight, the recently appointed school board president. "Uh, a baby pony, please!" He asked., "Uh, unless of course that would be a royal pain…"
Too bad, that said words baby pony and royal further stressed the pink pony out as it keeps further reminding of her the big secret she needs to keep to the point she gained up on the pony, eying him suspiciously.
"Interesting choice of words, Featherweight."
"Was it?"
"I don't know. Was it?"
"Uh, maybe you'd better just make me a giraffe."
Back in the Pride Lands, Ono scouted the skies from above to see if there is any trouble lurking around. Even though it isn’t exactly his most favorite thing on his mind, it does help him keep his mind of everything else. After all, a good patrol helps him stay alert and be ready for any sign of trouble from down below. Aside from spotting a Mhimu playing with her baby foal who has grown quite a bit since he was born, he found there was no trouble at all.
He managed to make his way back to Pride Rock, where he is greeted by the Leader of the Lion Guard himself.
“Hey, Ono! How’s everything in the Pride Lands?” He asked.
“Nothing out of ordinary. Fortunately it seems to be a slow crime day in the Pride Lands.” He reported.
“That’s good!” Another off day from daily patrol came at another perfect time. “How about Pinkie Pie? Is she okay?”
Ono’s eyes darted around before answering rather uneasy about it. “Yes. She’s fine. She’s just got a handful of Pinkie Promises she had to uphold today and she just remembered it.”
“Oh, that’s something.” Kion accepted that response seeing that as nothing out of the ordinary. “Though I don’t suppose it wasn’t because she was distracted by something else was it?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Surely that’s bound to happen to everyone once in a while, right?”
“Right, but not Pinkie Pie. Sure she can be a little out there but not like this.”
“And your point being?”
“I feel that there is something that she’s not telling us and I’m saying this is because I don’t want to see her get hurt like Twilight almost did.”
“Right, that.”
“Exactly!”
“Well…” Ono wasn’t sure of how to carefully word this before going with. "…I know for a fact that it’s not anything involving Scar if that’s what you’re worried about. So it’s not because her life is in danger.”
“That’s true. She would have told us if that were the case since Pinkie is never one to never tell us if something’s up with that.”
“So what else could it be?”
“I don’t know. Think maybe someone blackmailed her recently?”
“Maybe. But still doubtful.” He honestly replied.
“But I think it’s something worth checking up just to be sure.” Kion moved to head out to question the other ponies and Pride Landers if they’ve seen Pinkie act unusually recently. “Come on!”
“Coming.” Ono groaned to himself as that would mean seeing the baby zebra again, one of the last things he needed to see right now.
Back in Ponyville, Pinkie Pie flung the folders upwards and each one landed perfectly into the cabinets. Using her quick and swift body movements, Pinkie closed them all in an instants. Mayor Mare entered and was impressed with the pony's neat organizing skills.
"My, your friends weren't kidding when they said you had a great filing system, Pinkie! You are Ponyville's best kept secret!"
The pony flinched in response. "No, I'm not!" she walked over back to the desk and neatly piled up more papers when the mayor began speaking to her in a hushed tone.
"Speaking of secrets, have you ever known somepony else's secret?"
Pinkie Pie flinched again she dropped the papers she was holding. What secret exactly is she talking about or hasn’t already known yet?
"Noooooo…" She responded before sucking in her lips, preventing herself from peaking anymore. But the mayor’s constant pegging wasn’t helping matters at all.
"A surprise that was so big and exciting that it was all you could think about?"
The pink pony was now sweating madly with her heart racing again. At that point she had to get out of there before she spilled the beans.
"Nope!"
In an instant, she rushed herself out of the filing room, leaving Mayor Mare to sigh finding her recent behavior rather strange. "Me neither…"
Pinkie Pie's third and final favor was to help a Furniture Salespony inflate his dancing balloon pony for his new store sale. The Salespony laughed at the funny balloon creature. "That's just what I wanted. Thanks, Pinkie!"
"You're welcome!"
"Oh, by the way, can you help spread the word about the big crib sale I'm having?"
Pinkie looked at the poster he had placed and read the words out loud. ""Treat your foal like... royalty"?!" Pinkie cringed as yet again the poster made her think about her secret again.
"Pretty good slogan, huh? I came up with it all by myself!"
And that was the last straw for her as she then screamed at the top of her lungs, her movements in perfect sync with the movement of the balloon dancing pony, and ran as fast as she could out of the store leaving the sales pony looking on in confusion.
"Oh. I thought it was clever."
Elsewhere both Kion and Ono have questioned the Pride Landers if they have done anything to make Pinkie uneasy to make sure it wasn’t something else that bothered her before today.
“No, I have not.”
“I mean I may have referred to her as annoying at times but I wasn’t really malicious about it.”
Both Mtoto and Bupu were the first questioned.
“Haven’t seen her all day.”
“Neither have I.”
Both Vuraga Vuraga and Makuu replied. If she did drop by the latter’s watering hole then Makuu would be having a lengthy talk with both Kion and Twilight about personal boundaries as even now he is still not the nicest croc to get on his bad side.
At the same time Ono was simply looking on like nothing has happened, promising himself and Pinkie to keep it together up until the big reveal. “So far, so good. Just keeping flying straight and make it stick.” He said to himself as he did just that when…
“Are you kidding me?!”
Ono flinched when he heard and saw arguing up ahead, the zebras and gazelle once again.
“I told you not to tell anyone?”
“And I told you not to tell anyone?”
Their leaders argued amongst one another.
“What’s going on?” Kion asked urgently as this isn’t the first time they have disputed amongst each other.
“Oh hey Kion.” The zebra mother greeted before turning her attention back to the situation at hoof. “Nothing major just a little secret dispute.” She looked on that the two turning their backs from each other. “They accidentally let it slip out of Mhimu’s surprise birthday party to which they had planned for him to visit his favorite amusement park in Ponyville.”
“And now thanks to you, the surprise is ruined.”
“But I didn’t know it was a secret. Cut me some slack here as much as I am when you told everyone about our secret grazing grounds.”
“No.”
“Okay, okay…” Kion moved to help negotiate the matter. “…I’m sure we both regret what we said and did but I think if you both hear each other out then we can settle this matter, smoothly.”
“How?!” Both the gazelle and zebra asked irritably and in unison together.
“For starters…we can arrange that your personal grazing grounds are yours alone with no other Pride Lander allowed to have access to it and as you for and the little zebra’s surprise party I have an idea of how to make it still a surprise. Just play around with the idea so that he gets curious to the point he doesn’t know for sure what the surprise is. And if that doesn’t work change things up a bit and then call Pinkie Pie for assistance. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help you out there. That sound good?”
“Good.” Both leaders agreed finding it to be a fair and reasonable resolve to the issue.
Ono however had his eyes locked on the 2 year old foal is neighing and shaping up for being able do things on his own. The very sight of what will become of the future foal Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are about to have.
Satisfied, Kion turns back to his friend ready to press forward. “Okay, now that that’s settled…Ono? Ono?!” Kion looked around and saw that the Keen-Sighted friend is nowhere to be found as he retreated on home as the stress and anxiety over this secret-keeping is getting too much for him to handle quality time with his friends on patrol.
The next day, The Lion and Pony Guard were all hard at work organizing the castle for the royal couple's visit. Pinkie Pie was heading towards the castle with two trays of baby carrots, along with a few more green vegetables.
"Pinkie Pie!" Ono came in landing in front of her. "Please tell me you didn't tell the secret!"
"I didn't."
"Oh, Phew." he sighed in relief, "That’s great! Because I didn’t either! So far so good!” He said as he paced and rambled around her. “Nobody suspects anything aside from a few moments here and there so surely we wouldn’t have to keep this a secret any longer. Oh, I just wish they could get here and tell them so we don’t have to keep to ourselves anymore because I don’t know how much longer I can do this!”
“Me neither!” This stress is killing me!”
“Just a few more hours and we’re golden.” Ono assured before they moved to regroup with their friends.
“Please be golden sooner!” She pleaded before following after him.
The two friends walked into the castle when Kion spotted the two and the tray of snacks Pinkie had brought, "Those look delicious, Pinkie! Let me help you!" The prince moved to levitate the trays onto the table. "But we better cover them up so they don't get spoiled." He added before covering them with two lids.
"Why would they get spoiled?" Pinkie asked feeling confused now. "We're all gonna eat them super soon!"
"Oh, didn't anyone tell you?" Kion asked to the confused duo before explaining. "Shining Armor and Cadance are held up and they may not arrive ‘til Saturday."
"Whaaaaaaaaaat?!" both Ono and Pinkie Pie shot up into the air, landing onto the branches of the tree root chandelier of the castle. The poor ponies were hyperventilating in distress upon hearing this.
"You mean…" Pinkie started as she breathed in.
“We have…" Ono also breathed in.
“To wait…"
"Another whole day?!" The two screamed and said in unison and in terror together.
"I don't know if I can!" Pinkie cried out in terror while holding onto the branch.
"Me neither!” Ono exclaimed in the same tone.
From down below, the others looked at their distraught friends. Kion and Twilight already had a hunch something was up with Flash Sentry ever since yesterday's outburst. And Pinkie Pie had been acting strangely all day long. There just had to be something going on.
"Pinkie, Ono, do you have something you need to say?" Twilight asked sympathetically. "You seem like you've been keeping something in."
"Ono, what's going on?" Kion asked equally concerned for him as he flew up to join both him and Pinkie up on the tree branch.
The two questioned members of the Guard looked at one another and then back at their friends. Pinkie yelled out before covering her mouth as Twilight joined her by her side in flight along with Fluttershy.
"It's okay." Fluttershy assured as she floated beside her. "We're here to listen." Pinkie only shook her head in response.
“Whatever is on your mind you can tell us.” Twilight said very understanding and knowing that something is troubling them deep down.
Ono still shook his head adamantly refusing to cave in while Pinkie looked like she was going to have a panic attack.
“Yeah, nobody will think of you any less.” Beshte added.
"Well, go on then, sugarcubes." Applejack encouraged the two to open up from down below.
"We're not going to judge you, darlings." Rarity further assured.
Spike gave them both his big puppy eyes to further prompt into telling them. "You'll feel so much better once you get it off your chest!"
Pinkie Pie blew on her balloon so hard that it popped as she is now really torn up inside even with Ono shaking his head against it. She still couldn’t resist the urge to give in and tell everyone as the words kept chanting in her head, over, and over again.
"Friends! Friends! Friends! Tell! Tell! Tell! Friends! Friends! Friends! Tell! Tell! Tell!"
Finally she cracked unable to keep it to herself anymore. "Okay, okay, you win!"
"Pinkie, stop!" Ono cried out to in vain as she inhaled deeply before speaking.
"Shining Armor and Cadance are gonna have a—"
"An awesome weekend with the best little sister in all of Equestria!"
Shining Armor said as the doors opened with both he and his wife standing just inside the throne room who both smiled upon seeing all of their closest friends.
"Hi, everypony." She greeted while her husband had his hoof wrapped around her.
Pinkie Pie had never been so happy to be interrupted in her entire life. She exhaled in great relief, causing her to fall from the ceiling safely like a floating parachute. Even Ono could get a breather. The Heavens had mercy on both of them today. And not a moment too soon.
Twilight and Kion landed with the former leaping up with joy upon seeing her brother and sister-in-law. "Shining Armor, Cadance! You're early! I thought something had come up and you weren't gonna make it until Saturday!"
"So did we." Cadance returned feeling equally surprised herself as she explained. "Turned out we weren't needed in Maretonia until next week. And the summit we were supposed to attend today had to be rescheduled, so... we got here even sooner than planned!"
"Surprise!" Shining Armor ruffled his little sister's mane and hugged her tightly. He then turned to see Kion standing in front of them. He raised a hoof out for him who moved to accept before being pulled into a hug alongside Twilight. "Kion, as always great to see you again."
“Great to see you too!” Kion kindly returned while surprised thinking it was a hoof shake at first. But he shrugged it off, as he reminded himself that Shining sees him as family too, as close friends, they do have the brother and sister bond together that earned them Best Man and Best Mare titles at his wedding. And there is also the fact that he saved his little sister from certain death too. So that also makes him an honorary brother and a part of the family too.
"It's wonderful to see you all again!" Cadance happily said and the rest of the Mane Six along with Fuli and Kyoga all gathered happily to greet her at the same time the boys moved to happily greet Shining Armor.
"I'm so glad you're here!" Twilight happily said to her brother. "I have a big surprise for you!"
"Oh, yeah?" Shinning Armor grinned already looking forward to it with his eyes locking on towards Pinkie Pie who is desperately curling her lips up to keep her own mouth shut. Ono took notice of this and sweated nervously, feeling that both he and Pinkie might be in hot water know that he knows.
“Hapana…”
The group walked down the hallways, the girls all giggling while catching up with one another while Beshte, Bunga, and Spike all helped with the couple's bags. Pinkie Pie and Ono walked/flied several steps away from the rest, catching up with Shinning Armor, who spoke to them in a hushed tone.
"Lucky we came when we did, huh? I'm guessing you saw the scroll we sent to Mr. and Mrs. Cake?" He asked, much to their uneasiness. "Hey, I'm impressed you've been able to keep our secret this long!"
"So you're gonna tell Twilight and Kion now?!" Pinkie hopefully asked, only to be hushed when Shining Armor covered her mouth and looked back, making sure the others didn't hear that. Thankfully, they didn’t due to be so far ahead and all caught up with chatting with one another to hear a word they said.
"You're gonna have to wait just a little bit longer. We have something special planned. It'll be worth it, I promise." He assured with a smile before walking off to catch up with the others, leaving Ono to sigh in relief and Pinkie Pie to narrow her eyes in his direction.
"It'd better be." She muttered to herself already feeling too much suspense in the situation right now.
After the royal couple got settled into the castle, The Lion and Pony Guard were walking towards the town square where they said they would meet them later on. Shining Armor said he had something planned for them, which really sparked Twilight and Kion's curiosity.
Kion himself was especially curious since Shining Armor told him that it was something that he’ll definitely love too as much his little sister.
Though Pinkie Pie was still anxious from all of this waiting and still struggling to keep herself from spilling the beans, all while Ono tries his hardest to get her to keep her cool.
“Easy…easy…” He calmly insisted. “Remember that this for both Twilight and Kion. So just try to think something other than babies.”
“I’m trying…I just can’t stop thinking about it!” She groaned with gritted teeth like she did when she needed to go to the bathroom on the train ride to Appleloosa.
"So, do you think Shining Armor liked his surprise?" Fuli asked Twilight.
"Didn't you see him? He couldn't stop raving about it!" Twilight giggled at the memory of her brother going absolutely insane with all of the wonderful toys and nostalgia items from his childhood. He tapped happily on the ant farm, then hugged Brutus Horse, marveled at the many comics, before he and his little sister spun around like he used to do to her when she was young.
"Where did Shining Armor and Cadance say they'd meet us?" Rainbow asked with her stomach rumbling. "I'm starving!"
"In the town square." Kion replied. "I wish they'd waited to walk over with us, but they said they had something to take care of first!"
"They're gonna have a lot more to take care of soon…" Pinkie muttered to Ono through her gritted teeth.
"What?"
"I said, to be fair, some things are better left unquestioned.” Ono quickly pushed Pinkie Pie away from the others before anything else could happen. The others simply shrugged while the two whistled innocently while leaning against the fountain of the square. They had arrived, but that was it. Both Shining Armor and Princess Cadance weren’t there.
"That's odd." Twilight commented while looking around wondering what’s going on. "Usually they're quite punctual."
Rainbow Dash groaned while gripping her stomach and hitting the head of the statue impatiently, "Ughhh! I need a hayburger in my belly right now!" With every tap, a scroll from inside the statue pony's mouth slipped out, landing on Fuli’s head while catching her by surprise.
“Seriously?” She remarked exasperated that it’s a reoccurring thing nowadays, but none of the less handed to Twilight who levitated it with her magic.
"What's this?" Twilight asked as she read the contents of it. She gasped with glee upon finishing reading it.
"What does it say?" Kion asked.
"A scavenger hunt! Shining Armor used to set these up for me when I was a filly!"
As if it wasn’t bad enough, now they had to do a scavenger hunt, which will only prolong the need to resist telling anyone even longer. It is clear to them that this Shining Armor's way of surprising his sister. Admittedly it was adorable, but Pinkie Pie’s patience was already running thin at this point, and Ono likewise knew it too. He kept his beak sealed shut while continuously shaking her head in the pink pony’s direction while motioning her to zip up her lips again. Too bad, Pinkie didn’t carry her zipper with her today while they both watch on as Twilight fondly recalls her old childhood memories.
"At the end, there was always a big prize, like a new book, or several new books, or—"
"We get it! You like books!" Kyoga firmly but politely interrupted. “Sorry, but don’t need to ramble on about it.”
“Fair enough.” She said accepting that.
“This should be fun!” Beshte smiled. ”What's the first clue?"
"I hope it's something about eating lunch!" Rainbow whined.
Pinkie Pie snatched the paper from Twilight and read the words quickly, "You've got a scroll, you're on a roll, why don't you take a peek where young ones spend their week? A piece of paper will continue this caper."
"Nice! It rhymes!” Bunga noted with a chuckle.
“And that's an easy one." Twilight said upon getting the clue herself.
"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.
"Where the young ones spend their week. It's a no brainer." Pinkie anxiously pointed out.
"She's right!" Twilight acknowledged what she is saying. "It's the Ponyville Schoolhouse!"
“That’s true. They do go to school every day.” Beshte said.
“Expect weekends of course.” Fuli added.
“Right.”
"Let's go!" Pinkie Pie shouted before zipping away, leaving the others behind in the dust. Upon seeing that they aren’t moving yet, she quickly rushed back and shoved them forward to the Schoolhouse. "Move, move, move!"
"We're here!" Pinkie stated upon arriving alongside the rest of the team at the Schoolhouse. "Now where's the next clue?" She asked before she began panting like a dog and began sniffing the ground. Kion's eyes turned to Ono since he too was also acting strange today, but he simply shrugged his shoulders to assert nothing’s wrong, even though he’s not fooled in the slightest.
Pinkie Pie dug her nose into a ground, when a leaf landed on her nose causing her to sneeze before scratching her ear with her back leg like a dog.
"Extra, extra! Get your Ponyville news! Read it in the paper!" Featherweight walked on by, carrying stacks of newspapers. Little do they now is that, he too is in on their little secret.
"What else did the note say again?" Kion asked the alicorn princess, who pondered about it again.
"A piece of paper will continue this caper." Twilight repeated before gasping upon realizing what they should be looking for. "It's in the Foal Free Press!" She galloped happily and asked Featherweight for a paper, to which he happily gave her. She opened the article and the rest gathered up behind her so they could read it alongside her so they can help find the next clue. Rarity pointed her hoof to one story in the paper.
"Ooh, look at that dress Mayor Mare is wearing in the social report! Why, it's stunning!"
“Yes I know. I helped you make that one.” Ono replied in a deadpan manner.
“I know darling.” She proudly remarked while flipping her mane and patted the egret on the head who still didn’t change his expression when it happened.
"Focus, everybody!" Pinkie Pie's head popped right through the paper, surprising everybody, before she continued searching for the clue herself.
"You know, there's really no time limit on these scavenger hunts, Pinkie." Twilight reminded while personally amused herself.
“Yeah! What’s the rush?!” Bunga asked carrying on like it is just an ordinary day in Ponyville. “It’s not like her own brother and sister-in-law are going to be called away in an instant without even saying goodbye to her.”
“It could happen.” Ono pointed out just when Pinkie called out to everyone once again.
"Aha! There!"
Pinkie tapped on the paper once she found the clue. Kion the first to take notice of it, took it, and began reading it out loud, "Though this hall is rather small, in it you'll find files of all kinds. Take a look on the back of the birth certificate of Applejack."
All eyes darted to the country pony, who was quite surprised, equally surprised by what the new clue said. "I don't like where this is goin'." She commented with worry.
Ono took the lead on this one. "That’s easy! That’s City Hall, come on!"
At his command, Pinkie Pie began pushing the others towards City Hall just like she did when they arrived at the Schoolhouse which had the others seeing that she was acting a little crazier than usual today.
They finally arrived at City Hall, where Mayor Mare was waiting for them. She waved and smiled upon their arrival, to which Pinkie Pie came to a screeching halt before zipping towards the building. The others took their time getting up but Ono was also in a rush just wanting this scavenger hunt to be solved as soon as possible so Shining Armor can reveal the big news to his little sister. He too wanted the secret to be out as much as Pinkie Pie so she doesn’t wind up exploding and ruining the surprise.
The others walked calmly inside the building, seeing the Mayor galloping in place in excitement as she too knew about the secret. Once they were in, the Mayor voiced out, "Baby! A royal ba—!" She was quickly silenced when Pinkie Pie covered her mouth.
"A-hem?"
“Oh, of course. Sorry.”
"Does anypony know where the birth certificates are kept?" Ono asked.
"Ooh! I do, I do!" Pinkie zipped back in to regroup with the others to show them the way. "Go down that hall, then you take a left, then a right, then another right, then a slight left, and it's the third door from the right!"
"Wow, Pinkie. I never knew you knew so much about town hall." Fluttershy commented feeling impressed herself.
Pinkie's eyes widened in response. "There's a lot of things I know! That you don't know I know!" She quickly sucked in her lips and Ono took the lead once more.
"No time to waste! Come on!” He said before quickly rushing Pinkie inside before anymore stalling questions could occur. Once there, Pinkie pulled out the folder with Applejack's birth certificate, which depicted her as a beautiful and adorable newborn foal.
"Awwwww!" The others couldn't help but gush over how adorable Applejack used to be when she was a foal. She was cute they wanted to scoop her up and give her a great big hug.
Applejack blushed in response to their reactions and just turned the paper over to which revealed the fourth clue allowing Twilight to read the words out loud word for word.
"This next place is where you can buy a table or chair, or some comfy beds to rest little heads"?"
Pinkie Pie immediately knew what this clue was, having just been to the furniture store yesterday where they had a sale on cribs. With Ono being aware of the secret, and already figuring out this scavenger hunt was to hint upon the baby before the big reveal, he also placed the pieces together at the same time Pinkie did. Both he and Pinkie rushed out of the room but stopped when the others were still thinking it over.
“Ugh, Hapana! Isn’t it obvious at this point?!” Ono groaned before he and Pinkie both shoved everyone out of the place and on towards the next destination.
"It's obviously the furniture store!" Pinkie exclaimed once they arrived, pointing her hoof to the entrance, "Go in, go in, go in!"
But Twilight wasn't so certain if this was the right place the clue was directing their attention to. "I don't know…"
"Daagh, fine!" Both Ono and Pinkie went in and, after hearing some rumbling and commotion from inside the store, both ponies came out with a baby crib. Pinkie Pie was inside it while Ono was pushing it outside. Both pointed to the piece of paper tapped onto the rip to prove that they were right from the start.
"Wow, you guys scary good at this." Rainbow complimented.
“I’ll say.” Bunga agreed.
Pinkie Pie read the clue quickly. "It seems we've saved the best for last. We hope that you have had a blast. Now it's time to take a break where you can get a slice of cake!"
"Sugarcube Corner!" Everyone, minus Flash and Pinkie, all said at the exact same time.
Pinkie scoffed. "That was an easy one."
Ono took this moment to sigh and collapse on the ground in relief. “No kidding.”
The group entered the bakery, to where they saw the place decorated with party decorations. The royal couple stood at the center of the room, with big smiles on par as they did on their recent wedding day.
"Surprise!" Shinning Armor ruffled his littler sister's mane, "Twily, did you like the scavenger hunt?"
"It was perfect! Just like old times, except even better because this time I got to share it with my best friends!" She happily replied, just when Pinkie Pie and Ono arrived last. “There's just one thing missing, isn't there?" She brought up as she looked around the room.
"What's that?" Her brother asked.
"Mmmm, the book prize at the end!"
Shining Armor laughed as he stood beside his wife, "There's still a prize, but it's a little different this time."
Twilight looked on confused. "Oh. I don't understand."
From behind her, Pinkie and Flash giggled quietly in excitement. "This is it." said the stallion, excited to see the look on his girlfriend's faced. It was that very face that would make this whole thing worth it.
"All the places we sent you today had something in common." Cadance said with a wink. Twilight began thinking over all the clues they had saw through today. As she pondered to herself what the surprise truly is, Ono noticed Pinkie was about to loose it again.
"First we went to the schoolhouse…" Twilight began, all the while Pinkie Pie trembled, with Ono trying with all of his might to hold her down in place so she wouldn't explode.
"And then we read the Foal Free Press..."
Pinkie's mouth opened against her will and Ono immediately covered it.
"After that we found Applejack's birth certificate... And then the last clue was under a crib."
Pinkie Pie held the two baby cake twins up to help Twilight out since it seemed she was taking a little longer than she thought in figuring the mystery out.
"Hmmm… School... foal... birth certificate... and crib…"
Pinkie Pie was boiling up with pressure while Ono was starting to struggle in restraining the big motor mouth down from revealing the truth. Just when it seemed she would crack, Twilight released a gasp of realization.
"Can it be? Are you two…?!"
"We're having a baby!" Cadance and Shining Armor happily stated while they separated from each other in order to reveal a large cake, decorated with baby bottles and a crib-toy ornament at the top.
With the secret finally out, Ono released Pinkie, who literally leaped upwards, smiling widely for the first time today. "A baby, Twilight! It's a baby! Woo-hoo!"
The happy pony bounced all around the room, cheering happily at the news, something that she already knew in advance, but just so happy to know she didn't have to hide it any longer!
The rest of the Lion and Pony Guard all could believe it themselves. The Mane Six galloped around happily cheering. Beshte and Bunga also cheered while bumping bodies together. Ono sighed in relief, taking a very long deep breath for personally succeeding in helping Pinkie keep it together long enough for the secret to be kept.
While the others were celebrating, Twilight was still jaw dropped shocked, "You mean... I'm going to be an aunt?!"
“Sure sounds like it, Aunt Twilight!” Fuli commented with a teasing smirk yet still feeling very happy for her, her brother, and her sister-in-law.
“Congratulations!” Kyoga placed a paw on her shoulder with a proud smile.
“So what do you think your prize?” Kion asked while somewhat concerned when his friend remained in shock for a whole straight minute.
Once the revelation fully processed the alicorn began feeling instant heartfelt joy. Her brother was going to be a father, and she was going to be the aunt of a beautiful little foal. And much like he said, the gift this time around was even better than any book any day to the point her wings spread out along with her big bright smile.
"This is the best prize ever!" She moved to hug her siblings, "Oh, I love you guys! And I can't wait to meet your little foal!"
"Neither can we." Shining Armor said in agreement as he moved to bring Kion into the hug too. “And I’m sure the same can be said for someone who’s going to be the foal’s uncle, Kion.”
“You mean…I’m going to be an uncle?!” Kion added equally jaw dropped shocked when the realization sunk in at that moment.
“Yep!” Cadance nodded.
“Nice!” Fuli smirked feeling equally proud for Kion too yet still in a friendly teasing manner. “Uncle Kion! If I were you I’d better get used to it.”
Kion blushed in response before refocusing his happy attention to the wonderful news that soon a new baby foal will become the new addition to the Sparkle Family before he and the others moved to congratulate both Shining Armor and Cadance on their future child.
Ono looked on feeling equally happy for his friends too just when Pinkie Pie suddenly hugged him tightly. “We did it, Ono!" she cheered before hopping around him, "We did it, we did it, we did it, we did it!"
“Yep! We did!” Ono choked out with his face turning blue again. Thankfully for him he was released when the pink pony literally fell to pieces on the floor. Ono ended up collapsing onto the floor alongside her as they both felt equally relieved that it was all finally over.
The Cakes congratulated the couple as they rolled up the party refreshments so the party itself could start. Nobody in this room could be any happier, knowing that a newborn was coming soon, and that’s something worth celebrating. Ono watched on as everyone celebrated with cake and dancing.
“So…” Kion’s voice spoke to him to which startled him once he turned to see him standing right beside him. “…that’s why you and Pinkie were actually all nutty recently?”
“What do you mean?!” Ono returned rather alarmed and frantic.
“The fact that you and Pinkie Pie knew the whole time of what the big secret was. Everything from the scavenger hunt from start to finish along with knowing that both Shining Armor and Cadance were coming over to tell her themselves.”
“Uh…yes, I knew. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But they both wanted to surprise her along with you since they see you as a part of family too. And believe trying to stop Pinkie from revealing it wasn’t easy since she couldn’t keep it together thus I had to spend half of my time worrying about her.”
“And for that I don’t blame you.” Twilight said as she approached the two with three slices of cake being levitated with her magic. “A secret like that along with keeping Pinkie from spilling the beans surely is something hard to keep to yourselves.”
CRASH!
“Oops! Sorry!” Bunga called out while quickly munching up all of the jelly beans from the now broken glass jar. “Just bill me.” He said to the Cakes while sweeping the glass up with a broom and dust pan.
“Anyways…you did.” Twilight resumed commending the Guard’s Keenest of Sight. “You kept it a surprise for both me and Kion. And now we both have a future niece/nephew to look forward to. And I also have you to thank for helping Pinkie Pie to keep it together long enough so that it remains a surprise.”
“You’re welcome!” Ono saluted in return before looking on puzzled at the honey badger who simply carried on like what he learned beforehand never happened. “Though I still don’t get how Bunga managed to keep it together this whole time.”
“Bunga knew about it too?!" Kion asked in surprise at the egret who nodded his head in response. "Good question, Ono. He then turned towards his friend eating his slice of cake with jelly beans decorated on top of it. “Bunga!”
“Yeah, Kion!”
“You knew about the secret, too?!”
“Yep.”
“But how did you not nearly explode?”
“Easy.” Bunga simply shrugged. “I just act like the moment never happened.”
“What?!” Ono looked on as mouth just repeatedly opened up and closed back up like Twilight did when Pinkie revealed she knew that she and Ono were following her in an attempt to understand her Pinkie Sense.
“Aw come on, Ono! It’s a party! The truth is out! Have fun!”
Twilight levitated both him and Kion slices of cake for them to enjoy to which both shrugged deciding to let it slide and accepting the offered treats.
Just when Pinkie Pie managed to literally pull herself back together, Princess Cadance arrived and offered her a slice of cake as well.
"You did it, Pinkie Pie! You kept it a surprise! Thank you!" She hugged her very grateful that she did it. "Was it much trouble?"
"Piece of cake!" Pinkie said with a smile.
“Yeah, right!” Ono remarked while shaking her head.
“Of course it was.” Pinkie insisted. “Common knowledge, really.”
“Hey!”
Cadance, Twilight, and Kion all shared a happy laugh together finding that admittedly pretty funny as it is all part of the vitriolic best buds vibe amongst one another. So ribbing on each other was allowed every now and then, especially when it’s amongst friends of the family.