Fluttershy turned back at me, smiling. I kept my face stern. She then closed her eyes for a moment, picked up the gardening shears again, and leaned in close. She then pushed the unseen button in her mouth, causing the shears to snap shut before opening again. Fluttershy cringed letting out a little "eep" as the tiny overgrown branch fell to the ground. The bush was an absolute mess, tangled beyond all reason, probably the result of growing way too fast. It looked like it was strangling itself. I sighed.
"Look sugar cube. You can't make that big a deal of it every time. Ah know it sounds strange, but you gotta be firm with your pruning if you want your plants to be as healthy as ya can manage."
She nodded. "Fi frow." Then she stuck the shears blade first in the dirt again. "I mean, I know. Be firm to be kind. It's just so hard. It just feels mean."
I sighed. "Ah know sugarcube, but not only is it good for your plants but I’m thinking if you take it to heart, you'll make some progress."
"I'm sorry about not telling you earlier. I tried, more than once even but every time…"
Then she let out a yelp, Pinkie suddenly falling out of the sky. I didn't even see her. I guess pegasai really do look up more than most ponies, even Fluttershy. Or at least it seems like Dash wasn't fooling about that. Pinkie then hopped to her feet laughing. If the wings were even there at all they were gone now. Pinkie fell outta the blue more than once before the flying, so it only made sense she would fall more now.
"I am so totally going to remember I need the cloud walking spell one day." Then she laughed again, and turned to me, then Fluttershy. "Oh, hi girls. Having fun?"
"Well, it's not, too terrible…"
I then remembered what I was really supposed to be doing. "Uh, not all work is supposed to be fun."
I then turned to the rabbits hiding in a nearby bush. The varmits were always the trickiest ones to coax out. Couldn't really blame them. I mean I chased them off my property hooting and hollering plenty of times. Still that was only after they were doing something they shouldn't have been, usually stealing from the fields. Sweet Apple Acres was mostly an orchard, but it just made sense to have a bit more here and there. Pinkie, then focused on my face, then on Fluttershy's.
Then suddenly Pinkie was a sorta good copy of Twilight. Fluttershy and I both took a step back. That was sure new. Course she was still mostly two shades of pink, hair her normal magenta. Well, mostly. Twi's stripes were blue and yellow instead of pink and purple. She then put a smug smile on her face so like Twi's it was creepy. Of course it never lasted long, and if I knew as much as Twi I might be a bit smug whenever I could actually put some obscure bit to use too.
"Girls, girls, girls. Now, listen here."
I blinked. It was a perfect imitation. I'd never heard Pinkie even try, but it didn't really surprise me she would be good at that sorta thing. Still, combined with looking like Twilight it sent a little shiver up my spine. Fluttershy opted to outright hide in the bush she had been trimming, or at least tried. The thing was so overgrown there wasn't really room for a pony in there no matter how big it was.
"See you girls have forgotten the nature of cutie marks and, uh, magic fun stuff."
I laughed. "Well you got the voice down Pinkie, but that don't really sound much like Twilight at all."
"Uh, see, you are unhappy cause you're doing it wrong. You're not just caring for animals, but trying to do it like Fluttershy. And she's, probably being all Applejacky too."
"But Pinkie…" Then Fluttershy looked down. "Nevermind."
"Just spit it out sugarcube."
"It's just, well. Pinkie Sparkle, you have to understand…"
I felt bad, but I burst into laughter and interrupted Fluttershy. Pinkie amazingly held off for a few seconds before joining in, falling to the ground once she did. She sounded a good bit like Twilight at first, but then sounded like Pinkie, complete with those little snorts she makes while laughing. Fluttershy looked down. I recovered as quickly as I could and looked Fluttershy right in the eyes.
"Now look here. We were laughing at that silly, if sorta accurate, name you came up with. Now come on, we both want to hear what you have to say."
Pinkie then popped up off the ground and nodded. "Of course. Man, Pinkie Sparkle, I have to remember that. So funny."
"Uh, well…" She paused, then smiled. "See, we are trying to get a handle on our new magic. It's so strange, but we're thinking…"
"Making you unhappy won't…" Pinkie then blinked, and switched back to imitating Twilight. "I mean that is not sensible."
I laughed a little. "You is a bit easier to take seriously like that, but you're really going to tell us what's sensible?"
"Of course." She turned up her nose at us. "I am a great big smarty, with giant smarty pants and a huuuuuge thinking cap. I know whole lots of super important boring things."
Fluttershy and I both laughed, though hers was mostly drown out by mine.
"And I know this isn't right. Magic is something that comes from inside, and who you are. If you're having trouble controlling it, you don't need to be less you, but be even more you than ever."
I blinked. That actually did make sense. The real Twi even said something along those lines I think, though with about ten times as many words in a much more confusing manner. Then I shook my head.
"Okay, maybe you gotta point Pinkie, but sometimes a pony's gotta try to broaden themselves a bit. I never been the most gentle of ponies, but I'm thinking I can do better."
"And Rainbow Dash always says I need to be more assertive, and plants never talk back so really, it's much easier even if…"
"Nein, nine, eight, seven…" Pinkie then blinked "Wait, what was I saying again?"
"Was that a Griffin accent there for a tick?" I asked.
"Gilda didn't have an accent."
"I reckon she's not from Griffany. I mean it's a bit odd she's even in Equestria in the first place. Pinkie, I think you were about to say how we're wrong, but with you ah can never be right sure of anything. Coulda been something about pie for all I know."
Pinkie then bounced in a very un-Twilgiht manner. "Ooo, I actually just recently came up with this really awesome idea. See most pies…"
I shoved a hoof in her mouth. "Pinkie, if you really got something to say about what we're doing, say your peace now, 'kay?"
She pulled out my hoof. "Okie dokie Loki." She switched back to Twi's voice. "It's simple girls. You can change a little, but doing something like some pony else will only teach you how they do it, which won't help you at all."
"But Pinkie ah said…"
She rolled her eyes. "Look, it's like totally obvious. AJ needs to do things Applejack style, and Fluttershy, Flutter style. If you think doing things an un-you way will work, you're like completely wrong."
I sighed. She might have point. I know trying to follow Fluttershy's instructions didn't feel right, but I figured it's just a temporary thing and if I could figure it all out things could go back to normal. Then I looked up at the sky.
"There is no back to normal, is there. You sure ain't going to stop using your new magic, and Dash is going to figure out the whole time stop thing eventually. I'm trying to do the impossible, ain't I?"
Pinkie shifted back to normal. "I dunno. I mean it's fun pretending to be her, but I'm not. I wish I could help you with this magic problem."
"But, isn't that what you were tying to do?" asked Fluttershy
"Yea, ah mean what was all that stuff you been bringing me the last few days for if not some Pinkie style solution to my problem."
Pinkie went wide eyed. "Ohhhhh. So that's why it didn't work. It's a magic problem, that's completely different."
"What in the sam hill did you think it was that…"
"OOOOOO oooo OOO. I got an idea."
Then Pinkie hopped away. I thought about calling after her, but then realized there was no point at all. Fluttershy looked at me smiling then she looked down then looked up again.
"I think, we should try Pinkie's way."
"Ah don't see how it will help, but it can't really hurt. Some of her ideas sure can, but this don't seem like one of em. Lets give it a try."
"I, should still try to be more assertive, shouldn't I?"
"And ah should be gentle as ah feel, but not try to be like you. Ah don't know about you, but ah think ah gotta think on it a bit."
At least I thought I did. I wasn't so sure how gentle it really was, but the idea sure felt more like me. I waked away from Fluttershy and near the bin filled with carrots.
"Okay listen up you cute little varmints." I yelled
Fluttershy gasped. "Uh AJ, I don't think
I turned to Fluttershy and said "Ah know what you think, that's the idear, remember?" I then went back to shouting. "Now I know we ain't always got along, but listen here." I then talked at a more normal volume "Ah ain't gonna hurt ya. You can trust that."
I waited a few seconds, but nothing happened. I was hoping for some sign this was working, but I guess I just gotta go on and hope it works.
"Now look here. You know me and you know Fluttershy. So trust me. Know that what Ah'm saying is true. Ah just want ta feed ya, so get yer fluffy tails in gear and we can all be happy. Ya get me." Then especially loudly. "Line up."
I smiled. Even if this didn't work it felt tons better. Now I didn't move at all, not wanting to spook the little critters, I just stood there and waited. It took a good long while, Fluttershy could get a crowd around her in two shakes of a tail, but eventually they came. They kept looking to Fluttershy, and she would just nod, but eventually they all came out. I tossed two that happened to be standing next to each other their carrots first, then waited. Then Angel came out, looked a few rabbits in the eyes and they quick as could be were a strait line, they even gave me a salute. Yep, Dash is sure right. There is something mighty odd about that rabbit.
"Well, ah think that would never 'ave really worked if you weren't 'ere but one way or another it worked, so I'm callin' it a win."
"They are behaving so nicely. Maybe a little firmness is a good thing."
I then started tossing carrots. Fluttershy was quiet behind me. I gave Angel some extra. Fluttershy made it clear he got special treatment, and now I think I had some idea of why. Then I heard Fluttershy clear her throat.
"Now listen here Mr Bush." Fluttershy began, unusually loud. "You are behaving badly, and it's doing you no good whatsoever. You need to think about what you're doing and grow the right way. You can't just be growing all willy nilly." Then she dropped back to her normal volume. "I mean, if that's okay with…" She shook her head. "No, this is what's best for you, so even if it's not okay, you will do it."
"Fluttershy I don't think…"
Of course I sort of forgot apparently talking to my trees was all she needed to do to get them to give up their apples, so I really should have expected the bush moving about. But I didn't and couldn’t help but stare. I mean I knew that business had to be some sort of magic, but the bush shifting around into a topiary shaped like a pony was a bit much. Fluttershy smiled.
"Oh, that's so nice. Thank you Mr Bush. I know AJ is right about pruning too. I'm sure you'll be much happier like that in the long run."
"Uh, yea. Ya know, Fluttershy. I'm thinking we're really over our heads here. Maybe we could at least talk to Rarity 'bout all this."
"Oh no, that's a terrible idea." She then looked down. "Oh, that sounded mean, no, it's just she's such a gossip. I don't think she'd ever want to betray me but it just seems like, that maybe, just maybe, she might say something, by accident."
"Ah see. Yea, that does make some sense. Though Twilight ain't like that. I'm sure the princess has told her quite a few secrets." Then I face hoofed. "And ah just remembered she already told us without thinking cause she loves sharing what she knows just that much. Ah guess that could be a problem."
"Uh, do you think this really helped?"
"Er, ah don't rightly know. Ah am finally done here, so how bout ah go home and give it a try, and you stay here and see if you can't reign everythin' in a bit."
She nodded. "Okay. See you later Applejack."
We waved to each other, and went our separate ways. I smiled. I sure felt a might better, even if the more I thought of it the more I realized it didn't have too much to do with that working. Clearly Pinkie has a better understanding of all that magic hooey Twilight was spouting than I do. Or at least misunderstands it in a way that seems very helpful to me.