//------------------------------// // Movie Night 3 : Old Shame // Story: A Study In Nonsense // by Professor Piggy //------------------------------// “So, uh…you’re still not talking to me, huh?” Rainbow Dash’s voice carried through the theater, but since there was nopony else in the theater besides them – a fact for which she would be sure to thank the Princesses later – it didn’t really matter. Not like the ‘hmph’ Pinkie let out, or the way she turned away from her. Those were important. And bad. She let out a chuckle and tried again, “Look, I really didn’t mean to upset you – but you can’t just spring stuff like this on me without asking! It’s not fair!” The Pink Pony turned to face her and cocked an eyebrow. “Not fair, huh? You mean like convincing everypony not to come to my movie party? Or lying to them and sending them to watch movies you know they’ll hate? Or do you mean not fair like lying to me and trying to tell me they didn’t come on their own?” Dash frowned at that. She couldn’t help it – what Pinkie was saying wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t like she’d done it for no reason. “No, not fair like inviting everypony to watch me make an idiot of myself onscreen without warning me! You knew I didn’t want ponies seeing these stupid things, and you invited them anyway! What was I supposed to do!?” “I wanted to show them our movie! I tried telling Rarity I’d been in movies and she didn’t believe me and I couldn’t find a copy but then it came on here for just tonight and I was like ‘ohmygoshIcantotallyproveit’ and I could’ve and then maybe she would’ve stopped laughing at me when I told her! But then you sent her off to watch whatever it is you sent her to watch! You’re a jerkface!” “You invited them because you didn’t want them to laugh at you? I hate to tell you this, Pinks, but these movies are stupid! Heck, I wanna laugh at us for them! The only reason I ever did them was ‘cause I needed the money – don’t tell me you’re actually proud of them!?” “Of course not! Those movies are terrible! But I’m not ashamed of them either! And our friends deserve to know – I mean, we wouldn’t laugh at Rarity if we found out she used to be in soap operas under the name Shining Diamond, and that that’s why she’s so dramatic all the time! We’d laugh with her! And that’s how it should be!” Dash blinked, and shook her head slowly. “So…what you’re saying is that you wanted them to laugh at us?” “Yes! Exactly!” “…Why?” “Because then you’d know that it’s okay! That you don’t have to pretend it never happened, that nopony’s going to hate you for it! But then you went and ruined it! I was trying to help you!” The screen flickered into life, and Rainbow Dash appeared on it. She twirled on the spot, showing off her ‘lovely’ new scarf, and let out a delighted and cringe inducing trill. “Why Pinkie, darling! Isn’t it the most darling little scarf you’ve ever seen? And it’s rainbow coloured darling! Rainbow coloured!” At her side, Pinkie Pie nodded seriously “It really suits you, Rainbow Dash! Minty has the best taste in presents – I was going to get you one in pink, but she insisted on rainbows!” “Oh, darling, I’m sure the pink one was absolutely darling too, but you know how I feel about rainbows! They’re just the most darling thing in the world!” Pinkie and Dash stared at the screen, watching in horror as they watched the scene play out. Slowly, very slowly, Pinkie Pie siddled closer to Dash. As she leaned closer, she whispered, “Okay, Dashie. You were totally right – we can never, ever let anypony see this. It’s even worse than I remember!” Dash nodded wordlessly, and Pinkie frowned. “Um. So…can we go now? I don’t really wanna watch this.” After a moment, Rainbow Dash shook her head slowly. “Naw. You can go it you want, but…I kinda forgot how cute you look with your mane like that. I’m gonna stay a little bit longer.” The Earth Pony snorted, and slowly erupted into gales of loud, giggling laughter. Dash didn’t pay any attention, forcing herself not to laugh as she pretended to be entirely focused on the movie. Then she felt soft breath in her ear, and a shiver ran down her spine. “It is rather darling, isn’t it Dashie? I bet the girls would get a real kick out of seeing how darling that scarf is, too…” Rainbow Dash was on her hooves in a flash, one leg draped around her girlfriend as the two wandered towards the exit. Some things, she had decided long ago, would go to her grave with her.