The base of the evening Sun was just making contact with the western horizon as the Friendship Express rolled into Ponyville. As it screeched to a gentle halt, a modest crowd of ponies made their way onto the platform, among them a particularly ecstatic unicorn.
Twilight’s excursion had gone off without a hitch—despite having taken almost all day due to excessive waiting times—and her wide eyes were now transfixed on a piece of parchment she held in her magical grasp. Unmistakably smeared across the surface of the letter in bold red ink was the word “APPROVED”, stamped in the perfect archetype. Words escaped her as her mind tried to grasp what had just transpired at the university. All she could think to do was to find a friend to share her happiness with.
“I haven’t had much to eat today. I suppose I could stop by Sugarcube Corner to see Pinkie and kill two birds with one stone.” Carefully inserting her certificate into her saddlebag, she cantered unabashedly for the treat shop.
It wasn’t long at all before the lavender blurr came to a sudden stop next to the familiar pink storefront. Twilight smiled more proudly than she thought she could and waltzed into the smog of sugary aromas within the building.
A pink pony with an especially bubbly mane sat behind the counter across the way, but she had her back turned to the door and seemed to be busily counting something. “Pinkie!” exclaimed Twilight as she skipped towards the counter. “I’ve got the best news ever!”
Pinkie stopped abruptly in her idle motions at the sound of her friend’s voice. Wheeling around to face the newcomer revealed that the party pony was wearing an uncharacteristic grimace. Her eyes welled with a mix of anger and disappointment as she stared hard into Twilight’s pupils.
Twilight stopped in her tracks and gained a look of befuddlement as her eyes met with the pink grouch. “Pinkie? Is everything okay?”
Pinkie dropped her gaze to the floor and closed her eyes, releasing a pent up sigh. “Twilight, if you’re here to apologize, I’m not the one you need to apologize to.”
Puzzlement gained a firmer hold on the unicorn’s face. “Apologize? Did I do something wrong?”
Seemingly taken aback, Pinkie returned her friend’s confused expression with an expression of disbelief. “Did you do... Twilight, you did the absolute worst thing you could’ve done! However “great” your news is, it doesn’t excuse what you did today. Nothing could excuse that!”
“But how could I have done anything to upset you today?! I wasn’t even in Ponyville most of the day!”
“Exactly!” The agitated pony threw her forehooves in the air and gave her friend a look of shock and expectation. Silence reigned the scene for a moment as they each tried to understand the other’s thought process.
Twilight finally broke the stare down and changed her expression to one of frustration. “I don’t get it. Can you please tell me what exactly I did to deserve this kind of behavior? Today was one of the best days of my life and your baseless aggression is really starting to irk me!”
Pinkie dropped her hooves hopelessly but maintained her shocked look. “You... you really don’t know?” Giving up, the moping earth pony turned her back on her friend and let out another, more pronounced sigh. “Twilight, if you really don’t know what you did, I’m not gonna be the one to tell you. Figure it out for yourself, and don’t come back here until you’ve apologized for it. I mean it, Twilight.”
Gloomy tension was thick in the air as Twilight stared wordlessly at her friend’s mane. The overbearing joy with which the purple mare had entered the shop not two minutes prior was all but gone, replaced by sheer confusion and frustration. Just as she was about to make a retort, Pinkie began making idle motions again before saying, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a job to do.”
Twilight stood speechless for a moment longer, listening to the rattling of coins coming from the pony behind the counter. She released a defeated sigh and said, “Can I at least buy a cupcake? I’m starving.” Pinkie seemed to wince at the inquiry, but she made the transaction regardless. Twilight could almost see the tension in the air it was so thick.
“Thanks... talk to you later Pinkie.” Slowly she made her way to the exit, cupcake in tow. Half hoping for some sort of reply, Twilight realized it was hopeless and quickly strode out into the street, failing to notice as Pinkie let loose a stream of silent tears.