//------------------------------// // Confessions // Story: Two Weeks // by Starlitomega //------------------------------// “What?!” “Easy, Twi! We need our ears, ya know.” Applejack said nervously. Rainbow and Pinkie sat in front of the unicorn like naughty foals awaiting punishment. “So lemme get this straight. You two lied about being together, just so I would get jealous and try to get you back?” Twilight summarized while glaring at Rainbow Dash. “Y-yeah, I’d say thats about it...” the pegasus admitted. Twilight fumed. “Rainbow Dash, I could jus-” Pinkie jumped between them and held up her hooves. “Hold it!. You're not allowed to be mad at Dashie.” "And why is that?" Twilight asked through clenched teeth. Pinkie sighed. "The dating, the moving to Manehattan, not sending you a ticket... it was all my idea." Twilight's jaw nearly hit the floor. “But, Pinkie... why?” The pink pony pawed at the carpet. “Rainbow came to see me after the fight. She brought the flower I gave her and said she really liked me... as a friend. It hurt... a lot, but I know you can’t force somepony to like you when they just don’t. She told me all about the fight, and that she just somehow knew you liked her, so I said I’d help using all of my Pinkie powers.” Twilight’s anger started to vanish quickly, seeing the sincerity in Pinkie's eyes. “But... if you wanted me and Rainbow to be together, why did you pretend you two were dating?" "Well, I remembered how I felt when Gilda started hanging out with Rainbow. She may have been a grumpy meanie pants, but seeing her hang out with Rainbow made me want to be around Rainbow even more. So I thought if you saw me and Rainbow dating, you would see how much you liked her and try to get her back." "Yeah, except you didn't," Rainbow added, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, so we decided we’d' do something so stupendously crazy that you would have to do something." "Jeez. Pinkie and I getting married after only like, a week together. I can't believe you guys would let us do that," Rainbow said, shaking her head. Rarity cleared her throat. “A-hem, if you’ll recall, I tried to make you listen to reason, but you two accused me of being, what was it, a ‘traitor’?” Pinkie giggled. "Anyway, we decided we would do something to make you even more jealous, and whaddya know, it worked!" Twilight finally digested the information, not really sure how to feel. "So, this whole fiasco was a plan to get me to be so jealous that I would come here to Manehattan to get her back?" Pinkie nodded. “Then why in Equestria did you did you threaten me with a sword?” Twilight asked. Rainbow‘s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, a sword? What’s she talking about Pinkie?” “We had a really cool sword fight in the backstage hall! We were dodging and slashing and throwing chairs! It was so cool!” Pinkie rambled excitedly. “When you say sword fight, it implies I actually had a sword too,” Twilight grumbled. Rarity laughed dismissively. “Twilight darling, you can’t possibly believe Pinkie Pie of all ponies would try to hurt you in such a… a dreadful way!” Spike grabbed Rarity’s head and brought it eye level with his own. “You wouldn’t say that if you had seen her! Her mane was down, she was ranting like a madmare, and she had crazy eyes! Crazy eyes!” “Wait a pony-picking minute here, so chasing Twilight here with a sword was all part of some master plan y’all had?” Applejack asked, scratching her head. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t tell her to do it!” Rainbow protested. Pinkie rolled her eyes. “You told me to make sure she was serious!” Rainbow turned to Twilight. “You took on Pinkie Pie, who had a freaking sword, completely unarmed, just to come tell me how you feel?” Rainbow asked. Twilight blushed. “I couldn’t let anything stop me. I’d already made this ridiculous trip, I thought, might as well see it all the way through. Besides, I wasn’t completely defenseless. I had my magic.” “Now, that is awesome!” Rainbow mussed the unicorn’s hair playfully. Twilight smiled and haphazardly tried fixing her mane. “But, I don't understand. If you liked Rainbow, why did you go through so much trouble to get us back together?” Pinkie blushed and smiled. “When I found out Rainbow didn’t like me like me, I knew I had to step in. From that point forward, I decided that If I couldn’t be with her, I’d rather you two be happy together.” “Awww, that’s one of the sweetest, if not one of the most horribly insane things anypony has ever done for me,” Twilight said as she reached over pulling the pink pony into a hug. “Thanks, Pinkie Pie.” “It seems everything is going like it should.” Everypony in the room turned to the voice coming from the doorway. “Oh, Lady Silver Bell!” Twilight exclaimed. The sophisticated pony smiled. “It looks like you were right, Rainbow Dash." “I knew Twilight wouldn’t give up. She’s not anypony to let something just get away from her,” the pegasus explained. “Indeed. In fact, there’s quite the mess backstage to attest to such a statement. Twilight blushed in embarrassment. “Oh... right... about the damages, we ca-” “No need dear. Those statues are cheap fakes, made by a mass production company based out of Canterlot, which is probably why your friend could wrest the sword from it in the first place. I may seek legal action against the company regarding the inclusion of a combat-ready weapon on each of their statues. The chairs, too, were cheap knockoffs made to look lavish. In the entertainment business, it’s all about making everything seem much more grand than it actually is.” “That chandelier couldn’t have been cheap, though,” Twilight offered with a nervous smile. Silver shook her head. “Not exactly. It was the one item of worth I will have to charge for.” The older pony walked over to Rainbow Dash and handed off a rather sizable bag of bits. “Here is your payment for the show, minus the cost of the chandelier.” Rainbow opened the bag and her eyes grew wide, closing it quickly afterwards. “You mean all of this is for me?” Silver smiled. “Of course! Payment for your performance. A sold out crowd pulls in quite a few bits.” Silver looked at Twilight and beamed a warm smile. “Though I have a feeling those, comparatively, are of little worth considering what else you’ve gained tonight.” Twilight’s face felt like it was on fire as her blush deepened. Silver headed for the door but stopped momentarily. “Come see me again next time you save Equestria or something. I’m sure we could pack these stands again. Until then...” Silver walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her gracefully. “Well I’ll be, Rainbow. There must be enough money there to buy another cloud home if ya wanted. What are ya gonna do with all them bits?” Applejack asked. Rainbow's stomach growled. “Hmmmm. I think the first thing I’m gonna do is find the cheapest, greasiest restaurant around, and eat so much food that my stomach hurts.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “And the best part is, you’re all coming with me.” Everypony in the room cheered, as well as Spike. Twilight leaned in close, nearly touching her nose to Rainbow’s. “Even me?” “Especially you,” Rainbow said with a wink. Twilight whacked Rainbow in the head with her hoof. Not too hard, just enough to get her attention. “Ow! What was that for?” The pegasus complained “For tricking me,” Twilight said as she walked to the door. “C’mon girls, Rainbow’s paying!” Rainbow nursed the sore spot on her head as Applejack chuckled. “Didn’t think she’d let you off scot-free, didja?” Rainbow put on a smug smile. “Totally worth it.” A fresh batch of cupcakes hit the table causing a few heads to turn. Moments later, half of the dozen were scooped up by hungry ponies who now had yet another reason to smile. That's why Pinkie does what she does. For that brilliant flash of white which signifies happiness far better than any word ever could. The party was going really well, too, considering the circumstances. Their last party in Ponyville was a rather dour affair which had the departure of two of Ponyville’s favorite ponies looming over it. This time, however, with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie back, the "Welcome Back to Ponyville/We’re Really Sorry About Tricking Everypony" party, was a much happier affair. Pinkie poured more punch into the punch bowl, refilling it to the very top. Her eyes were trained on the dance floor though, never turning away from the couple enjoying each other's company. “Hey there, Pinkie Pie.” Pinkie looked up at Applejack, who sat at the opposite side of the table. “Oh, hey Applejack. Enjoying the party?” The cowpony’s broad smile told the whole story. “Shoot, I reckon if ah dance any more tonight, I’m gonna be too sore to buck any trees tomorrow.” Pinkie giggled. “Good! You could use a day off now and then.” “Psh, not like ah have much use for off days anyway,” Applejack muttered. “Why dontcha have a seat?” Pinkie did as she was asked, taking a seat opposite Applejack. Both of them smiled at each other awkwardly for a few moments. “She’s quite a pony, ain’t she?” Pinkie perked up. “Hmm? Who?” “Don’t act like ya don’t know who I’m talking about,” Applejack said, sneering at Pinkie Pie. Pinkie filled a cup with punch and took a quick sip. “Yeah... she is.” More silence. “Ya know, that was an awfully selfless thing for ya to do, Sugarcube. Ah sure hope Rainbow knows what kinda friend she has in ya.” Pinkie’s smile barely dimmed. “Rainbow knows I’d do anything for her, even if it means giving her up.” Both ponies took a swig of their punch, trying not to look at each other. Applejack pulled out her flask. “Here, ah think ya might can do with a lick of this.” Pinkie held her cup forward and allowed Applejack to tip some of the flask’s contents into her cup. The pink punch changed to a darker red as the new liquid mixed in. Applejack tipped her flask back and held it up in the air. Pinkie raised her cup, as well, until they gently tapped together. Both ponies took a drink from their cups. Applejack’s expression remained unchanged, while Pinkie’s eyes bulged for a moment. “Wow! That reminds me of the time I was cleaning my party cannon and it misfired, hitting me in the chest!” the pink pony exclaimed. “Yup,” Applejack said flatly. Both ponies enjoyed their drink in relative silence in their corner of the room. "It's good to have ya back, Pinkie. You and Rainbow both." "You mean you missed me?" the pink pony asked incredulously. "I thought I just bugged you a lot. Sometimes when I start talking and talking I see the pressure build up in other ponies like a big balloon, like they're just about to burst and yell at me to shut up," Pinkie rambled, expecting Applejack to cut her off. "I won't lie to ya, sometimes ah did get half annoyed at ya. T'weren't until you and Rainbow left that ah realized how boring it can get here sometimes without a pony like yerself around." Pinkie blushed at Applejack's heartfelt confession. “Ya know one of tha things ah like about you, Pinkie? Ya never really say a whole bunch of negative stuff. Most ponies go around complaining about what they don’t got. You always just seem happier than a frog in a rainstorm.” Pinkie added a smile to go along with her blush. “Thanks, Applejack. Too many ponies think about stuff they don’t have and make themselves sad, instead of looking about what they do have,” Pinkie said as she took another drink. “Hmm... ya know, that sounds like something a smart pony like Twilight would say. Did you think of that yourself?” Applejack asked. Pinkie put her empty cup down and wiped her mouth with her hoof. “Think of what myself?” Pinkie asked cheerfully. “That whole thing you just said abo- ahh never mind.” Applejack took another drink from her flask. “Hey, uhh, Pinkie?” Pinkie Pie looked up across the table. “This might be the drink talkin’ but, uhh... you wanna maybe go out one day, maybe just catch some hay fries and a movie?” Pinkie fell into her thoughts. Sure, Applejack didn’t have a special rainbow mane or an ego the size of a parade float, but she’s always there when somepony needed her. She wondered several times in the past how many nights she would wake up alone because Rainbow had work, or if she became a Wonderbolt. Applejack, though... Applejack was as reliable and trustworthy as the sunrise. "Hello! Equestria to Pinkie, come in Pinkie," Applejack said mockingly. "Huh?" “Ah was asking if ya wanted to see a movie together." “Oh, right. Only if I can sneak in marshmallows,” Pinkie bargained. “Deal,” Applejack said with a smile.