"Apologizing is easy!"
No, really, it was! All this fear and uncertainty that you feel before saying that one magical word, followed by more words full of self loathing and weak explanations, all of that fear- baseless. Bowing lowly and saying 'I'm sorry for being a jerk and yelling at you at the party. That was a mistake, I have no excuse (he kinda had, but not good enough), I don't expect you to ever forgive me!' was apparently all it took for most citizens of Ponyville to instantly cover in blush and forgive him without any second thoughts.
Part of it might have something to do with the fact that he was still Prince Blueblood- one of the most handsome stallions of Canterlot, now living in Ponyville where single mares were everywhere, while bachelors were a dying breed.
"It's not that big of a deal?" said Shining Armor.
Past two hours, Prince and Shining (now better known as 'Blue and Shiny'. Jokes were already made) ventured from house to house, repeating the same line over again to every single guest of the party that he ruined on that fateful day. It was actually an ingenious plan to start with one particular mare. Ditzy Doo was the first pony he apologized to (for sexual harassment and hurting her feelings... long story), which she immediately accepted, if only because of their connection to a certain Doctor she was living with. From her, towns mailmare, they acquired names and addresses of every pony that was there, which made their task all that easier.
"Maybe," Prince waved his hoof "but if feels good regardless!" he admitted to himself.
He held a list full of ponies over his head and with a single move of a quill, he checked out another name from the long list. He was nearly done and only one name was left. Unlike every other on that list, he dreaded this moment way more then the rest.
"Well..." Shining Armor tilted his head. He passed this place a few times and despite it being shaped like a giant cake-muffin-cupcake-gingerbread-stuff-with-sprinkles, he didn't pay Sugarcube Corner much attention before. Now was about time to start "...that certainly looks like a place she'd work for."
Pinkie Pie. Literally the first pony they met after reaching Ponyville. Also, first one ever to 'gasp'n'run' (pretty much inventing that phrase), only to later throw them a surprise party. A party that Prince did not appreciated (he had a bad day) and ruined (very bad), making her run away with tears. According to all Ponyville residents, they never seen Pinkie Pie cry, other then at weddings and when watching a moderately sad movie. For the longest time it was thought to be impossible to actually break her into tears, let alone with just words.
About as impossible as defeating Nightmare Moon with a beam made out of friendship. Prince Blueblood had many talents, some he was less proud of then others.
Thankfully, according to Ditzy, Pinkie Pie was a bubbly, party obsessed mare who didn't know the meaning of the word 'grudge'. She was quite likely to throw a 'Even though you hurt me, we're still friends so it's okay!' party that she'd invite entire Ponyville to. Prince wasn't eager to go through another Pinkie party so soon in his life, but at least this time he had friends to keep him in check. And even if Shining Armor (his occasionally competent bodyguard, also new best friend and roommate) failed, other four would keep him from hurting anypony, including himself. Except Soarin- he'd be too busy 'taking care' of many other guests. Female ones, to be precise, which was about all of them anyway.
The doorbell made a sound, welcoming two stallions inside Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville's best (and only) bakery. Despite outlandish exterior decorations, inside was much more down to earth bakery of a fairly large size, filled with several tables, all empty aside from one housing a single businesspony sipping his afternoon coffee and donut over newspaper. Blue and Shiny moved towards the counter, currently occupied by a chubby, middle aged mare with oddly shaped red hair, reminiscent of a cupcake frosting.
"Welcome to Sugarcuber corner, gentlecolts. How can I help you?" she asked happily.
Prince gulped. He was still new in Ponyville and even though he made quite a first impression, there were still some who didn't know him by face, but the art of gossip was not dead in small towns. This could be Pinkie Pie's mother he could be speaking to. He knew this type- cheerful and docile on the outside, but get behind her skin and you're in for a world of trouble, even before her husband appears with a shotgun. Or worse- a blunt object.
"Umm, I..." he started and couldn't help but stutter. The mare tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, but didn't lose her smile, waiting patiently "I-I need to... to... Pi-Pink..." he shifted his eyes nervously, looking around the exposition in panic "...pink frosting donuts!" he announced suddenly, pointing at a tray filled with multicolored baked goods.
"Certainly. How many?"
"J-just one..." small pause. His eye caught a glimpse of Shining Armor "t-two! I mean two!"
"Two Pinkie Donuts, coming right up," sweet Celestia, does Pinkie have confectioneries named after her?
As the store clerk prepared his order, he felt a jab to his ribs. Shining Armor coughed and gestured him to get on with it. Prince Blueblood, now covered in cold sweat, nodded nervously and braced himself.
"Umm, i-is miss P-Pie..."
"Hmm?" she looked at him puzzled "Pie?"
"Y-yes!"
"Which one? We have apple, cherry, peach..." she kept on naming several ones, not a single one being of pinkie variation "...so, which one would you like?"
"Umm..." he looked at his options. Not the pies, mind you, but rather at the puzzle he created by himself with the lack of courage to ask a simple question. It wasn't too late to admit that he just came to talk to Pinkie, but... What would she feel once realizes that he wasted her time, on top of making her daughter (?) cry on her own party? There was only one thing he could do to walk away from this with any dignity left (or so he thought).
"I'll take all of it!"
There was a pause. All eyes were now concentrated on Prince Blueblood. Even the anonymous customer pulled his newspaper away to see what the silent fuss was about. The clerk tilted her head.
"I'm sorry sweetheart, I don't think I heard you right. Did you say you want all of it?"
He had to admit, this looked a lot better in his head, but now was a bit too late to go back. Actually, it was the right time to back of, but his honor was on the line. And if anything, Bluebloods valued their honor much more than common sense.
"Yes, fair madame, I would like to buy every single one of your delicious pies that you have right now! Price matters not!" he reached to his saddlebags and pulled his wallet, from which he pulled out an impressive number of bills. The clerk looked at Prince's money with wide eyes, not quite able to hide a wide grin on her face.
Shining Armor coughed and telekinetically pulled Prince by ear.
"Excuse us for a moment!"
Once they stepped a few feet away, Shiny finally left the aching ear of his friend.
"That hurts!" said Prince Blueblood, massaging his ear. Shining paid that no attention.
"What are you doing?" asked Shiny in a hushed voice "Just ask for Pinkie Pie and get this over with!"
"I know! But every time I try to say it, I just... just... argh, this is so stupid! It didn't feel this awkward when I met others! Why am I hesitating NOW?"
Shining Armor sighed. He of all ponies knew how hard, awkward and stressful it was to apologize for something this big. But if he managed, then he knew that Blue would as well. After all, he found enough courage to oppose Nightmare Moon, alone and helpless. How hard could this be?
"Look, you just need to go there and say it."
"B-but..."
"And if they try anything funny, by which I mean dangerous, not hilarious, I'll step in and stop them. Don't worry."
Ponyville was going to be his new home and if rumors are true, Pinkie Pie knows everypony. He didn't want to be known as 'that jerk who doesn't apologize being a jerk'. 'Jerk who apologized for being a jerk' wasn't that much better, but it was a start. Now to just think of a good way to approach this, while the shop owner was occupied with packing. At least the mare in question wasn't around. That would make the situation much worse.
"Pinkie Pie, could you help me a little here?" she yelled towards the kitchen.
'Me and my big mouth. In my head. Mind mouth. Argh, I can't even be snarky in my own head!''
"Be righty-whity, Mrs Cake!"
'No, don't! I still don't know what to say! It's too soon!'
His silent, mental pleas weren't heard by anypony (much to his shock), as the perky, bubbly pink pony slowly walked to the store from the kitchen, holding a tray full off freshly washed plates. She was just as pink, messy haired and happy looking as before he broke her. Maybe she forgot?
"GASP!" SMASH!
Judging by how she ignored the smashing plates that fell on the ground after she locked her eyes at him, probably not. She didn't run this time, however she did stepped back and warily looked at Prince. No smile to be found, only frightened eyes and body frozen in one place, not sure how to react. She never thought what to do with nasty ponies, especially clients, which she was supposed to treat with utmost respect and smile on her face. She could smile. She loved smiling. Making ponies smile was her favorite thing to do. She even made a song about it and taught it to most of her friends, choreography and all.
But for some reason, she couldn't bring a smile on herself. He didn't like her smile back then, what if he hates it even more now? She couldn't run away either, this was her home!
Her friend Rarity could sum it up as 'THE, WORST, POSSIBLE, THING!', then faint on the couch. She didn't have a couch. She had a bed in her room, but the meaning could be lost and nopony liked it when a joke is explained to them. That she was thinking of jokes first and foremost in that situation was a completely different problem.
Worried, Mrs Cake ran towards Pinkie, carefully avoiding the broken plates, and put a hoof on her shoulder.
"Pinkie dear, are you alright?" she asked. The only answer was a reluctant nodding, which meant that nothing was right. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Prince Blueblood, now sweating even more. She turned to Pinkie, still paralyzed, but definitely looking at him. She put two and two together.
"It's HIM?" she asked, no trace of previous kindness to be found.
Of all the things in the world, being 'HIM' was the worst that could happen. There was one pony that Blue called that. The only pony he would shoot on sight if he ever laid his eyes on him. Anything but that!
Their silent stand-off was interrupted by a moving chair. They turned to the businesspony, who slowly got off and placed a few bits on the table.
"Umm, keep the change!" he bowed, grabbed his newspaper and suitcase, then quickly trotted through the door, evacuating from the building. Smart move.
Once again the room filled itself with silence. Prince Blueblood could swear that he heard a certain middle aged pony glaring eyes piercing him inside out, but he knew that glaring didn't make sounds, or so he was taught. Yet for some reason he felt a hole in his heart grew bigger and bigger, as a mother-figure (probably not related, since Pinkie called her by name) protected a poor, trembling with fear little mare. He knew he hurt Pinkie the most with his outburst, but this was worse then he thought. He took a deep breath and once again tried to get his point across.
"Wh-what I mean to d-do, I mean say..." come on, be strong. You can do this! "...I c-came h-here to s-say..."
"Honey, I'm home!"
'OH COME ON!' he lamented mentally.
The newcomer, a tall but very thin yellow earth pony, stopped in his track and lost his smile once he noticed the commotion inside. His eyes went from his lovely wife, to his employee, then shattered plates on the floor, then slowly to two stallions he saw for the first time. His sight went back to his wife.
"Honey bunny, what's going on?" he asked. His wife looked at him, but quickly turned back to Prince Blueblood, who felt smaller and smaller each second.
"It's HIM!" she said slowly, pointing her snout at the poor Prince.
"Him?" he repeated and hummed. He put the two and two together just as easily and narrowed his eyes as well, focusing his not so subtle death glare at him as well. Now Prince Blueblood was surrounded from both sides, one of the entrances actually blocked by the other shop owner. There were still windows. Or teleportation. He still had options, but admittedly- they all sucked. When jumping out the windows was a more preferable option then teleportation, you know you are panicking too much.
Prince stepped back and turned to Shining Armor.
"H-help!" he whispered, looking at him with pleading eyes.
Shiny rolled his eyes and groaned.
"Just say it already! You're making it worse by waiting!" as emphasis, he turned him around and pushed a bit closer. Pinkie's eyes met his for a second, but they both instinctively turned them away. He knew that Shiny was right and the only way to do it, was to do it!
Nopony he apologized to before had been this hard to approach. Most just didn't care or forgot about the entire deal, if only because that day had Nightmare Moon turning their lives upside down and scaring everypony way too much to leave room for a single Canterlot jerk. Pinkie was different- she was hurt directly and no ancient evil would take that away. He didn't give her much thought before, but from her perspective, she spent an entire day, from morning till evening, preparing a party, spending a lot of time, effort and budget, only to have it destroyed by one she tried to impress. All because he had a really bad day, which she couldn't possibly knew about back then.
"You have some NERVE to show yourself here," Mr Cake said, closing in on Prince "didn't you do enough?"
"W-well, I was..."
"Look what you've done to her!" Mrs Cake continued, patting Pinkie's head "She was always so happy and cheerful, but that night..."
"She came back home with tears. TEARS!" continued Mr Cake, moving himself a bit too close to Prince Blueblood. Shining Armor approached him and blocked his path with a hoof "She doesn't cry, even when she peels onions. But somehow, you did it! Well, aren't you proud of yourself?"
"N-no, I..."
"Take your pies and leave her alone! She suffered enough!" Mrs Cake hugged Pinkie's head (who still didn't show much of a reaction). He could swear Pinkie's hair slowly deflated and lost it's brightness, giving her a completely different, much more depressed, image. This was getting out of hoof fast. Even Shining Armor had his hooves full with repelling Mr Cake, but nothing protected him from Mrs Cake. It had to end soon.
"I-I came here to-to say that I-I'm so-"
"I'M SO SORRY!" shouted Pinkie Pie.
The commotion in the shop stopped, as everypony turned to Pinkie Pie, who just woke up from her paralysis, now wide eyed and sweating, almost tearing up when looking and talking to Prince Blueblood.
"I'm sorry for making you mad!" she continued. Others were much too shocked to react "When I don't know a pony in Ponyville then they are not my friends and I like having friends, so I thought 'I want them to be my friends' but how do I make them my friends if they don't know me and I don't know them so I though A PARTY will work. It always works, my friends love my parties, so I went and made you one and it was going good but you were all frowny and saddy (a word I made up, it's like sad but even more) so I tried talking to you but you were all 'meh' so I thought I'm doing something wrong and I tried so... very... hard..." a pause for breather, then continued "... b-but then you yelled and I... I... I didn't know what to do because nopony yells at me, unless music is too loud but it wasn't because nopony was yelling, so... so..." she started crying "... when you said you don't want friends I was like oh no, he hates parties! Everypony loves parties, but what if not everypony loves them? Like I don't like melon ice-cream even though everypony loves them and wonder why I don't but I just don't so I guess everypony likes different things and I tried to force my fun on you even if you didn't like it so all I did was just make you angry, even though I didn't want to! And so I ran away and I wanted to apologize to you, but every time I tried to talk to you, I ran away again, but now you're here and I don't have anywhere to run away to, because my room is upstairs and you know that because I just told you!"
She finally stopped, now busy breathing deeply, while tears and snot covered almost her entire face, making her look more miserable then anything he ever saw in his entire life. And yes, that included humble and shameful Luna.
All his life, he has never met anypony this fragile and innocent. He felt really bad for chewing her out back then, even more then ever before, never realizing that there existed somepony pure enough to shift all the blame on herself for the crimes of one douchebag. Memories from that particular night haunted him even more- how he suspected her of flattery and flank-kissing, when it was just a good old kindness, one he once thought was always fake. But not anymore. New Prince Blueblood is a bearer of Crown of Friendship, Element of Magic, which he knew he didn't fully deserved, but was determined to work hard to make this true. And this mare was only first of his mistakes he had to fix.
"Miss Pie," he said, finally finding the courage to speak without stutter "you didn't do anything wrong. I'm in the wrong here." he admitted. Pinkie Pie wiped her tears and listened carefully "I came here to apologize for being a jerk, for yelling at you. I..." she opened her heart to him despite everything. He might as well do the same.
"To tell you the truth, I hated coming here and talking to common folk, but that was in the past. A lot happened last few days and I really regret being mean to you, so, without further ado, Miss Pie..."
He knelt, head deep down.
"I'm sorry."
'Well, that wasn't too hard after all.' he proudly admitted to himself. And it felt pretty good to finally get it out of his chest. And by the looks of it, Pinkie was quite pleasantly surprised as well.
"Y-You mean you don't... hate me?" she asked, still shy as her fluttery friend. At least, he assumed she knew Fluttershy, who was from Ponyille after all.
"No Miss Pie, I don't."
"Call me Pinkie," she smiled, while her hair made a 'pop' noise and became puffy, light colored once again "my friends call me that," she took a slight pause, scratched her head "I mean, if you don't want to then I guess I won't force you, but it feels like we kinda are friends now but I'm not sure anymore, because you're kinda confusing. No offense, confusing is not bad. Everypony says I'm confusing but they keep saying 'don't ever change Pinkie Pie', so that's good. I think. Why would they tell me to keep being bad? That's just silly!"
Prince blinked. She talked a lot, most of it nonsense or redundant, but for some reason, it didn't bother him nearly as much as with most other ponies he knew. Something about this mare was... endearing, but he couldn't put his hoof on it.
"Umm, yes?" he answered, quite sure that the question was 'are we friends now?'. She was weird, but he already had five other weird friends, so one more won't make a different. Six, counting Ditzy Doo, who apparently also warmed up to him. Seven if Blossomforth counted, he wasn't sure if she even liked him (or if she and Thunderlane broke up again). Nine with Dinky and Rumble. Steven Magnet technically counted too. And lets not even get into Apple family members.
Quite a number for somepony who claimed he didn't want any to begin with.
"Really?" asked Pinkie, as her smile grew a size.
"Sure, why not." Prince shrugged.
"Really REALLY?" and one more size.
"Yes, Miss Pie, I already answered that." he muttered.
"Call me Pinkie!" she exclaimed, bouncing happily in one place, then turned to Mrs. Cake "Did you see that, Mrs Cake? I just made another friend!"
"Umm, that's great Pinkie, really." she smiled awkwardly.
Pinkie Pie gasped "Ohmigosh, do you guys know what this calls for?"
The entire room gasped with terror. They knew exactly what it called for. Even Blue and Shiny knew. Prince took a step to put a stop to another party he wasn't ready for, not yet at least.
"I believe it's a little too-OUUCH!"
Prince took a sudden step back and fell on his flank, when he felt a sharp pain in his front hoof. He looked over to examine slightly bleeding hoof that he just stepped into the shattered plates. Nothing more serious than a paper cut, but still hurts.
"Oh no!" Pinkie Pie gasped, then bounced towards Prince, nimbly avoiding any pointy shards "Here, let me help!" she said, as she grabbed his hurting hoof into hers, then pressed her lips on the hurting part, cleaning he wound. With her tongue. With saliva.
"Oh my!" exclaimed all three spectators, covering in blush. Not as red as Prince Blueblood however, who at this point could safely change his name to Redblood, which was a dominant color of his face.
"Buh-buh-buh-wha-wha..." muttered Prince, too shocked to create words, let alone sentences. He tried to shake his arm away, but her grip was surprisingly strong and didn't even budge.
"Stop shaking so much Bluie," she warned him once she took her lips away "let your new friend Pinkie take care of this little ouchie."
"B-buh..."
"No 'buts'," she replied, wearing a more innocent looks then any foal he met thus far. Maybe it wasn't more innocent then Dinky Do level, but it was right there.
"Or 'buhs'. Or 'buds'. Especially no 'buks', because I don't even know what that is! But anyway, that is what Momma Pie did when I had an ouchie. One little kiss and pain is gone for good!"
In all this lewd insanity he had to admit, he completely forgot about the pain. He had more pressing matters. Like female saliva on his cut, still pleasantly warm and calming, yet inciting so much panic at the same time. Funny- he had many mares in his bed, yet never felt this emberassed.
"T-this is highly inappropriate! I-i mean, I barely know you!"
"Nonsense Bluie! Now come on!" she dragged him across the room leading to the living quarters, carefully avoiding any other shards "We have to disinfect it before you get any infections!"
"M-MISS PIE!"
"Call me Pinkie!" and they both disappeared in the corridor.
Which left Shining Armor alone with the Cakes, but considering the latest development, there was no hostility left. Only awkward silence, as always. Amidst the confusion and effort to find something to break the ice, Mrs Cake took note of the mess.
"I should clean this up, before anypony else gets hurt." that said, she grabbed a broom and commenced the cleaning.
Shining Armor and Mr Cake stood there in place for a good moment, watching Mrs Cake as she slowly broomed the floor. Shiny finally coughed and started.
"So... you have a lovely shop," he noted, looking around the room "very... roomy."
"Why thank you. It used to have more rooms on 1st floor, but we had to get rid of them to make more space."
"Why?"
"Pinkie Pie." he sighed.
Shining Armor nodded, as he didn't have a reply and did not question it. It was spacious enough to fit a lot of ponies inside, perfect for her trademark parties.
"So..." Mr Cake scratched his head "Coffee? This ones on the house, for new Pinkie Pie friends." he announced happily. He did not mention that it used to be a free coffee and donut for new Pinkie friends until recently. It backfired, badly.
"Sure, I'd love to!" he announced happily and sat down at the table, while Mr Cake tended the coffee machine "So, I heard Pinkie Pie is a very..." he searched through all he heard, siphoning out anything that sounded ambiguous "...cheerful pony."
"You have no idea," he answered with a smile, as he walked with a small cup of coffee, which he put on the table "there is never a dull moment when you live with her under one roof." he blinked. His smiled dulled "Ever." his head lowered even more, pretty much adjacent to the floor.
"...ever."
Shining once again decided not to comment and this time he had something to divert his attention to. He smelled the hot, steamy aroma that emanated from the mug. Cinnamon and caramel, a good mix. He grabbed it in his hooves and took a sip.
"...ever..."
Delicious.