//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Anniversaries // by twinn //------------------------------// Ooh, this is so great! It's going to be six months in three days! There's so little time left and so much to get done! The party planning is going to be a little tough. I really wanted Rarity to help me with it, but she had some dresses to work on. It's strange that she never told any of us about the order before. She usually tells us when she's going to be busy with something. Maybe she just got caught up in it, fashion is her passion after all. But then, why wasn't she working when I came over? When she was talking to Dashie, she looked like she had all the time in the world. Why was Dashie there i the first place. She almost never goes to the boutique alone, and when she does there's a really important reason for it. Were they hiding something from me? Everything seemed to stop when they noticed me. Maybe I'm the one that's not supposed to know about what they're talking about. But what were they talking about, anyway? Is she really... No no no! I'm just being a silly filly. There's no way that she would be cheating on me. Even if she was, which she isn't, she wouldn't do it with one of my best friends! "Wouldn't it be smart for her to cheat on you with someone you don't mind her spending time with, like one of the girls?" Well, maybe you're... No! I'm not going to let you get to me! Not after last time. The girls wouldn't hurt me like that, Dashie wouldn't hurt me like that! Dashie told me that it was nothing to worry about, and I believe her. Rarity being busy is just bad timing on my part. I should have asked her for help a while ago. Everything is just fine, so you can just go away! "Alright, I'll leave, but I'll be back later." Now that she was gone, I could finally get some work done. Since Rarity was busy I would have to find someone else to help me out.... Twilight! She knows everything! Even if she doesn't, she probably has a book about planning fancy parties that I could borrow. It's decided! I'm gonna go by the library after work today. Before I went downstairs, I looked at myself in the mirror. My mane wasn't as curly as it usually was. My fur was a bit darker, too. Oh well, it's probably nothing to worry about. ........................................................................................................................................................................................... Dashie forgot to come over, again. She said that she would when I saw her at Rarity's. Is there something going on, or did she just forget? "Maybe she's out with Rarity or somepony else," Maybe she is... No! Dashie would never do that! She's the element of loyalty for Celestia's sake! "True, but where do her loyalties lie?" They lie with me, and the girls, and-... "And all of Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and even the entirety of Equestria. Don't you see? The element's loyalty belongs to everything that it comes in contact with. How do you know if that tramp's tie with you is stronger than her ties with others?" Shut up! I don't want to listen to you insult her like that! Dashie is the most trustworthy pony that I know. If she says that there's nothing to worry about, then there's nothing to worry about. If she does something, she has a good reason for it. Nothing you say can make me believe anything else. "Ooh, such blind faith. I'll leave, but let me say one thing. You don't need her, you don't need anypony. The links are weak and they can easily be broken." Big meanie... I'm letting her get to me. I think that it's showing, too. All day today ponies have been staring at me, and asking if anything was wrong. I told them that I was fine, but I don't think that they believed me. Some of them tried to figure it out, but they weren't even close. At the end of the work day I grabbed my saddlebags and made my way over to Twilight's. Her words were still bouncing around in my head, but I tried to ignore them. That big meanie wasn't going to ruin this for me. She was wrong. The girls would never treat me like they did. When I got close to the library, I saw two ponies standing in front of the door. As I got closer, I was able to make them out. It was Twilight talking with...Dashie? Was she here the entire time? I walked toward them until I got into earshot. "I'm glad that I was able to help you out, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said. I don't know why you asked me, though," "Well you are the best magic user that I know," Dashie replied. "It would be dumb of me not to ask you." Twilight blushed a little bit before saying, "Oh, I'm sure that I'm not the best." Dashie put a hoof on her shoulder. "Don't be modest!" She scoded "You're the best and-," "Hey Dashie!" I interrupted. "Whatcha' doing?" She seemed start startled for a second or two. "Hey Pinks," she said. "I just needed Twilight's help with something, but it's fine now," "Were you here all day?" I asked. "Yeah, why?" She stared at me for a few seconds before her eyes went wide. "Oh, shoot! I forgot to come over! You aren't mad are ya?" "Nope!" I exclaimed. Hearing that made me feel a little better. "Great!" She said, giving me a hug. "I still have some stuff to do, but I'll see ya tomorrow, okay?" "Promise?" I asked. "Promise," And with that, she flew off. "Twilight!" I shouted. "I need your help with something!" "With what?" I took a deep breath. "I wanted to start planning me and Dashie's anniversary party, but then I remembered that its supposed to be all fancy and I'm not all that good with fancy things, so I went to go ask Rarity for help, but she was busy, so I came here to see if you had any on throwing fancy parties! So do ya?" She paused for a second. "Let me see what we have." She walked towards the tree. I started following her but she stopped me. "No!" She exlaimed. "Don't come in!' I looked at her, confused. "Why not?" "Because...uh," Her eyes darted around, nervously. "It's a really big mess in there! Besides it would just be easier if I just went in and got the books myself.' She forced a chuckle. I looked at her for a second. It looked like there was something weird going on, but it could've just been Twilight being Twilight. "Okie dokie lokie," I replied. She let out a sigh of relief, smiled at me, and slid into the Library. She came out a few minutes later holding a few books with her magic. "These are all we have," She put them in my saddle bag. "Make sure to return them when you're done. "Thanks, Twilight!" I waved goodbye and started walking back home. I wonder what she helped Dashie with. "Probably the same thing Rarity helped her with, if you know what I mean." I told you that she isn't cheating on me! "Are you sure?" O-of course I am.