//------------------------------//
// Adjusting 
// Story: What Changes May Come 
// by Bluegrass Brooke 
//------------------------------//

A soft summer breeze blew playfully across the hill where the four mares rested. They had set out a large checkered blanket, piled high with goodies of all varieties. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy reclined on the blanket, laughing away while Rainbow Dash fluttered back and forth above them. Rarity rolled her eyes at Rainbow. "Darling, they'll be here soon. Do sit down and have some tea."

Rainbow groaned and flew to the ground. "But we were supposed to start an hour ago! Pinkie and Twilight are never late."

The words were scarcely out of the pegasus' mouth, when a purple figure flew into view and landed in front of the group. "Hey girls. Sorry I'm so late."

Rainbow walked up to the alicorn. "Twilight. Where were you? And where's Pinkie Pie?"

Twilight sighed, settling herself down beside the others. "She told me she's not coming."

The four mares chimed up in unison. "What?" 

Rarity was so flabbergasted, she nearly dropped her tea. "But, these little outings of ours were Pinkie Pie's idea. She'd never miss one."

Applejack jerked her head in a decided nod. "Darn right. She right near exploded with excitement yesterday when I mentioned the picnic." 

Twilight took a slice of bread, busying herself with the jam. "I know it's weird, but she came this morning and said she couldn't make it and that she'd hang out with us tomorrow."

Rainbow held her hooves out in exasperation. "What in all of Equestria could be so important that she'd miss our picnic?"  

"She said she was going to help Cheese throw a party in Breywater. Since it's an easy day trip, and on the train line, they figured they would leave and be back in the evening."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Rainbow's teal coat was turning a nasty shade of red. "You mean to say that she's skipping out on our day together to hang out with Cheese?"

Applejack frowned. "We haven't got together since before she got hurt. Today was supposed ta be special. For her ta miss it…it aint right ya know?"

Twilight nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. But, when Pinkie's set her mind to something, it's nearly impossible to change it."

Rarity huffed, pouring some more tea. "I don't see why she needs to spend so much time with him. She owes us some quality time too. Perhaps we might ask her to reevaluate?" 

"Yeah. I'll knock some sense in her." Rainbow held up her hoof confidently, and started to fly off towards Ponyville. Everypony was surprised when Fluttershy flew quickly up to Rainbow and held her tail back. "Fluttershy? Let go!"

"No." She looked nervously at her friends, dropping Rainbow's tail. "You're wrong. Pinkie isn't trying to ignore us." She landed carefully to the grass, eyes pleading. "Pinkie loves us, and I'm sure she wants to spend time with us too."

"So why she so focused on Cheese then?" Rainbow glowered at the nervous pegasus. 

"She uh…" Fluttershy covered her face with her wings. Why me? 

Rarity stood to join Rainbow Dash. "Yes darling, we'd love to hear if you know." 

Fluttershy began to cower in front of the group of mares. Oh don't stare! "I promised not to tell."

"Tell what?" Twilight looked at Fluttershy with concern. 

Oooh I hate secrets! Still I Pinkie promised I wouldn't tell, and I won't. She stood up as straight as she dared. "Ask her yourself."

"Oh come on!" Rainbow glowered at the shy mare.

"Rainbow." Twilight turned a serious face to the pegasus. "She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to." She motioned to the picnic. "Let's all just calm down and enjoy the day. Pinkie said she'd spend some time with us tomorrow. So, let's ask her then. Okay?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine." 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie had loved trains since she first set hoof on one as a filly. The wheels rolling down the track, the cheerful ponies in the compartments, and the companionship of a friend were all she could ask for when traveling. Today was certainly no exception. She hopped up and down with excitement on the couch next to Cheese. "Oooh I can't wait until we get there! It's going to be so fun."

"Mm hmmm." Cheese was engrossed in yet another construction manual, eyes darting from line to line.

Pinkie giggled. "Do you always read so much before a party?"

He shrugged and flipped a page. "No, normally I plan out the party."

She pressed her side against his, feeling the stallion's steady breaths. "Why aren't you planning now?"

Cheese chuckled. "Because you're with me silly. Between the two of us, we'll have no trouble giving them the best party ever."

Pinkie giggled herself, and nuzzled him on the cheek. Cheese lay down the book, and nuzzled her back. Her sweet smell was intoxicating. It had been two weeks since Pinkie had been released from the hospital, and the pieces seemed to be falling into place between them. Everything about their relationship felt so natural, he never thought he could be so happy.

"What's it about anyway?" Pinkie pointed to the heavy volume. 

"Oh, just some ways to finish off the molding on houses. It's got some great techniques-" Cheese paused. "-say, I just remembered."

"Remembered what?"

"Harvey's given me an offer." He beamed back at Pinkie. "He wants to hire me full time as an under carpenter."

"What?" Pinkie's blue eyes danced with excitement. "That's wonderful Cheesie! That means you can stay in Ponyville." She gave him a big hug, turning his sandy cheeks red.

"Yeah. I think I'll accept." He smiled at the thought of living in Ponyville permanently. He gave a quick glance at the now very excited mare. As long as I'm by her side, I don't care where I am. "Say, don't you think it's about time?"

"Time for what?" Pinkie nudged him playfully in the shoulder.  

"To tell the others about-" He gulped. "-about us."

"Oh, that." Pinkie's face went scarlet and she started to play with her mane nervously. "But what should we say?" She stared questioningly into his emerald eyes. "Are we a couple?"

Cheese contemplated the question, trying to make sense of it himself. Of course he wanted to be by Pinkie, to hold her close. But that could not be all there was to being a couple. Still, it seemed stupid to deny themselves the label. He grinned back at Pinkie. "Yeah. I guess we are. That is, if you want to be?"

"Of course I do silly!" Pinkie snuggled closer to Cheese's side, savoring the feeling of his coat against hers. "I want it more than anything."

"All right." He chuckled, prying the mare off of him. "But that means we have to tell the others. Okay?"

"Mmkay." 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

"Good morning Gummy." Pinkie jumped out of bed, trotting over to her pet alligator. The little creature blinked a greeting, and she gave him a quick hug. She turned to the room around her, now clean and organized. Morning sunlight streamed in through the window and danced across her pink bed covers. Trotting over to her mirror, she adjusted her mane into a loose bun.

Pinkie stared turned her attention to the scar. The hair was just starting to grow back around the gash, and she had to admit it looked better than last week. It would never go away, but she was slowly adjusting to having it there. She puffed her chest out and grinned at her reflection. "Looking good girl." 

She trotted down the stairs, humming a silly tune from the party last night. The day had been so fun, and by the end of the party, everypony in Breywater had a smile on their face. And to top it off, she was planning on spending the rest of the day with her friends. "Good morning Mrs. Cake, Mr. Cake, Pumpkin Cake, Pound Cake."

Mr. Cake looked up from his newspaper. "Morning Pinkie. My, you're in a good mood today."

"Uh huh. I had the best day ever yesterday, and today's going to be just as good." Pinkie trotted over to Mrs. Cake, helping with the toast. She gave a knowing wink to the middle aged mare before she took her place at the table. After breakfast, Pinkie played with the twins while Mrs. And Mr. Cake started the morning baking. 

The twins were fun, but they had reached a mischievous age where they were strong enough to explore on their own but still young enough to hurt themselves. Today they were exploring her tail. "Ouch! Pumpkin Cake that hurt!" The little foal was biting hard onto her pink curls. She pulled her tail out of reach, and attempted to direct her attention to the teething ring.

Mr. Cake chuckled. "Sorry about that. She really likes to explore with her mouth." 

"Yeah. He he." Pinkie turned back to the foals, when she heard a knock at the back door. "I'll get it!"

Twilight stood, a smile stretching across her face. "Ready to go Pinkie?"

"Yeah. Just let me tell the Cakes." Pinkie poked her head into the bakery. "I'm off."

Mrs. Cake beamed at the mare. "Take care and have fun."

"I will." Pinkie hopped out the door, following Twilight to down the road. The day was already hot, and ponies were getting ready for the heat wave. She loved the early morning hustle and bustle of the town and found herself humming with good cheer. "Say, Twilight?"

"Yes?" Twilight turned her attention from the town to her friend.

"Sorry about yesterday. I really was looking forward to the picnic." She gave Twilight a big hug. "But, it's been so long since I've gotten to plan a party away from Ponyville." Pinkie turned her head, flushing a little. "And the first time I've gotten to travel with Cheese."

"Oh, that's all right, Pinkie." Twilight did not want to admit it, but she had been nervous about leaving Pinkie alone with Cheese ever since that night in the library. Something told her that, despite his desire to change, it would not come easily for the stallion. Besides… Twilight glanced at Pinkie's scar. How do we know it wasn't him who hurt Pinkie in that hole? In any case, I'll have to be careful with my words. Twilight walked closer to Pinkie, looking into her friends eyes. "Pinkie, do you remember what I told you in the library? You know, about being careful around Cheese?"

Pinkie stopped prancing, and slowed to a walk. What's that all about? Cheese apologized didn't he? "Yeah."

Twilight decided to press a little harder. "Don't you think going off with him for a whole day was a little reckless?"

"No." Pinkie stamped her hoof in such a decided fashion that Twilight nearly gasped. She turned to Twilight, eyes flashing with a touch of anger. "Cheese isn't going to hurt me and he isn't going to hurt you. He apologized, so leave him alone!"

Twilight raised a hoof, trying to think of a response. What is wrong with her? She found her own temper flaring now. "Did you at least ask him why he went crazy in the first place?"

"I did!" Pinkie's face was red with anger now, and they were starting to draw an audience. Pinkie remembered Cheese's story, and found her stomach churning. What does Twilight know anyway?  "He's got a perfectly good explanation, so why don't you ask him yourself?" She turned sharply and galloped down the road.

Twilight groaned in frustration. Now what?

Pinkie did not know where she was headed, but when she looked up, she was standing in Cheese's meadow. She looked at the small brown tent and the trees in the back lining the creek, scanning for the stallion. "Cheesie?" 

There was no response, but she thought she heard a splash. Trotting over to the creek, she observed Cheese prancing in the creek like a young colt. He was laughing and jumping from rock to rock as two otters splashed around him. Snorting playfully, he leapt into the chest deep water, blowing bubbles at the sleek creatures. They swam around him, playing tag with his hooves. 

Pinkie could not help but burst out laughing at the ridiculous scene in front of her. Cheese whirled his soaked head in her direction and started, slipping completely into the water with a thud. "Ouch. Pinkie? What are you doing here?"

Pinkie kept laughing and trotted up to the stallion, offering her hoof. "Sorry. I guess my hooves kind of took me here." She gestured to the two otters who had swam off at her presence. "Do you play with them a lot?"

"Yeah. I guess." Cheese stood and went to the bank, shaking his coat off. "Say, you didn't answer my question. Why aren't you with Twilight and the others?"

Pinkie turned her face away, pretending to take great interest in the otters. Cheese nudged her with a hoof. "What's wrong Pinkie?"

The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "I kinda got into a fight with Twilight."

"You what?" Of all the things that could be bothering her, this was the least likely. "But you were so happy to be spending the day with them. What happened?"

"I don't know. I just-" She turned to Cheese, blue eyes sparkling. "-Twilight said that I should be careful around you. She keeps treating you like a common criminal. I just got mad, and I shouted at her."

Cheese sighed. So it is my fault. "Pinkie, we can't force or expect Twilight to trust me right away. Not after-" He gulped. "-not after how I treated her." 

"But you didn't mean it!" Pinkie's eyes were filling with tears and she hugged Cheese tightly, sobbing into his mane. "It's not your fault."

"Pinkie it is my fault. That's my point." Cheese stroked her back with his hoof. "I let myself act that way, nopony was forcing me." Pinkie kept crying, and he wished he could offer some better comfort. "I'm working on it like I told you, like we agreed upon, but it's going to take time. Remember what you told me? Give it time Pinkie."

Pinkie slowly stopped crying, and broke away. "Sorry." She shuffled the dirt uncomfortably. "I ruined your fun and made you sad."
Cheese chuckled. "You didn't ruin anything. But, since you're here why don't we have a drink and relax? Then you can apologize to Twilight."

Pinkie sighed and smiled playfully at Cheese. "Seems like we're doing a lot of apologizing lately." She trotted over to a shady spot, and waited as he brought some cider out. It was very sweet, but very warm. "Ick. It's hot."

"Sorry." He chuckled softly as he settled himself down by her side. "I don't exactly have a refrigerator." 

Pinkie glanced at the tent, and flushed. Ooops I forgot. "Say Cheesie, you aren't going to live in that tent forever are you? Winter will be coming you know."

"What? You don't like my Canterlot suite?"

Pinkie snorted, blowing bubbles in her cider. "If that's a Canterlot suite, I live in a castle!"

Cheese nuzzled her neck and sighed contentedly. "No, I'm thinking of asking to board at Brahm's place for a while."

"Harvey's son?" Pinkie's eyes went wide. "He's so-" She tried to think of a way to describe the slick tongued, heavy drinking stallion but could not.

"Yeah well, at least he's a good guy. Even if his stories are terrible, especially when he's drunk." He took another sip of his decidedly nonalcoholic cider. 

Pinkie giggled, and drank another swig of the cider. She looked at road, sun shining hard upon the dirt. The weather was perfect for a get together, and she longed to be playing with her friends. "I guess I'd better get going." She stood, smiling at Cheese. "Thanks Cheesie."

"Sure." He stood and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Need me to walk you there?"

How did he know? She nodded and they set off together. Cheese was whistling a cheery tune, and before long she had joined in. Traveling with Cheese was fun, and his very presence soothed her nerves. Finally, they arrived by the swimming hole where the others were waiting. Cheese stood back and whispered, "Good luck." 

Pinkie leapt on top of Twilight, giving her a bone crushing hug. "Sorry, Twilight." 

Twilight chuckled and returned the gesture. "That's okay Pinkie. Sorry I spoke to you like that."

Rarity beamed at Pinkie. "We're just glad you made it darling."

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash flew down, looking up the road and spotting Cheese walking away. She did not know why, but her stomach clenched at the sight. "So you were hanging out with him again I see."

Pinkie was startled by Rainbow's sudden hostility. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know." Rainbow's voice took on an icy tone. "Just that you seem a lot more interested in spending time with Cheese than your real friends."

"Rainbow." Twilight's eyes flashed nervously from the two mares. Rainbow Dash was being rude, but she had a point. She took a deep breath and placed a hoof on Pinkie's back. "Pinkie, I think you owe us an explanation."

"Yeah." Applejack joined the circle, tapping her hoof impatiently. "We'd all like ta know what's goin' on between you an him."

Pinkie flushed, pawing the sandy bank nervously. "Well, you see-" Relax, they aren't going to hate you Pinkie. Just tell the truth. "-It's because we like each other. More than friends, like-" She gulped, "-like a mare likes a stallion kind of like. We've decided to start dating actually."

Every one of the mares gaped at Pinkie. Even Fluttershy was taken aback by Pinkie's exclamation. Rainbow leapt into the air, hooves out in frustration, "You can't be serious!"

"I am." Pinkie looked nervously around at her friends. "It's nothing to get so worried about."

Rarity looked as though she were frozen in place, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Finally, she found words. "Darling, it's not that we're worried. It's just so sudden!"

"Yes." Fluttershy flew down, and smiled at her friend. "I thought you'd take it slower."

"Well, we agreed we felt the same way. So, we're giving it a try." 

Rainbow Dash's teal face was red with frustration and anger. "And you didn't ask us first?"

Pinkie frowned up at her. "I don't need your permission to date somepony Rainbow." She huffed, standing tall. "And I don't see why it matters. We're still friends. Aren't we?"

"Yeah, I guess." Rainbow deflated, lowering to the ground. "But don't blame me when you break up."

Pinkie rolled her eyes. "We aren't going to break up."

"Whatever." 

That seemed to settle the matter between them, and they went to the swimming hole. Despite Pinkie's concerns, they managed to have a great time swimming together. Still, she could not stop the nagging suspicion her friends might not accept her relationship with Cheese as easily as they appeared to.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Crickets chirped in the cool evening air, mingling with the sounds of the frogs in the creek. Cheese loved the evenings in Ponyville, but he had far too much of them lately. One again he had woken up drenched in sweat, shaking from head to hoof from yet another nightmare. Ever since that night in the hole, they had only intensified to the point they were nearly unbearable. It always came back to that horrid box. 

He tried to stand, and fell back down exhausted. Days of poor sleep were taking their toll. He clutched Boneless 2 close, trying to think of happy thoughts. The dark memories flooded back, threatening to engulf his senses. His father's face drifted to the surface, screaming at him once more. Leave me alone, you can't hurt me. Then, miraculously, the face shrunk back, turning into a familiar pink mare. She giggled and beamed back at him. Thanks Pinkie. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.