After lunchtime, Pinkie had asked a favor from me. Saying that she’d just ran out of apples for glazen’ a cake for a surprise welcome party. And of course, Ah did bring those apples to her at Sugar Cube Corner, and as usual, she’s happy to see me with the apples.
The place was already crawling with ponies helpin’ her set up. Come to think of it, if a party is askin’ her to get help her set up, it musta be big.
“So Pinkie, who’s the party for anyways?” Ah asked her after she grabbed the apples from me.
“I can’t tell you yet.” She told me, hoppin’ across the room inta the kitchen. “Besides,” she added stickin’ her head out. “It’s not a surprise party if it isn’t a surprise. Everypony knows that silly.”
Now Ah’m curious. She usually talks her head off about upcoming parties and who she’s hostin’ for, even with unexpected ones she tells us. But why she’s keepin’ all hush-hush about it?
It really doesn’t make any sense.
“Applejack dear.” Ah turned to Rarity’s voice, which was comin’ from a table. “Have you seen Rainbow on the way here?”
“Jus’ once, why?”
“Well, I asked her if she could fly home quickly to fetch some particular tablecloths since I’ve completely forgotten about them. I’m starting to get worried since it’s nearly three for that welcome party.”
“Speankin’ of which, have ya any clue who’s the party she’s holding this for?”
“Not a word. Which I find it rather odd I admit.”
“I’m here!” We turned to Rainbow with a bundle of red cloth in her forehooves.
“Rainbow darling! You should have brought them when they were folded.”
“Hey, you said ‘bring them here as quickly as possible’ so I did. And hey AJ.”
“Well, better make do.” Rarity said when her horn lit up to untangle the red tablecloths.
“So AJ, you catch anything who’s party is this?” Rainbow asked me folding her wings.
“Nothin’. Ah just got here mahself.”
“That’s weird, doesn’t she always slip whose party she’s doing it for?”
“Yeah Ah suppose so.”
“Besides, where is she anyway?”
“Kitchen.”
We heard the door slam open, followed by a “Am I late?!” from Twi. Some of the ponies around the room took a moment to bow to her before returin’ to work. She was followed by Spike tailin’ behind her.
“No dear, you’re right on time. We’re just putting the final touches that’s all.” Rarity said, puttin’ the last tablecloth down.
Twi sighed in relief, “That’s good. Did Pinkie say-”
“No sugar cube, she didn’t say who it’s for.” Ah cut in. “She won’t tell any of us. Which makes me wonder if she’s pulling a prank or somethin’.”
“Speaking of pranks, have you heard about the prank my brother tried to pull on me yesterday?” Twi asked. We shook our heads.
“Shining sent her a letter yesterday,” Spike said when he got his breath back. “He said to come over to the Crystal Empire immediately because Discord, from that world me and Twilight went to has come into our world.”
“How did you know it was a prank?” Rainbow asked.
“Yesterday was April Foals.” They both said. “And it’s not the first time Shining did that too,” Twi added. “Like he did when he sent me a letter saying that Celestia had gotten into a horrible accident so I ran over to her to see if she’s okay. Turns out, she was perfectly fine.”
“Oh-oh, that’s bad,” Rainbow told her, tryin’ to hold back her laughter.
“I’ll say!” This made us jump because this was comin’ from none other than Discord who just come outta nowhere. “Personally if I did it, I would have-”
“Don’t, do that!” Twi told him what was on all of our minds. But then she stopped for a moment. “Wait, Discord? Why are you here?”
“Why not? Oh! And before I forget…” Discord took out a piece of chalk and drew a circle on the floor with another little circle in it. And suddenly it opened up to Fluttershy’s place. “Fluttershy, are you coming?” he asked.
Shy stepped out from the floor, after which, Discord closed the thing and whipped the chalk line with his tail. “So Fluttershy, should I get you a chair with some popcorn?”
“Um, no thank you.”
“You sure?” He asked when he made one of those foldin’ up chairs appear with a bucket of popcorn. Shy nodded. “I’m just going to go over there.” She pointed a hoof over to a corner.
Soon enough, everythin’ was ready, the lights were turned off and we waited for our mystery guest.
At around three, the door opened, the lights turn on, we all shouted: “SURPRIAAAAAAAUh?”
It was… Discord. Ah looked back, and Discord was still in his chair, munchin’ away at the popcorn.
There’s two Discords?! Two of ‘em!?
The last thin’ Ah remember, somepony shouted: “IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD!! EVERYPONY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!” And the rest was just a blur.