//------------------------------// // Chapter 28: I Like You // Story: Quest For Equestria // by Skyguy626 //------------------------------// A loud knock on the front door woke Skywalker up, he listened if one of the other guys would get the door. And as he didn't hear anyone, it had to be him to answer the front door. Getting up, he stretched himself, "...The morning is evil..." he said to himself as he floated down the stairs half asleep. Opening the door, he saw his favorite pink earth pony standing, as excited as ever. How she does that in the morning, that will for every be a mystery. "Oh! Morning, Pinkie..." he said, rubbing the sleep from his eye as Pinkie shouted in her usual excited voice, "It's soon!". Skywalker had to think about what she was talking about, but his mind was to foggy to come up with what she meant by that. Seeing as she wasn't getting a response from him, "You said we should have another party soon, and... it's soon!" Pinkie said giving him a big smile. "...Did I really said that?" Skywalker thought to himself as Pinkie handed him out a invitation, opening it on the spot it read, You're invited to Gummy's 'after-birthday' party. This afternoon at 3 o'clock. "All our bestest friends are invited, and there's gonna be dancing, and games, and cake, and ice-cream, and punch!" Pinkie said excitedly, as Skywalker remembered something, "This afternoon? As in, 'this afternoon' this afternoon?" he asked, gaining a big smile from Pinkie. "Yes, indeedy!" she responded, as Skywalker scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, can't come. I'm finding out something." he said with a sorry tone. "What?" Pinkie asked, curios why he wouldn't be able to come to Gummy's after-birthday party. "I'm finding out why I am so good looking." Skywalker replied with a completely straight face. Pinkie's expression went to disappointment but quickly went back to her usual happy one, "I understand. Your vanity comes first." she said, gaining a chuckle from him, "But don't worry, we'll be sure to save you some cake." she said turning around to bring invites to her other friends. Later that morning, McGrath was enjoying his morning coffee at Sugarcube Corner as Spike took a seat next to him. "There is an entire empty table behind me Spike." McGrath said annoyed, as Spike turned his gaze towards him, "For ten bits I'll leave."he said, gaining a big grin as McGrath throws ten bites on his plate. "Pleasure of doing business with you." Spike said as he got up and left with his muffin, McGrath gave a sigh of relief, taking a sip from his cup, Pinkie sat down across from him. "Your not busy are you?" McGrath thought as he looked up. Before he could give a response Pinkie started to rant about the problem she was having, "Something strange is definitely going on around here, McGrath. Sure, Griffifth, Rainbow Dash, Sutakira and Fluttershy had to house-sit for that vacationing bear, but what are the chances all my other friends would have plans this afternoon too? Skywalker has to find out why he looks so good? Rarity has to wash her hair? Applejack has to pick apples? Twilight is behind on her studies and has to hit the books? Phoenix is sick because he has something called 'Bieber Fever', even though he shouted directly 'God I hate Justin Bieber!' The more I think about it, the more those are starting to sound like... excuses!". As she finished her rant, she noticed that McGrath had left. At the guys house, living room, McGrath was sitting in one of the lazy chairs and reading a book, trying to enjoy some quite and his coffee. "McGrath?" A voice said in his left ear. Turning around he saw Pinkie looming over him, giving him a big smile. "Are you stalking me now?" McGrath asked as he closed his book and finishing his coffee, preparing himself to make a run for it. Pinkie gave him a puzzling look, "Not like, in a threatening way..." she said before regaining her smile, "Knock, knock!". McGrath gave an annoyed sigh, but he decided to play along with her stupid knock knock joke, "Who's there?" he asked as Pinkie replied, "Doctor!". "Doctor Who?" McGrath replied as he rolled his eyes, but Pinkie gave him a even bigger smile and poking his nose, "Got ya!". McGrath looked surprised, "Wait a minute, you know Doctor Who?" he asked gaining a cheeky grin from Pinkie, "Of course I do, silly! Everybody knows Doctor Hooves!". McGrath gave another sigh as he thought, "Well at least she can't bother me in here...". His eyes widened in shock as Pinkie's voice rang in his head, "Yeah, you got that right. Wait, who is she?". He quickly rushed out the door trying to get away from Pinkie as far as possible, this gained a puzzling look from Pinkie. "Wow, my thinking voice sounds funny." she thought as she bounced after McGrath. Down the dirty path to their house, McGrath could Pinkie hear her shout his name again. Against his better judgement, he turned around and saw Pinkie aiming a cannon at his face. Not a second later, he is hit by cake, covering him in the sweet deliciousness. "Oh, silly me!" she said, placing her hoof on his dirty clothes, "I must have put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannons! Again!", McGrath let out a angry growl as Pinkie tasted some of the cake gaining another big smile, "Still delicious though! Try some, McGrath!" A green light flashed in front of her eyes as the cake that was first on McGrath splattered on the ground, turning around she saw a now cleaned up McGrath walking away from her. Quickly whipping the left over cake from herself, she followed him, "Wait, McGrath! Please, let me make it up to you..." she said but he shouted back a big no. "Please! Oh, please please please!" Pinkie begged but he shouted back to her, "Neuk off!". This didn't have the desired effect as she continued to beg him with, "Please! Oh, please please please!". "You don't know what 'neuk off' means, do you?", he asked and his question was answered with a "Nope! Please! Oh, please please please..." from Pinkie. After losing Pinkie, which isn't as easy as it sounds, McGrath retreated back into his room. He was currently laying down on his bed listening to some classical music on his phone. "Hi, McGrath!" Pinkie shouted, startling him as he hadn't even hear the door open when she entered, "I have a gift for you!", she held out a big box, but McGrath gave it a suspicious look, like he was afraid it would bite him or something. "It's not going to explode or anything." Pinkie said with a big smile, "Promise. Just open it!". After some hesitation, he removed the ribbon from the present and removing the top, revealing a t-shirt with him and Pinkie on it. The Pinkie on the shirt gave one of her biggest smiles yet, thought the McGrath on the shirt looked kinda... "W-Why do I look dead on this picture?" McGrath asked turning his gaze towards her, "Are you going to kill me?", he asked but all that did was make her giggle. "No! I took it when you were sleeping.", somehow he wasn't bother by that answer. "Look Pinkie..." he started slowly, turning his gaze back to her, his own emerald eyes locking into her soft blue's, "I appreciate what you are trying to do. The reason I always act this was is because... I don't think anyone likes me.", he turned his gaze down, this was very difficult for him to talk about Pinkie could she. She placed her hoof on his shoulder, making him look back up. "I like you, McGrath." she said and for the first time since she knew him, she could see a faint smile forming on his face. Suddenly, Pinkie felt her stomach make a back flip, as if she had eaten too much cupcakes. A little later, McGrath was lead Pinkie into the barn of Sweet Apple Acres, the moment Pinkie get in the voice of the rest of the gang shouted "Surprise!", Pinkie gave a puzzling look, wondering why they would throw her a surprise party. Suddenly her eyes widen in shock as she beamed, "Because it's my birthday! How could I have forgotten my own birthday?" she smiled as she gave each and everyone of the gang a hug, "And you like me so much you decided to throw me a surprise party! You boys and girls are the best friends ever!", and indeed Pinkie couldn't have wished for better friends. "All right, boys and girls! Enough of this gab. Let's party!" Griffifth shouted as music started to play. As Pinkie danced, she gave one last look at McGrath and that same feeling came back to her.