With everything that’s happened, Ribbon had been pushing herself to do more than usual. Talking with Cheerilee went so well but she was hardly content to end it there when there was still so much to do. She was determined to talk to Big Mac at some point so she was going to make sure to be ready when she was able to. She bought a portable case to keep her papers neatly organized. It would prevent them from being mixed up with each other and from being lost in her coltfriend’s apartment.
Of course she liked living in the castle but she was more than ready to move out when she did. Positive Charge’s place was a welcome change from the echoing halls that made her seem very small and alone. The colt was a delight for her to learn about. The first time she jotted down observations about ponies on a notecard was when she wanted to paint a picture in her mind about him. She tried to do that even when he was somepony she saw in the distance. From how he behaved, he was swift and powerful but also intellectually curious about things. A fine bit of both worlds. She wondered if that was too good to be true but in reality, she wasn’t that far off. The colt loved to play the part of a gentlecolt but unlike most, he wasn’t quiet and he often spoke his mind. When they were together, he would pry into what she was doing. But he wasn’t nosy in a bad way. He was much more warm and comforting than he had let on out in public.
She told him about her desire to help Big Mac and Cheerilee get through their issues. That she could only ignore that proverbial itch for so long. She had made the cards to help her to form opinions and to focus on what mattered. He was enthusiastic to hear about her plans. When he went to bed, he would give her a kiss and tell her to keep it up. And keep it up she did. She talked to lots of ponies. She even went to Flash Sentry. He had become Twilight’s personal guard and was still a rather cute stallion if she would say so herself.
She was so busy with her work until the night before her date with Glitter. She stayed up until midnight, her focus switched away from her other subjects. After working so long that week, she felt comfortable with framing her own problems in the same way. As comfortable as she would be after a week that had utterly drained her mind.
The next day, she waited for Glitter at her coltfriend’s café. She hadn’t eaten and already ordered a sandwich and a tall latte. She was reading her notes until the last possible second to memorize them. But when she saw both her sisters approach, their sight took the forefront of her thoughts. The two mares wore dresses. Crystal had one that she hadn’t worn in years. All the family’s dresses emphasized lace and puffy fabric.
Ribbon barely recognized Crystal. She wore a large floppy hat with feathers sticking out and her lacy collar almost reached her chin. It amused her in a way. The mare she once looked up to could be just like any other. And a mare set on a completely different path. Ribbon couldn’t believe that she used to think it was the only one for her. And now her high and mighty sister wasn’t even the prettiest at the café, much less the family. Ribbon had gotten rather proud of her looks, especially in those fancy clothes of hers.
Crystal seemed to want to avoid the eyes of the other ponies in town. She even wore dark glasses, something she never used to do. And her body language was stiff. It was like the two of them completely switched bodies.
“Ribbon…it’s been so long,” she said, obviously eager to start the conversation.
Glitter signaled the waiter to come to the table then turned to Ribbon. She smiled in delight. “Thanks for coming on time. Mom sends her regards.”
“Send her mine when you can. I hope she’s been well,” Ribbon replied.
“She’s been as well as any of us,” Crystal said. “We’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you all too.” Ribbon couldn’t see Crystal’s eyes. “Could you please remove the glasses? It’s harder to talk to you with them on.”
Crystal took them off hesitantly. “I hope that’s better.”
“It is. Thank you.”
“That’s a lovely dress,” Glitter mentioned. She cocked her head to get a better look and the beads in her hair rattled. Ribbon smiled. It was rather lovely. One of her favorites. A velvety magenta dress with golden buttons.
“It sure is. Thanks for noticing,” Ribbon said.
Crystal frowned. She obviously had something on her mind and it wasn’t dresses. “Ribbon, have you been alright? Here in town?”
“Crystal, I am more than alright. I haven’t been better in a long time,” Ribbon replied confidently.
Crystal leaned closer and put a hoof on Ribbon’s shoulder. “We’ve heard things from town. They say that you live out of the castle now and there’s a stallion involved,” she whispered. Even Glitter seemed shy about the subject and looked everywhere but in her eyes.
Ribbon wondered when the two had become so prudish. She looked at Crystal and tried to contain her amusement but she couldn’t stop snickering. Crystal looked almost dumbfounded as Ribbon couldn’t keep quiet. Perhaps out of embarrassment, she started to sweat so she pulled a fan out and tried to use it to cool herself.
“Oh girls….there is a stallion in my life now. And it was never a secret of mine. I’m sorry you two got worried over nothing,” she said. Her two sisters looked at each other in confusion.
A reflective smirk came across Glitter’s face. “A stallion…lucky you. You’re the first among us to find a special friend,” she complimented. Crystal used her fan to hide her muzzle which probably meant she was thinking the same thing.
“I guess so….I’m even living with him now if you believe it,” Ribbon said.
Crystal suddenly turned as serious as a royal funeral. “But Ribbon…it’s one thing to have a coltfriend that your family doesn’t know and another to…live with him as uh, your situation is at the moment.” As she spoke, Crystal breathed anxiously, making it seem like she was tired.
“You mean since I’m not married?” Ribbon said blatantly. “I wasn’t going to mention every little thing to you. It’s not like it was before.” Ribbon knew that a slightly younger Crystal Wishes would have wanted to explode after being spoken to like that. She would have wanted to reach across the table and shake her sense of propriety into her or slap her silly. But it wasn’t going to happen like that. By Celestia’s grace, cool heads prevailed.
But Crystal stirred her coffee quickly. “I’m surprised you would make a decision like that and so soon.”
“But it was a decision that I made for myself.” After that, the three of them became silent. Nothing but the noise from other tables inside the café and the bustle of the workers could be heard. Crystal and Ribbon stared at each other as if trying to read each other’s minds. Crystal had to have known that she sat across a pony that could be as stubborn as she.
Glitter suddenly tapped her hooves on the table in anticipation as a waiter finally returned. “Look, girls. Ribbon sure knows how to decide what to eat!” she declared.
Crystal swallowed and then smiled softly before finally breaking eye contact. “Yes, that’s our little decision maker. Any other family would be proud.”
Ribbon sighed in relief as her sisters got the food she ordered for them. Glitter sniffed, savoring the smell of her soup. Ribbon embraced something else. She stared up at the clouds, almost light-headed. Why wouldn’t she be after what happened? She’s done the impossible, hadn’t she? After all those years, it was like Ribbon’s future was her own at last. And it wouldn’t have been done without all those phone calls and all the times they spoke together on the phone. There really could be no future without a past. And who knew her own past better than she? And in a way, she had to thank her family. She got her amazing perception from them. Hers is just a different kind but equally special.
As she thought, Ribbon felt a very warm sensation on her skin. It wasn’t her fur. She could tell that it was much deeper as if bursting from her very soul. It tingled and warmed up under her dress like something trying to escape. Without talking, Ribbon tried to take the dress off and soon, she was tossing it aside. The other customers looked on, unsure what was going on. Her two sisters stood in alarm and the waiter hurried over.
“Miss Wishes, are you alright?” he asked her.
Ribbon laughed. “Things are great. Just great.” She turned her head and saw a glimpse of what appeared on her body. A red ribbon was imposed against her light blue fur. Her favorite kind. It was tied in the shape of a heart. She rubbed her tail against it. It didn’t come off or smear. That time, Ribbon knew it was impossible to remove like it would be to remove her own name.
Twilight came walking by with her friend that owned a boutique. She must have noticed Ribbon’s new cutie mark because she trotted over and gasped.
“Wow, you did it, Ribbon! Congratulations!” she exclaimed.
Then, out of nowhere, Twilight’s mare friend took Ribbon’s discarded dress from the ground, cradling it like a foal. It already had grass stains on it and the mare seemed like she wanted to cry.
“What is this? After I was so generous, you let this happen to something so lovely?!” she shrieked. She got up and bolted away and Twilight ran after her.
“Rarity……!”
“This is a rescue dress now, Twilight!” They disappeared behind a house and the three sisters broke out in laughter. Ponyville was definitely a strange town.