Blaze the Pony Tale

by Wolven5

172. Pinkie Pride - Part 3

After throwing her trombone on top of the pile of luggage, Pinkie sadly concluded it was time.

“Pinkie, wait!”

She startled to see Rainbow Dash fly up to her, “I’m sorry I got swept up by Cheese Sandwich!”

“We all are,” added Twilight, with Applejack, Thunderlane, Big Mac, Fluttershy, Blueblood, and Rarity all adding their own apologies, and Spike walking up to Pinkie and saying, “We’re sorry Pinkie…”

“No, I’m sorry of letting my pride get in the way of you having the best birth-aversary ever,” Pinkie apologized. “Cheese Sandwich really is a Super Duper Party Planner, and he’ll make a great headliner! I should’ve been a big enough pony to admit that and let you have your day.”

“But don’t you get it?” Rainbow insisted. “You’re both Super Duper Party Ponies! Sure Cheese Sandwich is a great guest party pony, but you’re Ponyville’s permanent party pony!”

She gave Pinkie an affirmative hug, “Nopony could ever replace you, and we could never have a party without you!”

Pinkie wiped away the grateful tears as her friends came in for a group hug.

“Rainbow Dash is right, Pinks!”

Everypony looked and saw Midnight and Cheese Sandwich coming their way, the both of them having apologetic looks as Midnight added, “And I think Cheese has something he wants to say, a certain something that might surprise you!”

“Cheese Sandwich?” Pinkie questioned, not understanding as Cheese Sandwich put his hat over his chest apologetically.

“I never meant to take your place in Ponyville - I just wanted to show you what a great party pony I am, Pinkie!”

“Why me?”

“Well…” Cheese started while Midnight cast an illusory image to illustrate Cheese’s explanation.

Everypony frowned at sad little Cheese as he ran away from his Manehatten home.

Everypony couldn’t help but smile themselves at the sight of this party Cheese had happened upon as a colt.

“Me?!”

“You!”

“R-Really?!”

“Ha! Really!”

Everypony was blown, but not as much as Pinkie as she hopped around Cheese, “So I was the pony who threw the awesomely spectacular party that inspired you to become a awesome spectacular party thrower?!”

“Swear on camembert!” Cheese nodded with a gleeful smile-

“Enough of the warm and fuzzies you two!” Rainbow butted in. “It’s my birth-aversary and you’ve gotta throw me a bash!”

“Yeah!”
“Let’s go!”

Needless to say, Rainbow’s Birth-aversary Bash went off without a hitch! it was possibly the biggest happening in Ponyville since they put the bit in the bridle. Everypony chilled in the fruit-punch lake, the foals enjoyed rides on the hippo, some partygoers rode on a mini-coaster, others cheered as the party cannons blew confetti, streamers, bubbles, and glitter everywhere but then everypony gathered in front of the stage as Cheese and Pinkie came out from behind the curtains.
“Alright, everypony! We are here to celebrate the birthday…"
“And anniversary…!”
“OF RAINBOW DASH!!!”

A large present launched into the air, spun `round before exploding in a burst of confetti and glitter to reveal Rainbow Dash!
“Hi everypony! Who’s ready to get their party on?! Hit it!”

Everypony danced and laughed and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying themselves into the evening. Rainbow found herself neck-deep in pile of presents and stuffed full of cake and goodies. This was turning out to be one of the best birthdays she'd ever had.
"Hey Dashie, happy birthaversary."

That voice made the smile on her face even wider. Rainbow swung around to see a slightly nervous-looking Soarin smiling at her, a small gift box wrapped up with a shiny bow sitting in his outstretched hoof.

“Soarin! Where’ve you been all day?” Rainbow asked cheerfully.

"I, uh, looked around a while before I found this gift for you. Nopony told me your birthday was today, so I spent all day trying to find something nice for you. It was pretty tough trying to think of something really special I could get you."

He gently pressed the gift into her hooves, watching as Rainbow hurriedly ripped off the packaging to the small velvet box underneath. Upon seeing it she paused and looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"What is it Soarin?"

"Well, it's something that might not be to your usual tastes, but I thought it looked really nice and I thought maybe you'd like it and..." his rambling was cut short as Rainbow opened the box and gave a gasp.

Inside was a thin gold necklace with a ruby pendant shaped like a lightning bolt. The gold seemed to shimmer and the ruby was so pure and shiny, it almost looked as if her Element of Loyalty had been shrunk down to fit the pendent. It looked absolutely beautiful.

"I know you don't really care for posh things like jewellery, but I saw it in the window and it just reminded me of you and your loyalty and your gorgeous magenta eyes I just thought... " he watched her for a reaction, but Rainbow just continued to stare at the necklace in shock, her mouth hanging wide open.

After a few minutes of silence, Soarin gave a sigh of despair, "You hate it don't you... I'm so sorry Dashie, I just... I just wasn't sure what to get and it looked so nice and I just... I'm sorry. Look I'll take it back tomorrow and we can get you something el-"

All of a sudden did Dash's forceful passionate kiss silence him.

It was probably the most intimate gesture the two had shared and it made Soarin's heart beat out a samba. It felt like ponies were watching, but right then the only thing that held any meaning to Soarin was the beautiful, fiery, amazing mare holding him tight and locking lips with his own. Finally though, the two needed to breath and they split apart, burning red cheeks adoring the both of them.

Once she had caught her breath, Dash held up the necklace before locking eyes with Soarin, a sparkle in them the stallion had never seen before.

"Soarin. This necklace is perfect, I love it. Jewellery may not be something I generally enjoy, but this gift right here. Not only is it thoughtful and amazing, but it came from you. That's what is really so special about it. Knowing you went out of your way to find me something so special just for me... it gives me the confidence to say something that I've been thinking of for a while now, but haven't worked up the nerve to say."

Soarin watched her curiously, as she suddenly became very timid and unsure. Whatever she had to say was obviously very scary and difficult for her. Before she could lose her nerve though, he gently wrapped his wings around her, pulling her close to his in his protective arms. He could feel her calm from the hug and it seemed to be the final push she needed.

"Soarin... I love you."

For a second, time seemed to freeze for the ex-wonderbolt. He could just hear those precious, amazing words repeating over and over in his head.

She loves me... She actually said it. She actually loves me!

Tears actually seemed to come to his eyes as he squeezed her tight. Rainbow herself sniffled a few times, trying to hide how vulnerable she felt. This was new ground for her. Very scary new ground. She had never felt this way about somepony before and she had no idea what to do.

"I love you too Rainbow Dash. You have no idea how much I wanted to hear that."

At his words, Rainbow's worries started to melt away. This was definitely new but it felt... right. It felt warm and snug and precious. It was probably the mushiest conversation they had ever had, but for once, she didn't really care that it was mushy. She felt happy, and that's all that mattered.

As the party wrapped up and everypony started to head home for the night, a group of eleven ponies were saying goodbye to a 12th. Cheese Sandwich had put on his Stetson and duster, letting a rubber chicken with a number 2 settle upon his back.

"Well gang, it's been fun meeting you all, and catching up with an old friend, but me and boneless 2 here should be moseying on off. Pinkie you take good care of Boneless 1 there, he can be a little scared sometimes on a account of having no spine."

The Pink pony gave a giggle before wrapping her new friend in a hug.
"Don't worry Cheesy, I will. After all it's okay to be a little chicken every now and again."

Cheese gave a giggle of his own before turning to Rainbow Dash, who stood wrested against Soarin, her new necklace on proud display.
"I hope you had a happy birthaversary Rainbow Dash. With Pinkie's help I think this was the biggest bestest party I've ever thrown."

"It sure was Cheese. Thanks for the party. I hope you can keep making other ponies happy on your trip. Every town deserves a great party pony."

Cheese gave a dramatic bow before turning to his old friend.
"Midnight, it was great seeing you again. I'm so glad you’re here with friends. Last time I saw you it took all I had to make that frown of yours turn upside down. Here though, you look happy all the time."

Midnight chuckled then gave his old friend a hoof bump. "I am certainly am happy here, Cheese. These ponies - They're more than just friends. They're my family. There's no place happier than right here with them."

"I'm glad to hear it, Night. Well, I hope to see you all again sometime. This has been one superific day.”

Then with one last wave, Cheese Sandwich began making his way from Ponyville, his voice echoing as he walked.

"You know, it's funny, Boneless 2. My Cheesy Sense told me this gem thingy was important, and I've been getting tingles about it all day, but nothing happened. I wonder if it's broken or something."

The rest of the group had started to head back towards town, only to stop in confusion at the wacky stallion's words. They all turned, only to gasp in shock. Cheese Sandwich had pulled out a large clear gem and was checking it over as though it might be damaged. However that was no ordinary gemstone.

It was the missing Element of Harmony!

Cheese gave the gem a shake to see if it would do anything, only for him to suddenly be swarmed by the rest of the group.

"Oh hey guys! You wouldn't happen to know anything about this gem here would ya? My Cheesy sense says it's important but it hasn't done anything since I found it."

Midnight stepped towards Cheese, resting his hoof on the Earth pony's shoulder.
"Cheese, that gemstone is extremely important. It's one of the six newly-created Elements of Harmony! It flew off in search of the bearer meant for it, but now it's brought you here! That gemstone is one of the most powerful objects in Equestria!"

"Huh, it did feel kind of all powerfully and super harmony-ish when it hit me in the head. So my Cheesy Sense must have brought me here for more than Dashie's birthaversary."

Cheese sandwich was pulled into a massive Pinkie Pie hug as the excited pink mare burst with excitement.
"Cheesy, this means you get to stay here and be part of our super special friendship group as we have parties and cake and vanquish all powerful evil villains Celestia imprisoned and forgot about about!"

While Twilight was certainly glad know what had happened to the missing Element, and happy to see it was with somepony friendly like Cheese Sandwich, she could not let that last sentence out of Pinkie's mouth go undisputed.

"Pinkie Pie, Celestia does not just have us use the elements to deal with evil villains she has imprisoned, and she certainly doesn't just forget about important things like that!"

"Uh Twilight, she kind of does, you know. Trust me, Celestia is far from perfect," Midnight reminded her with a sheepish smile, only to cringe at the disapproving look from his girlfriend in return, while a few other group members gave a discreet nod of agreement.

"So you guys want me to stay in Ponyville and bond with you all so that this new Element will become unlocked and can be used to empower and open a secret chest hidden in the Everfree forest that can only be opened when all of the new elements a set of six keys that are missing but likely connected to each bearers respective traits!"

Everypony but Pinkie just stared at Cheese Sandwich, unsure how he had figured all of that out without anypony telling him of the existence of the Tree of Harmony or the mystery chest. The pink pony just gave a an emphatic nod with a massive grin on her face. Cheese tilted his head in thought for a second before pulling a grin of his own.

"Okay!"

"Yay a new friend for the group!" Pinkie and Cheese started dancing as everypony else gave a glance of confusion before shrugging it off smiles that had decided to just roll with it and pulling the two party ponies into a hug. Suddenly Pinkie and Cheese pulled away, both giving a gasp.

"Do you know what this means, Cheesy!"

"I think I do, Pinkie!"

"We're gonna have to celebrate!"

"And there's only one way to do that!"

"A party!" the two shouted in unison, leaping into the air as a series of fireworks shot off.

As the rest of the gang all questioned where the fireworks had just come from, Midnight stepped forward with a smile pulling the two party ponies back to the ground.
"I think one Pinkie-Cheese party a day is enough for today, guys. We can celebrate Cheese staying with us tomorrow. Right now, I think we should all head home and rest before it really sinks in that there are now two hyperactive unpredictable unexplainable party ponies living in Ponyville and we all suffer an aneurysm and marvel at the consequences for what we’ve just done."

Pinkie and Cheese just smiled widely.

"Okie Dokie Lokie!"

Pinkie and Cheese then gave each other a surprised look and said, word for word, “Jinx! Double Jinx! Triple Jinx, Quadruple-Jinx-INFINITY-JINX!!!”

They both then fell over in gut-bursting laughter and the rest of their friends couldn’t help but follow in their example, and nopony knew how late it was by the time they’d finally worked out all the giggles in their systems.