//------------------------------//
// Mixed Feelings 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	"I made a special batch of trail mix for everypony!"  Pinkie frolicked between the gathered mares.  "Rainbow Dash!  You get popcorn mixed in with your nuts and berries!"

"H-hey..."  Rainbow happily grabbed the sealed plastic bag from her.  "Cool."

"Twilight, you get dried orange slices along with pistachios and Canterlot cold-cut-fry bits!"

"Uhhhhhhh..."  Twilight took the offering from Pinkie as she sat on the stump.  "A... teensy bit unorthodox for trail mix, but sure!"

"Ungh!  Please."  Trixie tossed her mane.  "As if you could actually make classy, edible mixes by throwing in everypony's favorite foods at random—"

"And for you, Madame Trix-a-Lot—heeheehee—peanut butter cracker wedges with hay-sprinkled almonds!"

"Duaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..."  Trixie's eyes instantly sparkled.  She gazed with her muzzle agape.  "Can... can it actually be...?"  Her hooves trembled too hard to properly grasp the bag being held out to her.  "What science exists t-to make this possible?  Trixie must know!"

"Some things simply can't be understood, Trixie," Twilight said with a wink.  "Just stop worrying and learn to love the Pink."

"Woohoo!"  Pinkie pumped her hoof in the forested air and grinned.  "This morning's off to a good start already!"

Rainbow stuck a hoof into her bag, munching on a few kernels of popcorn.  "Mrmmmf—Mmmm!"  Her ruby eyes widened.  "Whoah!  Pinkster!  No way!"  She pointed at the bag as she swallowed.  "This stuff is... like... cider flavored!"

Pinkie waggled her eyebrows as she leaned against a tree.  "Am I good or am I good?"

"What's better than good?" Rainbow muttered through another luscious bite of mix.  "Mrmfff... or did I just cover my own bases."

"Great and Powerful..." Trixie cooed, nuzzling her bag closely.

Twilight rolled her eyes.  "I expected to go on a hike.  Not a buffet."

"Just where are the other mares, anyway?" Pinkie remarked.

"Oh SpiiiIIIIIiiike!""  A fabulous voice rippled up the hill.  "Do be a dear and avoid dragging the legstraps along the ground!  They'll be clad around my delicate coat an hour from now, and I shan't risk being dirtied!"

"Hey!"  Pinkie turned, grinning.  "Speak of the Diva!"

Rarity came galloping up the hill, wearing a sunhat and outrageously large shades.  "My apologies for being fashionably late."

"You're not late, Rarity," Rainbow said.  "But fashionable...?"  She shrugged.  "Meh."

"Oh Rainbow Dash."  Rarity waved a hoof, smiling coyly.  "A gentle ruffian as always.  Ahem."  She looked down the hill once more.  "Spiiiiike!"

"Mrmfffnngh..."  Spike grunted, carrying no less than four loads of bags across his scaled spine.  "I'm... c-coming...!"

"Spike?"  Twilight blinked.  "I thought you said you weren't up for a camping trip!"

"I'm... n-not..."  The whelp sweated, stumbling up the hill one jittery claw at a time.  "But... b-but..."  His slitted eyes dazzled.  "...when Rarity offered to pay me in rubies for carrying her things to the starting point for her, well, who could resist?"

"Anyone with a sense of self-respect—" Trixie started, only to have a lavender limb elbow her into silence.  "Mmmmf!"

Twilight cleared her throat, then smiled at Spike.  "That's very generous of you, Spike.  But still... I'm confused."  She looked at Rarity.  "How is anypony—much less you—expected to carry all of that up to Winsome Falls?"

"Oh, I only intend to carry one bag, Twilight, dear," Rarity said.  "You'd think I'd shoulder all of this on my lonesome?"  She shook her head while adjusting her sunhat.  "Why, I heard that Applejack would be bringing a wagon with her to carry our things."

"A wagon?" Rainbow's voice cracked.

"Well, we do intend to enjoy a most ravishing picnic, do we not?"

"Oh!  Of course!"  Pinkie grinned wide.  "That explains why AJ is late!  Usually, she's the first pony to show up for these kind of things!"

Rainbow rubbed her other forelimb, squirming slightly.  "Yeahhhh..."

"Here you go, Spikey Wikey," Rarity said, leaning down to hoof the whelp a few glittering gems.  "They've been housed underground over the last month."  Her eyelashes fluttered.  "So they should be extra earthy."

"Oh wow..."  Spike dropped the bags and embraced the glittery offering with a drooling expression.  "You... you actually stored them underground... f-for me?"

"Why, of course!"  Rarity brushed a few gorgeous bangs under her hat.  "You never know when the need may arrive to handsomely pay a handsome dragon assistant!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeee—" Spike eee'd.

"Ugh..."  Twilight rolled her eyes.  "Oh brother."

Trixie blinked at her.  "What's wrong, Sparkle?"

"Where do I begin?"

"Well, while we wait for the others!"  Pinkie reached in her bag and tossed a pouch of trail mix at Rarity's hooves.  "Here ya go, Rare-Rare!  Pinkie's especially fabulous mix!  Shaked and baked for you!"

"Eugh... Pinkie, while I do appreciate your generous offering, a lady such as myself does not eat on the go... and especially not from a bag of... of..."  All of the sudden, her eyes twitched.  She leaned down to poke at the appetizing bag.  "...are... are those wine samples?"

"Hah!"  Trixie grinned.  "So it's that kind of trip!"  She tossed the first of many peanut butter wedges into her mouth and smiled rosily.  "Trixie approves!"