“Thanks for coming!” Pinkie Pie chirped as yet another satisfied customer left Sugarcube Corner. Leaving with the infamous ‘sweet satisfied smile’, the earth pony couple bid her a good business day. The rosy pony giggled, when was there not? She eyed the rest of the tables, making sure a single frown was not present before her eyes laid on a special table. It was empty, but Pinkie didn’t mind. Merely a month ago a special pony told her something that was the most hilarious, random confession that even she was speechless about.
It was way past shop hours of operation that night. Silent wafts of pie, cake and cookies were all that floated between them. At first, they had so much to say. But as the supplies dwindled, she and her guest (or at least the guest) was perfectly content with peace. Until the pony blurted.
“I like you. A-a lot.” For the first time, Pinkie was happy that she was pink. And that she can play dumb.
“Well, I hope so! What kind of friend would you be if you didn’t. I mean is that still even a friend? Or an enemy? Ooo, a frienemy! That would mean the pranks are double the fun and-” her speech was cut off to a kiss. Perhaps the playing dumb part still needs work. Or not.
“Good work Pinkie,” Mrs. Cake watched as she bounced back into the kitchen. “Awfully happy these mornings are we?”
“Every morning’s a good morning Mrs. Cake, nothing special.” She bounced a cake pan on her nose. “Well, today is the two weeks before BBBB…” The blue pony tilted her head.
“BBBB?”
“The twin’s birthday, sugar dumpling.” Mr. Cake came in, restoring his basket of muffins. “She’s calling it the ‘big top baby birthday bash’.” Pinkie bounced the cake pan onto the table. In her eyes, this party wasn’t like her other celebrations. As she watched the Cakes she reminded herself that even though they’re her employers and landlords, they’re her family. So were the babies, which was why the party in question was so important. It would be the first of the many Pinkie parties thrown in their honor. Not a random day party, not a holiday soiree, but her family's first bash. And to top it all off, Mr. and Mrs. Cake are helping out. Why of course, she thought. They are the parents after all.And I want this to be super duper special for my super duper special someponies.Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar flash of color pass the window.
“Are Pumpkin and Pound up yet?” she asked.
“They should be getting up soon Pinkie…” Mrs. Cake blinked, realizing that her kitchen had one less pony present. “Pinkie?”
Tiptoeing up the stairs, Pinkie had to contain her excitement for the two bundles of joy. A year, they have been alive for one year! She could hear them stir, mumble and…curse? Opening the door, the cheerful pony took in a shallow breath…
And bursted out laughing. The babies were definitely awake and greeting their first visitor with gusto.
“Get off me!” the cyan Pegasus slight bucked, but to no avail to her squealing riders. Pumpkin Cake gurgled on the precious rainbow tail that belonged to Rainbow Dash. Her brother, Pound Cake, had taken to making the impatient pony his own child-safe rodeo ride. She tried gently shaking them off again before realizing that the party mare was present. “P-Pinkie?” Her wings flapped out, and once pale blue cheeks flushed to match her friend’s coat color. “Um…this is not...they…help?”
Putting a hoof over her mouth, Pinkie watched as her girlfriend tried a little harder to shake off the infants. In hindsight, it was weird how her ‘Pinkie Sense’ didn’t catch on to Rainbow’s hints over the last couple of months. All the days they spent together, the look on Rainbow Dash’s face whenever another pony flirted with her (also the look she gets when Pinkie Pie turns them down…then offers cupcakes), and especially the long silences they would have. But if anything made her laugh about the previous game of ‘ask Pinkie out’ was the constant state of the Rainbow’s wings being wide and open. Turns out that it’s a reflex to a mating tactic amongst winged ponies, as the titular pony explained. Pegasi displayed their wings as wide and open as possible to attract their desired mate. Thinking back to every time those wings were open, Pinkie wondered how awkward Dash felt whenever it happened around other ponies, especially her own kind. Rainbow told her that she would pretend that she meant to exercise them, or at least stay in the air until Pinkie was out of sight.The would-be Wonderbolt didn’t want everyone in Ponyville (or Equestria for that matter) to know that she, Rainbow Dash and self-proclaimed ‘hero of radicalness’, believed in mushy love and was dating. Not yet at least.
“Oh Twinzie Winzies?” like velcro, the babies peeled off their captor and latched onto Pinkie.
“Whoa, they like you a lot…it’s like they’re addicted.” Rainbow chuckled, resting on her hind hooves as the fuchsia pony leaned in.
“Can you blame them?” she nudged their noses briefly, getting another laugh as Rainbow rubbed back.
“With a face like that, nope. Not really, though I remember someone fussing over one person not liking them.”
“But, it wasn’t just that! Cranky hated me.”
“Nah, he was mad at you at best. You’re too sweet to be mad at.”
“Aw…you should be in a cupcake.” They laughed some more. Rainbow sighed as she began to lose her blissful high.
“Pink? Um…I got a letter from the Wonderbolts.” She kept her smile.
“Really?” Pinkie paused…then ran out of the room with the babies in tow. A minute later she ran back up before kicking the nursery door shut. “Is that why you snuck in here?”
“Well, no. Actually I did sneak in here but I really wanted to see you one more time.” She stared and ignored the giggle she received when her wings spazzed again. “But this is serious; I’m being put through a preliminary observance exam, or a P.O.E..” Dash flapped her wings shut, fighting off the subtle urge.
“P.O.E.?”
“Yeah…” clearing her throat, Rainbow couldn’t meet her eyes. Pinkie thought about her words. …I really wanted to see you one more time…
“You’re leaving?” her voice cracked, breaking Dash’s fixation to the floor.
“N-no, of course not! Not yet anyway-” seeing blue eyes well up, Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her shoulder. “Now, Pinkie…I wouldn’t have started this if I knew that they were going to actually give me a shot..I like spendi-” Pinkie slumped to the floor and kept her gaze there, gaping.
“Isn’t it bad enough that I Pinkie Promised to not say anything until you’re ready?”
“I’m still not ready.” Wings flapping, the pegasi took to staring at the ceiling. “I’m not prepared for all of this…I…for the sake of Celestia Pinkie I don’t r-regret…” Pinkie blinked, seeing tears fall onto the ground and meet her hooves. Looking up, it was the first time she saw Dash cry.
“When…. are you leaving?”
“Not for another two months. During that time, one of the Wonderbolts will monitor me here in Ponyville.” She nudged her nose to Pinkie, trying to laugh. "Crazy timing huh? I mean, at first I thought that the Bolts weren't looking at my letters, or that because I'm the Loyalty element that they don't want to appear to favor Celestia's star saviors..." She tilted her head. "But after the tornado success, Spitfire brought my admission to attention because I actually displayed leadership and promoted teamwork, which apparently was what they were waiting to see from me all along. Pinkie?"
"Yeah Dashie?"
“Before I become a Wonderbolt, I will come out. For you..and us. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Rainbow Dash took one wing to wrap around her temporary room ate and squeezed her closer. The result was a small giggle, since Pinkie was a tad sensitive to her feathers. "I won’t leave you on the ground. And that’s a Pinkie Promise.”
Pinkie hugged her girlfriend, for that was all she needed…for now.