PET CONVENTION AT THUNDER LANE, HUMANAVILLE - 12:33 PM, SATURDAY
It has been about two weeks since that night when we had our dinner together. Lyra and Pinkie finally moved into my apartment. Not a word was mentioned about me being assaulted by Wind Rider, or when Twilight had came to deliver me the upsetting news for that matter. I believe some things are better left unsaid, until the right moment comes.
"I want a giraffe!"
"I want an elephant!"
"Make me a pony!"
A little convention for pets is held outside on a sunny day of Humanaville Pet Shelter. The convention consisted of small various panels like Dog Fashion Contest, Cake Eating Contest with your Dog, and etc. Children were jumping for joy around Pinkie Pie, requesting various animal-figured balloons. Pinkie Pie always has a tender spot for children, she had learned a lot when she babysat Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake in their toddler years. She's literally a mother at heart.
"Ok, ok, one at a time my little munchkins." When Pinkie had finished molding the corresponding requests of inflated balloons for the children, she continued making more.
Vinyl Scratch stood behind her DJ Mixer. She had a random Kidz Bop track playing for background music, while she watched Pinkie at work. Vinyl teased, followed by a laugh, "Hey Pinkie, while you're at it, make me a record-shaped balloon."
"Hey, Vinyl.. Play better songs.." Pinkie counteracted as continuing inflating the balloons from her electrical balloon inflator.
Vinyl balanced back with another laugh, and sat down on a folding chair with legs crossed.
Two fashionable looking folks approached both Pinkie and Vinyl; A man and a woman, both wore sunglasses and had white hair, but the woman held a fashion camera. The man initiated with an introduction, "Hello my lovely ladies, my name's Hoity Toity, and my friend here is Photo Finish. We hope you both are doing quite well this afternoon, I just would like to take a couple of minutes of your time for a photo snap for my advertisement, mind you?"
Hoity Toity let out a smirk to both Pinkie and Vinyl, Pinkie retorted expressionlessly, while still busy inflating balloons for the kids, "Hey Hoity Toity, I know you, you used to take pictures of my friend's hand-tailored fashion clothing long time ago, I hope you'd recall her name, Rarity?"
Hoity Toity, with an obscured look, "Rarity... Hmm... I can't say I remember..." As twiddling his own rather, small beard under his chin, "Anywho... Ummm, I'm not going to take much of your girls' time, just a few random shots, if you don't mind?..."
"Quite busy here, can you come back later?"
"Ma'am, it would only take a second, my friend here, Photo Finish..."
Pinkie interrupted, "No, take a picture later."
"It won't be that much trouble, Mrs......"
"Pinkie Pie.... And I'm not married." As Pinkie completed his sentence, with an assertive tone.
"Oh word, I apologize...." He cleared his throat and continued, "Well, Miss Pinkie Pie, it's such a beautiful Kodak moment..."
"I said no!"
Pinkie's tone had caused the children around her to pause into a frightening state.
Pinkie continued with words, but in a standard tone, "I said no, Hoity Toity."
Hoity Toity made a hand signal to Photo Finish as cue for random photo snaps.
*Click*
*Click*
*Click*
"Ya see? Was that too much to ask? woohoo! This will look good in my advertisement!"
Hoity Toity skipped through the opposite direction, headed towards a different panel with an act of hysteria. Photo Finish took a last gander at both Pinkie and Vinyl, and let out a forte of words, "Thank You! You look good! I go!" Photo Finish left the area, and followed Hoity Toity to the Dog Adoption Event Panel. The children continued with their requests of animal balloons.
Pinkie muttered to herself with a rhetorical question, "Why are men so frickin' persistent..." As inflating another elongated balloon.
Vinyl answered, "Because they only want one thing, and that is your sweet, pink cupcake, if you get my drift."
Pinkie rolled her eyes at Vinyl, and shook her head, "Vinyl, you're something else..."
"What? I can't say it in front of the kids..."
"Whatever..." Pinkie concluded with a straight face.
As Pinkie completely finished molding the requested animal-figured balloons for the kids, she then flopped to her chair, and sighed heavily. She gazed off through the distance and contorted a smile.
"What you smiling about?" Vinyl questioned.
"...I love children..."
"Yeah?" Vinyl tried to break off the awkwardness.
"...I really wanted one.. Ya know?.."
Vinyl relinquished an awkward laugh, "Pinkie, Pinkie, Pinkie... Don't get all soft on me... Ya know what, I got an idea... Next time, I'll bring us to an event filled with sexy guys, whaddaya say..."
Pinkie glanced at Vinyl with a raised eyebrow, "Really? Or you just wanna go for your own pleasure.."
"Hey! You're one to talk... Remember that one drunken bachelor party, you poked that one guy stripper on the ass with a butter knife?"
"That was you..." Pinkie disputed Vinyl.
Vinyl paused to think for two seconds, and replied in a standardized tone, "Right.... Carry on... Let the moment pass..." Vinyl looked down in a shamefaced expression, while transitioning a record on her turn-table.
Pinkie continued watching through the mid distance of random kids running about with joy, and others played with their balloons.
Vinyl broke the silence, "I really hope you're not thinking of kidnapping one..."
Pinkie sucked her teeth and swung around to Vinyl with a tempered look. Pinkie was trying to enjoy her moment, but Vinyl is there to ruin it, "Can you at least be serious for once?! Goodness grief..."
Vinyl laughed out hysterically while she fiddled through her DJ Mixer, "Pinkie... I got a perfect song for your mood."
"Not interested, thank you." Pinkie quickly retorted.
"No, no, I'm serious, you'll love it."
"Really? It doesn't have anything to do with chippendale dancers, right?"
Vinyl snorted out in laughter, "No, I promise, Just listen to it..."
Vinyl increased the volume of her speakers and began playing the music:
Can you hear me out this time just
A minute let me find my thoughts
Cos I cant think straight in the silence
And Jupiter ain't seen a storm like this, no
Cos its so hard out on the sidelines
When I just want to blow this ten miles wide
And I cant help but keep on thinking
These thoughts are gonna bury me alive
But this jealousy wont get the best of me
Maybe if I just had more patience I could be
So far from here
And the stars they'll guide me on
When I falter
And everything comes crumbling down
Cos it does and it will
It's not heaven
But we got so close
In the aftermath this vacuums lifeless
The afterglow makes the past so inviting
Who knew?
I hear them say that I'm caught up with my head lost and found
But I know exactly where I wish I was if I could only
Just keep on moving cos I got a vision
If I can I'm running to wherever I gotta go
I'm sorry I gotta go
But these words lose their meaning
Cos I just keep repeating them like that'll make them come alive
But they're only words and you know it
You've always known better than I do
And it feels like I know nothing but envy
Maybe if I just had more patience I would be
So far from here
And the stars they'll guide me home
When I falter
And everything comes crumbling down
Cos it has and it will
You're no angel
But we got so close
You liar
And I fell for every word
Who knew?
You lied
But maybe I wanted you to
Who knew?
Who knew?
When the song ended, it touched Pinkie to her very soul. The lyrics made her comprehend in thoughts. Pinkie let out a slight somber look to Vinyl, with a low voice, "Why, Vinyl... That was a beautiful song. What's the name of it?"
"...I didn't have a particular name for the track, but since the song found you, why don't you give it a title..."
"Well... I don't know, Vinyl... You think of one for me." Pinkie continued watching the kids in a distance.
"Ummmm... How about..."
Right before Vinyl finished her sentence, a pretty little girl with long pink hair and white highlights bashfully approached Pinkie. She was wearing a bright red velveteen swirl dress. If Pinkie and Vinyl were to guess her age, she was about five years old. She let out a shy, innocent smile to Pinkie, swaying her body from side to side, while she held her hands behind her back. Pinkie ascended from her folding chair, "Hi! What kind of balloon would you like for me to make, sweetie?" Followed by a smile.
The little girl responded in a shy, low voice, "A bunny." With a cute giggle.
"A bunny!? that's a good choice! What color would you like?"
"Pink!"
"Hey! That's my favorite color!"
Pinkie grabbed a pink uninflated balloon from her supply box, while humming the song Vinyl had just played, then began inflating the balloon from the inflator. After reaching mid-pressure, Pinkie molded the balloon with ease and professionalism. Pinkie was doing this kind of job for many years, she can mold any balloon shapes known to man. When Pinkie had finally finished, she kindly handed it to her.
"Here's your cute bunny, sweetie."
"Yay!"
The little girl jumped with excitement as accepting Pinkie's shaped balloon. Pinkie and Vinyl, with their inquiring mind, they were curious to know the whereabouts of this little girl's mother. Pinkie walked closer, and lowered herself to be attuned with her, rather small height, "Where's your mommy?"
"Mommy say's she'll be right back." As playing around with her bunny balloon.
"Oh ok, does she know you're here?"
"Yes, mommy told me to wait here."
A woman mildly shouted, followed by an echo, from a mid-distance, "Honey Bee!" She was a beautiful woman, who wore a casual-business attire, still had the same hairstyle as Pinkie had remembered it, and still had the white butterfly hair clip, clipped to the side. Flutter Shy vastly drew near her daughter, Honey Bee, then carried her by her hip, "Don't wander off like that again, do you hear?!"
"But you told me to wait here." As she closed in laying her head on her mother's inner shoulder, while holding the bunny balloon on her right hand.
"I told you to wait by the puppy area..." Flutter Shy corrected her.
Flutter Shy faced to the two women with an apologetic expression, "Sorry for the trouble, ladies my daughter here...." Her words struck right in the middle of her sentence with an act of bewilderment, she peered at the familiar faces once again, "Vinyl?... Pi... Pinkie Pie??.."
"Yo!" As Vinyl waved her hands, with a dandy attitude.
Pinkie, also in a surprising state, she let out a deep nervous sigh. Pinkie knew she had to be the one to initiate the conversation, knowing Flutter Shy, she was always a push over. Pinkie was thrown at a loss for words, Vinyl, on the other hand, is not much of a problem, because they only knew each other by first name basis.
"...Flutter Shy... It's been a long time.."
Flutter Shy timidly looked down and replied in a low tone, "Yes.."
"Uh, 'scuse me?"
Flutter Shy repeated, but in a much lower voice, "Yes..."
Pinkie folded her arms, and let out a grin with raised eye brow, "You haven't changed much, have you..."
"Umm.... Yes?.. I mean... No... I don't think I have... But you look very different.."
Pinkie Pie smiled as she came closer near Flutter Shy and her daughter, with a standardized voice, "I've been told many times... Your daughter is very pretty. Now I know where she got her pretty smile from." Pinkie gently brushed Honey Bee's hair with the tips of her fingers.
"Thanks.." Flutter Shy put her daughter down and directed her, "Honey Bee, I want you to get in the car, we gotta go home soon for supper, ok?"
"No! I want more balloons!"
Flutter Shy gave her the stare that immediately changed Honey Bee's mind in an instant, "Ok mommy, I'll wait in the car." Honey Bee trotted towards a parked blue sports car by the curb, and opened the back door to the booster seat.
"Pinkie Pie, as much as I would like to ummm.... Stay... But I have to go.." Flutter Shy in a low, pleasant voice.
"Wait, can I call you sometime? I would like to catch up."
"No.. I don't think.. I mean... I have to go. Bye now."
Flutter Shy swung around the opposite direction, and hastily ran towards her car with quiver. The ignition rattled, interceding an engine that finally rumbled loudly. The car left the curb in a steady pace. Pinkie, with quizzical mind, she pondered as to why she would dodge her question. She sat back down on her folding chair, tucked her knuckles under her chin, with a gloominess look on her face. There was a reason why she stumbled upon Flutter Shy after thirteen years of absence, but she had missed her chance. It's only a matter of time when she'll ever see her again.
Vinyl recommenced in a low voice to Pinkie, as trying not to make her more glum as is, "Ummm, Pinkie?.." Pinkie scowled back to Vinyl, as predicting on what kind of words of buffoonery Vinyl has to offer. She continued in a low voice, "Uhh.. When can we eat? I'm hungry..." Pinkie rolled her eyes, and face palmed to her comment.
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PHILLYEVER 21, HUMANEHATTAN - 2:01 PM, SAME DAY
There's a weekend blow-out sale at my favorite clothing store, offering forty percent discount on almost everything. Lyra and I decided to go for a leisure browse, and maybe purchase something that came to our liking. I was skimming through a clothing rack of cute blouses, and Lyra was on the other set of clothing rack, just on my right, browsing through a variety of body-con dresses. I pulled out a small sized White Off-The-Shoulder blouse from the rack, and marveled at it. It was cute and sexy. In my opinion, there wasn't anything wrong with showing a little bit of revealing skin, in the words of Rarity, It's a new era in fashion, there are no rules. It's all about the individual personal style. Rarity is very creative in fashion, no doubt about it, but she would overindulge in her own little world sometimes, perhaps a little too much. I turned to Lyra, "Hey Lyra, what do you think?" As holding the blouse against my chest, displaying it in front of her.
Lyra paused from skimming through the rack of dresses, and took a quick glance at me and the blouse, Lyra sparked in excitement, "Awww, Sunset! That looks soooooooo cute!"
"I know! I'm totally buying this." I placed the blouse on my top right shoulder, then turned again to continue skimming through the rest of the clothing rack.
"Sunset...." As Lyra pulled out an adorable knitted-body-con dress, and examining it.
"Mmhmm?"
"Have you ever been in love before?"
I pulled out another blouse, then took a quick scan of its boring style, and placed it back in the rack.
"Hm? Why do you ask?"
"Nothing, just off the top of my head.." Lyra faintly nodded at the dress that she had picked out, and placed it on her top shoulder.
"I can't say that I have, how about you?"
Lyra turned to me, with a stroking chin, "Well... I don't know, remember that one guy I dated, you and Pinkie threatened to kick his ass because he was stalking me?"
I paused from skimming through the racks and turned to Lyra with a smirk, "Oh yeah, that poor bastard..."
"Well, I thought that was love..."
I continued skimming through the racks again, "Honey, that wasn't love, that was infatuation..."
"Well... There's this one guy from school, he's a choir teacher, he and I were kinda flirting with each other.."
I halted, "The answer is no... From now on, any guys you and Pinkie meet, has to go through me first. Can't trust many men nowadays..."
"Sunset... He's a really nice guy, you should come by and visit us at our lunch break."
I paused for a moment, and let out a sarcastic grin, "Thanks for telling me, now I have a reason to visit.."
"Good, well, I'm looking forward to it." Lyra smiled back.
I cringe at the idea in general if Pinkie and Lyra were to meet a guy, especially after my meeting with Twilight. It's a danger zone. Through past personal experience, I'm aware of what my curse is capable of. It's a stupid curse, and I'm going to find a way to dispel it.
When were finally done with our leisure browse, we took our selection of handful of clothes, then headed to the fitting room area to try them on. It was a rather long line, but I didn't care. My selection of dresses were something I've been wanting to buy for a while, and they're on sale. Lyra had the same concept. When I was next to proceed to a vacant room, a second room became available for Lyra, who was next after me. I entered through my fitting room door, then locked it with a simple latch, placing the handful of clothes on a fitting-room hook. I looked at my mirror-reflection, and displayed a delicate smile. I tampered my hair to apply a bit of volume, as it appear to look slightly flushed. I felt the sudden coldness to my skin, as I completely removed my top, exposing just my bra. I reached for one of my handful of clothes from the hook, grabbing the cute blouse that I showed Lyra earlier, and casually slipped it on. I adjusted the blouse lightly, aligning it to my mid-chest. I swung around to visually examine my back side from the mirror-reflection, noticing how eye-catching my buttocks are from my suede skirt. The blouse was rather short from its bottom; Nevertheless, it looked stunning.
*Throb*
*Throb*
*Throb*
A sound of vibration resonated from my purse, it was somewhat, similar to my cell phone vibration, but it was my book that I have decided to bring with me. I know Twilight and I didn't end in good terms, but deep inside, she's still a friend. Twilight had been messaging me through my book numerous times since we last met, which was two weeks ago, I've done nothing but ignore her. I'm still very upset with Twilight as to why she waited until this year of my flaring curse. Being busy is just another terrible excuse. Through my sense of intrusiveness, I unzipped my purse, informally pulled out my book, and turn to the last page written:
Dear Sunset Shimmer:
I hope you do know that a lot has happened in the last thirteen years in Equestria, other than being a Princess and having the lack of time to communicate. I would like for us to meet up again and settle this like adults. I should've known better to cut to the chase, if I knew you were going to act like you did. So please, for old time sake, give me a chance to explain myself.
Love,
Twilight Sparkle 
In my contemplative mind, it would be fair to give her a chance, since she gave me one at the time of my reformation. Therefore, I plopped down on my fitting-room bench, pulled out my portable pen from the side of my purse zipper pocket, and wrote a response:
Dear Twilight Sparkle:
Settle this like adults?? You said you've been watching us, so you should know what we have been through... I don't think there would be a reason for you to come back here. You've already told me what I needed to know. I'll take care of the curse myself.
- Sunset Shimmer
As I concluded my message and closed my book, Twilight responded back instantaneously. Though I'm not surprise of the speed of response, after all, she's a princess, she may not probably need a quill. I opened the book again, and read her response:
Dear Sunset Shimmer:
Sunset... I found a way to lift your curse... You're going to need the rest of our friends back together again, you and I both know it's not a simple task. They're currently brainwashed with what is called the Draconequus Curse Forge. It's a type of curse that Discord had used many years ago to brainwash us. I can go on and on, but we need to meet up.
Love,
Twilight Sparkle
I was mesmerized to Twilight's response, something wasn't quite adding up. How do my friends have anything to do with it; Moreover, The Draconequus Curse Forge? Nevertheless, I agreed to meet up with Twilight at a desired time to discuss in more depth of the situation. I needed more clarification, I responded:
Dear Twilight Sparkle:
Fine... Lets meet up at Sugar Cube Corner tomorrow at nine pm sharp. Tardiness is out of the question.
-Sunset Shimmer
I closed the book, followed by a deep sigh. In these malevolent times, normally I'd be at the library all day researching. But I live in a world of inexperienced magic. What I really need to do is head back to Equestria, after all, the two curses that we're dealing with normally originated from there. As quoting what Twilight had said, Elements of Friendship does not only exist in Equestria, but it exists everywhere, and the dark magic that came along with it, unfortunately. If I hadn't stole Twilight's crown thirteen years ago, none of this would've happened, but it doesn't matter now. So far, I know nothing about these curses, but I do have questions that I would ask myself. What would become of us if our curses were lifted, and what price we have to pay when it's finally done. These are choices that we must weigh before the final decision is made.
*Knock*
*Knock*
*Knock*
"Ma'am, it's our store policy to check on our customers if they've been inside the fitting-room for more than fifteen minutes... Are you okay in there?" The salesgirl questioned.
"Yes, I'll be right out." I replied in a loud voice.
I hastily unclothe the store blouse, and slipped on my sunset graphic t-shirt. I promptly placed my pocket pen and my book in my big purse, then carefully zipping it close. I didn't get a chance to try the rest of the remaining dresses that I have picked out, but it would have to do for now. I can always try them on when Lyra and I get home.
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GRAMPA GUFF PUB, HUMANEHATTAN - 9:32 PM, SAME NIGHT
An old rock music is being played in the background at this time of night as Trenderhoof walked in towards the bar to get himself refreshing beer due to a long, hard day at work. He sat on a stool, then watched the television on a mounted high-wall that showed a WNBA game, while he waited for his beer to be served by the bartender.
"Hey bro, here's your usual.." The bartender fluently slid the full beer bottle ostentatiously across the counter-top, towards Trenderhoof's direction. Trenderhoof snatched it with ease, and took a big gulp.
"Duuude.... Hard day?" The bartender had asked.
Trenderhoof placed down his cold beer on the counter, and let out a loud burp, "Yeah, but the beer does make it easier for me.. Thanks bud."
"Don't mention it.." The bartender continued cleaning the counter-top with a rag.
There were two men seated at a booth near the window of the pub behind Trenderhoof. One was attired in a black suit, who appeared to be really tall and muscular, and the other wore a simple Wonderbolts sweatshirt. They were in the middle of a rather, climax of discussion, and Trenderhoof couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"You... Got beaten up by a girl... Not once... But twice??"
"Tirek, I know it's hard to believe, but I won't fail next time, I promise."
Tirek adjourned with words in a raspy voice, "...NO... You've failed enough, get outta here, your face sickens me to my very gut."
Wind Rider's face still had traces of bruises, and his eye still swelled from the time I had given him a critical beating.
Wind Rider rashly ascended from his seat, "Tirek! I gotta take another hit at this.. I crave for the magic as much as you do, Tirek, hell I've got beaten up this bad enough by Lyra and Sunset for it, and I ain't gon' stop! It's called passion!"
Tirek, in a wolfish voice, "Every attempt of failure you make, is just another step closer to their victory. You've done enough, now get the hell out of the way."
Wind Rider persisted, "I'm not going to fail this time, I got a plan... I really mean it!"
Tirek, with an irritated expression, he gazed outside the window. Moment of silence filled between them, but Wind Rider continued in words in a louder tone, "Tirek! Look at me!" As Wind Rider pointed to his own bruised face, revealing his missing teeth, "I will repeat myself again, I WILL NOT FUHHH. . . . . ... ..."
"YAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Tirek roared, as he delivered a powerful swing of punch to Wind Rider's face, knocking him completely out, as if he got hit by a fast moving truck, down to the floor. Everyone in the Pub looked away with fright, and minded their business.
"You useless cockroach... No one talks to me like that, and that, my friend... Is what I call a punch..." Tirek concluded as cracking his neck.
Tirek shifted away from the inner corner of the booth seat, then placed a call as he stood up, "Hey, 911 emergency, there's a guy lying unconscious here at Grampa Guff Pub... I'm unsure if he's still alive, but you best hurry.." As Tirek hung up the phone, he tossed the phone onto Wind Rider's unconscious body. Tirek casually walked over the body, and vastly made his exit out of the Pub, leaving the atmosphere relatively awkward. Trenderhoof still sat by the bar, shocked to the mentioning of my name and Lyra's. Trenderhoof felt he needed to warn us about Tirek, and what he may be plotting next. Wind Rider, on the other hand, lied completely unconscious in prone position, with blood and more chunks of teeth scattered on the floor. People in the pub were uncertain if he was still alive. Nobody dared to nudge the poor guy because they didn't want to be involved in his ordeal. Trenderhoof drank his beer to the last drop, and paid the bartender with a generous tip by placing it on the counter-top, Trenderhoof, with a serious expression, "Hey, keep the change, I gotta go..."
"Hey man, things like that happen all the time in this pub, don't let it scare you, man." As the bartender finished filling up a mug of beer.
"Right... It's not about that.. Something came up, and I gotta go, see you soon, buddy.."
"Alright man, take it easy out there."
Trenderhoof hastily stood from his seat, and casually left the Pub.