//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Pinkie Pie: Act Like a Canterlotian for 15 Minutes // Story: Celestia and Luna Regret Playing Truth or Dare // by Diamond_Emblem //------------------------------// "Looks like it's my turn!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. The arrow had landed on the party pony. She giggled and spun three more times, the arrows landing on Princess Celestia, Spike, and Fluttershy. "Truth or Dare?" Starlight asked with what seemed to be a half-hearted smile. "Dare, of course!" Pinkie said, hopping onto her bed. "So, what dare is everypony gonna make for me? Will it be daring me to battle a ferocious beast in the Everfree Forest? Or will I be dared to walk on a thread across a fifty-feet chasm? OR will " "Pinkie Pie, I dare you to act like a Canterlotian for 15 minutes," Celestia interrupted. Pinkie paused. "OR act like a Canterlotian!" she said, chuckling. "What else do ya ponies have?" "I dare you to eat two dozen cupcakes in ten seconds!" Spike dared. That sounded like a good dare, didn't it? Unless Pinkie Pie choked on them. Or threw up. "What dare do you have for me, Fluttershy?" Pinkie asked, jumping on her bed, her head hitting the stars, making them dance in the air. "Um, I guess, I dare you to run from the castle to Sweet Apple Acres and back in two minutes," Fluttershy said. "Hmm..." Pinkie Pie stopped jumping and rubbed her chin. "You know what? I'll act like a Canterlotian for fifteen minutes!" Immediately, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Twilight rushed over to her and started shouting. "Always stay poised and don't slouch when you walk!" Celestia said. "A mare never runs, jumps, skips, or hops, she only walks with grace," Luna said. "Don't have too much for breakfast or lunch, save your stomach for dinner, and even then, don't eat a lot," Twilight said. "Always looks your best," Celestia said. "You never know who's looking." "First impressions are based on appearance and manners," Luna said. "Never act rude or snide, ponies will start whispering." "Always keep in touch with a handy tabloid," Twilight said. "Gossip is everywhere " "Alright, alright, I get it!" Pinkie Pie said. "I think I got this in the bag!" Rarity scoffed. "Not in that state of yours!" she said. "A true Canterlotian must have a fabulous sense of fashion! Not too dazzling, wouldn't want the others to get jealous, unless they're your enemies, of course. Appearance is everything!" As she talked, Rarity swiftly used her magic to grab several accessories out of her saddlebag, including a pair of shades, a cream colored summer hat, and a red scarf. She helped Pinkie Pie put on the accessories while Rainbow Dash checked the clock. "Whenever you're ready, Pinkie!" Rainbow said. Pinkie grinned as she got off her bed. "Ready!" she replied. "Fifteen minutes starts now!" Rainbow exclaimed. Immediately, Pinkie Pie's hair deflated, she straightened her back and she said, "What am I doing here? I should be eating dinner! One of you, bring me my dinner this instance!" The whole room stared in surprise at Pinkie's impeccable acting skills. For a moment, they could see a mare of Canterlot in a fashionable hat, a scarf that complimented her complexion, and sunglasses that went well with her accessories. "Well?" Pinkie Pie snapped. "Where is my dinner? I can't afford to eat any LATER!" "Well, one of us is gonna have to," Applejack said, stepping onto the floor. "Right away, Miss Pie." "And make it snappy!" Pinkie said as AJ walked out of the room. "Miss Pie, how lovely to make your acquaintance!" Rarity said, beaming. "The name is Rarity. How do you do?" "The name is Pinkie Peach," Pinkie said, smiling. "So honored to see you. I've heard of your boutique in Canterlot. I say, it's certainly riveting! You sense of fashion is what Canterlot needs to see these days." She turned to the princesses. "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna. Princess Twilight, I can't tell you how honored I am to be standing before!" Pinkie said kneeling before them. Celestia grinned as Luna's giggles were muffled by her hooves. "We're honored to be in your presence!" she said. Twilight smirked. "Yes, Pinkie Peach!" she exclaimed. "We're so glad you're here!" Pinkie Peach looked around the room. Her eyes landed on Starlight. "You there!" she said. Starlight blinked. "Me?" she asked, pointing at herself. "Yes, you!" Pinkie replied. "Go find out why my dinner is taking so long!" "Right away, Miss Peach!" Starlight said, her mouth twinging with a smile and trotted out of the room. "Somepony tell me what's going on with Jet Set," Pinkie Peach said. "He says he's coming to Fashion Week in Manehattan, but he hasn't shown up any of the past years!" "Oh, I can tell you all about that," Rarity said, waving a hoof. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "These are gonna be a loooong fifteen minutes," she said. Starlight entered the castle kitchen and found Applejack tossing an apple back and forth with her tail. "Hey there, Starlight!" Applejack greeted, flicking the apple with her tail so it flew into a bowl with other fruits. "Did Pinkie Pie send ya down here to check on how her dinner's goin'?" "Yeah," Starlight said, smiling. "You're not actually going to make her dinner are you?" "Eynope!" Applejack replied heartily. "Fifteen minutes pass by quick. By the time ah would've finished makin' dinner, the next turn would start." "So you're going to stay here until the fifteen minutes are up?" Starlight asked. "Eyup!" AJ replied. "What about you?" "I don't wanna go back upstairs for a while," Starlight admitted. Applejack's eyebrows furrowed. "Got somethin' ta do with Spike?" she asked, resting a foreleg on a countertop. Starlight's eyes widened. "How-How did you know...?" she asked, her eyes flopping down. "Well, for starters, you two have been starin' daggers at each other throughout the game!" Applejack pointed out. "Second of all, Spike was tellin' me about his unstable relationship with you." Starlight's heart jackhammered against her ribs. "Spike went to you for help?" she asked. "Sure did," Applejack replied. "Was really worried, too. Ah would tell ya about what we talked about, but you're gonna have ta ask him yourself." Spike was worried about me...Does that mean he does care? Starlight wondered. Applejack turned to the clock. "Looks like Pinkie's fifteen minutes are almost up," she said. She reached into a cabinet and grabbed a bag of gummy bears. "Might as well get Pinkie something since we're here." As they walked back to the slumber party room, Starlight was lost in thoughts. Spike had gone to Applejack because of Starlight. Had she done something wrong? Was this about when Starlight left that sunset from the park? If Spike had sought help, did that mean he didn't want to be fighting with Starlight? Did he care about her? By the time they arrived, Pinkie Pie was saying something about sugar. " and although it is very sweet and oh so scrumptious, I'm afraid I could lose a few pounds before I go back into sweets," Pinkie Peach said. "You're absolutely right!" Rarity agreed, nodding her head. "A lady must keep her body in shape after all!" "A question, dear Rarity," Pinkie Peach said. "Has Fancy Pants seen that old marefriend of his, Fleur de Lis, recently?" Rarity's face fell. "No," she replied uncertainly. "I-I mean, they still talk and have tea, but " Suddenly, Pinkie Peach's hair poofed back into curls and the hat fell off. Pinkie giggled as she did a cartwheel. "Weeeeeeeeeeee!" she exclaimed, her sunglasses falling off. The room, excluding Rarity, laughed as Pinkie Pie jumped back onto her bed. "That was fun!" she said. "But not as fun as the game! Let's continue!" And although Fluttershy got up to spin the wheel, Spike stole a glance at Rarity, who seemed shaken by Pinkie Peach's last question. She stared at the floor with a rather mixed expression. He also stole a glance at Starlight. She was glancing at him. They stared at each other for a few intense seconds and then Starlight turned away, looking embarrassed.