Party Every Day

by Esle Ynopemos

3: Tails By Default [Slice of Life]

((Prompt: Let's decide with a coin toss.))

On one of her frequent strolls through Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle noticed her friend Pinkie Pie acting strangely. That in itself was not so unusual, as Pinkie was always acting strangely. It was generally called 'Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.' But while Pinkie's antics were a common occurrence, they always proved to be interesting, so Twilight moved closer to investigate.

The bubbly baker had her tail gripped firmly in her mouth, and her forehooves crossed in front of her. She balanced a single shiny bit on her nose and kept throwing it onto the cobblestones. Whatever Pinkie was trying to accomplish, it seemed she was not having much luck, as every time she threw the bit onto the ground she made a frustrated grunt.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Do I dare ask what you're doing, Pinkie?”

Pinkie's eyes slipped from the coin on her nose to her friend. Her irritation melted under a bright smile as she greeted Twilight. “Oh, hi, Twilight! I'm trying to trick my Pinkie-sense!”

The hairs on the back of Twilight's neck prickled. She got that familiar feeling she remembered from that one time she wanted to see what happened when a growth spell was cast on an ant. That tiny voice telling her it was a bad idea, but so tempting for the sheer science of it.

She suddenly realized she was drooling. Twilight wiped her mouth and cleared her throat. “You're, uh, you're doing what?”

“Tricking my Pinkie-sense,” Pinkie confirmed, shaking her tail. “I want to flip a coin to decide something, but I can't because my Pinkie-sense tells me what side it's going to land on before I toss it!”

That explained the coin. “What are you trying to decide, Pinkie?”

Pinkie pointed toward the ice cream shop across the street. “I can't decide whether to spend this bit that I found on an ice cream cone, or to throw it in this wishing well and wish for an ice cream cone!” Twilight now noticed the stone well behind Pinkie.

Twilight raised her brow. “Wouldn't you be better off just getting the ice cream for yourself?”

“Well yeah, I'm more likely to get ice cream if I go and buy it.” Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. “Unless they're all out of ice cream,” she added. “But if I wish for ice cream and then get it, then that ice cream will be extra-special because my wish came true!”

Twilight sighed. “I suppose I can't argue with that logic. So what's the problem?”

Pinkie waved a hoof at her tail. “I can't flip a coin without already knowing what it's gonna land on! When a coin is gonna be heads, my tail gets tingly. When it's gonna be tails—”

“Your head gets tingly,” Twilight finished for her.

Pinkie shook her head. “No, when it's gonna be tails, my right hoof cramps up. Tingly head is for swarms of locusts.”

“Oh.” Twilight furrowed her brow in thought. “You know, Pinkie, I actually think I can help you.”

Pinkie bounced in place. “You can?”

“Yes. See, I've been discussing anesthetic spells with Dr. Stable recently, and I've picked up a few things from him.” Twilight gestured toward Pinkie. “I can make your tail and hoof go numb so that you can't feel them when you flip the coin.”

Pinkie's eyes widened. “You could do that for me?”

Twilight grinned and nodded. “Whenever you're ready.” Her horn glowed a soft magenta.

Pinkie centered the bit on the tip of her nose. “Okay, do it!”

Her tail and right hoof were bathed in a sparkling aura. Pinkie lifted her hoof and waved it around. “Hehee, that feels funny!”

“Any Pinkie-sense coming through?” Twilight asked.

“Nope!” Pinkie smiled broadly. “Okay, heads I go and buy ice cream, tails it goes in the wishing well!” With a flick of her head, she sent the bit flying.

The little piece of gold sailed through the air, bounced off a street lamp with a 'clang,' and ended up spinning on its side on the edge of the wishing well. The bit wobbled, wavered, and finally fell into the well with a tiny splash.

Pinkie peered over the edge into the water. “Aww,” she complained, “Now I'll never know what side it landed on!”

Twilight giggled and put a hoof on her back. “Well, I've got two bits right here, and they're coming up heads for me. Let's go get some ice cream.”

Comments

[Honey Mead]

Haha, that was really cute.

[nemryn]

Pinkie's Pinkie Sense didn't go off either way, and sure enough the coinflip came up with a null result

[Esle Ynopemos]

2739338 Maybe Pinkie's Pinkie Sense doesn't predict the future... it makes it happen!

[Midnight herald]

You said slice of life, but I'm still shipping this. It's adorable and I'm shipping it.

[Technopony145]

2739450 Sounds very 'chicken or the egg' to me.