Secret No More. Romance Galore.

by Jhoira

Painting Pinkie (June 7th, Friday morning.)

Pinkie bounced up to Zecora's door with a pie on her back, banging on it and waiting, positively humming with anticipation for her and Zecora's plans today. Zecora opened the door and smiled. "Ahh Pinkie, I was expecting thee. Though I again ask, at the party?"

"Of course Zecora!" Pinkie hopped into the other mares house, depositing the pie on the table and looking around. "Where's the paint?"

Zecora smiled at her secret marefriend. "I again warn you my love. To dating this stands above. It is like your courting. A promise worth noting."

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "I know! So like we're totally engaged!"

"Not quite my pink girl. We're just in it for a serious whirl. Dating is just a focus upon having fun. Courting is planning until the end of the sun. You are not promised to marry. But breaking a courting causes one to be wary."

Pinkie nodded. "So more serious than dating but not as serious as being engaged!"

Zecorra nodded, and smiled. "Yes, you who came through my mire. I do not doubt your desire. But I must ask a third rendition. As is tradition."

Pinkie Pie smiled and hopped over, nuzzling up against Zecora. "I say for a third time, I want to start courting. We've been doing this for... What, six months?" As Zecora opened her mouth Pinkie beat her to it. "I'm not complaining stripsey." Which caused Zecora to roll her eyes, Pinkie knew Zecora hated that nickname, but Pinkie only used it every so often to poke some fun. "It's your people's tradition to date in secret for half a year! But I'm just excited to get it out in the open! Do I need to confirm any more times?"

Zecorra smiled affectionately at her impatient marefriend. "No more times pink one. Tradition's challenge is won. One upon the discussion of the event. And two upon the day of its fulfillment." Zecorra walked over with Pinkie hopping happily after her. "Here is the paint in grey and pink. Also for the dying of our manes, ink."

Pinkie squeeed as she grabbed the paint and brought it over to the table, almost squishing the pie in the process. Having predicted something of this Zecorra spirited the pie away to a small side table just in time before Pinkie crushed it. She opened the pots of paint and ooed over it. "The pink is so pretty!"

Zecora grinned slightly. "It is because it imitates you so. Who shall be the first to go?"

"Ooh! Ooh! Do me first! Where did you get the paint anyway? I've never seen wood containers."

Zecora smiled. "As is the tradition I mixed them up myself. You should listen to me more my little elf." Pinkie giggled and bounced as Zecora walked over to her with a brush. "Now stand still my spring. Or we will mess up this thing." Pinkie nodded and stood resolutely still. It took longer than Pinkie would have liked to be painted, but she wouldn't move and mess up Zecorra's painting. Zecorra smiled as she finished, she'd put a large amount of effort into the painting of her marefriend. She was used to it, she knew Pinkie would both have an easier job and probably not do it as well, but just so long as the intent was clear that was all that mattered. Her paint was purposely quick drying and water soluble. "There you are my gem. We just need to get your mane dim."

Pinkie hopped over to the mirror while Zecora got the mane dye ready, examining herself in the mirror and grinning. "I look like my sisters now!" She looked herself over, grinning at the stripes and patterns she had. "Well, kind of! I look more like you Zecora!"

"That is the point my clone. That we look as the other one." She walked over with the dye and started to work it into Pinkie's mane. "I wonder how everyone will act. When they see we have this pact."

Pinkie was sitting still again but couldn't contain her excitement. "Oh, they'll be so excited! It will be great, we're courting, Rainbow Dash and Flitter are doing well, Minuette's flirting with Rarity all the time, and Coco and Applejack are getting engaged!"

Zecora paused for a moment before returning to her work, she couldn't let the dye dry or else it would be useless and she'd have to make more. "What is this I hear? That did not come to my ear." Zecora moved onto dyeing the last pink on Pinkie, her tail.

"Oh! Yeah, they're not telling anyone yet, that's what the party is for!" Pinkie grinned. "But I know what all parties are for! It's one of my special talents!"

Zecora smiled as she finished up with her die job, before reaching up and removing her necklaces, as much as they looked permanent there was a very fine clasp on the back. Her people used to use permanent ones but they hadn't been used for decades. Then frowned. "I do not believe this will fit you my mare. Perhaps you have an idea of where?" She held the necklace out to Pinkie who examined it then grinned and secured it to her upper leg.

"There ya go Zecora!" She frowned. "Oh... But I don't have pierced ears..."

"No worries there. I have made no error." Zecora took off her own earrings and put them aside, pulling out two she'd ordered from Rarity with clasps and a small hinge. "I would say these fit there. On the ears of my mare."

Pinkie grinned wide and nodded, grabbing them and securing them on her own ears before looking back in the mirror. "Oooh! I'm Zecora!" She started making funny faces in the mirror, causing Zecora to smile and laugh gently.

"When I think back of how you first thought of me. I never thought you might willingly visit my tree."

Pinkies ears went down and she turned around, nuzzling at her marefriend. "Sorry about that..."

"It is nothing to worry about. It is old hat." She gave her marefriend a kiss on the cheek. "Perhaps it is time you try the brush. But make sure not to rush."