Strawberry Time: A RariTwi Exquisite Corpse

by SigmasonicX

2. Time Moved Slowly Then (The Red Parade)

Night Glider liked to think of herself as a brave mare.

After all, she was always searching for that next thrill, the next something to get her blood pumping and her heart racing. Jump off a low-level cloud to see how low she could get before she hit the ground? Sounds fun. Spend weeks foraging through the forest to try and catch a rare and endangered bird? Sure thing. Set off by herself to start a new life in a village run by a sketchy and suspicious unicorn? In hindsight, that one was a mistake.

She liked to think that in another life she could be a Wonderbolt, or some kind of stunt mare. She relished adrenaline, and absolutely loved when something sent it rushing to her brain.

But this… This was the bad kind of adrenaline.

Night smacked her lips and fidgeted nervously in her chair. Stupid, stupid, stupid, why did you listen to Sugar? Of course this was going to be a bad idea?

“Uh… You okay?’

“Fine!” Night squeaked.

The other mare peered down at her over the edge of her ruby red glasses. “You don’t look it.”

Night swallowed and tried to smile, slicking back her mane with a hoof. “Y-Yup! I’m all good over here!”

The other mare frowned, tapping the edge of the table. “You know if you’re uncomfortable, we could always–”

“No! Nope, nu-uh, it’s fine!” Night smiled wide. “I’m… I’m so happy to be here right now.”

A very long pause wedged itself in between the two.

“You know who I am, don’t you–”

“-- I know exactly who you are, I’m so sorry.”

A.K. Yearling shrugged, taking off her glasses and slipping them into her pocket. “I mean, I figured.”

“I didn’t want to make things weird! I’m so sorry. I love your work,” Night muttered, reaching for her water glass.

“Thanks. It is always nice to meet a fan, and hey, don’t worry about it. You’re a far cry from the weirdest one I’ve ever met.” Yearling flashed her what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

It seemed to work, as some of the tension seemed to leave Night Glider’s shoulders. “Can I ask what someone like you is doing on a blind date project?”

Yearling’s breath hitched. “Uh… Research. For a novel.”

“Oh.” Night Glider deflated slightly.

“But I mean, dates are fun anyways!” Yearling quickly followed. “I haven’t been on one in… in a while. Figured I had to see if I still had the charm, you know?”

“O-Oh!”

You idiot, Yearling thought to herself. Why did you think this would be a good idea? Why would anyone want to date someone so asocial, beat-up, and old as you are?

“Well, uh, hey. Even if you aren’t really looking for… you know, I’d still love to get to know you better!” Night said. “I mean, I know you’re famous, but still. I really wouldn’t mind getting to know you on a more personal level.”

Yearling blinked. “Not many people do nowadays,” she whispered.

Night Glider couldn’t help but feel sad at that, although she could sense Yearling didn’t want her pity. Despite it all, she could understand how she felt: her life had been a slew of relationships that failed for one reason or another: Trixie was trying to guilt-trip Starlight, Rolling Thunder was insane, Featherbangs wasn’t what she was looking for, and while Derpy was great, the two mutually agreed that neither was right for the other.

It was often a difficult path to walk when one was faced down by failure at every turn.

“Our food’s taking a while to show up,” Yearling said, glancing towards the kitchen.

Night Glider shrugged and hopped out of her seat, going over to the counter. She pressed down on the bell a few times, calling out towards the back. “Hey, you guys good back there?”

She paused, looking down at the bell. Slowly, she pushed the button down again, but no sound came out. “Woah…”

Yearling raised an eyebrow and went over, glancing through the window into the kitchen proper. A chef was flipping an egg, the cashier was shouting something, and a buscolt was about to drop a plate. But she quickly pieced together what was wrong: the egg was frozen mid-flip, the cashier stood like a statue, and the falling plate was suspended in the air. “Woah.”

She stood up and ran out the door, looking up and down the street to see more of the same: ponies everywhere were frozen mid-stride, and even the birds above had decided to remain absolutely still despite being in the middle of a flight.

“Uh, that’s a new one,” Night Glider said as she followed Yearling outside. “What could that possibly be about?”

Yearling tapped her chin, moving up the street. “No idea. This would have to be the result of something powerful, something with a lot of magic…” She paused to examine a street performer with a fiddle, eyes hidden beneath the brim of her white hat. “I mean, the last time something like this happened we all ended up in a dimension as shrimp… Hopefully that doesn’t happen again?”

Night Glider paused to duck under a turquoise pegasus. “Wait, shrimp? What do you mean?”

“Uh… Long story. But, I wonder if…” Yearling glanced underneath her cloak and into her small purse, where a few gems were rattling about. One tiny red one was pulsing slightly, confirming her suspicions. “Drat! I thought I had more time,” she muttered.

“Mrs. Yearling, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but I think we’re going to unintentionally play a part in all of this.” Yearling tightened the strap on her bag. “We better find out what’s causing this… Stay with me, until I figure out what’s going–”

Glancing backwards, Yearling caught a hint of blush on Night Glider’s cheeks before the other mare turned away. “Y-Yeah! I mean, I’ll be fine! I’m trained in first-aid and, uh, rescue!”

“S-Sure.” Yearling shook her head to try and clear her thoughts. A flush of warmth ran through her cheeks. What is wrong with you?!

“...Trixie, stop that!”

“Twilight Sparkle! Would you ever speak to your mother like that?”

“You’re not my mom!”

“Technically–”

“Wait!”

Abruptly, three unicorns came around the corner and almost ran into the two pegasi. “Oh! More ponies?”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Dear, I thought you said–”

“Well clearly I was wrong!” Twilight grumbled. “Look, this is all falling apart rapidly. I’m terribly sorry about all this… Wait, A.K. Yearling?”

“Twilight Sparkle. I should have known you’d be involved in this somehow,” Yearling muttered, instinctively taking a defensive stance in front of Night Glider.

Woah, Night thought. She’s really, really cool…

“This was all just an accident,” Twilight grumbled. “I cast a spell to try and freeze time and… I may have overcompensated a little bit. So most of Equestria is stuck like this until we can find the spell’s locus and reverse it. Although… I’m not really sure why you two weren’t affected either.”

“Don’t forget about Trixie! Trixie’s here too!”

“Trixie?!”

“Oh no! You?!”

“Wait!”

Everyone paused as Twilight squinted up into the air. “Do you smell that?”

The others exchanged glances, confused.

“It smells like…” Twilight frowned, lighting up her horn. “...Strawberries.”