When Pinkie Pie is done making everypony smile for the day, what does she go back to? A lonely room full of overly bright party decorations to keep her smiling. But what happens when the brightness can't cheer her up anymore? Who will make her smile?
Pinkie isn't feeling quite up to Party Pony snuff lately, and goes to the library to relax among the books that the pony she loves treasures, not realizing that Twilight can hear Pinkie as she ruffles among the shelves. What will Twilight hear, and how will she react? And what will it take to get Pinkie to smile again?
PinkiePie always woke up with the rooster. It was a given. She had long days full of party planning to get busy on, and getting up early to get the ball rolling only seemed to fit the hectic and never ending spree of streamers, cakes, balloons, and confetti. But for some reason, instead of her bright azure eyes popping open and leaping up at the proud 'Cockadoodledooooo' of the rooster, her eyes stayed shut and her breath whooshes from her lungs in a swift sigh. She slowly gets up from her bed, which was still covered in books and parchment paper, and yawns slowly as she slips onto the floor with a soft clop when her hooves hit the floor.
As normal, she looks cross-eyed up her forehead to get a skewed look of her unruly mane before rolling her shoulders in an uncaring shrug. She knew her friends were going to be waiting for her smiles, her sporadic glee to brighten their day up, a break from the monotony of life in small town Ponyville. She felt it in her bones, as clear as if her body was quaking with Pinkie Sense. It was going to be a rough day.
@>---%-------
Twilight hummed lightly to herself in her room as she read a thick, aged textbook, who's title was wearing away with time and warping. Spike had been spending more time over at the Carousel Boutique lately, though not as much for Rarity anymore. Twilight could read between the lines a lot easier than most could, probably easier than other ponies thought. Spike had done his best to hide his affection from the astute librarian-made-princess, but the lavender alicorn mare had spotted the small dragon shyly giving Sweetie Belle a flower only a few days ago. Twilight thought that is was quite cute that they had become closer, and all but applauded the adorable pair. She, herself, was alone in the library in the meantime, reading and studying.
Sometimes, she would crack open a gushy love novel to keep her giggling like a schoolgirl, keeping her hopes up for that special somepony to sweep her off her hooves. Even though she was a princess, she still had that urge to find love and comfort in the hooves of another. Unfortunately, being a princess was either intimidating to others, or a magnet for the rich and scummy. Stallions from all over Equestria had come to woo the new crown wearer, mostly for the title and glory and fame. But all were turned away, for Twilight had no interest in those who held no feelings for her, besides being able to call themselves a prince.
And thus, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, was alone yet again in her stuffy little library to read and wish and hope for that special somepony that would make her life brighter and filled with joy. But maybe...maybe that pony wasn't as far away as she first thought.
@>----%------
Pinkie trotted down the street with a smile plastered on her bright pink muzzle, although the motion didn't quite reach her eyes. Anyone who was not one of her closest friends wouldn't notice the difference in the face cracking grin, and everypony she passed returned the gesture with a happy wave. Pinkie's saddlebags were heavy with books, though she didn't show it one bit as she made her way to Twilight's home in the Golden Oak's Library. She bumps open the door with her flank and slips inside, giving the musty library a slow once over and, seeing no Twilight moves over to the shelves. She begins to put away the books in a surprisingly calm manner, her eyes focused not on her task, but in her own mind, which to any other pony, would be a maze.
As she thought, and as she worked, a light whiff of Twilight's natural scent puffs up from one of the books, causing Pinkie to blush lightly. There was more than one reason that Pinkie came here on a near daily basis. The peace and quiet helped calm her, yes. But being close to the newly made alicorn got Pinkie excited, even made her smile genuine. The grace and innocence of the lavender mare never ceased to amaze the pink party pony, and being around her always made her feel...warmer inside. She couldn't quite place it, but Pinkie couldn't shake the feeling that she was waiting for something from Twilight, something big. It was like when you need to sneeze, but you can't. But for now, Pinkie was content to be around Twilight, Twilight's things, her makeshift home. It made her feel like she belonged here. She lets out a sigh before starting to sing softly to the seemingly empty air of the library, a sweet and slow tune. "Twilight, how you're eyes sparkle, how they dance with light and magic and all things light. They make me want to get lost, lost in your love and kindness. You make things so bright and awesome, I don't know what I'd do without you. I may not be like you, but I like you. And I may not be perfect, but I may be perfect for you. And no matter what they see, what they say, I see you, and I say, you're beautiful."
@>----%---------
Twilight lifts her head as she hears the door open, shutting the book with her magic before slipping off the bed, using her wings to balance herself. As she folds her new appendages against her back, she heads towards her room's door, hearing some books being moved around downstairs. Thinking it was Spike, she opens her mouth to call down at him, but as she peeks around the corner, she is startled to see Pinkie in front of one of the bookshelves, ruffling through some old hardbacks. Twilight stares at her for a moment before noticing that Pinkie isn't looking quite as happy and bouncy as she normally is, her eyes a more dull shade of their bright azure color, and her mane is flatter than the curly, uncontrollable mess that is the norm for the sugar fueled mare. But the thing that surprises her the most is when Pinkie begins to sing, the lyrics gentle but clear as crystal.
With each line, Twilight's face grows a darker and deeper shade of pink, the hot blush turning her whole muzzle from lavender to near the shade of Pinkie's own coat. When the little song is done, Twilight clears her throat and Pinkie jumps, her head whipping around with a look of pure fear and shame on her face when she sees the the purple mare. A moment of silence reigns before Twilight opens her mouth to speak, and Pinkie's ears drop before she lowers her head and runs out of the door, leaving her saddlebag and not staying to listen to Twilight.
The alicorn's wings droop to her sides and her own ears drop down to cup the back of her head, her rump dropping to the floor with a little thud. She had no idea that Pinkie had a thing for her, and though it was strange to know that one of her friends cared for her that way, it felt good. Good to know that somepony actually thought of her as a somepony, not just a crown or a friend or a librarian. As she lowers her head, Pinkie's saddlebag catches her eye and she uses her magic to lift it to her muzzle for examination. The powerful smell of sugar and pure Pinkie slams into Twilight and she blushes deeply at the scent, thinking how bright and happy Pinkie normally is. Twilight liked Pinkie that way, joyful and playful and silly...the look on her face when she realized Twilight had been listening was heart shattering, and Twilight never wanted to see that look in those beautiful sea blue eyes ever again.
"Wait...did I just think...Pinkie?! Could I really...like her? T-This is confusing...she's my friend! But she really is an amazing pony, trying to make everyone so happy...but she's a mare! What would Celestia think? Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh! What am I going to do? I don't want to make Celestia mad at me, but Pinkie...oh, Pinkie..."
The last two words are soft and quiet, almost a whisper in the affectionate manner in which they are said. She pulls the saddlebags against her chest for a moment, soaking in the scent of her pink friend before she slips them onto her desk and nods, pulling out a quill and ink. It was time for a letter.
@>---%-------
Pinkie ran and ran all the way back to Sugarcube Corner, her mane and tail falling flat and her color draining as hot, salty tears roll down her cheeks, everypony she passes turning their head and frowning with concern. She ignores the frowns, feeling worse for having caused the concern. She races upstairs to her room without a second glance at anyone, slamming and locking the door behind her. She lets out a sobbing scream and falls onto her bed, curling up tightly and clutching her pillow to her quivering form as her tears soak the fabric. She ignores the knocking at her door and the calling out of her name. She just lays there on the bed, sobbing and holding onto her pillow.
She couldn't believe Twilight had heard her! What was she going to do now...Twilight probably hated her, thought she was disgusting for liking mares, especially her. Or worse, she didn't want to be Pinkie's friend anymore. Pinkie could deal with Twilight not knowing that the pink mare had a crush on her, it was safe that way. But now? Now it was all Pinkie could do to keep from dying of heartbreak. Losing a friend would break her beyond repair. Pinkie could almost feel it starting in her heart, the little fissures of pain and anguish that popped into existence from the impact of the realization that her deepest desire was exposed. And with the pain throbbing in her chest, her thoughts scattered, and her chest heaving with sobs, Pinkie cried herself to sleep.
When Pinkie awoke from her tearful, fitful slumber, she didn't get up, didn't open her eyes. Instead, she lay there silently curled up in a tiny grey/pink ball with her waterfall of straight mane and tail twisting about her like some sort of shimmering snake. When she did finally open her eyes, they were a very dull blue, almost completely grey, and they focused on nothing at all. At long last, she pulls herself into a sitting position and looks down at her fore hooves with a little bit of disdain glinting in her near lifeless orbs.
"I wonder what Twilight is doing now...probably laughing at me for being so stupid. I can't believe she heard me. I'm such a foal for thinking that she could actually...tsk."
Pinkie clicked her tongue and shakes her head, frowning deeply as she stops her train of thought and slides from the bed, moving over to the window. The birds are singing brightly, and the sky was clear; there wasn't a storm scheduled for today. But Pinkie only saw the ponies that wandered around with their special somepony. There went Cheerilee and Thunderlane, Lyra and Bon-Bon, and even Ditzy Doo was fawning over that brown earth pony, Dr. Whooves.
Pinkie sighs softly and turns away from her window to her dresser. Her eyes fall on the picture of the six of her friends, all smiling happily to the camera. Pinkie was almost right behind Twilight when the picture was taken, and she can remember how much she wanted to just lean forward to hug the mare, to be closer to her. To be wrapped in her calming scent and warmth, to be loved and cared for by her...but it was an impossible dream. All Pinkie had to look forward to now was scolding of how her unnatural want of the Princess would affect the Elements of Harmony, and how she had to bury the emotions. The look of disgust in her friend's eyes when they looked at her...no way they would accept her being a mare-amour. Not even her family had accepted it. Before that memory could surface to hurt her further, she pushes both it and the building tears in her eyes back into herself with great effort.
She takes a deep breath and opens the door to her room, stepping out into the brightly decorated hallway. She makes her way down the stairs and gives the Cakes each a sad smile, shaking her head just slightly when they try to step forward to ask what had happened. They see the motion, and though they want to help her, they step back and look at each other with concern at the greyish appearance of the usually bright pink mare. Pinkie stares at the front door for a long moment before lowering her head slightly and pushing it open with her muzzle, she squints at the sunlight that hits her eyes and she turns her eyes away from it as she steps out...
...And bumps right into Applejack. The orange farmer steps back and grunts a bit, whereas Pinkie just remains in place, staying silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Sorry Applejack...I hope I didn't hurt you." "Now, why would you be hurtin' m-Pinkie? Is that you, sugarcube?" The blonde mare asks in confusion at the dull tone of Pinkie's fur and quiet voice. "Yeah...Its me. I, um...need to go..." "Hold on a minute, Pinks. What in tarnation is goin' on with you? Ah heard from Big Mac about you runnin' back here earlier, cryin' and whatnot. Ah thought you needed a friend, and boy howdy, I was right. Come on, let's go someplace and we can talk." "Applejack...I don't think that you'd really...like what I had to say." "Why not? Did ya paint all mah apples again?" "No..." "Did ya use your cannon thing and bust down a building?" "No." "Alrighty then. I don't see why we can't talk about things all rational-like. Come on, there's a lake by Fluttershy's cottage, we can chat there." Applejack says triumphantly, knowing that she had won the argument by the slump in Pinkie's shoulders. "Alright AJ...let's just get this over with..." ------At the lake------- The two mares found a quiet edge of the lake, under a shady little tree and sat down, Applejack adjusting her hat to get a better view of the depressed looking Element of Laughter, who stared out over the water with a blank look. "Now, why don't you tell me what's botherin' ya Pinks. Ah'm sure it ain't that bad." "I'm in love with Twilight." "...What was that?" "I'm in love with Twilight and I went to the library yesterday to get more books and she was there but I didn't know it and I started singing this little song that I thought up about her and she heard it and now everyone's gonna think I'm an awful pony because I love another mare!" Pinkie cries out in a long, strung out breath, tears leaping to her eyes again as she explains herself to Applejack, who now sat there processing this new information, stunned. Pinkie, thinking that the farmer's silence meant disgust, bursts out sobbing, falling to the ground and covering her muzzle with her hooves. This snaps Applejack from her shocked silence, and she moves a hoof to pet the smooth length of Pinkie's mane. "Is that all? T'aint no big thing sugarcube. We ain't gonna judge ya, not one bit. Ya see...Ah've got a secret too, and Ah think its about time Ah shared it with ya." The dusty colored mare says softly to the crying Pinkie, who sniffles and looks up with watery eyes. "Y-You aren't mad at me?" "Not at all. Like Ah said, no big deal. Honestly, Ah didn't think any of the rest of y'all were fillyfoolers. Ah thought it was just me and Fluttershy." Applejack says with a kind smile, a light blush tinting her cheeks. "Me and Flutters have been together fer what...four months now? We haven't made it public yet, but...we've been thinkin' about it. Tell you what. Why don't we try and help you with Twilight. She's a bookworm, and don't know much about the warm fuzzies, if you know what I mean. Give her a little bit, she'll figure things out. Either she likes ya, or she don't. That's up to her. All you can do is hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. That's what Granny Smith always says. And don't you worry. None of us are gonna judge ya Pinks. I'll bet my Stetson on that. Now, why don't you head back to Sugarcube Corner and freshen up a little bit. Me and Fluttershy will talk to Twilight, see what we can learn about what she's thinkin'. We're here for you Pinks, don't you doubt that."
Applejack was gentle but stern with her words, the genuine tone in her voice ringing in Pinkie's ears. They really weren't mad at her...and they even rooted for her! She would have to make sure that when the secret couple did come out, there was a big party waiting for them. With one last sniff, Pinkie wipes her eyes and sits up again, nodding to Applejack with a shaky smile. "Alright AJ...thanks a lot. And congrats with Fluttershy, by the way. You two always did look cute together." And with that, Pinkie stands and makes her way back to her home, a more determined spring in her hoofsteps.
Twilight finished her letter, with a few tweaks here and there before rolling it up and sealing it tight with her new royal seal. She gently placed it on her desk in preparation of Spike's return, before she stands, hissing slightly through her teeth as her joints pop from being still for so long. After a moment of stretching herself back out, she trots up to the shower room, turning on the shower as thoughts and questions swirled about in her head like Charybdis, the great whirlpool that swallowed a thousand ships. She waits for the water to get hot before she slips in, using her field of magic to grab her shampoo and washing brush.
"I wonder what Pinkie is up to...I hope I can make her feel better about all this...I can just imagine how distraught she is. The look on her face when she saw me...oh, Pinkie. What did I do? You looked so sad, so broken. And I...I did that to you. Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have freaked out...I mean, you are a beautiful mare, anypony would be lucky to have you. I mean, you are a little overzealous at times, but I think its just enthusiasm to make everypony happy. And all those sweets you eat! Heh! Keep eating like that, you're flank is going to get just a little plump. But that's just who you are, isn't it? Happy, bright, sweet, beautiful Pinkie...listen to me going on! I'm talking about Pinkie like...like...like she was talking about me."
Twilight was stunned into silence after her little rant, the brush freezing mid-brush as her mind comes to a screeching, complete halt. She couldn't possibly...could she? But now, thinking back on all of her friends, she could see the difference in how she saw Pinkie. Oh, Twilight loved all her friends, but there was something...special about Pinkie Pie. She had that happy-go-lucky bounce-ability that made Twilight feel less burdened with the weight of duty and importance. Where Twilight saw everyday life, going on without interruption, Pinkie saw a blank canvas, waiting to be painted with the wonderfully bright hues of laughter and delight.
And her eyes...that was the kick in the rump right there. Those beautifully deep azure eyes that drew you into the explosion of happiness and smiles that Pinkie was made of, those eyes that could sear you with a look of surprising wisdom, eyes that could light up a room when matched with that face splitting smile. Eyes that could drown you in all of the love you could ever want in life...if only you would open yourself to it.
The sound of the brush hitting the floor makes Twilight jump, and she realizes that in her reverie, she had dropped her magic field around the brush, leaving it to empty air and gravity. The alicorn blinks once, then twice, then picks the brush up again and sets it aside, rinsing herself off in a wide eyed daze. With a jolt of magic, she turns off the water and grabs her towel, wrapping it around her head and rubbing vigorously to dry her mane before doing the same with her tail, leaving both in tangled mops. As she dries the barrel of her body and her wings, another field wraps around her mane-brush and she starts to mold her mane into some semblance of order, her bangs curling around her horn as usual. Once her mane is done, she works on her tail, which is far easier to tame. After her mindless routine is complete and all items are back where they belonged, she slowly raises her eyes to her twin in the mirror, who looks just as mind-blown as the real one.
"Oh Pinkie...what have I done to you? I never want to see that face on you, that sadness in your eyes...I want to make you smile as much as you make me smile...what can I do to show you that?"
She lets out a long and drawn out sigh before trotting back downstairs, eyes widening slightly as she sees Applejack and Fluttershy waiting in the library. They both turn their heads to look up at Twilight, and the looks on their faces confuses the alicorn mare.
"Oh, um...hey girls. What's going on? Is something wrong?"
"Yer darn right somethin's wrong Twilight. What in tarnation did you say to Pinkie Pie to make her cry like that? She's an absolute mess!"
Twilight is taken aback at Applejack's angry tone and stern words, stopping partway down the stairs to look down at the fuming farmer. Even Fluttershy looks angry, though most of her face is hidden in her pastel pink mane. Twilight trots the rest of the way down the stairs before speaking, looking ashamed.
"I didn't say anything to her. She came in earlier today and I guess she thought that I wasn't here. I came down to see who it was, and then she started singing...it was a beautiful song, and it was about me. She cares for me a lot, I think. I never saw it before, but then again...Pinkie's always been pretty good at hiding things..."
"Twilight, she don't just care for ya. She loves ya. She told me that herself, right before collapsin' in tears. Now, Ah'm normally a very decent pony, but this is gettin' me all riled up Twilight. Ya can't just-" And this is where Fluttershy cuts in, much to the surprise of both Applejack and Twilight.
"Twilight, I think what Applejack means is that you shouldn't be so quick to judge Pinkie because of her orientation. We...I mean Applejack and I...we've been keeping ourselves a secret for a while now, and if you don't accept that, then what does that mean for our friendship?" After a short pause, Twilight blinks and lifts a hoof to point at the two mares.
"Y-You two are...? Wow...I didn't see that coming...um...congratulations, first of all. Second, I have zero issue with mare-amours, girls. I'm not judgmental like that. And as far as Pinkie goes...maybe I don't love her yet, but...that doesn't mean that I won't give her a chance. I really care for Pinkie Pie, she's a wonderful pony, truly special. And I want to see her smile again. That face she made when she ran away from me was fear and pain and sorrow. I never, ever want to see her make that face again. Especially if I'm the one causing it to be there." When Twilight stops speaking, there is a heavy silence in the air between the three mares before Fluttershy moves forward to embrace the alicorn, Applejack soon following suit.
"Then we're rootin' for you both, sugarcube."
"Of course we are. Just not too loudly..."
"Thanks girls. Now, what do you think would be a good way to ask Pinkie out on a date...?"
It was a long time before Pinkie Pie finally came out of the shower, flushed slightly from her rather...steamy activities while in the bath. Thoughts of Twilight wouldn't get out of her head, even though Pinkie still hurt inside from the earlier encounter with the alicorn. Just thinking of the lavender mare made Pinkie all jittery and warm inside, though some places were hotter than others. And whenever Pinkie gets to thinking about Twilight's physical features, her train of though goes into overdrive, chugging down the gutter of sensual thoughts.
Pinkie quickly shakes her head as if to clear it, determined not to get distracted from her task of relaxing and trying to wind down from her pain and tears. Perhaps a cupcake would help her get into better spirits. Yes, that should do it. Maybe a tasty chocolate one with purple and pink frosting, and a little candy star on to-Darn it! There she went again, centering her thoughts around the mare and the colors of her fur and mane. With a huff, Pinkie quickly makes her way down the stairs from the living quarters above Sugarcube Corner to the bakery itself, and though her color is still less than brilliant, she does look slightly better as she eyes the cakes within the glass showcase. While she looks, Mrs. Cake trots out and spies the pink mare, a look of both concern and relief washing over her features.
"Pinkie, dear! Its good to see you up and about again. Do you want something? Anything is yours, and its on the house. Just not one of our cakes, we need those!" The older mare says jokingly, trying to tease a smile from Pinkie, who obliges and gives her a small smile, giggling lightly at the joke.
"Thanks Mrs. Cake, but I think I'll just stick with that chocolate one with the pink frosting on it." Pinkie says in a gentle voice that surprises the older baker into a stunned silence. For a moment, Mrs. Cake does nothing, but she then smiles brightly and scoops said cupcake from the shelf, putting it on a little paper plate with a small fork resting beside it.
"Care for some milk, dear?"
"No thanks, this should be fine. I'll just go over to the window to eat, thank you." And with that, Pinkie trots over to a window seat, hopping up on one of the seats at a two pony table, eating slowly and calmly, the suddenly rational behavior shocking Mrs. Cake into staring at her while she ate. But then the blue and pink colored baker slipped back into the kitchen to fret like the mother she was over the strangeness of the situation.
Pinkie watched the ponies trot by the window, blinking slowly as if she were quite tired. But, in fact, Pinkie was thinking again, and thinking hard. Her thoughts now drifted to when Twilight had first come to Ponyville. It had been a decent enough day, sun shining, birds singing...then all of a sudden, bam! There she was, the most beautiful mare that Pinkie had ever seen. Soft, shimmering violet eyes that were filled with curiosity and hunger for knowledge, silky striped hair that shone in the light. Pinkie had been mesmerized. And then she had realized that she had been staring, and she had gasped and run away, disguising her nerves and embarrassment by telling everypony that it was just because she had never seen her before, and wanted to throw her a welcome to Ponyville party.
And every day since then, Pinkie couldn't stop thinking about the newly made princess, trying her best to make her smile by acting silly and goofy. But Pinkie wanted to show Twilight that she wasn't all that shallow, which is why she had been visiting the library more and more often. To read the things Twilight read, to think that her joy came from the knowledge that had been inked into the pages of those books...that is what drove her to read like she had been. That and being near the pony that she had fallen in love with. It hadn't been a love at first sight thing...no, the love came gradually, as more and more of the intellectual mare's personality and quirks were revealed over time.
Like how Twilight was obsessed with organization and lists, whereas Pinkie was all over the place, and off the wall. Pinkie felt that somehow, deep inside...Twilight and Pinkie were meant for each other. To balance each other out. Make each other whole. But perhaps they were not, and Twilight was meant for someone more her level. Some humble stallion that enjoys to read and be scheduled and could make Twilight feel like the princess she was. But the very thought of Twilight being with someone other than Pinkie herself, made the pink mare sick to her stomach, and jealous of the imaginary stallion that would eventually snatch her Twilight away.
"Ha...my Twilight...silly Pinkie. She's not your Twilight. She will never be. She probably hates your guts, and doesn't want to see you again because you're...you're..." But Pinkie's words were interrupted as the service bell above the door rings loudly in the mostly quiet bakery, a very out of breath Applejack trotting in.
"Pinkie! There ya are! Landsakes, Ah've been lookin' everywhere for ya! Come on, ya gotta come see this!"
"Ah can't explain it and Ah don't rightly mean to. Ya just gotta come see this!" Applejack practically yells with excitement, pulling the fellow earth pony from the table and out the door.
As soon as they get outside, the crowd of ponies that had gathered by the library turned to look at the pink mare with a collective gasp, the sea of multicolored equines splitting apart to allow the two Elements of Harmony pass. At the front door of the library, Fluttershy stands in place, not allowing a single soul pass, despite the nervous look in her eyes. As she spots Applejack and Pinkie Pie, she smiles sweetly and pushes her muzzle against Applejack's neck in a loving nuzzle. The farmer blushes lightly but returns the tender gesture before looking at Pinkie purposefully and nodding at the door.
"Go on in. Don't ya worry, we'll get these hoofdraggers outta the way for a while." Applejack says to Pinkie, right before puffing out her chest and yelling out to the gathered crowd. "NOW GET ALONG, YA HEAR? THIS AIN'T BUSINESS FOR Y'ALLS EYES AND EARS. GO ON, GIT!" The bellowing voice of the blonde mare startles the large group into dispersing, though not without a few curses and dark looks. Fluttershy doesn't look at all surprised at the loud voice, which makes Pinkie smile to herself. If Fluttershy was comfortable with Applejack's loud voice, then they must really be in love. There's not much in the world that won't scare Fluttershy, and if you can't scare her, you mean more to her than anypony could fathom.
Applejack smiles at Pinkie before looking to Fluttershy, tossing her head to motion their departure. Pinkie returns the gentle grin before taking a deep breath; her heart was pounding in her ears and chest, anticipation and all out nerves making her knees shake. She slowly opens the door to the library, only to be greeted by one of the strangest sights she had ever seen. It was a party, which wasn't all that strange, but...it wasn't a Pinkie Pie party. Which made it very strange indeed. Pink streamers and purple balloons dance about the ceiling, and there are bits and pieces of torn newspaper for confetti on the floor. Instead of a large table full of snacks, there is a small end table with a hoofmade cake sitting dead center.
Curious at the oddity of someone throwing a party without telling her, she looks around with wide eyes before trotting over to the cake, tilting her head at the loopy frosting words. Pinkie immediately recognized the penmanship of the letters, just as she knew that it had taken an effortless burst of magenta magic to scrawl them out. But that wasn't the thing that shocked her. No, what made her eyes widen and her heart stop, was the words that the writing spelled out.
Twilight watched Pinkie's reaction to her makeshift party with both nervousness and excitement making her joints all jiggly and forcing her heart to pound in her ears like one of Vinyl Scratch's bass songs at Berry Punch's bar. At first, all she heard was Applejack yelling from outside, then the door swung open with a rusty crrreeeeaaak. Twilight poked her head around the corner at that moment to see the flat-haired party pony's eyes widen with shock at what lay before her.
Although it wasn't as bright and as extravagant as one of Pinkie's parties, Twilight was proud of herself. She had read every book in the library about parties and the correct way to throw one (which was actually a single book, titled; Parties and Celebrations 101). She had shredded the confetti by hoof and even put up the streamers herself, having banished Spike from the library in a good natured manner to complete her tedious task. After a few questions that didn't earn a reply, he had shrugged it off and wandered into town muttering something about being glad that he was off for the day. When she was done with setting everything up, she had looked at the simple cake that she had asked Granny Smith to whip up while Applejack and Fluttershy ran about the town to find Pinkie. When they had spotted her, Fluttershy had flown back to the library, only to find it surrounded by ponies, who had been curious about what the Princess of Magic could possibly be doing, considering Pinkie Pie was the only one who really every threw parties like the one Twilight was creating.
And while Fluttershy held them off as best as she could, Twilight had run upstairs to slip into her special yellow dress, which was simple but pretty and would suffice for the occasion. It was all fairly quickly thrown together, but it looked decent to Twilight, who was now watching the party mare trot up to the cake. Twilight's heart skipped a beat as she saw Pinkie's breathing hitch, and with a deep breath, Twilight walked out from the hallway and took a few steps down the stairs towards Pinkie Pie.
"Pinkie?" The one word startled the pink mare, who whipped around to look at Twilight, her azure eyes widening at the sight of her.
"Y-You did this? W-Why...?"
"Well...you didn't really give me the chance to explain when you were here earlier. I was shocked at the song, but...I liked it. And after thinking about it, I thought that I would be willing to give this a go. I mean...you make me feel like more than just a crown. You make me smile, make me blush, and I can't...I can't get you out of my head. I can't say that I love you now, but...I want to try. Will you let me? Will you let me try to love you?"
For the longest time, Pinkie just stood there with a blank look on her muzzle, both confusion and a deeper emotion swirling in those deep blue eyes. Twilight's ears slowly drop to cup the back of her head, and she takes a step forward, looking slightly hurt that the silence. At the motion, Pinkie jolts and blinks repeatedly before actually looking at Twilight, the pink mare's cheeks going a deep red.
"Y-You mean it? A-Are you sure?" Pinkie manages to choke out, tripping over a couple words in her emotional state. Twilight doesn't miss a beat as she smiles and nods.
"Of course I mean it, Pinkie."
As soon as her name flows from Twilight's lips, the sound of a small explosion echoes through the room, along with the sound of air being pumped rapidly into a tire as Pinkie leaps into the air, her mane and tail pop out into their normal fluffy selves. Her color shoots back to her bubblegum pink, and a massive smile now splits Pinkie's face as she lands as light as a feather before the alicorn. Twilight jumps slightly at the noise, but she giggles and smiles brightly at the once more hyper pony before her, her cheeks dusted with blush. But the color in her face rises as Pinkie gently pushes her head under Twilight's chin, nuzzling the slightly taller mare.
"Yes." Pinkie whispers softly as her cheek brushes Twilight's upper throat.
"W-What?" Twilight stutters out, embarrassment and...pleasure closing her throat slightly.
"Yes. To your cake question, silly. Yes, this can be our first date."
Pinkie pulls her head away from Twilight's neck with a slight blush of her own, her smile surprisingly gentle and her eyes sparkling as she looks at the beautiful librarian before her. Twilight giggles nervously and looks away shyly, her eyes turning to the cake with a warm feeling inside her chest. Pinkie's smile turns playful again and she turns to trot over to the cake, using her mouth to lift the cake cutter, slicing off a piece and setting it on a plate before moving back over to Twilight, who takes the plate in her magical field.
"A piece for milady~!" Pinkie says with a little grin, and Twilight blushes darkly, not sure if she was teasing her for being a princess or if Pinkie was giving her a pet name.
"And one for Pinkie!" The pink party mare says with a giggle in her voice as she takes a piece for herself, trotting back to sit beside Twilight.
"So, are we...um...marefriends now?" Twilight asks, uncertain. The question makes Pinkie pause for a moment before she turns her eyes back up to Twilight's, and although there's a small smile on her lips, Pinkie's eyes are apprehensive as she speaks.
"Do you want to be? I want to take it at the speed you're comfortable with, Twi." Pinkie says in a light voice, tilting her head slightly, the motion making her look small and innocent.
"O-Oh. Well, I suppose its alright if we call ourselves marefriends. This is a date right? We're dating, so..." Twilight says in return, following the line of logic like she always does, a contemplative look on her muzzle.
"Alrighty then! It has been decreed by milady!" Pinkie says, raising a hoof and a faux serious look on her face before she bursts into giggles, pulling the knees of her forehooves up to her lips as if to hold it in. This causes Twilight to laugh as well, until they both lay on their sides, having forgotten their cake as they laugh until tears leap into their eyes. When both had calmed to the point of just smiling at each other, Pinkie reaches out to pull Twilight closer to her, wrapping her hooves around the alicorn's barrel and being careful to not squash her wings as she simply holds her.
"P-Pinkie?"
"I just want to hold you for a little while. Is that okay?" Pinkie whispers softly into Twilight's mane right by the lavender mare's ear, which twitches slightly as Pinkie's warm breath washes over it.
"....yeah. Yeah, that's fine Pinkie. This feels really nice, you know. You're so warm and soft..." Twilight says without thinking, her eyes widening as she realizes what had come out of her mouth.
"Heheh. I'm glad you like it, Twi. I like it too. I've wanted to do this for so long, and now...its a dream come true."
This causes Twilight's face to go a bright red, the color giving one of Applejack's apples a run for it's bits. But she says nothing in return to Pinkie's heartfelt words, only shifting slightly closer to the pink mare, who gives her a gentle squeeze. And there they lay for a while, until Pinkie slowly pulls away from Twilight with a small sigh. She smiles so softly to Twilight that the princess' heart skips and her knees to become jell-o at the sight.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to hold you that long."
"That's alright Pinkie. Like I said, I enjoyed it." Twilight says with a smile before getting up on still slightly shaky legs, leaning forward to press her lips lightly to Pinkie's cheek.
This motion makes Pinkie's legs lock and her face shoot to a darker shade of pink, her tail and mane standing on end for a moment before she practically melts into a dreamy eyed, relaxed position. Twilight giggles at the sight before trotting away to clean up the little party mess with a burst of magic. In the span of a few moments, she had all of the balloons and streamers down, and had whipped up all of the confetti shards into a tight ball before magically lifting it all to the trashcan, closing the lid tightly on the makeshift party supplies. When she turned around though, she almost ran into Pinkie Pie, who sat on her haunches behind Twilight, watching the librarian work.
"That was super nifty Twi! Wish I could do that! Anyways, what now?"
It was the night of the date, and Pinkie was super excited. Super, duper, fantastically, magnificently, PINKIE PIE EXCITED!! Which meant the bright pink party animal was bouncing off the walls with glee. Literally. There was absolutely nothing, and Pinkie meant NOTHING, that could ruin her mood. Fluttershy squeaked with fright at the sugar fueled and utter chaotic bouncing about that was taking place inside Sugarcube Corner, while Applejack just shook her head, her lips turned up in a light grin.
"Ya got anything special ta wear?" Applejack asked flippantly, raising an eyebrow until it almost disappeared beneath the rim of her dusty old Stetson.
The simple question made Pinkie stop dead in her tracks, strangely enough, midair above the sweets counter. She hung there for a moment in one of her seconds of pure Pinkieness, defying gravity before seemingly leaping off of nothing to land on the ground, her hooves coming up to her mouth and her back bending backwards an a 'C' shape as one of the longest, loudest gasps she had ever made gets forced through her mouth.
Nothing could ruin Pinkie's mood...but that.
"I NEED TO GET TO RARITY'S RIGHT AWAY I'LL SEE YOU GIRLS LATER BYE!!" The pink blur screamed as she bolted from the sweets shop towards the Carousel Boutique, a large dust cloud rising up behind the frantic mare.
The orange earth pony farmer lets out a hearty bellow of laughter at the sight, while Fluttershy merely smiles in a knowing fashion to the trail of dust and dirt that was left in the wake of Pinkie on a mission. The small pegasus then does something to surprise the earth mare, by lifting her head and giving Applejack a tender kiss, right on the mouth. After a moment of holding the sweet moment, they break apart with smiles curving their lips as their eyes connect. It was then that Fluttershy speaks.
"I remember being a little like that on our first date...frantic and worried that I'd forgotten something. But I guess...I guess it never really mattered, in the end. And....I'm really glad we told each other, even if it was a little...scary and things. But Applejack? There's nopony in the world I'd rather be with. You've made me more confident, like at Twilight's earlier. And though I'm still shy...I'm glad I can make you happy. I hope I make you happy. I mean...oh!"
Her lips were suddenly very occupied with something other than words as Applejack returned the earlier kiss with more of a passionate tone to it, though the sweetness still lingered in the last moments of the lip lock. When they broke apart, didn't have to say a single word for Fluttershy to know exactly what was in her eyes, and she gave a little hum of happiness before nuzzling her muzzle against Applejack's soft neck fur, relaxing as she watched a new love story unfold before her eyes.
Pinkie Pie burst into the Carousel Boutique with a comically grim face on, quickly making her way over to a startled Rarity, who had just finished up another dress. Pinkie lifts her hooves and squishes Rarity's white cheeks together while getting her face veeeery close, the powdery colored unicorn doing her best to pull her head back; with no success. Pinkie's grip was like iron.
"Rarity. I need a dress. STAT!"
"Mphkeeeh, bnnn oool hfff ooo wer gu oof mu ffsss." (In Muffled, that meant, 'Okaaay, but you'll have to let go of my face.')
Pinkie quickly obliged, her eyes going wider as she awaited the dressmaking to begin, tightening her muscles to remain as still as she could, for as long as she could.
"'Kay Rare's! I'm all ready to go! Do. Your. Worst." Pinkie says dramatically, though her face is both anxious and excited. Rarity rolls her eyes as she begins to pull out swaths of fabric.
"Really, darling, I don't get why you're getting so worked up over all of this. If she likes you, then you don't need to try to make yourself look prettier. Doesn't she think you're beautiful as you are?"
"Well, DUH, she wouldn't ask me out if she doesn't like me. And if she didn't like me, she wouldn't think I'm beautiful, so the fact that she asked me out means that she MUST think I'm pretty, right?" Pinkie pouts off in return, stunning Rarity into a rare moment of speechlessness. Rarity wasn't used to Pinkie being both logical and serious at the same time. It was...well, a little unnerving for the marshmallow mare.
"I-Indeed, I suppose that's correct. Now, come back in an hour or two and it will be done. I'm sure the both of you will have a lovely time tonight." Rarity said in a dismissive tone, letting Pinkie know that Rarity's brain was going into dressmaking overdrive, and that it would be no use trying to talk to her now.
She began to trot back towards the center of town, and then her eyes lit up as she saw a certain jewelry store, cogs turning in her head before she trots over to the store, giggling lightly when she hears the bell chime. She begins to wander, and the owners of the store look quite nervous to see her in there. Pinkie in a store with shiny things was like Iron Will in a china shop. But after a while of browsing, Pinkie finds the perfect item, smiling bright enough to outshine every last diamond in the store.
"I'll take that one."
@>---%-------
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was worrying another grooved circle around the centerpiece of the library, her eyes frantic and her magic pulling books out here and there, bringing them to here eyes before she unceremoniously tosses them to the pile on the edges of the ever deepening trench around her.
"There are books on how to pull a chair out for a mare, how to be polite, the correct table manners for select restaurants, and even a book on how to avoid steaming manholes so your dress doesn't fly up like Mareylan Monroe, but not a SINGLE BOOK ON HOW TO GREET A MARE ON YOUR FIRST DATE!! AAARG!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO SPIKE?!"
"Uh...I don't know, Twilight, but I don't think yelling is the answer to that." The little purple dragon says with a soothing tone in his voice, gently placing the books Twilight had so heinously discarded back on their proper shelves. He didn't, however, let her see his eyes, which now rolled slowly in his small head. Twilight always over thought simple things like this, and freaked out over the smallest things.
"You're right Spike, I need to stay calm. Its okay, I can just walk up to her and say 'Ready to go? You look lovely tonight.' And she is lovely, isn't she Spike? Such deep blue eyes, I don't think I've seen anything like them...and her smile? Oh, I think I could live for days on just one of her smiles..." Twilight says dreamily as she practically floats upstairs. No joke. Her wings were upright against each other, with just the tops of each fluttering slightly, awkwardly lifting her front hooves an inch or two from the ground, while her rear hooves had to keep stepping forward to propel her.
Once more, Spike's eyes roll in his skull.
"Sissy girly stuff...I'll never get how she can be so weird sometimes. Oh, hey...Twilight! I sent that note that you left out for Celestia!" He shrugs when he gets no response, figuring that Twilight was far too busy drooling over Pinkie to hear him. He huffs softly as he continues to put the books away, shaking his head. "Sissy girly stuff."
It was raining. Of all the rotten luck, it had started to rain. Twilight was already a nervous wreck, and now on top of all else, it was raining! How she was going to cope with this, she didn't know, but for Pinkie's sake, she was going to keep it together. Even if their date was about to get ruined by RAIN of all things. Twilight face-hoofed and grumbled to herself as she slipped into her dress, using her magic to help her ease into the soft fabric.
She was, above all, excited for the date this evening. A nice dinner at an Istallion restaurant, perhaps a lightning bug show. But now? They'd have to settle for dinner in. The restaurant would be packed for sure. No one wanted to cook on a stormy evening. But maybe this was better. Twilight began to see the upsides in staying home to eat. Pinkie wouldn't be rowdy and goofy in public (not that Twilight minded the pink mare's behavior), it was a more intimate setting where ponies wouldn't be watching them all evening...yes, perhaps a quiet dinner in would be a very good idea.
Twilight began to fidget with her mane, wondering what to do with it, when there was a knock on the door. Twilight had already sent spike over to Sweet Apple Acres for the night, saying that he could help bake pies with the country family. He insisted that he wanted to stay at the Carousel Boutique, but Twilight doubted Rarity wanted a lovestruck baby dragon around when she was making that new order for Sapphire Shores.
Twilight trotted downstairs to open there door, and there, standing out in the rain with an umbrella in her mouth, was Pinkie Pie. Twilight's heart skipped a beat when she saw her friend all tidied up in her new dress, which was strangely a mix of both pink and purple. The same pink and purple that made up Pinkie and Twilight's coats. Twilight brushed away a thought about how marvelous the two colors went together as she smiled brightly at the still dry mare before her, taking her umbrella with her magic and setting it inside in the umbrella rack.
"Hey there Pinkie. You look great. I mean...yeah, really, really great." Twilight managed to sputter out, very much at a loss for words at the beauty of the baker in her dress. Her mane and tail, which as a rule was very unruly, had been wrestled down into a wavy waterfall, a mix between the board straight style of her saddened state and her bright, bouncy, curly locks. And just around her azure eyes, there was a little lavender eyeshadow to make her eyes seem dusky and smoky. Twilight couldn't take her eyes from the gorgeous mare before her.
"Hee~! Thanks Twilight. You look really, really great too." Pinkie says in an almost husky voice, leaning in to give Twilight a gentle peck on the cheek, causing the princess to blush darkly.
"I thought that maybe we could eat in, instead of going out tonight." Twilight squeaks out, motioning with a hoof to the table for two set with candles and all other trimmings.
"That sounds amazing. I was hoping that we could stay in tonight." Pinkie states in the same sultry tone, her eyes never once leaving Twilight's as they converse.
"R-Really? Oh! Well then, that fits great! I made lasagna with spinach, extra cheese. I hope you don't mind?"
"Spinach and extra cheese? Twilight, how did you know I loved that combination?"
"I, uh...talked with the Cakes. They gave me a few tips. They seem pretty happy about this, you know."
"Yeah...they've known that I've liked you for a really long time. They always had great things to say about you, and always told me to go for it. Strange how things happen, huh?" Pinkie says as she makes her way to the table, smiling over at Twilight in a tender manner. Twilight nods in agreement to Pinkie's words before using her magic to pull out Pinkie's chair for her, blushing lightly as Pinkie aims another world brightening smile at the alicorn.
"Thank you, Lady Twilight." Pinkie says teasingly as Twilight cuts the pink mare a slice of the steaming lasagna, setting it on her plate before making herself a portion.
"You are most welcome, Lady Pinkamina." Twilight says indulgently, also grinning when she speaks. But Twilight's words cause Pinkie to frown, and Twilight immediately backtracks.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to upset you..."
"No, Twilight. I'm alright. Just...Pinkie Pie, okay? I don't like to be called Pinkamina anymore." The baker lifts her eyes to look at Twilight, causing the alicorn to almost visibly flinch at the pain that resides in those sky blue eyes.
"Of course, Pinkie. I'm sorry." Twilight says in almost a whisper, her ears lowering slightly at the sudden somber tone in the air. In an attempt to bring back the lighter side of the conversation, she uses her magic to brush a wavy lock of pink hair from Pinkie's eyes, blushing brightly when surprise replaces the pain.
"S-Sorry. It was in your eyes. I like to look at you're eyes. They're very beautiful. YOU are very beautiful." This causes Pinkie to flush deep red, and before she could think of anything to say to that, she picked up her fork and began to eat. Taking her friend's silence as an approval of the compliment, she smiles and begins to eat as well, the meal continuing on in relative (If comfortable) silence.
When the meal was done, Twilight lifts the plates with her aura and sets them down quietly in the sink, standing and moving over to Pinkie with a sweet smile. She offers her hoof to the baker, who takes it almost shyly as she slides from her chair.
"I thought we could dance...since we can't go watch fireflies. Is that alright?" The Princess asks softly as she leads her companion upstairs to the record player that she kept in her room, save for parties. The lower floor of her room was perfect for dancing, clean and round and empty. And when Pinkie nods, she opens her door and leads the pink mare inside, using her magic to start up the record player, the song 'Can't Smile Without You' by Barry Marenilow starting up. Twilight looks Pinkie right in the eye as she steps forward, their cheeks just barely brushing as they connect to each other by setting their chins on the back of each others lowered necks.
And they danced for what seemed like hours to that song, and when it was over, they almost wept for having to part. But when they finally broke away, Twilight twisted her head at the last moment to catch Pinkie's lips in a soft, unexpected kiss that shattered the world around them into nothingness, and the only sensation that they felt was that of each others lips. Their eyes fluttered shut into the tender kiss, each one pouring the feelings in their hearts to the other mare as their lips remained interlocked.
And yet, even this had to come to an end, leaving both breathless and wanting for more. Twilight knew that restraint should be shown here, rational thought. Pinkie knew that she shouldn't take advantage of what was given, a single kiss. But both tossed aside the bindings of civility and propriety as their lips once more met, this time in a passionate, heated, indeed almost molten kiss that seared in heart's fire the bond between the two.
Barely a breath had been taken, not a word had been uttered, and yet suddenly they were both up on Twilight's bed, the smell of fading teleportation magic lingering in the air. Fabric rustled and was tossed to the floor, both quickly shedding their clothes in favor of feeling fur on fur. Twilight rolled Pinkie below her on the cloud soft mattress, their lips never faltering on each others as Twilight's wings slowly brushed Pinkie's hips and Cutie Mark, causing the pink party mare to gasp and arch herself into the gossamer touch.
Both were almost mindless with need for each other when Twilight pulled her head back and took a breath of air, her mind clearing for a single thought. Soft. She took her own advice and slowed down the kisses and the gentle caresses of the sugar sweet mare below her, causing Pinkie to almost whine with desire. But when the pink mare saw the look in her lover's eyes, she quieted. That was a look so full of wanting and barely restrained, animalistic need, that Pinkie had no doubts of what would come.
Twilight lowered her lips to Pinkie's cheek, brushing her lips back and forth over the soft fur there, slowly moving her mouth lower on the neck of her bright pink companion. She tasted like frosting and fire, the two flavors a very strange but not unpleasant mix. Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Twilight's neck as the alicorn dipped farther, the softness of her tongue brushing through Pinkie's fur causing the baker to shiver and let out an airy, subtle moan. The sound makes Twilight almost whimper with arousal, but she strengthens her resolve and continues at her current pace, now moving towards Pinkie's soft belly.
Pinkie's breath hitches in her throat as she feels Twilight's tongue brush just over the subtle curve of her stomach, almost opening her lips to beg for Twilight to move lower. But she didn't need to say a word, for Twilight obeyed without hearing a single sound, and Pinkie's mind almost burst with the pleasure of the touch of her tongue. Pinkie could barely keep herself from screaming after a moment of the delectable ministrations of her lover's tongue. But just before Pinkie's vision could explode, Twilight pulls away, and this time, Pinkie does whimper.
"Its alright Pinkie...I'm not done yet. I just want to watch your beautiful face..." Whispered the alicorn mare, and Pinkie quivers with both excitement and delight at the tone in Twilight's voice.
Twilight's horn lights up suddenly as the lavender mare slips their lower legs together, and Pinkie could feel a soft pressure between them, cradled right between their most private regions. And then Twilight began to move, slowly at first, but quickly picking up speed as they moan and call out each others names. The pleasure between them grew and grew until, with a scream from them both, their whole world implodes upon itself, nothing but utter bliss ruling their minds.
When reality begins to fade back into their sight, Twilight relaxes onto the bed beside Pinkie, pulling the exhausted mare against her heaving chest. And they lay there like that until they fell asleep, content to be in their lover's arms. But right before they fell asleep, Twilight whispered something when she noticed Pinkie's fur mingling in with her own as her eyes began to slip shut.
"Wow...pink and purple really do look great together..."
It was the morning after the two mares' mind shattering night together, both still sleeping soundly in each others hooves. Pinkie's head now rested just below Twilight's on the pillow, they're tails curled tightly around each other. They slept in late through the day, until Twilight's inner clock started to bellow in her mind, waking her from peaceful slumber. The royal mare lifts her head to yawn and stretch, but upon feeling the weight in her hooves, she pauses to look down upon the pink party mare.
With a heavy blush, Twilight remembers the events of the previous evening, her eyelids drooping with thought. But she smiles tenderly at Pinkie and bows her head to kiss her softly on the cheek, her ears flicking slightly when Pinkie's eyes shoot open at the lightest touch of Twilight's lips on her fur. The mare's bright, azure eyes lift to look at Twilight's own twinkling violet orbs and she, too, smiles.
"How are you feeling?" Twilight whispers softly to her cotton candy pink lover as she nuzzles her soft ear, her horn lighting up to levitate a comb over to the duo.
"Never felt better in my life, Twi." Pinkie says in a quietly serious tone that Twilight had never heard the young mare use before, and it gives the bookworm pause. After a moment of staring into Pinkie's eyes, she realizes that the mare before her who was always full of energy and joking delight was being utterly serious. There was no ulterior thoughts behind the words, no joking, no hidden meaning. Not saying that Pinkie normally lies, but...she wasn't acting like she was hopped up on sugar and fruit punch. The calm manner which she now held captivated and confused Twilight, throwing her for a loop.
"Twilight, are you alright? You seem quiet." A little bit of fear seeps into the pink mare's voice and Twilight immediately snaps out of it, giving her lover a tender smile as she starts to run the comb through Pinkie's mane. Also to Twilight's amazement, the normally tangled mess allows the brush to stroke through it, not straightening it perse, but making each curl silky smooth and perfect.
"Yes, Pinkie, I'm fine. Just thinking is all."
"Oh Twilight, you're always thinking." Pinkie giggles out teasingly, which causes Twilight to snort softly.
"...Hey Twilight?"
"Yes, Pinkie?"
"Why did you let us do that last night? I mean...you just didn't seem like you'd...you know...do that sort of thing." Pinkie says softly, poking her hooves together in embarrassment as she queries. The thought makes Twilight laugh softly and once more bend her head to nuzzle the pink mare.
"Oh, Pinkie...you know, you are the first pony I've done something like that with. I've never done that because I've never found someone that I've felt that connection with...because I've never found someone that meant that much to me. I can't say that I love you yet. Yet. But I can definitely say that you tripped me up, and I'm already falling."
The little speech is met with complete silence for a long time, causing Twilight to wonder if she had said something to upset the bouncy mare. But when she looked down at Pinkie's face, she saw the brightest smile she had ever seen on Pinkie, and tears in the bright blue of her eyes.
"Oh Twilight...do you really mean that?" The party mare asks in a quivering voice, her ears lowered with uncertainty.
"Of course I mean that, Pinkie." And with that, Twilight lifts a wing and plucks a feather from her wing to push into Pinkie's mane, smiling softly at the joined colors.
"T-Twilight?" Pinkie questions as the feather is placed, the symbol of claiming quite clear.
"Pinkie, I know this is kinda short notice, but...will you be my marefriend?" Twilight asks sheepishly, the purple of her fur turning pink on her cheeks.
"Twilight, yes! So many times yes!" Pinkie cries out with tears now pouring unabashedly down her cheeks, soaking the soft fur there. And they embrace with tender kisses and sweet words whispered between lips until they settle once more. Then Twilight begins to grow curious, asking a question to her marefriend.
The two mares were slow to get out of bed, but they both knew that their lives had to move on, and they had to catch up with the day that had already started off so fast. The two shot looks at each other throughout their morning routines, smiling softly giggling to themselves at the sight of the other. The earlier evening's activities and sleeping in each others arms had cause both mare's manes to become nests of tangles. But they eventually become situated and headed downstairs together, tails gently intertwined.
Spike was already downstairs, smirking to himself when he saw the two coming down next to each other. He was making breakfast for them, stacks of pancakes on the table. He had taken the precaution of making extra, since he had seen Pinkie alongside Twilight this the evening before when he had come back from Carousel Boutique.
"Hey Twilight, I don't know if you heard me last night, but I sent that letter to Celestia. I saw it on your desk and thought you'd wanted me to send it before I left, so...I did." He states simply before turning towards the two mares, his smile dropping when he saw the look on Twilight's face. Her eyes were open wide in both shock and fear, her ears lowered back against her head.
"Spike, that wasn't for Celestia..." she whispers softly as she slowly lowers her rump onto the floor beside Pinkie, who now had a look of concern on her muzzle. The pink mare lowers her head slightly to nuzzle Twilight's neck, trying to comfort her.
"What's the matter, Twilight? It can't be that bad, can it?" Pinkie asks calmly to her marefriend, sitting beside her on the cool wooden floor.
"Y-Yes it can. It sooooo can." The lavender princess chokes out before turning her eyes to Pinkie's own. "That was a letter, yes. But I was going to send it Cadence to ask her advice on something that I didn't think Princess Celestia or Luna could possibly answer. Oooohhhh man, this is bad...horseapples."
"Twilight, don't curse. Especially in front of Spike." Pinkie reprimands softly, which causes Spike to raise and eyebrow and look at Pinkie for a moment. "Look, I think you're overreacting. Its okay, really. I don't think you give Celestia much credit on that account. She's lived for a very long time. I'm sure she has some idea about your questions. Right?"
After a long moment, Twilight lets out a deep breath and nods in response, moving her head to Pinkie's neck to nuzzle it softly, needing the comfort of the mare who was often wise, despite her normally sporadic personality. After a short moment, they both get up and make their way to the table, where Spike sets down the last of three batches of pancakes before the two mares.
"There you go ladies. Enjoy."
"Thanks Spike."
"Yeah, thanks Spikey!"
The young dragon nods at the thanks and wanders into the other room to start on his chores while Pinkie and Twilight started in on breakfast. True to her bottomless appetite and Spikes prediction, Pinkie ate most of the pancakes herself, while Twilight stuck to polishing off the rest. The librarian then levitates the dishes to the sink and wipes her mouth while Pinkie's comically long tongue lashes out over her lips to clean off any clinging syrup on her muzzle.
The two then slide out of their seats and wander back into the library, where Twilight stops and brightens up a bit. She trots over to the corner, where Pinkie's saddlebags still sat, and she lifts them with her magic over to Pinkie, smiling sheepishly at the bubblegum toned mare.
"Here, I forgot to give these back." She says softly as she returns them to the earth pony before her, blushing lightly when Pinkie gives her a signature face splitting grin.
"Thanks Twi! Oh, which reminds me, I got something for you!" And with that, the bouncy mare leaps over to the door, where a little box sat, having been placed there the night before without notice by the hostess of the library. The party mare moves back over to her marefriend with the box between her teeth, smiling brilliantly as she sets it down.
"There you go! I picked it out special. I hope you like it."
Twilight's eyebrow perks up slightly as she sees the box, using her magic to open it. But when she sees what's inside, her heart stops for a moment, her eyes going wide with shock. After taking a deep breath, she lifts the glistening item from the velvet confines and holds it before her eyes. It was a horseshoe. But not just any horseshoe. It was a bright silver, with an inscription on the curve that read, 'The Purple to My Pink, I'll Always Love You'. At the bases of the curves are two cutie marks, one side showing three little balloons and the other a shining star.
"P-Pinkie..." The princess whispers out shakily as hot tears leap to her eyes, which read the inscription over and over again before they turn up to Pinkie's own, which are filled with at tender love that Twilight had seen only in others for others, that special love that you see only once in a lifetime.
"I know it may be a little much, but...I just wanted to give you something. You know? I mean...just for everypony to know." The party mare states shyly, surprising in and of itself. But Twilight shakes her head and wraps her hooves around her marefriend, holding her close against her chest.
"Oh Pinkie...you have no idea how much this means to me. I'll have it put on right away." Twilight says with a little smile, kissing Pinkie's lips once, softly. "But...why have you given me so much?"
"What do you mean? I've only gotten you that." Pinkie asks, confused at the question.
"No you haven't...you've given me so much more. You've given me your love, your heart...even your body." She whispers the last part with a heavy blush. "But now this...why so much?"
"Oh Twilight...all that is so easy to give. You've had it for so long. Loving you is so easy, it couldn't be hard. And I love you so much. And I know sometimes people say that I'm a little too bouncy, too much to be around, but you do it. You calm me somehow, you make me...better, I think."
"Pinkie, I don't care what other people think. Not when I'm with you. And you aren't, you know."
It had been exactly two days since the letter had gone out to the Princess of the Sun, but even in the organized mind of Twilight Sparkle, it felt like years. The anxiety of no reply had dug its way into the mare's mind and made her thoughts race with possible (and increasingly unlikely) outcomes of the situation. These worries had Twilight pacing once more in her library home, around and around the large pony head centerpiece. Pinkie had come over here and there to calm and cuddle her marefriend, even singing her made-up Twilight song to help relax her.
But now, the newly made princess was alone in her home, the once friendly smell of books almost suffocating her now as she worried and fret. She paced ad paced, the blackness of worry eating away at her and fraying her mane and tail, the dark bags under her eyes clear to any who looked at her. Even though Pinkie had been coming over and sleeping with Twilight ever night, the pink party mare was only a light balm on the ever increasing panic that was settling inside the lavender alicorn's heart.
Just as Twilight was turning to make another pass around the wooden carving, a heavy knock resounded on the library door, causing Twilight to freeze in her tracks. She reaches out with her magic and opens the door with a burst of magenta, revealing the one pony that Twilight feared would make an appearance in her humble home. With a heavy heart, Twilight bow to Princess Celestia, who enters with an expressionless face.
"Stand, Twilight. You have no cause to bow to me." She says in her calm, velvet voice, which once made Twilight calm whenever she hear it. Now, the sound only produced a thick thread of dread in Twilight's heart.
"I apologize, Princess...force of habit. So...I assume you're here because of my letter, aren't you?" The lavender mare's voice almost falters as she speaks, her eyes not even lifting to look at the Solar Princess.
"I am indeed, my little pony. It seems you have a rather interesting dilemma on your hooves. There wasn't much as far as details in your letter, but I gathered that I was not the intended recipient. I assume that Spike sent it to me out of habit, without asking you. Am I correct?"
"Yes, Princess...I was going to send it to Cadence. She seemed to be the best pony to talk to about the...situation."
"While I have no issue with you wanting to consult Cadence about personal matters, I would like that you include me in things such as this, Twilight. You see, there are the Elements to think of." Princess Celestia's voice grows sad and serious, which draws the attention of the lavender mare, who had lowered herself to sit as Celestia herself had done moments before.
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean, Twilight, is that the Elements of Harmony are connected by the bonds of Friendship, and while love indeed makes the bond grow stronger, it also can be the weak spot that blocks the Elements from being used at all. Say if whomever has caught your attention is injured in some way. If you become angry at whomever caused this special pony pain, you may become vengeful and hateful to your friends because of your desire for payback. And thus, your friendship would splinter and the Elements would become useless." The explanation rang in Twilight's ears, though the thought of someone hurting Pinkie caused the new princess to see red.
"I...I see Princess..." Twilight's shoulders droop in sadness, even her wings brushing the ground.
"I do not mean to upset you, Twilight, but I am only seeing if your special somepony is truly worth the stakes at which you place them. And...I have another reason to question this relationship. I want nothing more than for you to have love in your life, Twilight, that happiness. But you have to understand that this will be hard later on. You are a princess now, an immortal being who will watch over the world until it crumbles upon itself and dies. Even then, you will be living, past the end of days along with only the other princesses as your company. And then, your special somepony will have passed on, into the abyss of death. You will outlive any love you will ever know, every relationship you make will eventually crumble against the sands of time. I have lived with this fact for thousands of years, and it pains me every single day to think of ponies that I held dear, now long passed. So I ask you this, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic and Friendship...is this pony worth the love in your heart? Is this pony and their fleeting company worth thousands of years of pain and loneliness? I must ask you this, just as I asked Cadence when she fell in love with your brother, Shining Armour, for these are the burdens of being a princess. Are they worth it, Twilight Sparkle?"
The long tirade that the Solar Princess had gone on now stops short at the simple, yet heart shattering question, which hangs in the air like a thick fog around the lavender alicorn's head. There is a long and drawn out pause before Twilight lifts her head once more with a surprisingly calm smile, even her eyes sparkling lightly as she replies to the heavy question with a single word.
"Absolutely."
"I hear the surety in your voice, my little pony, but I am curious. Why are you so positive?" There is a little smile on Celestia's face, though the seriousness remains in her eyes.
"Because even though they might be gone years down the road, the happiness that they give me now? All the laughter and joy and brilliance...I'll remember that always, and even through the pain of losing them, their smile and their love is what I'll remember most. And even just that little part of them will be enough. Because I love them with all I have, so really, they aren't all gone. They'll still have a home in my heart. And I can't guarantee that I won't get mad if somepony hurts them, or sad when they pass...but that's natural, isn't it? When you're in love, all you can do is feel around them. Rationality doesn't really come into play much. But that's okay, because they're right by your side the whole way."
After Twilight's own little speech, the Princess of the Sun seems satisfied, giving a little nod and a brilliant smile that could war with the sun itself as far as brightness. The white mare lowers her head to nuzzle Twilight's cheek and wraps a large wing around her in a feathery hug. Once released, Celestia stands and smiles yet again.
"Twilight, you have indeed fallen hard for this pony, and I wish you both the absolute best. And between you and me, I think Pinkie Pie was an excellent choice. " The offhoof remark was enough to make Twilight blush a brilliant pink, which in turn causes Celestia to laugh softly before standing and moving to the door. A yellow magical aura grasps the knob and opens the door, the Solar Princess not even pausing as she brushes past Pinkie, who had been sitting at the door and listening the whole time.
"You better treat her right, Miss Pie. I believe the moon has been rather lonely as of late. Hurt her and I may send it a new friend." The princess of course was smiling, only teasing the pink party pony who was only sitting there with a stricken look on her face.
Twilight blushes at the sight of Pinkie sitting there, and she uses her magenta magic to pull her inside and shut the door. After a long silence, Twilight leans forward to nuzzle the sugar scented pony before her, smiling when the contact wakes Pinkie from her reverie. When the lavender mare pulls away, tears hover in the azure eyes that belonged to the pink mare she loved so much.
"T-Twilight? Did y-you really mean all that? E-Everything you said? Am I r-really worth it?" Pinkie asks in a shaky voice, her knees gently pressed together so they don't knock together from the heavy emotion that thickens the air in the room.
"Pinkie...I think you know by now that I mean everything I say when it comes to you. I meant what I said, every word of it."
And with that simple reply, they came together in a soft, tender embrace that both would remember for the rest of their lives. As the two ponies embraced and snuggled together in the center of the library, Celestia smiles and turns away from the window where she had peeked in, giggling like a schoolgirl as she opened her wings to fly back to Canterlot.
"I'll have to record this at once. Luna is already almost done reading Applejack and Fluttershy's. Hm...what to call this little romance? Ah, I've got it. I think I'll name this one...When Balloons Float to the Stars."
The sun was shining bright when Pinkie woke up, surrounded by the smell of parchment and ink, along with that smell that was wholly unique to her lover, Twilight. The pink party pony turned her brilliant azure eyes to the lavender mare beside her, wondering at how beautiful she could be, even in sleep. It had been almost a year since they had gotten together, and it had been wonderful, every minute. The Cakes were sad that she had moved out and into what was now the magnificent crystal castle at the edge of town, but they were overjoyed that Pinkie had found her very special somepony.
Using her Pinkie powers, she slid out of bed without waking her lover, smiling tenderly at the sleeping face of the mare she loved. After her daily routine in 0% volume, like only Pinkie Pie could, she slipped out of the Royal Bedchambers, (Pinkie always called it that, just to be funny) to head downstairs, ushering the Head Chef aside to cook Twilight her breakfast. The first few times this had occurred, the Chef had been outraged, that is until he had tasted Pinkie's Perfect Princess Pancakes, a newly designed recipe just for Twilight. He was then more than happy to oblige the mare in making her Princess' breakfast.
While she was hustling and bustling about the kitchen, she hummed her little song to herself, a tender smile on her lips as she whipped up a huge stack of the delicious wheat pancakes with blueberries and bananas. When she was done, she made a decent sized plate for Twilight, then the rest towered on a plate for herself, looking not unlike the Leaning Tower of Pancakes. She stared up at the pancake stacks for a long time, wondering how she would go about doing her 'special something' this morning. She bit her lip and stuck out her tongue in her normal Pinkie Pie thinking style, before her face exploded into a massive, muzzle splitting grin. It was going to be perfect.
Twilight lifted her head from her soft pillows, her mane nothing but a bat's nest and her tail matching. She smacked her lips slowly as her brain sputtered to life, her first thought being 'Where in the hay is Pinkie?' She looked around for a long while before letting out a soft sigh, wondering if there had been a party emergency, to which Pinkie would race off in a heartbeat. She got up and grabbed her manebrush with her magenta magic aura and slid it through her mane, taking a while because of all the tangles. Her tail quickly followed until they were in perfect order, but before she could open the door, it burst open of its own accord to allow in a large tray, with Pinkie following behind.
"Twilight, I didn't think you'd be up yet! I was making you breakfast in bed! Your favorite too!" Pinkie's voice had a little whine in it upon seeing Twilight up and out of bed already, and her face went from a bright smile to a disappointed frown.
"Oh! I'm sorry Pinkie, I didn't know. Tell you what, I'll get back in bed and you can give me breakfast then, okay?"
"Okiedokielokie!" Cried the sugar fueled mare, her smile returning as she watched Twilight climb back into bed.
When Twilight was comfortable back in bed, the blanket pulled over her, Pinkie giddily jumped up and down on her hooves before pulling the purple mare's plate over to her, making sure the dollop of whipped cream on the top was positioned right below Twilight's mouth. After a sweet thank you and a kiss to Pinkie's cheek, the newly crowed princess lowered her head to lick up the whipped cream, only to pause and swish it around in her mouth, a little clinking sound echoing from her mouth. She then stuck out her tongue and levitated a bright golden ring from her mouth, and her face changed completely.
"P-Pinkie...is this...a-are you...?" Twilight stammered out to the pink party mare, her eyes wider than the pancakes before her. Pinkie's only response is to get down in a kneeling position and smile up at the Princess, before preforming her little speech.
"Twilight, you are the most amazing, most wonderific, most super awesome mega fantastic pony in the whole wide world! I love you so so so much, and I would be the happiest mare in the entire world if you would maybe consider thinking about possibly wanting to be my wife?" When Pinkie was done, she looked away in a very un-Pinkie like manner, her cheeks stained with a shy blush. It took a few moments for the words to ring through Twilight's head enough that she could respond.
And her response was to leap out of bed and tackle the pink pony to the ground, repeating 'Yes!' over and over and over again, tears rolling down her cheeks in pure happiness and delight. The giggles of both ponies could be heard echoing around the castle as they wiped their eyes to cuddle, not even worrying about the spilled pancakes on the bed. And they were happy, both the Balloons and the Stars.
