> A Ticklish Friendship In Bloom
>  by Both Ends Of The Quill
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Ticklish Friendship In Bloom
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have you ever met somepony that you immediately hit it off with? You know what I mean, somepony who comes into your life and you two just... fit. You become friends so fast it’s like you’ve known each other for years.
Well, I did, quite recently in fact, and it was only a day after I arrived in Ponyville.

Hi, my name is Quill. I’m a blueish-green pegasus with a dark blue mane and orange belly, and I moved to Ponyville just a few short weeks ago. Upon my arrival, I immediately hit it off with a pony by the name of Pinkie Pie. Perhaps you’ve heard of her? She threw a huge welcome party for me, as she does for nearly every pony who moves to this town, apparently. I was flattered to say the very least, but judging by the attitude of the ponies around me, it was just a normal Tuesday for them.
Even once I processed the silly string coated welcome mat, I still had yet to properly introduce myself to my host, aside from a very flustered “thank you” upon entry. What I found was that Pinkie and I have a lot in common! I’m generally more formal than her, but she brings out all of my inner silliness, and we soon found ourselves in a conversation spanning a good two hours. Being the Element of Laughter, she enjoys making ponies laugh, it’s kind of in the name. However, I didn't expect her to casually talk about tickling (of all things) with the new guy. It came out of nowhere too, though I have to remind myself: Element of Laughter. It kind of makes sense with that in mind.
What Pinkie Pie didn’t know is that... I kind of have a thing for tickling. Like, a big thing. Some would call it a fetish, but with myself being asexual, it’s not exactly like that. It’s always been a deeply ingrained interest, though, a way of showing affection that I wish I could share with more ponies, hence my excitement when Pinkie brought up the topic.
As the party came to a close, I worked up the courage to admit my affinity, after which Pinkie shocked me by saying she felt similarly, and before I knew it, I had agreed to come over to Pinkie’s the next day for a sleepover. I wasn’t sure of the implications outside of that, but was almost giddy with excitement as I got back home that night! I couldn’t wait until the sun rose in a few hours.
Uh, yeah, a few hours... I may have stayed at Pinkie’s a little too late, and thus slept through a decent chunk of the day, loitered around my house for a while, and then made my way over to Sugarcube Corner at closing time. Productive, I know.

“Hello?” Pinkie Pie opened Sugarcube’s door to see yours truly carrying a bouquet of flowers.

Nah, I’m pulling your tail. It was just me, trying to look somewhat presentable while holding back a goofy grin.
“Oh, hiya, Quill!” She continued. “Great to see you!” Pinkie opened the door to let me in. The Cakes were assisting her in tidying up after a day of selling delectable treats to the ponies of Ponyville.
I smiled at Pinkie and the Cakes behind her. “Happy to be here! I see you’re all cleaning up.” I commented as I stepped inside. “Do you need any help?”
Mr. Cake finished a final wipe of the front counter. It had already looked clean, but I admired their sanitation dedication. “Oh no, we’re about done here. Pinkie was rushing to make the place spotless for our guest.”
Pinkie nodded. “Yeah! Though, I tidied my room too, if you wanna see.”
“Sure!” I grinned. “We’d be out of their way as well.”
Mrs. Cake chuckled. “Oh, you’re not in the way of us, though I’m sure Pinkie wants to show off her hideaway.”
She wasn’t wrong, as Pinkie Pie was already halfway up the stairwell, beckoning me to follow. I brought up the rear with a slight skip in my step, anticipating what the evening would hold.
I was greeted with an adorable bedroom on the next floor, featuring a neatly made bed fit for two and a teddy bear on the adjacent couch. “Oh wow, this is lovely.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at the abundance of bright colors, especially pink. Once again, it’s in her name, but it was quite a departure from my poster-covered room back home.
“Thanks! I always make sure it’s tidied up when friends come over; we usually end up spending time here.” After opening the window to let a breeze come through, she let herself fall ungracefully onto the bed and gave a grin that invited me to do the same.
Her peppiness was starting to bring out the goofball in me as I flopped next to her, chuckling slightly. “I’m touched you consider me a friend already, since we only met yesterday.”
Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. “You're in Ponyville now, Quill, most everypony is trusting of one another around here.” She turned to face me. “And if I throw a party for ya, I already consider you a friend.”
I smiled wider, pleasantly surprised by the level of trust she already had placed in me, but I couldn’t resist playing with her a bit. “But what if I’m secretly eeeevil?” I sat up, wearing my best devious smirk. “What if I turn out to be a troublemaker with a... plot to take over Ponyville?” I couldn’t think of anything better on the spot, and Pinkie Pie’s only response was to reach out and gently poke my side. “A-Ah!” I squeaked. “Dohon’t do thahat!” Recoiling to the end of the bed, it occurred to me that I was grinning even more at this playful display.
Pinkie Pie wore an expression I can only describe as completely unimpressed. “Right. And who told me last night that they dreamt of being tickled on the daily and wanted somepony to feather and brush their soft spots for houuuurs while cuddling them senseless?” She brought herself progressively closer to me as she hammered in the horrible accusations!
“W-wha... I never went into that much detail!”
Pinkie shrugged. “Didn’t have too, sometimes it takes one to know one.”
I shuffled back to where I sat before leaping from her pokes. “You mean you wish for th-that as well?” I could hardly meet her gaze.
“Pfft, of course, silly!” The pink mare giggled. “For as long as I can remember. When you started talking about your experiences growing up and your feather coated fantasies, let’s just say I had a hunch about the rest.” The playful pony wiggled her fingers in the air at me, and my heart damn near skipped a beat.
“Ahaha! Whehehell shit, youhuhu’ve got me pinned!” Sweet Celestia, I was already laughing before she touced me, just how ticklish was I? It had been a while since the last time it happened to me, but I knew I wouldn’t last a night with the Element of Laughter as my tickler. There was no doubt that she knew every method to tickle every spot of any ticklee; I was no match.
Pinkie Pie wasn’t getting farther away, though. “Oh, I haven’t pinned you yet, silly, that’s coming up!” Her fingers inched towards my belly and I found myself leaning back on the bed, giggling as I watched her close in. But I wasn’t stopping her, the thought didn’t cross my mind. In fact, I was even more exposed than before as I brought myself to the bed. “Aw, is your belly ticklish?” she cooed, eliciting another squeak from me.
“N-n-no.” I looked at her, confidence dissolved as my smile gave the true answer.
Pinkie snickered at my pathetic attempt. “Then you won’t mind if I...?” She was gently running her fingers up my orange belly.
I bit my lip and tried to stay strong. Her hands were so soft, each stroke made me want to burst into a giggle fit.
“Ohhh, you are so ticklish!” She exclaimed, already knowing as much. “Great!” And before I knew it, those fingers gripped my sides, sending ticklish waves through me with every squeeze.
“Eeep!! Hahaha, Pihihihinkie! Heeheeheehahaha!” I wiggled around and brought my arms in towards my sides, but it didn’t stop Pinkie Pie.
“Whaaaat? Does it tickle?” I felt my cheeks burn red as circles were drawn across my belly. Somepony clearly had experience making others laugh, and I would be lying if I said I wanted her to stop anytime soon. “Ihihihit dohohohoes! Hahahahahaha! Pihihihinkie Pihihihie!” And at that, I found myself properly pinned by the mare: straddled at the hips as her fingers explored my tummy fluff.
“Aww, somepony’s happy!” She turned her head to find my legs twitching and wiggling behind her. I couldn’t resist, okay? She was tickling a soft spot, not to mention making her way to my belly button in the process. “I wonder...” A nimble finger swirled into my button, eliciting the highest squeal I could muster.
“P-PIHIHINKIE!! Ahahahaha!! Nahahahat thehehere!” I’m a little embarrassed to admit that my heel kicked the bed like a puppy getting a belly rub in just the right spot, something that Pinkie Pie was all too quick to notice.
“Hehehe, theeere’s your soft spot!” She slowed the ticklish attack until her hands were resting idle on my sides. “Good boy.”
I froze and my cheeks lit up again as the lingering giggles escaped me. “G-good boy?” Was that coincidence or did she know that would fluster me? Sweet Celestia, I couldn’t look her in the eye! A bashful smile crept onto my face that I imagined would look awkward as heck, but it didn’t, evidently.
“Yes, good boy. I can tell you like that.” She returned the purest smile I think I've ever seen, booping me with a giggle.
I squeaked, but was determined to be a smartass. “That I liked what? The tickling or the pet name?”
She rolled her eyes once more. “Oh please, you adore it all, you little laughter lover.” The mare’s voice dripped with playful snarkiness; she must have some secret sense for this kind of thing. “The Pinkie Sense knows all!” Oh, well that explains it... I guess.
I propped myself up on the bed and stared at my new friend. “So, you can, like, read my mind?” I asked jokingly.
“Pfft, of course not, silly. I just have a way with these things!” She let herself fall off of me and onto the bed, resting her legs across mine just because. “I could tell from the moment you trotted into Ponyville that you and I would get along swell. You have that aura.”
I was rolling my eyes this time around. “Really?” I scoffed as I sat up properly, sneaking a glance at her feet that were now quite exposed to me. “You’re that good at reading ponies?”
Her ear twitched. “Absolutely! I’ve been that way for all my- EEP!”
I reached for her legs and swiftly trapped them in the crook of my right arm, skittering my fingers up and down her soles aimlessly. “Then predict this!”
“EEEEK! AHAHAHAHAHA! QUIHIHIHILL! OHOHO MY FEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEET!” Pinkie Pie fell back onto the bed, rolling back and forth ever so slightly as her whole body twitched with each stroke of my fingers. I smiled as her pink toes wiggled happily. Wow, were her feet sensitive.
“Heehee! And you think I’m ticklish?” I stopped suddenly, slipping my legs out from under Pinkie’s and almost hopping to her side. I dug my fingers under her arms. “I think somepony likes it even more than I do!”
Pinkie looked up at me with a heartwarming smile. “Mahahahabeheehee I doohoohoohoo!! Aha! Heeheeheehahaha!!” She closed her sparkly eyes, wiggling around and kicking her legs much like I had.
I faked a gasp. “Ohhh, we have a kicker!” And with a giggle, I moved to her ribs and made sure to tickle each one thoroughly.
“A-ah! Eeeheeheeheehee! Q-Quill, youhuhuhuhu teeheeheeheeheease!” Pinkie Pie beamed up at me again, seemingly less ticklish there, but I could tell it was a different kind of soft spot. The kind that would melt her into my hands.
“Yes, I am!” I confirmed as I brought my leg over her body, settling into place atop her hips. “Why, I think it’s in both our natures, hmm?” I added in an obnoxiously posh tone of voice while my fingers began counting Pinkie’s ribs on each side from top to bottom. I took extra care to tickle in between each of them gently, sending the pink pony into a giggle fit.
“Mmmmmmmeep!” She brought her hands up to her chest, not trying to defend her soft spot. “Ohhohoho yehehehes, Quihihill! Heeheehahaaaa! Dohohon’t stop! Hahaha! Pleeheeheeheeeeeease dohohon’t stahahap!” Turns out teasing The Element of Laughter with tickles makes her beg adorably. I took mental note of that, despite my melting heart urging me to wrap myself around this mare in a ticklish cuddle. I had a request to fulfil for the time being!
“Oh, good girrrrrl!” I cooed, locking eyes with my ticklee. We began laughing together, and before I knew it, she weaseled her hands up to my ribs as well, tickling and squeezing up and down until I collapsed on top of her. We descended into a mess of laughter, only getting more hysterical as our hands picked up speed on one another, moving to each other’s sides, bellies, and eventually getting under one another’s arms. That’s where I lost the “battle” I found myself in, as I’m a bit more ticklish under my arms then Pinkie Pie is. She soon had me pinned once more and made my laughter echo throughout her room and down the street.
Down the street.
We had left the window open this whole time.

“Hey! Would you keep it down over there?!”

And just like that, a rock the size of Applejack’s prized apple slammed into the pit of my stomach. We both stopped dead, looking at each other with wide eyes.
I broke the silence. “Did you close the-?”
“I didn’t.” Pinkie Pie answered prematurely, biting her lip nervously before getting up to look outside. There was nopony sticking their head out an adjacent window, thank Celestia, but a sense of dread rose in my chest as I sat at the edge of the bed, feeling a potential anxiety attack coming on.
Pinkie Pie was closing the window when I can only assume my increased breathing rate regained her attention. She rushed to my side. “Hey, hey, we’re okay. It doesn't look like anypony is actually mad, we just forgot to close the window, that’s all.”
I cut her off as she was about to say more, quite rudely in hindsight, and began pacing the room in front of her. “Pinkie, I’m not as confident in myself as you are, I’m not comfortable with the whole of Ponyville knowing I have a fetish for tickling.”
“But it’s not really like that for-”
“I know, I know, but it might as well be when it comes to how It'll be perceived!” I took a breath. “I’m sorry for raising my voice.” I apologized, sitting next to her once again. “I’m just... I’m the new guy, I want to make a good first impression...“
My hands began to shake as thoughts raced through my head. Memories of ponies' reactions when they found out. Some found it harmless, some found it creepy or strange. I was never ashamed of it on paper, but having one of my first impressions in this town being that of “the guy with the thing for tickling” didn’t sit right with me.
My mind continued to spiral, and it only stopped when Pinkie Pie placed her hand on mine. “Quill. Quill, listen to me... please.”
I stalled, realizing she heard all of that. She didn’t read my mind, I had spoke most of my thoughts out loud without noticing. “I... yes, Pinkie?” Was all I managed, not even looking up to meet her gaze.
Her hand wrapped tighter around mine. “Nopony here will judge you for wanting to laugh, of all things.” She giggled. “If anything, you’ll find that other ponies feel similarly. And even if they have a problem, they don’t know your voice well enough to recognize it coming out of my bedroom window.” She began imitating my posh voice from before. “Why, It's not in their nature.” The mare’s true voice returned with a high pitched snicker, infecting me with her giddiness as well.
“Hehe, you are right.” I placed my other hand on top of her’s, now shaking much less. “I just hope they won’t call you on it tomorrow. That would be an awkward conver- Uhhh...“ Pinkie was placing her other hand on top of mine, so now all our hands were on top of one another. “Are we making a hand sandwich here?”
Pinkie Pie pretended to think. “Hmm... nah, I prefer a different type of sandwich.”
I smirked. “Ham? Cheese?”
“Quill!” She leaped up and tackled me to the bed. We both fell backward, laughing at each other.
“I dohon’t think feathers and ink would go well with bread, or with anything for that mahatter!”
The pink mare nuzzled up to my chest and spoke softly. “No, but your fluffiness goes well with my hugs.”
Normally, I would pretend to gag and make light of the mushy talk going on here, but I couldn’t. I still can’t. As Pinkie Pie nuzzled her adorable snout into my chest and smiled up at me, I just felt safe, like I finally found a friend who I could be my full self around. I had only been in Ponyville for less than 48 hours, and I already felt an inseparable bond beginning to bloom. “Th-thank you... Pinkie Pie.” I smiled back warmly.
She went to boop me, but reached up farther and ruffled my mane instead. “Ahhh, don’t mention it, silly! What are friends for?”
I snickered at her playful prodding. “For tickling?” I wiggled my fingers at her like she had to me.
“Heeheehee, debatably!” Pinkie intertwined her fingers with mine and pinned me, holding my hands beside my head. “But tickling makes them smile, and that’s what matters at the end of the day.”
I wasn’t even thrown off this time: I looked Pinkie Pie in the eyes as she held me down. Blushing like mad, sure, but I wouldn't have hid even if I had the option.
“Then in that case, I’m very lucky to have you, Pinkie Pie.”
Even Pinkie herself didn’t seem to be expecting that, gasping ever so slightly before squeeing like a filly and wrapping herself around me, rolling us both over so I was on top and could be trapped in a four legged cuddle. “Ah! Haha, you goof!” I returned the embrace, both of us soon relaxing in each other’s warmth.



“Quill?”
“Hm?”
“You wanna stay over here tonight? It’s getting late.”
I lifted my head, Celestia knows how much time had passed, but it was pitch black inside and outside. “I would love to, but I didn’t bring any pjs.”
“Pfft, no worries! I’ll get you some!” Pinkie Pie sat up and toppled me backwards on the bed (on purpose, I’m sure). Now I was awake.
“Hehe!” I couldn’t stifle a chuckle at the position she left me in: legs stuck up in the air only to fall back down so my feet rested on either side of her pillow. “Thanks for the wake up ca- gah!”
The bedside lamp was switched on, the sudden light forcing me to squint.
“Oops, sorry!” Pinkie apologized, an awkward grin spread across her face. Funny how she said sorry for the blinding light, but not bowling me over like a stampeding buffalo. Guess I better get used to things like that.
“No harm done.” I closed my eyes for a second and gave them a chance to adjust. “But what sort of sleepwear do you have for me?” Although Pinkie and I are similar, she is a bit taller than me, and a tad pudgier. I guess that’s the sweet tooth talking. Can’t blame her, she lives in a constant stream of candy and cake. That meant her outfits would be a smidge too big, if anything. In other words, perfect cuddle clothes!
“Let me see here.” She headed to her dresser and began poking around, pulling out a full sized onesie with Princess Luna’s cutiemark on the flank, and a hood with the horn and ears to match. “Ever wanted to rule the night?”
I stifled a chuckle, getting off the bed to have a look at it myself. “Oh, isn’t that cute.” I blushed as I remembered who was supposed to wear it. “You think that'll look good on me?”
Pinkie Pie scoffed. “Gosh, if I didn’t think you’d look scrumptious in it I wouldn’t have suggested it.”
“Scrumptious?”
“Oh, just try it on, silly!” She threw it over my head, giggling to herself.
“Ahahalright, alright, I’ll go put it on!” Chuckling as I placed the Luna onesie under my arm, I made my way to the washroom and slipped into the outfit. I smirked, blushing at my own reflection in the mirror.
“You look great!”
I screamed and leapt a foot in the air. "Oh, for fucks sake, Pinkie!” I had my hand over my chest, nearly passed out as I saw my friend lounging in the bathtub beside me. How the heck did she get in there?!
“Oh! Sorry!” She snorted, stepping out of the tub and ruffling my mane once again. “But you doooo look snuggable.” She flipped the hood up and proclaimed me an alicorn for the night before grabbing my hand and leading me back to her bedroom. “So let us snuggle, Princess!” Pinkie was even more giddy than usual this particular night, and something was making her more than eager to curl up in bed with me, as well. But I didn’t have time to question it before I was plunged into a world of sheets, blankets, and possibly the softest pjs I had ever worn.
Oh, my mistake, the onesie was soft to be sure, but it was Pinkie Pie who provided the all encompassing fluff, wrapping herself around me from behind like the plushie I had always wanted to- I mean like the teddy bear on the other side of her room. Except I’m not a teddy bear, I’m a pony, and this type of treatment was something I rarely found myself on the receiving end of. As the night wore on and Pinkie Pie’s room was drenched in tranquil moonglow, I found myself drifting off to sleep in her tight cuddle trap.
I struggle to recall it, and I doubt she can either, but I asked her a question just before I started to drift. I suppose I can paraphrase to the best of my ability.
“Pinkie?”
“Mmmhmm?”
“I’m happy you wanted me to stay the night, but why were you so quick to get me cuddled up in bed?”
There was a brief pause before I felt her arms and legs squeeze tighter around my body, her hands resting on my chest. “Because as much as I loved tonight and this new friendship between us, something tells me you need this more than you let on.”

I didn’t have anything to say. I only wrapped my arms around hers, and let our bodies relax together as sleep engulfed us both...