Love and Tolerance

Love and Tolerance - Chapter Three

Pinkie Pie woke up to a loud knocking at the door at Sugarcube Corner. Raising her head slowly up from her tear-soaked pillow, she glanced at the alarm clock sitting on the vibrant neon-pink cabinet next to her bed.

Oh no.

10:32 AM?! Pinkie was almost 3 hours late to work! Oh, Celestia. . . how was she supposed to explain this to the Cakes? She had never slept in this late a day in her life, but she had stayed up so late last night thinking about what had happened so quickly in those few hours.

Last night. . . Soon, the flashbacks came back to her in waves of sadness.

"I just-It's so disgusting!"

The look on Rarity's face. A friend she had known for almost four years. Betraying her feelings like this.

Pinkie felt the tears welling up in her eyes once more.

"You're disgusting!"

Before she knew it, she was hugging her already-soaked pillow in her hooves, sobbing loudly, harder than she had sobbed in her entire life. This was one of the ponies she considered her very best friends. Considering how Pinkie was friends with everypony, this was saying a lot. And now she would probably never talk to her the same way ever again.

Rarity spitting out her drink. That disgusted look in her eyes.

Would they ever be friends again? Could they confront each other?

Disgusting.

You're disgusting.

"I'm. . .disgusting." Pinkie said softly to herself. "I'm disgusting." she repeated, more firmly this time.

The impatient knock at the door brought the pink earth mare back to reality once more. She slugged out of bed(a significant change from the usual skip in her step) and slowly walked downstairs to the entrance of Sugarcube Corner. Not really caring about her haggard appearance, she opened the door grumpily.

"Hello. . . welcome to Sugarcube Corner." Pinkie began her usual speech with her eyes still half-closed. "How. . .may I help--"

She opened her eyes, and what she saw wasn't near what she expected.

Her assumed ex-best friend, Miss Rarity.

For what seemed like hours, they stood there, staring at each other; a heavy, awkward silence blanketing the air. Pinkie immediately snapped her head down to the floor so she wouldn't have to look her in the eye.

"I just-It's so disgusting!"

Disgusting.

Freak.

Unnatural.

Pinkie felt another wave of sadness pass over her as she wondered what Rarity wanted. To yell at her again? To call her some more names? To officially call off their friendship, forever?

"Pinkie, I, erm. . ." Rarity was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. "I just wanted to say, that. . ." The purple-maned unicorn shut her eyes and sighed softly. "I'm sorry, about. . .last night. I couldn't control myself. I was just under so much pressure and, I always get stressed when I hear such news, and--"

Rarity sighed once more and embraced her friend in a giant hug. It felt almost natural to embrace her like this, but . . . not quite. Soon enough, she estimated.

"I know nothing I can do can really make up for the. . .events of last night, but, at least we can still be friends, right? Right? . . . please . . ." Rarity stammered.

Pinkie could think of nothing to say, but the tears streaming down her face spoke for her. Rarity had said so many horrible things to her, and now she thinks that a simple apology will do?

"I. . .cried myself . . to sleep." the pink mare muttered between sniffles. "You. . .made me feel . . . worthless. P-pathetic. Useless. Disgusting. H-how will one apology fix it?"

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Pinkie, but if you could please forgi--"

"Not another word. You say you're my friend, but once I turn around, you stab me in the back, and now you're asking for my forgiveness? Are you being serious? How can I ever forgive you? How will things ever be--"

Pinkie was interrupted mid-sentence by a kiss on the lips.