Chapter Seventeen: Milkshakes and Monsters

Lyra laid on her back. Hanging her head off the edge of the bed, she took in her upside down world. For some reason she couldn't take her eyes off the carpet. There was no sign that anypony had ever stood on this floor, it was in pristine condition.

Something was off about it. Something she couldn't place. It was clean and bright, pleasant to look at. It was softer than most carpet she had encountered. Something about it made her anxious.

The remnants of the salad Lyra made for herself and Applejack sat in a bowl on the counter. Applejack said that it was delicious, but somehow that didn't mean much to her. She wasn't supposed to be fixing meals, that was always Bonbon's job.

Applejack had left a short time ago for the apple stall. Lyra had nothing to do until the evening when they were going to retrieve her things from Bonbon's house. She had thought of reading Applejack's book, but upon reading the cover she decided that it was too sappy for her tastes.

Her thoughts kept returning to the cream colored carpet though. It didn't smell right. It didn't smell bad, it was clean and fresh, but it didn't smell right.

Her gaze fell on the photograph on the dresser. It was not a surprising photo to see in an apartment kept for government use. It showed Mayor Mare and Twilight Sparkle shaking hooves and smiling in the town square. A small detail caught her attention. Behind the two mares, barely in the picture at all, was the corner of Bonbon's candy store.

After a moment's thought she rolled over onto her stomach. Returning her gaze to the carpet, she ran a hoof through the fibers and whispered "Strawberries and cotton candy."

"Pinkie, you need to be more careful with the treats, we can't sell them if they are broken." Fluttershy said, watching the large boxes of snacks bounce on Pinkie Pie's back. Between her own wobbly knees and Pinkie's bouncing she was certain she wouldn't have any cookies left when they reached their destination.

"Oh, sorry." Pinkie said, trying her best to not bounce as the two of them made their way to Sugarcube Corner. "It's so hard to be calm like this for so long."

They had made several batches of cookies, a dozen each of six different recipes. Pinkie had to resist the urge to sneak a bite with every tray she took from the oven. Now, as the boxes of treats warmed her back, her stomach began to rumble.

"Hey Flutters, I bet if we time it just right, we can show up at Twilight's place right when she starts making dinner. We might get a free meal out of all this."

"But we just ate. You're not already hungry again are you?" Fluttershy was always amazed at how much Pinkie Pie could eat. Every one of her meals had a dessert or two and yet she never gained an ounce.

"Eh, I suppose I can wait. I guess I'm just nervous." Pinkie fixed her eyes on Sugarcube Corner, slowly approaching in the distance. "I was supposed to be back half an hour ago. This is more important though."

"Thank goodness you're finally back!" Carrot Cake said with a relieved sigh as the two mares entered the bakery. "Watch the counter for a few minutes."

"Okay, but where do I..." Pinkie called after her boss as he hurried out the back door. "Hmm… I guess we'll just sit them here for now." she said, sliding the boxes from her back onto the counter.

"Where'd he go? He sounded upset." Fluttershy gave Pinkie a concerned look and pointed to the exit.

Pinkie rolled her eyes "He probably just needs a cigarette. He gets like that." With a sigh she continued. "Looks like we'll be here a few more minutes before we head to the library."

Fluttershy slid the boxes on her own back onto the counter beside the ones Pinkie had been carrying. "That's okay, I still don't know what I'm going to say to Twilight."

The gentle chime of the bell accompanied the entrance of a lavender pegasus mare with a blonde mane. She was visibly shaken, jumping backward when Pinkie said hello.

"Is something wrong Cloud Kicker? You look awful." Pinkie said cautiously, not wanting to startle her again.

"This day is just going to Tartarus in a hoofbasket Pinkie." Cloud Kicker collapsed into a nearby chair unceremoniously. "The weather patrol is down to skeleton crew for the weekend and the universe chooses today to go crazy."

"Oh goodness, what happened?" Fluttershy trotted to her side, attempting to offer comfort. Her unsteady hooves quickly reminded her that she was still partially in the grips of the wine.

If Cloud Kicker noticed Fluttershy's wobbling she was too rattled to acknowledge it. "I saw a rockslide this morning. Nopony knew what to do about it until Thunderlane talked to Rainbow Dash about it. I had to go tell the mayor but she was talking to Princess Twilight's dragon and was really mad."

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie exchanged worried looks. If the mayor was angry at Spike then Twilight was no doubt in some sort of trouble.

"A rockslide qualifies as an emergency so I got to talk to her right away, but she was really mad the whole time. When I left there I went through the market square and your friend Rarity was arguing with the stallion at the apple stand. I don't know what they were saying but she passed out right there."

"What?! Are you sure it was Rarity? And that she really fainted?" Pinkie's heart jumped into her throat. "Is she okay now?"

Cloud Kicker shrank back slightly at the sudden barrage of questions. Stumbling over her words she answered. "I-I don't know. The apple pony took her to the hospital, I saw him on my way here and he didn't look too upset, so I assume she's okay."

Fluttershy breathed a relieved sigh. "Big Macintosh would still be at the hospital if it was really bad. If he's walking around town and not upset then it's pretty certain Rarity is okay."

Pinkie nodded.

Cloud Kicker continued. "When I got back to work is when the really scary stuff happened." She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Oh, I almost forgot why I came in here. I need a chocolate milkshake, my nerves are really messed up."

By miracle Pinkie managed to restrain the wave of inappropriate laughter she felt at the irony of Cloud Kicker's request. "Sure thing!" Reaching for a large dessert glass she motioned for her to continue.

"Where was I?" Cloud Kicker tapped a hoof to her head. "Oh right, the forest! I was busting some clouds at the edge of the Everfree, and I heard what sounded like another rockslide. I looked around but I didn't see anything."

Pinkie reached over Fluttershy's shoulder to place the massive milkshake on the table in front of Cloud Kicker. "I put an extra cherry on top. Don't tell anypony." she chimed.

"Thanks Pinkie." Cloud Kicker took a large sip from the extra long straw. Pinkie Pie's milkshakes always looked like giant caricatures. "Anyway, I flew over the rubble of the first rockslide and saw it was all scattered and a yucky green cloud was coming from the tree line. I flew down to investigate, but as soon as I landed there was a super loud roar and something huge started crashing through the trees." A long shiver ran down her spine.

"That sounds terrifying." Fluttershy said. Attempting to picture the scene in her mind she felt a shiver of her own.

"What did you do then?" Pinkie asked as she sat down across from Cloud Kicker, motioning for Fluttershy to follow suit. "I think I would have wet myself."

Cloud Kicker giggled. "Well luckily I didn't do that. I flew away as fast as I could. I tried to tell Thunderlane, but I guess he thought I was making stuff up cause he said there was no way three rockslides could happen in one day, let alone one caused by a giant monster with a green cloud. He sent me home."

"Well I believe you, we've seen way weirder things before." Pinkie turned to Fluttershy. "You know any monsters that are huge enough to cause a rockslide and have a green cloud around them?"

"That sounds familiar." Fluttershy's head was still cloudy from the alcohol. She knew she should recognize the description, but she couldn't place it. "Sorry, I don't know."

A soft thump sounded from the back of the bakery. Pinkie Pie turned around to see Carrot Cake trotting to the kitchen, no doubt to wash his hooves after smoking. She stood up, nodded to her two tablemates, and quietly excused herself.

As she trotted to the kitchen she could hear the sound of the sink running. She slowed her pace. Rounding the corner into the kitchen she saw Carrot standing at the sink with his back to her. She began to tiptoe as quietly as she could.

"Yes Pinkie?" Carrot Cake called over his shoulder. Not taking his gaze off the sink.

"Drat! How did you know?" Pinkie said with a huff as she abandoned her tiptoeing to trot up next to her boss.

"I didn't. Around here chances are pretty high that if it's too quiet you are either sneaking up on, or sneaking away from something or somepony." Carrot Cake shut off the water and turned to face Pinkie with a grin. "What's up?"

"I need to take the rest of the day off. It's kind of an emergency." A sheepish grin fell over Pinkie's face. She tapped her hooves together. "I'll come in tomorrow to make up for it."

Carrot sighed. "I suppose, but you really need to stop doing this. We need you to be dependable Pinkie. We rent you our spare room right above the bakery and you still manage to miss work." Rubbing his forehead he continued. "Just be glad Cup isn't here, and know that you may still get chewed out when she gets back from Canterlot."

"I understand, this is really important." Pinkie turned around and began to trot away. "I'll try to be back in time to help close up."

As Rarity signed the last of the forms in the thick stack, the grey unicorn stallion at the desk remarked "There is a pink earth pony who says she has some of your things. You can't have visitors in the emergency room so she is waiting for you in the lobby."

"Thank you." Rarity replied, still a bit disoriented from waking up in the hospital. "Is that everything? Do I need to make a follow-up appointment?"

"Yup, that's everything. Your follow-up is already scheduled, it's written in the discharge papers we gave you. You're free to go."

A short moment and a few very confusing directions to the exit later Rarity was standing in the empty lobby.

"If you're looking for a pink earth pony, she's waiting for you outside." the receptionist called across the room.

Rarity nodded, the entire visit left her drained of energy. She quietly exited through the large, double doored entrance.

"Glad to see you're doing better." Cheerilee said from a bench beside the entrance. She flicked her cigarette into the trash can and stood up. "You forgot this at the apple stall." she said, pointing to a large shopping bag filled with colorful ribbons and fabrics.

"Thanks Cheerilee. You didn't have to do that." Rarity did her best to hide her disgust at the stench of the cigarette smoke. She floated the shopping bag to her side. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"I suppose that would depend on what that something is." Cheerilee giggled. The two mares began walking in the direction of Carousel Boutique.

"Do you think I'm a bigot?"

"Where did that come from?" Cheerilee asked, surprised.

"Big Mac called me a bigot. He thinks that the whole reason I'm upset with Applejack is that she's a lesbian." Rarity, in a rare moment of sincerity, set aside her dramatic tendencies and hung her head in shame.

Cheerilee was confused. She and Rarity rarely spoke on a personal level. For her to open up like this something must be dreadfully wrong. "I don't really know Rarity. I've never heard you say anything prejudiced."

"It's true that I don't like the concept. It's unnatural and wrong. But Applejack is my friend. She's the same pony today as she was before I found out that she's gay. That's not the point." Rarity squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to stave off any more tears.

"Well, what is the point then? I'm sure you can see how it would be a bit confusing if you told him that particular viewpoint." Cheerilee looked around nervously. She was hardly prepared for this conversation, and was more than a little uncomfortable talking about the subject. Much less to be talking about it in public.

"The point is that Fluttershy is not gay. It may not be a big deal to Applejack to have a special somepony that is a mare, but to Fluttershy it's terrifying. The rumor is spreading all over town that they are a couple and I'm scared of how Fluttershy will react when she finds out." Rarity began searching through her shopping bag. Magically holding it in front of her as she walked, she rummaged for a short moment till she found what she was looking for, a blue silk handkerchief.

"Did you tell him that?" Cheerilee asked. Seeing nopony around she felt a bit more free to talk. "That is a good point."

"I tried to. He won't listen because he thinks I'm a bigot." Rarity dabbed at her eyes, oblivious to the mascara that had already run in long dark lines along both sides of her muzzle. "I don't know how to get him to listen. He and Fluttershy already like each other. If they got together then everypony would just assume that they heard wrong about her and Applejack. The rumor would disappear and everypony could be happy."

"You can't ask two ponies to be together just to avoid embarrassment." Cheerilee began to feel bad for Rarity. Her heart did seem to be in the right place, even if the way she was going about it didn't quite follow. "It probably didn't help if you lead with the whole 'it's unnatural and wrong' thing either."

"I shouldn't have to lie about what I believe."

"True, but there is a difference between lying about what you believe and knowing when to and when not to share. That's not a popular opinion you have and it won't win you many friends." Watching Rarity dab impotently at her eyes, she shifted their path towards a nearby fountain. "I don't think you are being malicious with your beliefs, but then again, I haven't ever heard you talk about it."

"I just don't know what to do about it. I truly believe that lifestyle is wrong, but it's how Applejack is and I don't want it to come between us. And also…" She kicked at the dust considering her next words. The two of them had reached the fountain. Cheerilee plucked the handkerchief from the air where Rarity was floating it. "Sweetie Belle asked me about the trouble the Apple family is having. I was very cold when I told her it was wrong. Then she admitted that she has feelings for a filly in her class."

Cheerilee held the blue cloth in the water of the fountain, thoroughly wetting it. "Lean over here," she said as she held out the cloth and began to clean the makeup from Rarity's face.

"I feel so awful for speaking so harshly to her. She's just a filly." Rarity closed her eyes. Nopony had washed her face since she was a filly herself and her mother would. An unusual sense of calm began to fill her mind. She continued. "I know I hurt her when I said that, but I couldn't just tell her that those feelings are okay when I don't believe that at all."

Rarity looked into Cheerilee's eyes and asked "What would you do?"

Cheerilee finished cleaning Rarity's face. With her hoof under Rarity's chin she tilted her head back and forth, making sure she had not missed anything. "I don't understand why you wear all that makeup. You're beautiful without it." She took a step back and drew a deep breath. "Let me tell you a secret."

Rarity began to blush, the redness in her cheeks shined bright through her white coat. A small smile began to form on her face. "Okay."

"Do you remember way back in grade school? We were in the same class several years in a row. One year I asked some colt to be my special somepony for Hearts and Hooves day and he turned me down, you saw me crying and gave me a card to cheer me up. I still have it. It's in my keepsake box at home."

"I don't understand. Are you trying to say you've had a crush on me since grade school?" Rarity took a step backwards. This conversation was quickly getting awkward.

Cheerilee laughed. "Ha~ha, sorry, you're not my type. What I'm saying is that when I was really hurt you were there. Even though we weren't particularly good friends you gave me exactly what I needed then, comfort. It meant so much that I'll always remember it." She rinsed the handkerchief in the fountain. After squeezing the water out of it and shaking out the wrinkles she handed it back to Rarity. "You don't have to fix everything. Maybe what Fluttershy and your sister need isn't a knight in shining armor. Maybe they just need somepony to listen without judging."

Rarity's tears were dry. The small smile had grown. "Thanks Cheerilee. I don't know what I would have done without you today." The two leaned together in a hug.

"Oh, before I forget, Sweetie Belle wasn't allowed in the emergency room so she went back to the boutique. She seemed pretty upset." Cheerilee fished another cigarette out of her saddlebag stuck it in her mouth and trotted off.

Rarity looked down at the blue silk handkerchief in her hoof. She raised an eyebrow and smirked. Lifted with a blue glow, the cloth folded over and tied around her neck in a delicate bow. Rarity pointed herself towards home and started walking.