Hearts, Hooves, and Balloons

Hearts, Hooves, and Balloons

By Strawberry Jelly

Chapter 5 - Secrets

I pressed my nose against the fogged glass that gave me a view of the freshly frozen Ponyville.  I love it when it snows, even when it's uncontrolled weather from the Everfree.  Behind me, I could hear Twilight mumbling something to her parents, but I was told to sit in the other room while they talked.  It really was nice to have my mane up and fluffy again; especially with Rocky being back in my mane.  He really likes it in there.

“I wonder how Dashie is handling the weather,” I commented idly as my forehoof dug lazily at the wood flooring underneath me.  “What about you, Gummy?”

Yeah, Gummy really was quite the philosopher.  He and Big Mac would probably get along if they ever met.  “Mental note; introduce Big Mac to Gummy.”

I pushed my hoof up to the window, clearing the persistent condensation that was forming yet again.  Maybe I should get a towel or something?  The only thing I'm doing at this point is smearing water all over the glass.  A loud clattering awoke me from my daydream, causing me to turn around to see Twilight and her mother both yelling at each other.  What happened in the past few minutes?  They were just talking and hugging not too long ago!

“I sent you the schedule four days in advance as always, and you didn't meet us at the station; number one on the list,”  Her mother scolded Twilight, tapping her hoof angrily against the table in the next room.

“I had important matters come up, Mother.”  Twilight crossed her forelegs across her chest and made a deadpan expression that could easily sour milk with the look alone.

“Like hanging out with your friend that you see daily versus your parents that you haven't seen in months?”  Velvet growled at my marefriend.  I swear I could see electricity shooting between their eyes from the tension alone.

“They always get like this around any holiday or birthday,”  A voice called from beside my.

I turned to see the midnight blue coated stallion that Twilight called father sitting next to me and looking out the window.  Even if they did do this a lot, I really didn't like seeing the two fight.  I mean, I never see Twilight get angry over anything, so it was a little frightening to see her actively argue with somepony.

“Really?”

He nodded, “They're too much alike.  They both like having everything under control and calculated, which leads them to clash over who should be in control.  If you just wait a few minutes, they'll both get over it.”

“It's weird to see her like that.  Twilight always acts so calm and collected; well, other than that one time when she was late on her friendship report...  We all ended up having to start writing them over that whole fiasco,”  I grinned a little at the memory.  We really did go far back; even if it had been only a few years, Twilight and I and the girls have been through so much together.  No wonder I fell in love with her the way I did.

“I heard about that.  A Want It Need It spell isn't really an easy spell to cast.  Only my daughter would be able to do something like that so casually,”  He couldn't help but chuckle a little at the very idea.  “Miss Pie, I can't help but want to thank you and your friends for what you've done to her.  Back during her childhood, she was always so reclusive.  Velvet and I worried so much about her; it wasn't healthy for a filly to only be close to her brother; she even shied away from us.”

“Just call me Pinkie!”  I giggled before turning my face to serious-Pinkie mode.  “I noticed it when I first met her...  How sad she looked; not in her voice or words, but how she stood and how her eyes said so much about longing.  Just thinking about it, I'm not even sure if she knew that's what she was wanting.”

“You sound like a really perceptive mare, Pinkie.”

I blushed a little, “Not really.  I really never read situations right, and I always hurt ponies on accident because of it...  I don't know how to explain it.  It's like I can read other people so well until I get involved.  If I know them closely and are friends with them, it makes it so much harder to see these things...  It's like I can't see them having any flaws at any time and it's just... hard.”

He nodded softly to me, “I can kind of understand what you're saying.  Either way though, I'm glad that Twilight has a mare like you in her life; especially as a marefriend.”

“Wait, what?!”  I squealed at that last part he slipped in, eliciting a strange look from the two bickering mares at the table.  “Sorry, I thought I saw someone outside.”

I gave them a nervous grin that apparently was enough to get them back to talking with one another.  How did he know?!  I didn't say anything, did I?  I can be so loudmouthed sometimes, but I'm pretty sure I was quiet.  “How did you know?!”

“I just had a feeling.  That and Twilight has a hickey on her throat, so I put two and two together,”  He shrugged.  “It's hard to see through the purple fur, so I wouldn't worry about Velvet noticing, but I can't help but be protective of my little girl.”

“D-Does that mean...?”

“What!?”  I heard Twilight scream from the other room.  It only caught my attention for a moment though before Nightlight pulled my attention back with a hard pat on the back.

“Of course not!  I know that you're one of her closest friends, so you won't do anything to hurt her.  Although, I'll admit that I'm surprised with her being into fillies; she always seemed so absent when it came to love.”

“S-She kind of still is; I think it has more to do with me being me than me being a mare,” I shrugged and gave him a soft smile.  “Then again, don't take my word for it; I'm just a silly party pony.”

He laughed a little before shaking his head, “Nah, I can see why she likes you.  I can also tell how hard you're trying to impress me even though I already gave you the okay.  Come on and say what's on your mind.”

I grinned widely before nodding, “Weeeeeeeeell, if that's the case...”

“Can I help set up Shining Armor's party?!  I am the Super Duper Party Pony of Ponyville!”  I jumped up and pulled a clipboard from my mane, “I have so many ideas already for the party that I know Shining and Cadance will love!  Not to mention the strawberry-cherry supreme cake with cotton candy icing!  What if I have a flugelhorn player?  Twilight told me that Shining used to have one in the marching band he was in.”

Nightlight looked a bit taken aback for a moment before giving me a grin, “You really didn't waste any time, did you?  Honestly, I feel like it'd be a waste not to have your help in planning this party.”

“Really?!”  I hopped around him with a wide grin before stopping in midair, “Wait, when is he supposed to be here?”

“How are you-”  He shook his head, “Never mind.  He'll be here in three days, so we have to hurry and get everything ready for him and Cadence.”

“Then it sounds like a party to me!” I grinned and skimmed over the list again,  “What about games?  I was thinking the traditional Pin the Tail on the Pony for the younger ponies, but maybe we should go with something more adult as the night goes on?  I'm not sure how you, Velvet, Shining Armor, or Cadence all feel about drinking games though.”

“Velvet probably wouldn't play, and Celestia forbid what Tartarus I would get from her if I did, but I'm sure Shining would enjoy it.”  Nightlight nodded, obviously wanting to have a drink or two himself.  I feel bad for him having a wife like that.  Maybe Twilight won't be that way, though?

Woah, that was a thought.  Who said we were getting married yet?!  We've only been special someponies for a day!  Silly Pinkie Pie brain, you're too silly sometimes.

“Oh come on, are you sure that you can't have a drink or two?”  I poked my tongue out at him playfully.

“I may sneak one or two, but don't tell her,” He pointed a hoof towards his wife with a sly grin stretched on his face.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”  I recited my promise perfectly from memory while crossing a hoof over my heart, holding my foreleg up and then sticking the imaginary cupcake in my left eye.

“... What?”

~~~

“I'm sorry dear; it's just that I want this birthday to go off without a hitch.  Do you remember the last birthday we had?  It took Cadance weeks to get the pudding out of her hair.”  My mother said with her voice finally calming down.  She really did have a point; Shining had a bad history with birthday parties.

“I do understand; it's just that Pinkie was having trouble with a bit of... depression; so I needed to help her and I lost track of time,”  I gave her a hopeful smile, “Besides, I have the spare bedroom ready for you and dad.”

“And the one for Shining Armor and Cadence?”

I nodded, “I went ahead and made the last spare bedroom too, just in case.  Although, I think Pinkie's probably going to be sleeping there tonight.”

"Wait, what?!" I heard Pinkie scream from the next room, only to have her shake her head and explain herself.  "Sorry, I thought I saw someone outside."

She can be so random sometimes.

“I've been meaning to ask; you told me that she's the one that does the parties, right?”  Mother asked with a raised brow.

“Yes, that's Pinkie!  The best party planner in this side of Equestria,”  I bragged a little for my friend.  Well, maybe it was more for me; I wanted her to approve of Pinkie before I told her exactly what Pinkie and I were.  Actually, what am I going to do with Dad too?!  I bet if he found out, he'd disown me!  When I was a foal, he used to tell me that he didn't want me to date anypony or he'd be upset...  Would he be that upset, though?

“What's wrong, Twilight?”  Mom's voice snapped me out of that train of thought, eliciting only a nod from me and a false smile.

What exactly are Pinkie and I?  I know we're technically special someponies, but it all just seems so rushed in retrospect.  As friends, we cuddled and talked all of the time anyway, but what did dating entail?  We already kissed and she even...

I felt my cheeks heat up at that memory.  Oh Celestia, that wonderful memory.  Well, it wasn't a good one either, but it still felt amazing at the time.  I wonder if Pinkie would be up to do that again tonight?

“Twilight, why are you blushing like a school filly with a crush?”  My mother yet again broke me from my trance.

“H-Huh?  I'm not blushing, am I?” I asked and raised a hoof to my cheek.  Okay, it was, in fact, warmer than usual.  “M-Maybe I'm just a little fevered.”

“Mmhm.  That hickey on your neck must just be heat rash too, right?”  She looked at me with that knowing look the she usually wore when I was in trouble.

“What!?” I screamed and quickly covered my mouth, glancing over to see that Pinkie and Dad were both thankfully preoccupied with their own conversation.

Mother was only laughing to herself before shaking her head, “Don't act so surprised, Twilight!  I'm your mother, and you of all ponies should know that you can't hide anything from me.  I assume it's that cute filly in there, if my motherly senses are telling me correctly.”

“I- But- Are you okay with this?”  I felt my cheeks only heat up more at my mother's prying.

“Oh Twilight, of course I am!  Here I was thinking that you weren't interested in getting a special somepony at all.  I don't think you realize just how relieved I really am!  There's hope for me having grandchildren yet; adopted or no,”  Her smile was wide on her face, almost to the point that it reminded me of my marefriend after four mugs of hard cider.

Okay, I'm not really comfortable relating my lover to my family.

“Wait, do you think Dad noticed?!”  I almost shouted, but managed to stifle it down to a half-whisper.

“Your father?  Oh please; Nightlight's so thick when it comes to anything even remotely romance related.  I wouldn't be surprised if he still didn't figure it out even if you kissed her in front of him.”  She gave me a reassuring laugh with her words.

“You're right; I mean, do you remember my eighth birthday?”  I giggled in return.  Okay, so maybe I could hold off on letting my father know that I'm a fillyfooler.  I really don't want him to be upset with me; especially with how much he didn't want me to date anypony.

“Or our last anniversary?”  She deadpanned at that apparently sour memory.  I think it was needless to ask though; he had a bad habit of forgetting things like that.  “So, I want to hear all of the details with you and Pinkie!  I feel so out of the loop not knowing that my own daughter had a special somepony!”

“Wait- you mean-”

“Everything!”  She grinned.

Oh Celestia, it's only been one night and yet it feels like it would take hours to explain.  But knowing mother, there's not a single way out of the corner that she had just backed me into.  Then again, she might be able to talk to dad about it and ease him into the idea.  That and honestly, mother always has been a good ear to talk to.  Even back in school when Celestia was upset with me, she'd be there to listen...

“Well mother, you see...”