Comes a Flash of Annoyance.
Pinkie exited her house and began to skip downtown to where the Farmers Festival was being held when she first saw it. A flash of something. It was to quick for her to recognize, so she decided to dismiss it and continue to skip along her merry way. She would usually have her eyes closed, but, Twilight had suggested opening her eyes every once and a while.
She could remember the conversation like it was yesterday...probably because it was.
Pinkie skipped merrily into Twilight's castle, where the purple alicorn sat in her chair, patiently waiting. She looked up from the book was reading just in time to see the pink pony come in "Hey, Pinkie? I've been meaning to ask you something." Twilight said, putting down her book. "Take a seat."
Pinkie sat down in her crystal chair, her cutie mark imprinted on the back of it. She just loved that chair so much! "What's up, Twilight?"
"Why do you always skip with your eyes closed? So many things are happening when you close your eyes, and you miss them all whenever you skip!"
"Oh, I've lived here for a while." Pinkie beamed, "I know the town and it's trails by heart, and I know nopony would get in the way of my skipping trail!"
"Pinkie, that's not what I meant. I just want you to open your eyes once and a while when you skip--"
"--in case somepony accidentally crosses paths with me?" She scrunched up her nose. "Or that Bumble Bear comes back? It's to bad the humans didn't get to see what was going on while we were fighting it"
"Exactly! Wait.. did you say 'humans'?" Twilight asked, her face a mix of confusion and concern.
Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah, humans. It was a background pony episode as we were battling that Bumble bear."
Twilight's look of confusion was washed away and replaced with a gentle smile. "Oh, Pinkie Pie, you sound like Lyra. Human's. Don't. Exist."
"You can keep thinking that, Twilight."
Twilight groaned. This whole conversation was giving her a headache. "Just..I want you to keep your eyes wide open the next time you go out for one of your skips, okay, Pinkie?"
"Okie Dokie Loki!" Pinkie replied, then merrily skipped out of the--
Another flash of light interrupted her flashback. It was a bit ironic once she thought about it, but she didn't get to think about it for long, because yet another flash of light interrupter her thoughts! She looked to the sky, thinking, maybe, the pegasi had to make it stormy today.
But there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
Then again, wouldn't she hear thunder, as well? And why would they make it a stormy day on the day of the Farmer's Festival? That was plain rude! Shat sat back on her haunches to try and solve this small problem.
Suddenly, she jumped into the air. She had just remembered why she was outside in the first place. The Farmers Festival. She was supposed to meet Applejack there.
Flash
She tried to ignore that flash as best as she could and continued to skip down towards the festival, closing her eyes so no annoying flashes could distract her again. Besides, she thought, it feels more natural this way. I hope Twilight won't mind. She hummed herself a merry tune as she neared Downtown Ponyville.
"Pinkie Pie!" She heard the shout from five feet away. She quickly opened her eyes--to receive a quick, blinding flash.
"All right, that was pretty funny," she called to nopony, "but could you prettypleasewithsugarontop stop doing that, please?" She waited a moment. Nothing happened. She waited another moment, and still, nothing happened. "THANK YOU!!!" She called, assuming whoever was playing a prank on her stopped.
"Pinkie!" She heard again. It was coming from the same direction as before. She looked to the right of her and saw Applejack and Twilight running towards her. She ran towards them, meeting them halfway.
"Hi, girls! How are you doing today? Hey, have you seen a flash of light anywhere?"
Twilight shot her the same confused looks she gave her yesterday. "Pinkie Pie, what are you talking about?"
"I ain't seen no flash at all durin' this entire day." Applejack added.
Flash
"Ugh! The flash just went off! Right then!" Pinkie exclaimed. These flashes were starting to annoy her.
Twilight and Applejack shared a look; they were obviously worried Pinkie had lost it. Applejack took a step forwards, a worried yet reassuring smile on her face. "Now, sugar cube, ya sure ya ain't seein' things?" She asked.
"I'm sure it's nothing, Pinkie. Maybe your eyes are just playing trick on you, or something." Twilight added. "It probably keeps coming back because you keep thinking about it. I think it'll stop soon enough, maybe some apple pie will take your mind off of it?" Twilight and Applejack then put on matching worried smiles.
Another flash of light invaded Pinkie's sight for a split second. Pinkie was more determined (and annoyed) than ever to try and prove this to at least somepony! She huffed. "As much as I would love some apple pie right now, Twilight, I cant."
Twilight gasped. "Ponyville's very own Pinkie Pie, winner of many, many pie and cake eating contests, refuses one nice, warm, apple pie?"
Pinkie paused, looking towards her friends, the towards the blue then covers that were set up. Back to her friends, then the tent covers. Friends, tent covers. Friends, tent covers. Friends--flash. She heaved a deep breath. As tempting as that apple pie sounded, she couldn't exactly go through with it right now.
"I'm sorry, Twilight and Applejack, but I just can't." With that, she turned around and ran back towards Rarity Boutique. Meanwhile, Twilight and Applejack were sharing a worried look again.
"I thought for sure that would work..." Twilight mumbled, looking at Pinkie as she ran off.
"I don't think Pinkie's feelin' like herself taday, Twi." Applejack replied.
There was a long pause before Twilight responded. "We need to help her."
It seemed like every two steps Pinkie took, the flash returned. If anypony had been pranking her, they were at it again. And, boy, was she getting annoyed. She kept looking to the sky, expecting thunder, but the sky remained clear. She looked up again, inches away from Rarity's Boutique, when she saw Rainbow Dash flying overhead.
"Dashie!! Down here!!" Pinkie cried. The cyan pegasus looked down, saw Pinkie, and landed instantly yet gracefully.
Rainbow moved her head in closer towards her friend. "Pinkie, I told you to call me 'Dashie' when--and only when--nopony else is around." She whispered through gritted teeth. She then moved her head back, at a respectful distance, and continued in her normal voice. "Now, what was it you wanted, Pinkie?"
Flash
"Gotcha, Dashie!" Rainbow shot her a death glare. "I was wondering...have you been seeing a flash of light following you around today?"
"A flash of light?" Pinkie nodded. Rainbow shifted her eyes to the left as she continued. "Uh...no, why?"
"Because one has been following me around all day and, to be fair, it's getting SUPER annoying!! Hey, let me see if Rarity has seen anything."
Rainbow knew what was coming next. "No! Pinkie! Don't!" She cried, it was to late though.
Pinkie inhaled a big breath of air. "RARITY! COME OUTSIDE! I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!!" She yelled to the heavens. Rainbow Dash was looking towards the Boutique, waiting with Pinkie. The damage had already been done.
"All right, Fluttershy. Now, just hold still. This dress will be done in a-" Rarity was cut off by a loud, muffled sound She didn't hear all of it, but she did hear 'Rarity Come outside!' It sounded like Pinkie Pie, and, in truth, it probably was her out there.
Rarity gently levitated the dress off of Fluttershy and onto a nearby mannequin before heading towards the door. Not before she saw a flash, though.
She groaned; getting irritated with the constant flashes that invaded her vision. They had been following her around all day, and she just hated it so. Fluttershy followed her out of the door, and they both met Pinkie outside.
"Whatever is the matter, dear" Rarity asked, another flash of light caused her to strain her voice.
"Have either of you seen a flash of--"
"--Light?" Rarity int erupted. "Dreadfully sorry, Pinkie, but, yes. I have seen a flash of light, and it's getting increasingly bothersome throughout the day."
"I haven't, but, did you want me too?" Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie smiled at the shy pegasus. "No, Fluttershy, it's fine. I'm just curious, that's all." She turned to Rarity and continued. "A flash of light has been bugging me all day, too. I don't know if it's a prank or anything, but, it's really annoying!"
Rainbow began to hover in the air, as if she was planning to fly off, but stopped herself. "Wait, wait, wait, hold on," She interjected. "A flash of light has only been bugging you--" she pointed a hoof at Pinkie, "and you?" She pointed her other hoof at Rarity. Both Pinkie and Rarity agreed. "Has anyone seen Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, or Scootaloo around lately?" Rainbow asked.
"No, I haven't." Pinkie said,
Fluttershy also said she hasn't seen them a"I haven't seen them at all today...oh, was I supposed to be watching over them?"
Flash
"No, Fluttershy, you weren't." Rainbow reassured her. Fluttershy instantly relaxed at hearing that.
Rarity suddenly gasped. "Rainbow Dash! You don't think..?"
"Oh, I think." Rainbow responded, then flew over to a nearby bush. She could hear quiet laughter, and put her ear up next to the bush to hear better. It grew louder.
She separated some leaves and found nopony in there, to her shock. She flew from bush to bush around Rarity's Boutique, repeating the same process and didn't find anypony in any of them.
She flew back to where her friends were and landed gently. "Okay, guys! Joke's over!" She called, nothing happened.
Flash
"The flash came back." Pinkie told her; Rainbow nodded.
"Hmm....let me try something..." She mumbled, then continued to speak a bit louder. "Scootaloo? I want to teach you some cool flying tricks!"
Nothing happened for a long while, but, Rainbow was certain she could hear some scuffling among the leaves.
Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!
The leaves of a nearby bush parted and a tiny orange pegasus ran out, as fast as a blur, and Alston knocked Rainbow over. In her hoof was a small mirror. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle came followed guiltily behind, leaves sticking to their mane and a small branch stuck in Apple Bloom's bow.
Rarity levitated the mirror out of Scootaloo's hoof. "So this must have been what was causing the flashes." She loudly mumbled. It was meant to be to herself, but everypony around her heard it.
'Were real sorry, Pinkie an' Rarity. We just though it would help get us our cutie marks in prankin ponies." Apple Bloom explained.
"Aww, it's OK, Apple Bloom. It was a pretty good prank." Pinkie turned towards Rainbow, who was chatting away with Scootaloo. "I'll have to try it sometime..." She put on a evil like grin and started rubbing her hooves together.
Rarity sighed. "Just...please don't do it again."
"Wait." Rainbow announced. "I have a question. If you were in that bush," she pointed towards the first bush she checked. "Why didn't I see you in it, or any other bush?"
"Oh, because we jumped to the next bush when we thought you were going to catch us." Scootaloo explained simply. "Now, about those flying tricks..."
Rainbow laughed. "Tomorrow, I promise."
"Why not today?" Scootaloo asked.
"Wouldn't you rather have some apple pie down at the Farmers Festival?" Pinkie interrupted.
Scootaloo hung her head, pretending to be sad. Her head popped up a moment latter. "Yeah, I do!" She cried, her tiny wings flapping ecstatically.
"Then, let's go!" Pinkie cheered, and lead the CMC, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity down to the Farmers festival.
"Rarity?" Fluttershy asked, "what about the dress?"
I'll finish it tomorrow, darling." Rarity responded, then hurried to catch up with her friends.
Twilight and Applejack saw the small parade of ponies, lead by Pinkie Pie, from a mile away. Twilight smiled. "Good thing you saved all that apple pie." She said.
Applejack chuckled. "It really is a good thing, ain't it?"
They both started to laugh, but were unable too. Instead, they started coughing up a storm. Luckily, it didn't last that long.
"What was that about?" Twilight asked.
"I reckon we just breathed in some smoke, Twi." Applejack responded. "I don't have a clue where it came from, though."
