Chapter 3: Friendship is Foolish

In an attempt to keep more surprises from happening, Twilight asked Applejack to help Mirth get to one of the castle’s guestrooms. As the cow-pony guided him through a set of large double doors, he had a dopy grin and a larger supply of red on his face than usual. Making Applejack’s task even more daunting was the fact that he was teetering this way and that like a pony under the effects of one to many shots of cider. After a few minutes of swearing and stupid giggling, Applejack managed to drag Mirth into a guestroom. With a loud grunt, she heaved the dazed stallion onto the bed. He let out a chuckle. She sighed and walked out of the room.

Damn it Pinky, when I get my hooves on you I swear!

With an angry snort, she made her way back to the throne room.

Meanwhile, Twilight was trying to do the impossible; figure out Pinky Pie.

“Why in the name of Celestia did you DO that Pinky?”

Pinky smiled and opened her mouth to answer but suddenly stopped. Her expression changed from Pinkie’s normal jubilee to a rare look of contemplation.

Why did I do that? She thought, suddenly letting the weight of her actions take hold. Oh no. NonononononononononoNO! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!

Her eyes widened with horror as she stuttered, “I don’t know what happened! He just looked so amazing with all those fireworks and the colors and for a minute my brain turned off. Then all of these weird feelings started building up really really fast and when I came too they just burst and I was kissing him! But then he kissed me back and I-I….”

Tears started to leak from the corners of her eyes. Twilight was going to try and comfort her confused friend, but Rarity beat her to it.

“Pinky dear,” Rarity said, giving her pink friend a tight hug. “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”

“A-Are you s-sure?” she sniffled.

“Yes,” she cooed.

After a few minutes Pinky started to calm down and gently pulled herself out of Rarity’s embrace.

“Thanks Rarity,” Pinky smiled, wiping stray tears out of her eyes.

“Anytime darling,” Rarity smiled.

Pinky gave an embarrassed chuckle than said, “ Sorry everypony, I don’t know what came over me. Nothing like that’s ever happened to me before”

“What, the cry’n?” Applejack asked, stepping into the throne room.

“You heard that from the guestrooms?” Twilight gasped.

“The guestrooms? I’m sure half of Ponyville could’ve heard her.”

Pinky let out a sheepish giggle before saying, “No, not that. But it is rare that I do that. I’m talking about that feeling I had before I kissed Mirth. I wonder what it was?

“I think I know~” Rarity smirked slyly.

Everypony gave her inquisitive looks.

“Well? Don’t leave us hangin’,” Applejack said raising a brow.

Smirk not leaving her face, Rarity said, “I’ll tell you all on the way. It’s getting late and I do believe Twilight would like to shelter her remaining guests without anymore possible complications.”
Pinky flinched before blushing a little.

“Ah guess you’re right Rares,” Applejack sighed.

“Aw man!” Rainbow groaned. “I wanted to see them!”

“We all will have plenty of chances to meet them after they’ve settled,” Rarity, barely hiding the edge in her tone. “Besides, one of us is going to need some support right now.”

Rainbow’s eyes drifted to Pinky and she scratched the back of her head in shame.

“Yeah, I guess your right,” the cyan Pegasus sighed.

With that, her friends said they’re goodbies and left, all the while tending to a still somewhat fragile Pinky Pie.

I hope she’s going to be okay, Twilight thought sadly.

Suddenly remembering her situation, she stared out the window at the setting sun.

Oh no! They’ll be here any minute! We need to hurry.

“Spike!” Twilight called as she scrambled through her castle, quickly trying to get ready for nine of the most important ponies she was ever going to share her castle with

***

“It’s a lot bigger than I thought it’d,” Grapevine said, seeming to be in a more sober state than she was at the meeting.

“Seems a bit flashy to me,” Heavy Burden said, giving the castle’s interior a hard look. “And is it just me or does it look like some parts of the entryway got trampled by yaks?”

“Yes I do believe your right,” Cascade said, looking around in a much more casual manner. “That aside I must admit that Princess Twilight’s castle is simply stunning. You really need to spend less time focusing on the petty details my dear Heavy.”

“Me?” he retorted.

Tempest and Platinum Blitz hovered above the rest of the Alicorns, laughing to themselves as they watched the two.

“I’m glad it’s big,” Platinum Blitz smiled. “Makes it easier to move around.”

He did a lazy back flip to prove his point. Tempest laughed at her partner’s antics.

“Same here,” she smiled. “Plus, Twilight’s kinda cool. A little stiff, but cool.”

“She was probably nervous,” Drassiel said kindly. “After all, she only recently became one of us and it was her first summit meeting.”

“Yeah, but didn’t she take down guys like Discord or Sombra?” Grapevine said. “I mean, I know we’re Alicorns and all, but I don’t think any of us are scarier than them. Well, maybe Nevermore is, but still.”

Everypony turned to the pony in question, but received no response. They all sighed in disappointment. As far back as any of them could recall, not once had Nevermore shown even the slightest hint of emotion. Even if he was injured or insulted, his mask of indifference remained firmly in place. Though it was probably a bad idea to provoke the living embodiment of death, they still wanted to see him express some kind of emotion.

Seeing as that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, they returned their attention to the castle. Nevermore, no longer feeling like a lab experiment, instead gave the black warhorse at his side his attention.

“I saw how you were acting at the meeting,” he said in his usual hollow voice. “You know such behavior is unacceptable, correct?”

She nodded, not looking him in the eye.

“I know that the topic of friendship is a delicate one for you, but I do not want to see you shame yourself like that again. Am I clear?”

At this, she did look him in the eyes.

“Crystal.”

He looked at her for a moment than said, “Good,” before shifting his attention back to the ponies in front of him. Morning Star followed suit. Soon, they all made it to the throne room and standing at its center was their host, Princess Twilight.

“Hello again to all of you,” she said, earning an eye roll from Tempest from her formal speech. “As I am sure you are all very tired from your travels, I will escort you to the castle’s guestrooms that I personally prepared for each of you.”

This surprised them. To them, the concept of housekeeping was best left to servants or other such ponies of lower stations. To hear that Twilight herself prepared there rooms almost seemed blasphemous. Before they could form any further opinions of her, she guided through the same hallways Applejack used not too long ago. Eventually, they came to a long hallway lined with doors, each had a scroll pinned to the front with the cutie marks of the Prince or Princess it was assigned to.

“Well, here we are,” Twilight said with a smile. “Make yourselves at home.”

With some yawns, they casually strolled over to their rooms, though some chose to simply teleport to forsake the effort needed. Cascade and Tempest went a more unique route by phasing through their doors.

I wonder if they can teach me how to do that, Twilight thought with fascination.

The only Alicorn that hadn’t retired for the night was Morning Star and the look she was giving her could turn a dragon pail. But instead of scaring Twilight, the look angered her. Unlike at the Castle of Beginnings, Twilight was in her home turf. This was her domain, not Morning Star’s and she wasn’t going to show fear to her in her own castle.

“Hey!” Twilight said angrily.

“What, foal?!” Morning Star growled.

This caught Twilight off guard, but she stood her ground.

“You’ve been giving me the stink-eye ever since you saw me at the summit. I never once insulted you, belittled you, or did anything bad to you in any way, shape, or form.”

“Your point?” she responded, not phased by Twilights words.

She groaned.

“Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?”

Internally, Morning Star smiled. She had always been skilled at telling a pony’s character traits. All she needed was one quick look at them and she knew everything she needed to know. Everything from how they talked to how they held themselves told her just what buttons to press to completely destroy them from the inside out. War isn’t only about weapons and bloodshed. It was mostly a strategic clash of minds and patience. Regardless of whether this was a battle of blades or words, this simple dynamic never changed. Twilight had at that moment left herself completely open with those two questions. And now, it was time to strike.

“You want to know why I hate you? Ha! How can I not.”

She glared daggers at the younger Alicorn.

“You represent the ultimate lie I had to live with for most of my young life!

“What?”

Morning Star laughed.

“Listen and listen well Twilight Sparkle. Friendship and all the harmony that is said to come from it is nothing more than an illusion fit for those too weak to accept the truth. Kindness and generosity are nothing but openings that lead to servitude and stupidity. Loyalties change at the drop of a hat depending on whether or not you gain anything from it. And laughter? That is nothing more than a joke in itself! I will admit that honesty is the most acceptable virtue born from your lie, but only because I’m invoking its powers at this moment. What does that make your own element?”

Twilight only stood there in stunned silence, struggling to find a counter argument to the torrent of verbal attacks that threatened to end her, but none came.

“I’ll tell you,” she continued. “Foolishness. Because that is all friendship is in the end. A foolish game for the weak and helpless. Strength is what one needs to overcome obstacles Twilight Sparkle. And it is that simple truth that pulled me out of that lie. Friendship is foolishness. Strength is truth.”

And with that, Morning Star teleported into her room, a venomous smirk across her face as she lade herself down onto her bed. All the while Twilight struggled to pull herself together. She needed to think. She needed to find a way to help Morning Star.

Author's Note

with this chapter i wanted to give a little more development to some of the characters i created as well as give Morning Star more of a reason to hate Twilight for more than the sake of hating her. i'm a bit funny that way. plus i thought it would be great to show pinkie having an episode that didn't involve her going Pinkamena on anypony.