With a ruffle of her feathers, Twilight sighed. She knew she shouldn’t worry so much about the table and where it could be sending her or her friends. It would let them know when they were needed. We haven’t been needed for a month, Twilight thought. Spike was napping in his throne, having fallen asleep reading his newest comic. She walked to the castle library, hoping to find something interesting to read. Her eyes settled onto one of the fiction books. “Prancy Drew and the Mysterious Grandfather Clock.” With a shrug, she levitated it into the air.
She walked slowly back to the throne room. She was, in all technicality, attempting to have Court right now, so that ponies could come in and talk to her. This was Ponyville, though. All the citizens of Ponyville had always just came in and talked to her when they felt like it, when she lived in the library, and not much had changed since she had gotten the castle. The foals had been an excitable bunch, but after going and talking at the school, most fillies and colts discovered she was still the same.
Maybe if I offer snacks? She shook her head at that. Celstaia and Luna didn’t offer snacks at for their Courts. Perhaps this is a useless venture. I don’t really have a lot of political clout—if ponies really want to be heard, they go to Day Court in Canterlot.
Normally, she would go to town and see if she could help any of her friends, but it everypony seemed to be busy. Rarity was gone to Canterlot, having a dinner with a stallion she had met while bringing new designs to her Canterlot shop. Applejack was watching all three of the crusaders, while Big Mac and Rainbow Dash went on a date. Not that anypony saw that coming. Twilight smiled, thinking of her friends. Pinkie was stuck helping the Cakes run the bakery, since they had three large catering orders to fill, and Fluttershy away, visiting her parents. Twilight was considering going to Sugarcube Corner, to see if she could help the bakery, as she walked into the throne room.
“Whatcha thinking about?”
The voice made her jump. She looked up to see Pinkie in the seat with her cutie mark. “Well?”
Oh, thank goodness. Twilight smiled, nearly jumping from her throne. “Is your cutie mark calling you?” She circled the table, her smile falling slightly when the symbol on Pinkie’s flank failed to flash. Well, it isn’t flashing in the way I had hoped, anyway. Still, it took her a beat longer than it should have to look away.
Pinkie giggled. “Nope. I wanted to talk to you.”
Twilight tilted her head and furrowed her brows, confused. “I thought you had to be at Sugarcube Corner today?”
“It’s my lunch break, silly. I have an hour! Well, it’s more like forty-five minutes, now.” Pinkie bounced out of her chair to stand in front to Twilight. “I wanted to come and give something.”
A gift, for me? She’s skipping her lunch break to spend time with me? “Really?” Twilight smiled. “Thanks, Pinkie. Just a present, out of the blue?”
“Yepperoni. I was in a shop the other day, and I saw this, and thought ‘Pinkie Pie, this is the perfect gift for Twily,’ and then I thought, ‘It really is, Pinkie, we should get two—‘” Suddenly, a purple hoof cut off Pinkie’s words. She tried to speak around it, but the words were muffled. After waiting a beat more, Twilight removed her hoof. “What was that for?” Pinkie asked.
“You were about to ruin the surprise.” Even if your tangents are cute.
“Oh! Right, I guess you would like your gift.” She turned to the table and picked up a small, brightly colored rectangle. Twilight grasped it in her magic, floating it the short distance between them.
She methodically looked for the tape holding down each flap of paper as she unwrapped the present in her magic. Soon, a purple-and-pink swirled rectangle emerged. “A book!” Floating the cover so that she could read it. “The Miraculous Breezie.” With a grin at Pinkie, she flipped open to the first chapter. “I’ve been meaning to buy a copy of this forever…” Her voice trailed off and her grin failed. “Umm, Pinkie, I think somepony sold you a bad book. This has most of the words marked out.”
Twilight flipped through the pages, seeing the thick black marks through nearly line on every page. She scanned a few words, but there wasn’t a pattern. It seemed almost random.
“It’s poetry, Twily. You like poetry, right?”
When she lifted her eyes from the book, she could see Pinkie standing before her, biting her lip. She looks almost nervous. “Yeah, but leaving random words on a page isn’t exactly poetry, Pinkie.”
Pinkie’s eyes widened. “You don’t know what this is, do you?” She nearly skipped over to Twilight’s side, turning the book to the very first page. “It’s called Blackout Poetry. It’s when you take a book and then you mark out all the words on the page, except for the ones you want to stay. Like this one. Sometimes they can go for pages, or sometimes it’s just one page.” She flipped through the book, stopping when she found the heart in the corner of a page. “See, I marked where the last poem starts and a new one begins.”
Twilight blinked, looking up at Pinkie. “You mean you marked through all the words?”
With a smile, Pinkie nodded. “I wrote you poems.”
Twilight swallowed. I was so looking forward to reading this book, too. Still, I guess it’s a nice gesture. She smiled at Pinkie, leaning in and giving her friend a nuzzle. “Thank you, Pinkie.” She closed the book and glanced back over to Pinkie, who’s smile now looked strained.
“You should totally read the first one and let me know what you think. It only goes to page seven.” She nodded a little too enthusiastically as Twilight opened the book again.
She smiles so sweetly each one Is worth more bits than I’ll ever make. I want to tell her, every day, that She is the most important pony in my life. It is hard to say, but Here I go. twilight, will you be my special somepony?
Twilight stared at the last word for what felt like a small eternity. Did Pinkie just ask me to be her special somepony? It says it, right there. With my name. She looked up, seeing hope shinning out of Pinkie’s eyes. She saw Pinkie swallow, saw the curly tail twitch. Twilight sat the book down, walking toward Pinkie, stopping when they were nearly nose to nose. She heard Pinkie’s increased breathing, see her eyes trying to figure out what was going to happen.
“Of course, Pinkie.”
Pinkie jumped into the air, confetti flying everywhere. “Twilight is my fillyfriend, whoopee—“ She danced around the throne room for a moment, singing and getting more confetti everywhere, before finally making it back in front of a giggling Twilight. “Oh, do you know what this means? We can hold hooves, and go on dates, and—“
“I know, Pinkie.” Twilight took a deep breath, pushing a stray curl out of Pinkie’s face. “I know.”
A clock chimed from somewhere in the castle, making Pinkie jump. “Oh, I gotta get back!” Pinkie bolted for the door, before stopping and coming back to Twilight. “I almost forgot. Here’s a real copy of that book. I know you want to read it.” With a grin, she bounced off, humming to herself.
Twilight sat the books, side by side. They looked identical. With a smile, she picked up the one with the blackout poetry, eager to see what other messages Pinkie had crafted for her. Pinkie’s head peaked up from behind the book. “Oh, I almost forgot one other thing.” She leaned in, pressing her lips to Twilight’s cheek, before giggling and leaving.
Twilight felt her face heat as she watched Pinkie bounce out the door. Then she kept staring, unable to believe what had just happened. She didn’t hear the muffled groan of the small clack of claws on crystal until Spike was beside her. “Why are you blushing so hard?” he asked, picking up the unedited copy. “Did someone leave their own story in a book again?”
