"Woo hoo! Shake it, baby!"
Everypony took cover as Pinkie Pie did just that; she swayed and shook her flank wildly, bouncing to the music without a care in the world. Twilight jerked back in surprise as Pinkie's butt came within centimeters of colliding with her face.
Raucous dancing was one of the many hazards a pony could expect to face at a Pinkie Pie party, and this one was no exception. Sugarcube Corner was packed full of ponies enjoying Pinkie Pie’s latest shindig. Lights and colors strobed off the bakery’s walls making it seem more like a club than any sort of eatery. Heedless of Pinkie’s hazardous dance moves, other ponies crowded around, moving to the music in their own way.
"Thanks so much for casting your sound-proofing spell, Twilight! I thought for sure we couldn't have parties at Sugarcube Corner anymore after the twins were born," Pinkie said.
Twilight giggled. "It's no problem, Pinkie Pie. It was either this or we go to the library for our parties. I'm sure Spike wouldn't have been happy about that."
With a growl, Spike tipped back his cup of punch. "It's hard enough cleaning up after you, much less Pinkie Pie."
Everypony continued their dancing until the song finally came to an end. One by one, they stopped and retreated from the dance floor to rest and recharge before the next song. Through the crowd of ponies, Pinkie's eyes focused like a laser upon one in particular. A giddy snort escaped her mouth before she managed to clamp it shut with her hooves.
Step by step, Applejack walked over to her hat, which had been abandoned on the table while she danced. Pinkie's eyes shined brighter and her smile widened as the cowpony flipped the hat onto her head.
"Aww, nuts! Pinkie Pie!"
Everypony laughed as a veritable waterfall of glitter fell out of the hat, covering Applejack's head and mane.
Rainbow zoomed over and bumped Pinkie's outstretched hoof. "Good one, Pinkie Pie!"
Applejack sighed and shook the glitter out of her hat as best as she could, whipping her blonde hair frantically. "I'm gonna have this stuff everywhere when I get home. Don't you worry none, I'll get you back for this," Applejack teased playfully.
Pinkie didn't worry. She knew pranks were all in good fun. After the toothpaste-filled donut Applejack gave her last time, Pinkie couldn't wait to see what the cowpony would come up with next.
"That was pretty funny, Pinkie Pie."
It only took six words for Pinkie Pie to completely forget about everything but the saccharine-sweet voice talking to her. Cerulean blue eyes drew Pinkie's gaze toward the buttercream colored mare in front of her.
"Th-thanks, Fluttershy. It's not a Pinkie Party without a few Pinkie Pranks of course. Having fun?"
Fluttershy smiled and tilted her head. "I'm having a blast."
It was always the head tilt.
Wars were fought in Pinkie's mind over Fluttershy's adorable head tilt. Legions of Pies struggled over minute details such as which side Fluttershy tilted her head was cuter, or the sheer heart-stopping power Fluttershy commanded when she smiled so hard she closed her eyes while doing so. A thumping rose in her chest, pounding wildly against its bony prison. Pinkie wasn't a doctor, but she was pretty sure her heart wasn't supposed to be beating this fast. The pink pony simply categorized it with the other powers Fluttershy had over her.
"Great! I'm so glad you're having fun!"
Pinkie's eyes darted around the room, looking for something, anything to talk about except the weaponized cuteness in front of her.
"Twilight's dancing has really improved. She didn't even knock anypony out tonight!"
Fluttershy giggled—Argh! That giggle!—and stifled it with her hoof. "I've been giving her lessons. She's a fast learner. The other day I taught her the Hoof-Scootin' Boogie, and now she knows it by heart."
Maybe... but she won't ever be as good at it as you. The way you sway your flank, your demure, but sure steps, That hair toss you pu—
"Pinkie Pie?"
The pink pony shook her head, disturbed from her inner monologue.
"Huh?"
"You look like you drifted off for a moment. Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked.
A low bassy beat thumped the floor as a new song started up. "I'm great, Flutters. Whaddya say we get back to cuttin' a rug?"
Fluttershy tilted her head to the right and smiled. "Sure, Pinkie. Let's go."
Pinkie's heart skipped a beat once again as the wars raged on.
"I'm not sure who got off easier, me or you!" Applejack laughed as she walked out of Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow followed closely behind, the remnants of a cake still clinging to her mane and coat.
"Hey, a quick dip in the lake and a night flight through the clouds and I'm gonna be clean and dry. You? Ha! You'll be stuck with glitter for days!"
"I could cast a removal spell," Twilight offered, following the ponies out.
"I would think twice before taking her up on that offer," Rarity suggested. "Last time she tried using that spell, I was nearly forced to remove the entirety of my precious mane."
Twilight scoffed and threw up her hooves. "Two inches, Rarity! It was two inches!"
"Even a centimeter is too much," Spike said, pushing Twilight to the side. She rolled her eyes and followed Spike as he walked off toward the castle.
"Bye, girls! Hope you all had fun tonight!" Pinkie yelled, waving her hoof frantically from the front door of the shop.
"I know I did."
That voice again... it sounded like a bluebird's song dripping with honey and ringing bells to Pinkie's ears. She turned to her right and saw Fluttershy beaming at her.
"Great! I love it when everypony is happy."
Especially you...
"Those were really funny pranks you pulled on Rainbow Dash and Applejack," Fluttershy said.
Pinkie stood up tall, puffing out her chest. "I always put my very best into parties and pranks!"
As sudden as a bolt of lightning, Fluttershy's smile faded. "Is there something wrong with me?'
Shaking her head, Pinkie wrapped a hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder. "Of course not, silly. Why would you ask something like that?"
The yellow mare scratched the ground with her hoof, looking away awkwardly. "It's just that... you never pull any pranks on me."
Pinkie Pie blinked for a moment before bursting into giggles. "Of course not! You're too sensitive for that. The last thing I’d ever wanna do is make you cry."
"Oh..."
Pinkie hoped her explanation would make Fluttershy feel better, to understand how important it was that she not hurt the pegasus, but all it seemed to do was sadden her friend more.
"Aren't we best friends?" Fluttershy asked, fear evident in her eyes.
Placing her hooves on Fluttershy’s shoulders, Pinkie gave her best and most convincing smile. "Of course we are!"
"Well, you prank all of our other friends. Why not me?"
Pinkie's eyes crossed in befuddlement, her grip on the pegasus’ shoulders weakening. The questions Fluttershy was asking seemed like the most obvious in the world. In Pinkie's mind, Fluttershy may as well have asked her why sugar was sweet, or why flowers smelled good.
Because I think about you when I see a cute little animal. Because you make me feel like skipping from here to Canterlot. Because I really really really really really really really really really really like you! With ten reallys!
"Because I don't like seeing you upset, and I know if I pull a prank on you and other ponies laughed, you would totally get upset!" Pinkie said, avoiding the words she desperately wished she could say.
"Oh... okay."
Without another word, Fluttershy started out of Sugarcube Corner, her eyes locked on the ground and walking with a sad gait.
Unable to grasp why the pegasus was still so downtrodden, Pinkie reached out with her hoof. "Wait!"
Fluttershy stopped and turned around.
Drawing in a heavy breath, Pinkie said the words she never imagined would leave her mouth.
"If you really want me to prank you... I can do it."
"Really? You mean it?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes brightening.
Pinkie nodded. "But... I hope you know what you're asking for..."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Fluttershy said, wrapping the pink pony up in a soft hug.
The wars ceased immediately. Suddenly, it no longer mattered which way Fluttershy tilted her head, or whether or not her cheeks puffed out in the adorable way they sometimes do. All of the combatants came together in agreement that Fluttershy gave the best hugs ever.
Of course, all things must come to an end, and so too did the best hug ever end. Fluttershy pulled away and smiled. "I can't wait to see what you plan for me. Oh, it'll be so fun! Good night, Pinkie Pie."
"Good night, Pinkie Pie," the pink mare mumbled in a trance as Fluttershy walked off into the night. She closed the front door of the shop and leaned against the wooden door. Her heart now raced once more, this time for a very different reason.
"What in Equestria am I going to do?"
Twilight had spent most of her morning stumbling out of bed and recovering from Pinkie’s party. Her joints ached from moving in ways she wasn’t particularly sure they should have. Her head throbbed as the music somehow still echoed in her brain. Nevertheless, after a filling breakfast, Twilight gave Spike a few bits to get a treat and sent him on his way. With the castle all to herself, she now focused on a tome she borrowed from Zecora. A guide to basic potion making.
The alicorn’s eyes traveled across the page. Carefully she read through the recipe. “One bloom of red autumn, four drops of moondew…”
Turning away, she tossed the ingredients into a small cauldron she purchased for her potion practice. It wouldn’t be sufficient for making some of the more complicated recipes Zecora did, but it was a good starting point for a novice such as herself.
"Twilight! What am I going to do?"
In a rather un-princesslike manner, Twilight screamed and looked back at the book sitting on the table just in time to see Pinkie pull her last leg out of it.
"Pinkie Pie! Can't you use the door like a normal pony?"
Standing up, Pinkie Pie kicked the book she just appeared from off of her hind leg and onto the floor where it landed with a dull thud. "No time for doors! I have only the biggest and most important problem ever!"
Stepping away from her experiment, Twilight scoffed. "Lemme guess, another missing ice cream scoop?"
Pinkie shook her head. "No! This is really important!"
"Ran out of pink frosting?"
"No!"
"Gummy 'attacked' Rarity again?"
Pinkie grabbed the alicorn's head. "This is serious, Twilight!"
Prising herself from Pinkie's grasp, Twilight pushed the panicking mare away gently. "Okay, okay, I get it. So what's the big deal?"
Pinkie inhaled, causing her chest to puff out several feet. "Fluttershy asked me to prank her last night after everypony left but I don't wanna prank her because she's so kind and sensitive that she might end up crying if other ponies laughed at her and I remember the last time I made her cry and I felt really really really bad and I really don’t want her to cry again but I said I would do it but I really don’t want to do it help me Twilight!"
Twilight's mane fluttered on the last breath of Pinkie's long winded plea. "Wow, Pinkie Pie. You were right. This is the most important problem you've ever come to me with! We should totally celebrate you've finally grasped that with—"
"A party, yes I know," Pinkie said, clamping Twilight's lips shut. "I'd love to, but there's no way I can party with this hanging over my mane! What am I gonna to do?"
“Mrhemhrmer mihrm”
Pinkie blinked in confusion. In a sudden fit of understanding, she released Twilight's face and gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry."
"Ahem. Well, if Fluttershy wants to be pranked so much, I say you should trust her."
“But, I can't!” Pinkie wailed, grabbing her hair and wrapping it over her hooves like a handle.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Why not? You never worried about anypony else's feelings when it comes to pranks."
Pinkie's mouth fell open. "Gasp! Of course I do! I totally worry about other's feelings when I pull a prank! Why do you think I plan my pranks so carefully?" Reaching behind her back, Pinkie dropped a filing cabinet on the floor with a loud thud. Twilight reached in and grabbed a random folder.
Flipping it open, she cleared her throat. "Subject: Applejack… Inappropriate pranks: Anything involving oranges."
Twilight rolled her eyes and put the folder away. "I don't get it. If you are so careful with other pony's feelings when it comes to pranks, why can't you prank Fluttershy? Surely she can be pranked without hurting her feelings. Unless..."
Uh oh.
Twilight turned, a suspicious look in her eyes. "There has to be something else, some other reason why you wouldn't want to prank Fluttershy."
Pinkie Pie started backing up under Twilight's glare. "I-I don't know what you mean, Twily-Twi..."
Twilight extended an accusatory hoof and smiled. "Ah-hah! ‘Twily-Twi!’ You tend to come up with irritatingly dumb nicknames for ponies when they catch you in a lie! That's one of your tells, Pinkie."
"Double gasp!" Pinkie continued backing up until her rump hit the wall. "I... I..."
"Come on, Pinkie. Out with it... or I'll have to get the flour and water."
Falling to the floor, Pinkie finally caved. "Okay! Fine! You win! I... I like Fluttershy."
Twilight blinked. "Wha-what?"
"I like Fluttershy. I like her, Twilight. I like looking at her adorable smile, her pretty eyes, her cute little hoofsies. She's just—"
"You like Fluttershy?"
Pinkie grabbed Twilight by the shoulders, shaking her vigorously. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, Twiglet!"
Breaking out of Pinkie’s grip, Twilight rolled her eyes and retrieved her fallen book. “Pinkie Pie, why in Equestria would you of all ponies be nervous about confessing something like this? Just go tell her.”
Pinkie’s eyes bulged in disbelief. “Are you serious? This is Fluttershy! If I just bounced over and asked her out, what do you think would happen?”
In Twilight’s mind, a rather forward Pinkie Pie approached an appropriately timid Fluttershy. Pinkie quickly divulged her attraction to the petite mare with all the subtlety of a frying pan and asked her out. Fluttershy’s face turned blue as she fell to the ground, a solitary flower left in her grip.
Twilight nodded sagely. “Okay, yeah. She’d probably keel over. This is Fluttershy after all. So that’s why you’re afraid to prank her. You think she wouldn’t be able to forgive you.”
Pinkie nodded.
“Well, there's only one solution."
"Solution? What kind of solution, Twolalot Sparkhusmon?"
Twilight pulled out an empty folder from the cabinet and thrusted it toward Pinkie. "You have to come up with the best prank ever, just for Fluttershy."
Pinkie’s mouth fell open in horror. "Triple gasp! How would that help?"
"It's simple. When Fluttershy sees how much time and effort you went through to prank her, you'll have your chance to tell her just how you feel. It's that simple."
Pinkie fell onto her haunches which made a soft honk. "Maybe... maybe that just might work."
Twilight laughed. "Of course it will. By the way, I lied. Your tell isn't making up dumb names for other ponies. You look down and to the right when you lie."
"Ahhh... I see," Pinkie said when she truthfully had no clue what Twilight meant. "Thanks for the talk, Twiggle. I'm off to plan the best prank ever!"
Pinkie pulled open the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet and jumped in, closing it behind her. Twilight stared for a moment, unable to parse exactly what happened. Running over to the cabinet she pulled the drawer open and saw nothing but files.
"Pinkie Pie! Get back here and take this cabinet with you!"
She wasn't sure, but Twilight thought she heard a muffled, "Okie dokie" in the distance.
Red balloons or blue balloons? Yellow frosting or white? Pinkie was used to making the hard decisions, making the choices nopony else had the chutzpah to make.
Tonight, all of the decisions were on a totally different level.
Sitting in her chair, blowing bubbles into her juice box, Pinkie schemed and plotted in the safety of her party cave. Her left hoof wandered to the armrest of her chair, stroking the reptile perched upon it.
"This is the most difficult decision I've ever had to make in my life... or at least since I had to choose between mylar and latex balloons."
She grabbed a nearby bundle of balloons and threw her hoof around them. She was rewarded with a satisfying squeeze.
"Stretchy balloons are always better."
Gummy blinked out of sync.
"You're right." Pinkie sighed as she let go of the balloons. "I've got to come up with some sort of prank, and it has to be more than just dropping a bucket of water on her head."
Pinkie resumed blowing bubbles into her juice box. Her eyes rapidly scanned the table, which had blueprints for all sorts of pranks, and a picture of Fluttershy.
"It feels like the answer is right in front of me and I just keep overlooking it."
Pushing the blueprints aside for a moment, she stared at Fluttershy's picture. She always had a gentle and serene smile, guaranteed to bring Pinkie a sense of peace... when the pegasus wasn't panicking, of course.
There was a lot to love about Fluttershy. Apart from being kind and caring, she had a demure and shapely figure. Her hair wrapped around her like pink foliage. Even her flank seemed to be the perfect shape and size.
"Wait a minute..."
Pinkie took another look at Fluttershy's flank in the picture.
"That's it! If I want to prank Fluttershy in the best way possible, I have to make a prank just for her!"
Picking up a nearby protractor, Pinkie started scribbling like mad as inspiration seized her.
"Yes! Yes! This will be perfect!"
Fluttershy awoke in the morning to the dulcet crows of Sir Willingsworth, her favorite rooster. As usual, she fell into her routine of feeding the animals that had taken up residence in her home.
Once her critters had their fill, she grabbed a scarf to protect her from the early morning chill and stepped outside, ready to face a new day.
"Just another beautiful morning. At least I won't have to worry about rain while shopping." With a smile, she walked past her umbrella stand and headed toward Ponyville at her usual, tempered pace. A sudden chittering from above caught her attention.
"Good morning, Mr. Squirrel. I hope you're busy gathering acorns today. It won't be long before winter comes."
The squirrel chattered back in the affirmative.
Fluttershy nodded and continued her trek into Ponyville. She passed by Twilight’s castle, giving a friendly wave to Spike, who waved from one of the many windows. Onwards she marched until she reached the market. As the line of vendors came into view, she reached into her saddlebags and pulled out her shopping list.
"Let's see, I need some lettuce, some tomatoes, a new frying pan, and I should probably stop by Rarity's for a new jacket."
The market was bustling as always. Ponies everywhere wheeled and dealed their goods to the public. Even Applejack had made it in early, selling her juicy apples to the public. Fluttershy would have said hello, but a crowd had already formed around the apple stand. She thought to make an effort to do so later, when she was done shopping. The produce stand seemed relatively quiet, so she made that her destination.
"Ooof!"
Fluttershy's head swam as she tumbled to the ground. The dainty pegasus lay sprawled out by the sudden hit. Taking a moment to compose herself she looked up just in time to see the offender—a pony in a trenchcoat—run off into the crowd.
Placing her hoof on the ground, she heard a soft squish. Her eyes traveled downward until she saw a glob of what looked like peanut butter on her hoof.
"Ewww."
Fluttershy’s eyes traveled left and right until she spied a nearby garden hose.
"I’m sure Roseluck wouldn't mind if I used her hose real quick... would she?"
Glancing around for it’s owner, Fluttershy decided it would be fine. Picking the hose up with her mouth, she aimed the nozzle at her hoof and turned it on.
Nothing.
"What?"
Letting the hose fall out of her mouth, she picked it up with her hooves. Turning the nozzle toward her face, she saw a glob of sticky brown stuff dripping out the end.
"Huh?"
With a faint burble, the nozzle opened, spraying her with a thick coating of the brown liquid. Squealing wildly, Fluttershy shielded herself from the assault, to no avail.
"Ewww! Oh no! Oh my, make it stop!"
Gathering her strength, Fluttershy finally reached down and turned the nozzle until the goopy liquid came to a halt. Curiously, she brought her hoof to her nose and sniffed.
"Maple syrup? Why would anypony put maple syrup in their garden hose?"
Sticky, upset, and shivering from the cold syrup, she walked to a nearby outdoor shower.
"It might be a cold shower, but at least I'll be clean."
She turned the valve on and looked up at the shower head above her.
"Huh? Is there something wrong with the plumb—"
Fluttershy's voice drowned out in a sudden shower of birdseed. Pounds and pounds of seed fell onto the mare, sticking tightly to the syrup covering her. She screamed and danced wildly in place, flailing her hooves and wings.
"Whaaaa! What is going on?!"
Fluttershy’s panicked dancing ceased after the last of the birdseed hit the floor of the shower.
“Phew. Thank goodness that’s over.”
A sudden beating of wings caught Fluttershy's ears. Turning around, she saw birds of every type and stripe perched on every building and surface they could find.
All of them staring at her.
"N-n-nice birdies... please don't—"
Fluttershy's words fell silent in the mass flapping of wings. Turning on her hooves, she ran out of the shower and galloped like never before. She moved at such a blistering pace, she could have given Applejack or Rainbow Dash a run for their money. Running with so many birds in pursuit, each looking for an easy meal, Fluttershy only thought one thing.
Water!
Picking up her pace even more, she ran to the bridge at the edge of town. Just as she heard wings beating in her ears, she dove into the river, submerging herself completely in the cool blue water.
Twisting and turning, she cleaned herself as best she could before the need for air became too great. Her head broke through the surface of the water with a mighty gasp and squeal. In spite of all her efforts, some bird seed and syrup stubbornly clung to her coat. A sudden fluttering of wings enveloped her as birds nested upon her head and shoulder, gently pecking the seeds off. Once the rapid beating of wings ceased, Fluttershy heard something else entirely.
Laughter.
Some of the ponies at market had followed the panicking pegasus on her sprint for water. Most were laughing or chuckling at Fluttershy… except one.
“Fluttershy! Are ya’ll alright?” Applejack asked, skidding to a halt.
Fluttershy nodded. “I think so. I don’t know what happened. I just went to wash something off my hoof and…” her voice trailed off as she saw Applejack trying to cover her mouth with her hat. “Applejack?”
The cowpony couldn’t hold it back any longer. dropping her hat, she fell into a laughing fit. "Oh, sugarcube, heh heh! I’m sorry! I don’t mean to laugh, but this is too much! I sure wish I had my camera about now!”
Fluttershy's frown slowly lessened as she saw her reflection in the water. A soft giggle rose from her throat. "Oh, you're right. I look ridiculous!"
Her eyes scanned the crowd of ponies. "But... where's Pinkie Pie?"
Applejack scratched her head. "What? Pinkie Pie? Wait, do you really think Pinkie Pie is responsible for this?"
Fluttershy stood up in the shallow water, her movements still gentle enough not to send the birds perched upon her flying away. "She has to be. I told her I wanted her to prank me. I certainly didn't see this coming."
Putting her hat back on her head, Applejack snorted. "Ha! Don't ever underestimate that one. She was here. She was sitting in that bush right over yonder. As soon as you popped your head out of the water, she took off toward Sugarcube Corner."
Looking past Applejack, Fluttershy saw a speck of pink running further into Ponyville. Without another word, Fluttershy marched off into town, heedless of her messy condition, or the birds still perched on her.
Pinkie Pie parted the branches in her bush, watching intently as Fluttershy, covered in maple syrup and bird seed, ran screaming toward the river. Chewing on her hooves like a patient at the dentist's office, Pinkie knew she was watching her friendship with Fluttershy unravel right before her very eyes.
Frantically diving into the water, Fluttershy's head fell out of view, and Pinkie's breath fell still. Seconds ticked by, each feeling more like years as Fluttershy thrashed beneath the water. For a moment, the surface seemed to grow still.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Fluttershy's head erupted out of the water, still mostly covered in maple syrup and birdseed. The birds, which had given chase, finally descended upon her, taking up residence on her sopping wet mane and shoulders. One by one they started pecking, feeding on the seeds.
It should have been funny.
If it were anypony else, Pinkie would have laughed.
The frown and defeated look on Fluttershy's face killed any chance of a laugh. Pinkie turned and ran back into town, abandoning her hiding spot. Applejack and the other ponies shot a glance in her direction, but Pinkie didn't want to stop. She didn't want to have to admit that she was the one who had hurt Fluttershy in such an awful way.
So she ran.
She ran through the street and past the market, right toward Sugarcube Corner.
It would have been so easy to just run to her room, but that's where everypony would look for her. Instead, she slinked into the side alley and around the back of the building. The tears welling in her eyes made her blink, just so she could see to keep from walking into a wall or something. She finally came to a stop next to the dumpster behind the sweetshop.
This is exactly where I belong. Next to the dumpster, with the rest of the trash!
Falling on her rump, the floodgates finally opened. Tears streamed down her face as pained sobs escaped her throat. Fluttershy trusted her to be careful with her feelings, and she took it too far, once again.
"I'm... I'm so sorry, Fluttershy!" she wailed. Wrapping her hooves together, she buried her face between them and cried. "How could I be s-so stupid! Now she hates me for sure!"
"Pinkie Pie..."
"And it isn't just her, all of my other friends are going to hate me too! Rarity will tell me I was stupid for messing up her pretty mane..."
"...Pinkie Pie..."
"...Twilight will tell me I should have done more research or something, and have Princess Celestia send me to the moon..."
"...Pinkie Pie?"
"And-and Applejack is just going to kick me really hard! Rainbow Dash won’t ever let me watch her tricks again! I should have just told her I couldn't do it! But no! I had to be a stupid Pinkie Pie as always, and now she'll never want to see me again, much less go out with me."
"Pinkie Pie!"
The pink pony's sobs stopped. That voice seemed familiar. Looking up through tear stained eyes, she saw Fluttershy staring down at her, a thoughtful frown on her face... as well as maple syrup and bird seed dripping off her muzzle. She wanted to grab her by the neck and hug away all the pain.
"Oh, Fluttershy, I'm so sorry! I didn't want to hurt you like that! I knew it was a bad idea to prank you, and I did it anyway! I'm so so so sorry!"
Once more she let her head drop into her hooves. This time something else caught it. Gently, a yellow hoof lifted her head up by her chin, until their eyes met.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie. I don't hate you."
Through watery eyes, Pinkie's lips trembled. "But... I saw you. You looked like you were about to cry. Everypony laughed at you. I heard it all as I ran away."
Fluttershy titled her head and giggled. "Of course they did. I looked funny! Like some sort of bird statue! When I saw how ridiculous I looked, I laughed too!"
Pinkie's tears slowed. "Y-y-you mean, you liked being pranked?"
"Well, sort of. I mean, I didn’t actually enjoy being covered in syrup or birdseed, but everypony else thought it was funny, and I sort of think it was too. I've always wanted to know what it felt like to be pranked." Fluttershy scratched the ground, probably trying to find the right words if Pinkie had to guess. "I thought you liked me less than everypony else, but that wasn’t it at all. You were trying to protect me weren't you?"
Pinkie wiped her runny nose with the back of her hoof and nodded.
"You said I'd never want to go out with you, didn't you?"
Pinkie nodded once more, her eyes falling to the ground.
"I've liked you for a long time, Pinkie," Fluttershy confessed, her cheeks turning red.
"R-really?"
Fluttershy nodded. "Mmmhmm. I didn’t think you liked me. I thought you treated me differently because you didn’t like me as much as the others."
Pinkie’s mouth fell open. “What? Of course not! You’ve always been super important to me!”
“The truth is,” Fluttershy began. “I’ve always liked you. You’re always so patient with me, even when other ponies try to hurry me up, or force me to do something, you don’t.”
Pinkie couldn't believe her ears. She wanted to pinch herself all over just to make sure this wasn't a dream. "But... I'm loud. Annoying! I made you cry once! I felt awful," she admitted, her head falling once more.
Fluttershy didn't say a word. She reached out and took Pinkie's hoof and pulled her up into a hug. It was a sticky, scratchy hug, thanks to the bird seed and syrup, but Fluttershy's worst hugs beat many ponies best hugs.
"You are loud. You're happy almost all of the time, you make everypony laugh and brighten their day. You're not annoying. I could never find you annoying. You always give the best hugs.
Pinkie gasped. "No way! You give the best hugs! A Flutterhug can fix even the worst days. Plus, your mane smells nice. Except right now. It smells kinda weird, but your hug is still amazing!"
Fluttershy laughed, covering her mouth with her hoof in that dainty, polite way Pinkie adored. "Ummm, would you like to go out somewhere tonight for dinner... maybe?" Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie's eyes lit up. "Really? Sure! I'd love to. There's so many places we could go! There's that pizza parlor by Quills and Sofas, the cafe by Rarity’s boutique, there's even-"
"Pizza sounds nice... I mean, if that's okay with you."
"Of course it is!" Pinkie shouted, throwing her arms around Fluttershy once more. This time her fur stuck to Fluttershy, held tight by the syrup.
"I might need to go get cleaned up," Fluttershy noted, her face flushing red once more. "Is there some way to get this off?"
Pinkie nodded furiously. "Sure! Hot water and dish soap. I'd never use something I couldn't remove."
The yellow pegasus leaned in close to Pinkie's ear, her words a mere whisper on the wind. "I ummm, don’t think I can reach it all. Would you feel like helping me get cleaned up?"
Pinkie's smile widened. "I'd love to, Flutterpal." The pink pony dove under her and jumped up, hoisting Fluttershy onto her back. "Alright, next stop: Cleansville! Hang on tight! I'll have us at your cottage in a jiffy!"
"Darling, It's not like you to worry so much."
Applejack snorted, and shifted her hat. "I can't help it, Rarity. I haven't seen either of them since the prank, and the Cakes are worried."
"You're just being paranoid. I'm sure they're both fine," Rainbow grumbled. She hovered behind her friends, her front hooves folded in annoyance.
Glancing over her shoulder, Rarity cleared her throat. "Twilight, dear. You've been awfully quiet. Is something wrong?"
The alicorn's brow furrowed, deep in thought. "I was the one who told Pinkie she should do it in the first place. What if I was wrong? What if Fluttershy left Ponyville, and Pinkie took off after her?" Twilight seized up as Rainbow fluttered right in front of her.
"Oh puh-leeze. As if Fluttershy could outrun Pinkie Pie. I have hard enough time getting away from her. No way Flutterslow could."
"We're about to find out," Rarity said.
The group of friends approached the unassuming cottage. From the outside, nothing seemed unusual. Twilight, Rarity and Applejack walked up to the door.
"Okay, who wants to knock?" Applejack asked.
The three ponies stared at each other a moment.
"Onetwothree, not it!"
"Not it!"
"Not—" The word halted in Twilight's throat. "Ahh, ponyfeathers." She raised her hoof toward the door.
"Uhhh guys, hold off on that for a moment," Rainbow Dash called, waving the others to the window with her. “Check this out.”
In the living room of the cottage, Pinkie Pie lay on the couch, her eyes closed and a line of drool hanging from the crook of her mouth. Nestled close to her was Fluttershy, half in the earth pony's hooves and sparkling clean. She too was out like a light, a soft smile upon her face.
A chorus of "awwwww"s echoed from behind the glass followed by one "eugh." One by one they each tore their eyes away from the window.
"Well," Applejack started, flipping her hat back upon her head. "I guess they're doing just fine."
"Yeah, but what are we going to tell the Cakes?" asked Twilight.
Rarity stepped forward, leading the way back to Ponyville. "It's simple, darling. We'll just tell them they're in good hooves."
Rainbow gagged. "Ugh. That does it. I'm going home. You guys are way too sappy today."
The three ponies left on the ground just laughed as Rainbow Dash took off, headed for home.
