Wishful Lullaby

Chapter Three

Twilight’s eyes blinked in response to the blaring sunlight, the crisp air warmer than it had been in the past few weeks since winter wrap up had ended. The ground softer and accepting of the sun’s heat as she trotted towards Ponyville park.

A subtle grin spread across her lips as Starlight caught up from behind, slightly huffing as she carried a picnic basket and a journal with a fountain pen. Twilight loved it when she could multitask; a friendly outing with Starlight’s redemption and friendship lessons being the benefit for both of them.

“Twilight, I still don’t understand the point of this. It's not like I haven't casually hung out with you and the girls before.”

Twilight giggled, her amusement at Starlight’s less than pleased expression.

“You have and done well Starlight, but still, the thought of seeing everypony makes you nervous. Trust me, once you really get to know us as deeply as we know each other, going out on a picnic will be exciting for you.”

Starlight sighed, but nodded, keeping pace with the Princess of Friendship, she followed her mentor and wished she could get a day where she could pleasure read instead of have another friendship or research lesson.

It didn’t take long for them to end up at the meeting spot. There on the checkered red and white blanket was a bright pink curly mane pony, her joyous whoop of laughter could be heard across the park. Starlight grimaced but pressed on, wanting to make her mentor proud.

“She can be a little much, but you’ll notice she can calm down and make any pony smile.”

“Hey Twilight! Starlight! Girls! I have great party game we can play and it will be fun and a way to teach Starlight about us!”

They settled down on the blanket and placed their basket in the middle next to Pinkie’s.

“Sounds great Pinkie. How are the cakes and the twins?”

“Fantastic as usual, but I think I should stay away from the Cakes for a few days, I dont think they liked my caramel apple bombs, they uh blew up all over the kitchen!”

She giggled and licked her muzzle, imaging the taste once more. “Yes sir indeedy, but no worries I cleaned it up! Even if my tummy hurt a little afterwards.”

Starlight blanched, stammering out,

“How did they explode?”

“OH! Easy silly, Zecora gave me a potion that’s suppose to when cooked and then cooled will expand the items size and pop open like a present. But I think I used too much, probably the whole bottle was too much. Then boom, hollowed out apples and warm caramel sticking to everywhere.”

Starlight shook her head, a slight snort coming through, she wondered why she asked when it was in fact Pinkie Pie.

“Hey guys! Look out below!” An enthusiastic cry from up in clouds as a colorful smeer dove towards the picnic area before looping a few times to slow down and land next to Starlight. “Was that awesome? Or was that awesome?”

“Rainbow it was great, next time bring me along, it looked fun!” Rainbow Dash chuckled, and dropped down on the blanket next to Starlight, her basket joining the others.

“Sure thing Pink. So Fluttershy should be here soon. I um stopped by this morning, but she said she would be a little late ‘cause of some of the critters from last week's flood needed her help.”

Pinkie gave Rainbow Dash a raised eyebrow, but other than tucking her curl behind her ear, did nothing.

“Does anypony know when Rarity and Applejack will get here?”

Rainbow previously muzzle deep in her wingspan to do a quick preen, pulled up, a loose feather between her lips as she blew it out.

“Those ponies are always late. I expect it of Rarity, that pony spends more time washing and combing her hair than what I use to get ready in the morning, but Applejack? Its just weird.”

Twilight spoke up.

“Not really, I mean Applebucking season will be happening in a few months, so she probably getting ready for that.” Rainbow grunted but looked unconvinced.

No sooner than Twilight directed the conversation to what Rainbow had been doing to prepare for the next Wonderbolts meet that Fluttershy came cantering up the hill, a small basket on her back and Angel bunny atop her head.

“Sorry everypony. I got caught up at the cottage, I’m not too late, am I?”

“Nah Shy, you're here before Buck Rogers and Diamond Butt, you're doing fine.”

Starlight couldn't help it, she threw her head back and laughed, her mirth catching in the corners of her eyes. So everypony was just as weird as she was, go figure.

Twilight couldn’t help the smile that graced her muzzle, Rainbow’s humor when unchecked like her ego could be unbashful and politically incorrect, but then again she wasn’t a princess, so standers for her manners were lower.
Shy blushed and went to settle down in between Starlight and Rainbow.

“Be nice Dashie, their a little caught up in their own lives.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, mutter under her breath,

“Or in each other…” Starlight understood the implications of that statement, but sadly that left Twilight full of more questions than answers.

Finally, an orange colored pony with a Stenson came trotting over the hill with a cream colored mare with luscious purple mane following right behind her, wearing just sunglasses and a summer hat. Both baskets being carried by Rarity’s magical aura as they made their way to the picnic.

“Sorry darlings, a mare must look their best, as you are aware.” Applejack chuckled.

“Time mighta slipped by...Work on the farm, an’ all.”

Starlight, finding that things didn't add in her mind, she asked coyly,

“How did you meet up? Isn’t your boutique on one side of Ponyville while the farm’s on the other?”

A flush stole up Rarity’s neck as she laughed, trying to hide her nervousness, Applejack’s eyes roaming everywhere but on Starlight.

“We only met up right at the park silly. Anyhow, who’s up for my delightful cucumber toast and white cheddar?”

Starlight remained suspicious.

***

After all the food had been eaten and digested, Pinkie clapped her hooves together.

“Okay. So. Party game. Its pretty easy. It’s like truth or dare, but instead of dare its truth or pass. So if somepony doesn’t wanna answer a question they don’t have to.”

The girls groaned, Starlight felt like she was missing something, wasn’t the point to get to know one another?

“The rules though, each pony will ask a question and each pony either truths or passes, simple, right?”

Starlight nodded, her brain was already coming up with a question she could use to figure out just what was going on with Rarity and Applejack.

“Starlight, why don’t you ask a question, but remember, if you ask it, you gotta answer it, only fair.”

That was slightly uncomfortable but if she wanted to get to know the girls like Twilight wanted her too, plus her curiosity was killing her…

“Do I ask the question, then answer it? Or…”

“Eh, ask away, start with Twilight and then end with you.”

Hm.

“Who was your first crush?” Twilight and the group groaned, Pinkie however snicked, biting into an apple with a twitching smiling.

“You just had to ask that one, didn’t you Starlight? Ugh, okay if I want you to answer, I should be a good example…”

Twilight struggled with her words for a moment, before she sighed. “I might have had a crush on a certain sun princess when I was a teenager.”

Rarity’s gasp and stuttering echoed around the circle, Rainbow waggled her eyebrows suggestively, Pinkie giggled, her excited questions of whether the princess really did eat as much cake as the tabloids said, Applejack quiet acceptance, Fluttershy’s meep of embarrassment and Starlight’s own slacked jaw.

“Applejack?” Starlight pressed, trying to help Twilight with her own blushing cheeks.

“Ah, uh, like to pass, Starlight.” Chicken.

“Rarity?”

“Probably a tie between Prince Blueblood or Trenderhoof, I did like both of them at the same time.”

Pinkie tapped her hoof on her chin, humming in thought.

“Lyra and Bon-Bon, they sure know how to have a good time with frosting!” Twilight’s breath caught in her throat before she started to cough and choke, Starlight, not being surprised just chuckled with Rainbow.

“Pinkie, darling? How... Does that work?”

“Well you see, frosting is tasty and smears really easily and when you make sure its at the right temputure it stays where you put it and-.” Twilight yelped, waving her hooves in front of Pinkie’s face, her throat constricting around her words,

“Pinkie please! I’m not sure my heart can handle this much sharing!” The girls laughed at Twilight’s reaction, Starlight feeling a crimson stain flare in her face as the imagine of Pinkie covered in frosting looming over two other mares, flashed in her mind.

“Alright, Rainbow, you’re turn.” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck.

“Oh I hate to even say it after all this time but Thunderlane when I was a filly, he was cute okay!” Rainbow started to defend herself when Shy started giggling and Rarity made a comment of Rainbow not doing what Rainbow’s are made for.

“Fluttershy, your turn.”

“Oh! Um, pass.” Another blush flushing up her neck and into her muzzle.

“My first crush was Sunburst, although compare then to now, eh Sunburst more of a friend.”

“Cool! Your turn to ask a question Twi!” Twilight snickered.

“Fine, might as well torment the rest of you after that embarrassing question. Who was your first kiss, Applejack?”

Applejack blushed.

“Oh come on y’all, aint none of these questions are fair.”

“You could pass Applejack.” Twilight tried to sooth the irritated mare, but Starlight being Discord’s advocate chirped up,

“Come on Applejack, how am I suppose to get to know you girls if you keep passing…” Applejack groaned, her eyes darting over to Rarity as the fashionista tried not to sip her tea with tension, paying mind to desperately acting casual.

“No, bucking way.” Twilight’s eyes widened, her sight holding to both mares as they squirmed under her gaze.

“Pass! Ah uh pass, Starlight.” Too late Applejack, I got your number and you got Twilight’s attention.

For now Starlight let it go.

“Rarity?”

“Pass darling, a lady never kisses and tells.” If that wasn’t admission by omission by Starlight and Twilight’s standards.

“Pinkie?”

“Cheerilee. She was buying a cake on her birthday, I asked her what she wanted for a birthday wish and she said a kiss. Though come to think of it, not sure if she wanted a kiss from me or not…”

Twilight cocked her head to the side.

“Pinkie, how can you be so...intimate with ponies so easily?”

“Silly filly, I love to see my friends smile, so if Lyra and Bon-Bon want a chocolate frosting covered aniversity or Cheerilee a smooch or even one of you needing some comfort in the lonely night,’ she wiggled her eyebrows to emphasis her intent “then that's what Pinkie will do, it doesn’t change friendships, only makes them more fun.”

“Oh my.” Rarity breathered, Starlight wondered if she started something that the girls wouldn’t be able to handle.

“Soo, Rainbow Dash?”

“Fluttershy.” Fluttershy herself almost fainted, her squeals mixed with quiet embarrassed mutterings, she grabbed onto Rainbow’s foreleg and blushed. Her own offered answer,

“Dashie.” The group was silent.

“Wait! What does that mean? Have you guys been marefriends this whole time?” Pinkie asked, her bubbly voice raising in octave as she vibrated with energy.

Fluttershy sighed, and spoke up after a moment.

“No. Just. Um.” She took another breath and looked at Rainbow.

“Flight school wasn’t so kind to Fluttershy, so when she found her cutiemark in the edges of Ponyville, she dropped out and started to sell her knittings and small saddlebags before she was able to build her cottage. I stayed behind in flight school to graduate and get a steady job while I tried out for the Wonderbolt. The time and place hadn’t really been right until the past few years for us to...Express our relationship to you girls, sorry about that.”

“I also wasn’t certain how you girls would take it, I didn’t want to risk any of your friendships.”

Twilight frowned.

“Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash. There is no way in all of Equestria that you girls being involved in each other is going to threaten your friendships with any of us, right?”

Everyponies murmured agreement was music to their ears.

“Now tell us…” Pinkie asked, her grin widening. “What kind of frosting do you girls use?”

It wasn’t a surprise when Fluttershy fainted.

***

My dearest faithful student, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I seek your guidance and knowledge, I am requesting your attendance to Canterlot castle to discuss in private about Princess Luna.

No, she isn’t becoming Nightmare Moon and she isn’t close to being her again, I worry about her development and adjustment to Equestria. She seems lonely and I know you soothed her strife and hardship with the ponies of Ponyville during Nightmare Night a few years back.

Being the Princess of Friendship, I know you could bring Luna out of her shell and show her what Equestria and friendship is really like. Please. I hope to see you soon.

Your mentor,

Princess Celestia.