It’s a Mysteryby Rose QuillChaptersIt's a Party (Plan)!It’s A Party!Himitsu Desu! (It's a Secret!)It’s an Ensemble!It’s You!It’s a note!It's a Party (Plan)!I was sitting in my bed that night, rereading the note from that afternoon, pouring over the document like I normally would a new recipe. I had gone over everyone’s handwriting that I had a sample of, and not one matched that of the note! Not Sunset or Rarity or Twilight! It was too neat for Dashie and not neat enough for Fluttershy. There weren’t enough bits of silly language and slang for it to be AJ. This was going to be so much fun! I was going to compare it to the yearbook when I suddenly remembered that the day after tomorrow was Dash’s birthday, so I had to start getting supplies for that. I loved birthdays, because you can tailor the theme to anyone’s most favorite things! And the last three years I had done a soccer theme, a basketball theme, and a volleyball theme! So what could I do this year? Baseball? Track and field? Oooohh! Wait! I pulled out the list of special pans I owned and scanned it for a particular one and found it, the most stupenderific idea ever. I had a guitar shaped cake pan. I could do a rock-oriented party, and I could also include everyone from the band, including the girls from Crystal Prep! I had to get their likes and dislikes, and I wasn’t sure when I could get up with them. I knew that Lemon Zest stayed up late watching videos online of new bands, so I called her up. “Speak to me,” was all she said when she picked up. “Zesty!” I exclaimed. “I need a teensy itty bitty favor.” “What's up?” she asked, her voice laid back and relaxed. She really reminded me of Vinyl sometimes. OOOO! What if the note was from Vi? But I thought she was with Octavia, but what if I were mistaken, or if they had broken up- “Pinks!” I heard Zesty over the phone. “Don’t space out on me, girl.” “Right!” I shook my head for a moment. “I’m throwing a party two nights from now for Rainbow Dash and I want to invite you girls too! Buuuuuuuut, I don’t really know what most of you like as far as party things and I want to have something for you all.” “So you’re asking me to find out for you?” I blinked for a moment. “Actually,” I drawled. “I was going to ask you for their numbers so I could ask, but that works too!” I heard her giggle. “I’ll ask tomorrow at lunch and give you a call when I get home from work, yeah?” “Works for me!” I chirped. “Nighty night, Zesty!” “Good night, Pinkie.” I hung up and bounced over to my desk, pulling out a piece of paper and started jotting down the things I’d have to get from the supplies store. I was super excited, and nothing made me happier doing things for my friends. The note was forgotten for the night, but I knew that another was coming. The mysterious writer had promised another note, after all. It was all I could do not rush down to our mailbox to see if someone had left a note for me or not. I couldn’t wait for school tomorrow! It’s A Party!“Happy Birthday!” I shouted as I pulled the string on my newest prototype party canon. It’s a little smaller, which makes it easier to transport, which is always a concern when it comes to party planning. But it also used a different delivery system than the spring launcher from the older versions. This one used compressed air, giving everything a little more flight distance. It also allowed me to use slightly heavier - and edible - confetti. Rainbow was grinning widely as she tore the blindfold off and saw the guitar-shaped cake before her on the table, the light blue fondant over the body giving it the same shine her guitar held. As the confetti drifted down, all the assembled guests shouted out the same greeting. We were all here; Shadowbolts, Rainbooms, even a few additional guests such as Vinyl, Octavia, Azure the Trottingham exchange student, and Princess Twilight had even come across for the event! “This is a great party, Pinkie!” Twilight said as she slid over, adjusting her glasses. “I always find it perplexing how keen your ability to plan and accurately represent the person for whom the event is intended for. It’s amazing!” “Aww,” I said, giving the girl a hug. “Thank you, Twi!” “I don’t think my own Pinkie could have done any better,” the Princess said, her hair down to make it easier to tell who was who…even though I could tell anyway. The pony Twilight just seemed to glow differently. I turned to start cutting the cake when I saw Indigo Zap snatch up the guitar controller for the singing game we had borrowed from Vinyl. She was off in a corner nodding her head as Octavia was talking about something. I didn’t eavesdrop. I knew they were talking about setting up a quiet date in the next town over, not wanting others to know about it yet. What? I didn’t eavesdrop! I just felt a twitching in my ear whenever I looked at them. “Yo, Dash!” Zap shouted over. “Come on, I’ll cream you in versus mode!” “Oh, it is on!” the athlete cried, running over and snatching up the other controller. I smiled, and headed over to my bag to start pulling out the pairings for the competition concerts after cutting a few slices of the cake. When I opened the flap, I saw a bit of paper on top of my supplies, one that I was sure hadn’t been there when I had arrived. I picked it up and grinned madly when I saw my name printed on it in a delicate hand. I opened the envelope quickly, brining it up to my face to read the words printed there. Pinkie, I was almost willing to come up to you yesterday and admit to you that I had sent the note, but I wasn’t quite able to muster up the courage. I hate that this is the only way I can tell you. If you’re reading this, then my friend - who is sworn to secrecy, by the way - managed to drop this into your hands. I’m hoping that maybe you’d be willing to meet me in the park later this week, Sunday maybe? I’d be bringing a picnic lunch, so try to keep an appetite? I hope your party goes well, I know how much you enjoy making people smile. Your Admirer. P.S. - You make me smile every day, just so you know. I squeed a little, hopping up and down as I clutched the note to my chest. I had a date with a secret admirer! And I made them smile! This was great, like a double chocolate Germane coconut cake with extra frosting and some cherries! Sunset turned around just in time to see me start rereading the note. “What you got there, Pinkie?” she asked coming over to glance over my shoulder. I looked around, making sure no one else was around to overhear me. “It’s a note from a secret admirer,” I whispered. “It’s the second one I’ve gotten this week!” “Wow,” she said, grinning. “That’s great, Pinkie! Do you have any idea who it might be?” I shook my head, grinning. “Nope,” I said, holding it up. “But I think I’m getting closer every day.” I went to fold the letter to return it to its envelope when I picked up the hint of a perfume. Something floral, but with a hint of sweet to it. I recognized it, but I couldn’t quite place where I had smelled it before. “Interesting,” I whispered. Looks like I’ll have to check my party records. If I had smelled this before than it was surely in my files. Tucking the note into my bag, I pulled the leaderboard poster I had made and went out to join the fun as Dash and Zap battled through a rendition of a particularly tricky song, both sitting neck to neck. They were grinning madly, shredding as though they were playing for a crowd of thousands. They were having fun! Which is always a good sign, in my opinion. Himitsu Desu! (It's a Secret!)I couldn’t find anything. It had been hours since I had gotten home from the party-sleepover and I had dived immediately into my files, searching for the perfume scent I had caught on the note. My hair had long since started to go limp and my eyes were a little gritty. I slammed the file I had on Lemon Hearts shut and shoved it back into the drawer in my planning room. I had gone through every file I had twice and not a single reference to a sweet-floral scent, or even a floral-sweet scent. Though I had forgotten about Minuette’s fondness of vanilla’s smell and Photo Finish loving cherry jubilee. “Is everything ok, Pinkie?” a soft voice asked. I looked up to see Marble at my doorway, her hair still damp from a shower and a fluffy grey robe tied tight around her. I remember getting her that robe for her birthday three years ago. While it was still in pretty good condition, it was getting a little small on her. We had both hit a late growth spurt and shot up a few inches each. “I just couldn’t find something,” I told my baby sister. I couldn’t help that I was three minutes older, so I always gave her her own birthday party. “It’s just frustrating.” She nodded, coming in to sit next to me. “Is it something I could help with?” I shook my head. “It’s something to do with the school,” I said, fluffing up my hair. “I’m trying to find something in my files but I don’t appear to have it.” “Mmhmm,” she murmured. “So what are you looking for?” “I got a letter the other day from a secret admirer,” I told her, feeling the excitement build up again. “And I haven’t been able to find a single clue to who it is in any of my party files! I’ve gotten two notes so far, and they want to meet me tomorrow to have a picnic!” “Have you thought, maybe,” Marble began hesitantly. “That maybe the information isn’t in your files? There are more schools than Canterlot High in town, and that’s not counting people that are homeschooled like me.” Marble had been home-schooled by Limestone because of her really bad social awkwardness. A lot of people assumed we just talked over her, but she just didn’t like a lot of attention on her. Limey, Maud, and I frequently had to prompt her around strangers to the point that when my friends first met her they thought she was mute. Can you believe that? “But I’m almost sure it was someone at the school,” I said. “How else could they have slipped the first one in my locker?” “Pinkie, in case you haven’t noticed,” my twin told me. “It’s not exactly hard to get into your school. I was never stopped that day you forgot your math book.” “But there must be a thousand lockers in the school,” I protested. “Finding my locker out of all of those?” My sister shrugged, standing. “That isn’t hard either,” she said. “Just asking another student to slip it in is enough.” I chewed on my bottom lip, thinking. It all made perfect sense, but still, something about it had been so familiar I was sure I had encountered it before. And then I got to thinking, in the last couple of years I had come across a ton of people that I don’t see regularly. Maybe one of the Shadowbolts? Or Gloriosa Daisy? “Pinkie!” Limestone shouted. “You got a letter.” My eldest sister poked her head in and held up a card. I skipped over and took the card and started giggling when I saw the handwriting on it. Marble laughed too. “I guess that makes three?” “Yupperooni!” I said, opening the envelope. Inside was a simple card with a pair of short sentences on it. Can’t wait for tomorrow, I’ll be wearing blue and carrying a basket. I hope three is ok with you? Oh, if they only knew I had cleared my entire calendar for Sunday. It’s an Ensemble!I was up super early on Sunday. I swept Gummy up and gave him a huge hug, giggling. “It’s the day, Gummy!” I squealed. “I’m going to find out who my secret admirer is!” Gummy didn’t say anything. He’s always so stoic, but I could tell he was happy for me. He’s so easy to read to me, probably as easy as books are to Twilight. Maybe even more so. There was so much to do! I set Gummy down and skipped over to my closet, flinging the doors open and started rifling through the various things I had there. Blue dress? No, the note said my admirer would be wearing blue, and I didn’t want to seem like I was copying. Hmm. Pink dress shirt and jeans? No, too casual. The sound of hangers scraping across the bar in my closet filled the room as I kept flipping by various outfits. Last year’s Fall Formal Gown? No, the boots that went with it looked ridiculous to me now. Why had I thought they looked good again? Chicken costume, my work uniforms, the dress from that fundraiser concert at Camp Everfree, a suit that I had never worn, a jacket that I borrowed from Sunset - oooh, I should probably return that Monday - and just so many other options I felt overwhelmed. I sat on the bed and stared. My heart was pounding in my chest and I was so nervouscited I could barely think. Nothing in the closet would work! I also remembered that I had a dresser of things to consider as well. I tossed my hands up and flopped backwards with a groan. The jostling of my bed made my phone flop off the mattress and I glanced at it and had an amazing idea. I snatched it up and pulled up Rarity’s number. It wasn’t until it was ringing that I remembered what time it was. “For the sake of everything good, Pinkie,” Rarity grumbled into the phone. “This had better be important.” “It is, Rarity,” I said. “It’s super-duper important!” “It isn’t another matter of pie filling to match one of my designs, is it?” “No, silly,” I giggled. “I already know to use peaches for your debut parties. Except for your pie, because you’re allergic to peaches, so I use apricots instead.” There was a sound on the other end of the line, one that sounded like a hand hitting a forehead. “To the point, Pinkie,” she groaned. “Please?” “I need your help picking out something for a special occasion later today,” I told her. “Its super-duper important that I wear the right thing.” I smiled. “And I don’t know anyone better at fashion than you.” The silence on the line stretched out for a minute before she sighed. “I’ll be over…” “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” I said, glad she had decided to help. “…after I get another hour or two of sleep and something to eat. I’ll be there at noon.” She sighed. “Good bye, Pinkie.” “Bye Rarity!” “Hello, darling,” Rarity cooed as she swept into my room, every hair perfectly in place in a way that I envied sometimes. My curls were perky and fun, but sometimes I envied the sleek waves she could get without effort. Well, not totally without effort, but if I took the time to completely recount what she did, we’d be here past my picnic date time. “Hi Rarity!” I said, leaping forward to hug her, though I spared her the same force I usually did in my hugs. “I really, really, really appreciate this!” Rarity pulled her way out of my embrace and tuned to my closet. “Let’s see what we have to work with,” she drawled as she opened my closet. “I believe you said it was going to be a picnic date?” “Yup!” I squealed. “At three! She said she was going to wear blue.” “Hmm,” Rarity hummed as she ran her hands over the edges of the clothes, her eyes half-lidded. “Then it wouldn’t do to be wearing something that would clash, would it? And I do think the weather is simply too nice to cover up with anything too bulky.” As she started pulling out and considering items, she continued to speak about drape and texture and all sorts of things that I really didn’t understand. What did curtains have to do with clothes? A couple of dresses landed on the foot of the bed, jolting me from my thoughts. “Well, then,” she declared, setting a few pairs of boots down and sitting down by my desk. “Shall we get started?” I looked at the last dress and frowned. “Is that mine?” I asked. I don’t really remember owning something like that. It was so…simple. “Yes,” Rarity, said, crossing her legs. “I found it had slipped from a hanger and was behind some of your shoes. You should really clean your closet out more often. Did you know you had a purse from three years ago?” “I didn’t know I had something like this.” I picked it up and held it against myself and glanced in the mirror. The soft sky blue of the dress has a few bits of soft white lace on the shoulders and hem, giving a bit of breathability to the dress. It was cinched in around the waist and was ankle grazing, but even with the rather form-fitting cut, it was still loose in the top. I sighed. “I guess no cartwheels in this, huh?” Rarity smiled. “I would suggest you refrain from them, it you can.” It’s You!I love skipping. There just something about it that just makes your cares go away. Like, for example, I was totally worried that I wasn’t going to make this meeting. After deciding on this dress - which was totally awesome despite having to hold the skirt to skip in - Rarity had insisted on helping get me ready even though I don’t really do makeup. Or my hair. It’s curly so it’s not like there’s much you can do with it sometimes. Which is why I’m amazed she managed to work a small braid running down one side and had a clip that looked like a balloon in her bag. It was simple but I felt amazing because of it. Now just to make it to the park. I like the park, it’s just one of those places that always seems peaceful. I like to come here when things are wild and crazy and I just need a bit of quiet. I’ve planned and held some of my bestest parties here, like Sunset’s “Welcome to the Group We’re glad you’re not Evil Anymore” party, or Twilight’s “Welcome to CHS” party. Those were good times. It’s hard to mix a cake that tastes like dandelions, but the smile on Sunny’s face when she took a bite was worth the effort. It was kind of a light day for traffic. A few people jogging, some walking their dogs, and some that were just enjoying the sunshine. I saw one person in particular and waved as I walked by. “Hi Wallflower!” The girl blushed and ducked back behind her book after waving back. I’m so glad things were back to normal. It was horrible realizing that I had forgotten all the awesome times we had spent with Sunset, simply awful! I Pinkie Promised to never forget her again, and to be her friend fiveever. It’s longer than forever, after all. I rounded the path and came up on the picnic grounds which were empty save for a girl across the way wearing a pair of jeans and a baby blue shirt. As I came up to her I saw the basket on the ground by her feet and realized I knew her! This was awesome! She turned and smiled shyly at me. “Hi, Pinkie,” she whispered as she fiddles with her ponytail. I grinned and stepped forward to hug her. “Hi, Sonata!” I chirped. “Didn’t think I’d see you again.” Oh, you didn’t know? I suppose it makes sense, after all. You see, just before our trip to the beach we had run into the Siren-turned-girl and she had actually apologized. Her... sisters? Broodmates? I’m not sure what their relationship is called, actually. If they all hatched at the same time wouldn’t they be sisters? But what if their eggs were laid by different Sirens? Did Sirens lay eggs? Anyway, her sisters had ditched town shortly after the Battle and she stayed behind for reasons. No, I don’t remember what she said, because she said reasons. Stop skipping ahead! “I was surprised to hear you started going to Crystal Prep,” I said as we spread the blanket she had brought. “Why did you decide to stay?” The Siren shrugged. “We’ve been on this world for a long time, Pinkie,” she said hesitantly. “But we never really did anything to learn about it. Now that we’re..” she reached up and fingered a pendant of a heart with a eight note engraved in it. “Well, you know. Dagi and Aria thought we might be able to keep getting on like we had but I was tired of always running.” She eased to the ground, reaching into the basket and pulling out a thermos. “I figured the best way to adjust to this new life was to do what teenagers do and go to school.” “But why Crystal Prep?” I asked as she handed me a paper plate. “Why not CHS?” She gave me a sad smile, tilting her head a touch. “After what we did,” she replied. “I doubted anyone would have put up with me there. And Crystal Prep has held a scholarship contest for music. I may not be able to sing anymore, but I did pick up the viola about a hundred years ago or so. I like the way it sounds.” I gasped. “You can play the viola?” I couldn’t believe how much there was to this girl I didn’t know. Then again, she didn’t go to CHS and that’s where I gathered most of my party files. I only had five for Crystal Prep and they were still sadly thin. I’d have to fix that. “So, what kind of scrumdiddlyumptious treat did you make?” I asked, leaning forward to glance inside the basket. “Well, I didn’t really make it,” she giggled. “I’m not all that great a cook. But there was a good place down the street from my job at a taco shop that offers preplanned picnic lunches.” She pulled out a package of cold fried chicken and a small container of what looked like Mac and cheese. “I thought we could warm them up on one of the grills, but I forgot to get matches.” I grinned and reached up to feel the geode around my neck. “Don’t worry, I got you covered,” I said slyly. “Besides, cold chicken is just as good.” She smiled with relief and set the chicken down, opening the thermos and pouring out some lemonade. “I’m glad you decided to come,” she said. “I was kind of worried you wouldn’t.” “Well, I just had to find out who it was!” I exclaimed. “I never had a secret admirer before, and the guessing game was super fun even though I didn’t have anything to help me with since I don’t really have a lot of information on you or your classmates.” She started laughing. It was one of the best sounds I had ever heard from her and the smile was without maliciousness, just happiness. And I live for smiles like that. “I think you’re really cool, Pinkie,” she gasped as she caught her breath. “And even if nothing come from this, I’d really like to be your friend.” “Of course!” I grinned. “But why me, if I can ask?” “I... like they way you smile,” she blushed harder than Wallflower ever did. “And the energy you have. And your laughter. It’s infectious. I was a spectator at the Friendship Games, and I think that was when I started feeling... well,” “A crush?” She nodded silently. I reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Nata,” I told her. “I think this is going to be fun.” Author's Note So this was typed up on my phone following the death of my laptop and had more than one proofreading pass. If you spot something I missed, please alert me by pm. It’s a note!A note dropped out of my locker when I opened it at the end of the day. I picked it up, grinning. I loved getting notes, usually thank-you letters for the parties I had thrown or for cheering up a friend. OH! And the one from Vice-Principal Luna for setting up the surprise party for Principal Celestia was very nice, though I don’t think Principal Celestia liked it very much. I don’t know why. Maybe I had made too much cake? But as I unfolded the note, I found it wasn’t a thank you, it was something even more fun! Pinkie, I’ve been trying to work my way up to this, and trust me, it wasn’t very easy. I’ve never completely sure how to move forward with things like this and instead of beating around the bush, I’m just going to flat out say it and then hide for a few weeks until my blush goes away. I really like you. I’ll write you again later. Your Secret Admirer I scanned the letter, my smile growing wider. A secret admirer? That was the super duper best thing in the world! And they hadn’t signed with a name, so that meant one thing. I had a mystery to solve! Which was my fourth favorite thing ever. First was making people smile. Second was the PSSSD events I threw every year. Third was baking. But I loved mysteries! They were super fun and also kind of tough, almost like when you over-kneed bread dough. It gets really dense and dry and the crust is super hard. But those are great for bread bowls for soup or pasta and if you let it just sit for a while with the broth it’ll soften up and be oh so delicious. What was I saying again? Right! I looked at the letter again, looking for clues as to the identity of the sender. The penmanship was a very fine, closely written hand, very neat and orderly. I didn’t recognize it immediately, and I knew all my friend’s handwriting. We had studied together plenty of times and though it looked a little like Rarity’s, it could have just as easily been Fluttershy. And there was that mention of hiding, very much how Flutters might have reacted. Very suspicious. I sniffed the letter, but there was nothing but the smell of a regular piece of paper. That ruled out Rarity. Anything that had been in close contact with her for more than five minutes always had a faint whiff of her perfume. Though it’s possible she had written it hurriedly, not giving the paper time to absorb her aroma. Tasting it also ruled out a friend. It was, again, just plain paper. Any paper form Twilight tended to have a bit of tangy taste, almost like she had left it a little too close to one of those electric doohickeys she had in her garage. Those things are fun. I never knew my hair could be that straight and floaty, but brushing it later was no fun at all. Don’t you just hate having to take everything out of your hair just to brush it and put it all back in? I frowned and re-read the letter, tapping my chin. As much as I hated to admit it, I may have to wait until the next letter to figure out who it was. I started skipping down the hall to the music room for rehearsal when my left leg twiched, my ear itched, and I felt a tingle in my spine. My Pinkie Sense telling me I was being watched. I turned, but with so many students in the hall, I couldn’t pick anyone out. Was my admirer in the crowd somewhere? Or was it the Hall Monitor making sure I didn’t have any paint cans with me. I don’t know why he worries, Principal Celestia issues a memo whenever I let her know about possible painting situations. And I had cleaned up the last mess! The door to the music room was open, and I heard a pair of guitars tuning up. I hopped in and waved at Rainbow and Sunset and pulled my sticks from my bag before hugging them. “Hey,” Sunset said after catching her breath. “You’re in a happier mood than usual. What’s up?” “How can you tell?” Rainbow asked. “Oh, she probably got a flash from her magic necklace, silly dilly!” I said, tapping Sunset’s Geode. “Though I’m not sure why she doesn’t always like seeing my thoughts and memories.” “It’s not that I don’t,” Sunset said slowly. “It’s just…” “Yeeeeeeees?” I smiled. “Well, everyone makes me recover differently,” she said. “And Pinkie, trips in your head just wear me out worse than that day in gym we did a 5k.” “You thought that was hard?” Rainbow laughed. “I didn’t do a lot of running as a filly,” she said, turning a little red. “And sometimes I still feel uncomfortable in this body. Give me a break.” The rest of my friends filtered in, including a newer friend in the form of Juniper Montage. The home-schooled girl had gotten permission to take musical studies here and she was a really great piano player. We had used her in a couple of tracks for the demo we were recording to do a piece Rarity had written that was for two pianos. But she was carrying a camera today, smiling like someone had given her a cake of puppies. No, silly. Not baked puppies, shaped like them. Weirdo. “So, I got permission from Uncle Canter,” she said before anyone could speak up. “And he gave us permission to use one of the small stages to film a music video! All we have to do is make sure we’re only there a few hours so we don’t interrupt filming or construction.” “So why do you have a camera with you now?” Applejack asked. “Oh, I just got done doing some test shooting,” she said, toying nervously with one of her pigtails. She did that a lot, and I couldn’t understand why sometimes. We’d forgiven her for the whole evil sucking us into a magic mirror and almost dooming us to an uncertain but probably horrible fate. What did she have to be nervous about? “Test shooting?” Sunset asked. “Uncle Canter gave us permission based on if I were able to do a satisfactory job filming it,” she said. “But before he allowed us in, I had to show him some shots of the band practicing, and some landscape scenes.” “So we get a soundstage to do some of the video,” Rainbow said. “But only after we shoot the video?” “Nonese, Rainbow,” Rarity drawled. “It simply means that we will do some of the shooting outside. And there is nothing saying we have to use the footage. After all, just look at the amount of cut sections from the contest video we had.” “That was fun, though,” Fluttershy whispered. “So,” Juniper spoke up quietly. “You guys want to try? If we do well enough I can use it in my portfolio for when I apply to film school.” “Of course,” I beamed. “It’s going to be a load of fun!” I stomped on the pedal to the bass drum, causing a shower of confetti to billow out. Twilight shook some of it from her hair before smiling. “You’re in a rare mood,” she obseved. “What happened?” I smiled, tucking the letter a little further into my bag. “Oh, nothing,” I said. “Just had a really good day.” Author's Note This story is made possible due to a commission by Multiversecruise. For more information on commissions, check here. Don’t want a commission, but want to support my horrible ponyword addiction? Buy me a Kofi!
It's a Party (Plan)!I was sitting in my bed that night, rereading the note from that afternoon, pouring over the document like I normally would a new recipe. I had gone over everyone’s handwriting that I had a sample of, and not one matched that of the note! Not Sunset or Rarity or Twilight! It was too neat for Dashie and not neat enough for Fluttershy. There weren’t enough bits of silly language and slang for it to be AJ. This was going to be so much fun! I was going to compare it to the yearbook when I suddenly remembered that the day after tomorrow was Dash’s birthday, so I had to start getting supplies for that. I loved birthdays, because you can tailor the theme to anyone’s most favorite things! And the last three years I had done a soccer theme, a basketball theme, and a volleyball theme! So what could I do this year? Baseball? Track and field? Oooohh! Wait! I pulled out the list of special pans I owned and scanned it for a particular one and found it, the most stupenderific idea ever. I had a guitar shaped cake pan. I could do a rock-oriented party, and I could also include everyone from the band, including the girls from Crystal Prep! I had to get their likes and dislikes, and I wasn’t sure when I could get up with them. I knew that Lemon Zest stayed up late watching videos online of new bands, so I called her up. “Speak to me,” was all she said when she picked up. “Zesty!” I exclaimed. “I need a teensy itty bitty favor.” “What's up?” she asked, her voice laid back and relaxed. She really reminded me of Vinyl sometimes. OOOO! What if the note was from Vi? But I thought she was with Octavia, but what if I were mistaken, or if they had broken up- “Pinks!” I heard Zesty over the phone. “Don’t space out on me, girl.” “Right!” I shook my head for a moment. “I’m throwing a party two nights from now for Rainbow Dash and I want to invite you girls too! Buuuuuuuut, I don’t really know what most of you like as far as party things and I want to have something for you all.” “So you’re asking me to find out for you?” I blinked for a moment. “Actually,” I drawled. “I was going to ask you for their numbers so I could ask, but that works too!” I heard her giggle. “I’ll ask tomorrow at lunch and give you a call when I get home from work, yeah?” “Works for me!” I chirped. “Nighty night, Zesty!” “Good night, Pinkie.” I hung up and bounced over to my desk, pulling out a piece of paper and started jotting down the things I’d have to get from the supplies store. I was super excited, and nothing made me happier doing things for my friends. The note was forgotten for the night, but I knew that another was coming. The mysterious writer had promised another note, after all. It was all I could do not rush down to our mailbox to see if someone had left a note for me or not. I couldn’t wait for school tomorrow!
It’s A Party!“Happy Birthday!” I shouted as I pulled the string on my newest prototype party canon. It’s a little smaller, which makes it easier to transport, which is always a concern when it comes to party planning. But it also used a different delivery system than the spring launcher from the older versions. This one used compressed air, giving everything a little more flight distance. It also allowed me to use slightly heavier - and edible - confetti. Rainbow was grinning widely as she tore the blindfold off and saw the guitar-shaped cake before her on the table, the light blue fondant over the body giving it the same shine her guitar held. As the confetti drifted down, all the assembled guests shouted out the same greeting. We were all here; Shadowbolts, Rainbooms, even a few additional guests such as Vinyl, Octavia, Azure the Trottingham exchange student, and Princess Twilight had even come across for the event! “This is a great party, Pinkie!” Twilight said as she slid over, adjusting her glasses. “I always find it perplexing how keen your ability to plan and accurately represent the person for whom the event is intended for. It’s amazing!” “Aww,” I said, giving the girl a hug. “Thank you, Twi!” “I don’t think my own Pinkie could have done any better,” the Princess said, her hair down to make it easier to tell who was who…even though I could tell anyway. The pony Twilight just seemed to glow differently. I turned to start cutting the cake when I saw Indigo Zap snatch up the guitar controller for the singing game we had borrowed from Vinyl. She was off in a corner nodding her head as Octavia was talking about something. I didn’t eavesdrop. I knew they were talking about setting up a quiet date in the next town over, not wanting others to know about it yet. What? I didn’t eavesdrop! I just felt a twitching in my ear whenever I looked at them. “Yo, Dash!” Zap shouted over. “Come on, I’ll cream you in versus mode!” “Oh, it is on!” the athlete cried, running over and snatching up the other controller. I smiled, and headed over to my bag to start pulling out the pairings for the competition concerts after cutting a few slices of the cake. When I opened the flap, I saw a bit of paper on top of my supplies, one that I was sure hadn’t been there when I had arrived. I picked it up and grinned madly when I saw my name printed on it in a delicate hand. I opened the envelope quickly, brining it up to my face to read the words printed there. Pinkie, I was almost willing to come up to you yesterday and admit to you that I had sent the note, but I wasn’t quite able to muster up the courage. I hate that this is the only way I can tell you. If you’re reading this, then my friend - who is sworn to secrecy, by the way - managed to drop this into your hands. I’m hoping that maybe you’d be willing to meet me in the park later this week, Sunday maybe? I’d be bringing a picnic lunch, so try to keep an appetite? I hope your party goes well, I know how much you enjoy making people smile. Your Admirer. P.S. - You make me smile every day, just so you know. I squeed a little, hopping up and down as I clutched the note to my chest. I had a date with a secret admirer! And I made them smile! This was great, like a double chocolate Germane coconut cake with extra frosting and some cherries! Sunset turned around just in time to see me start rereading the note. “What you got there, Pinkie?” she asked coming over to glance over my shoulder. I looked around, making sure no one else was around to overhear me. “It’s a note from a secret admirer,” I whispered. “It’s the second one I’ve gotten this week!” “Wow,” she said, grinning. “That’s great, Pinkie! Do you have any idea who it might be?” I shook my head, grinning. “Nope,” I said, holding it up. “But I think I’m getting closer every day.” I went to fold the letter to return it to its envelope when I picked up the hint of a perfume. Something floral, but with a hint of sweet to it. I recognized it, but I couldn’t quite place where I had smelled it before. “Interesting,” I whispered. Looks like I’ll have to check my party records. If I had smelled this before than it was surely in my files. Tucking the note into my bag, I pulled the leaderboard poster I had made and went out to join the fun as Dash and Zap battled through a rendition of a particularly tricky song, both sitting neck to neck. They were grinning madly, shredding as though they were playing for a crowd of thousands. They were having fun! Which is always a good sign, in my opinion.
Himitsu Desu! (It's a Secret!)I couldn’t find anything. It had been hours since I had gotten home from the party-sleepover and I had dived immediately into my files, searching for the perfume scent I had caught on the note. My hair had long since started to go limp and my eyes were a little gritty. I slammed the file I had on Lemon Hearts shut and shoved it back into the drawer in my planning room. I had gone through every file I had twice and not a single reference to a sweet-floral scent, or even a floral-sweet scent. Though I had forgotten about Minuette’s fondness of vanilla’s smell and Photo Finish loving cherry jubilee. “Is everything ok, Pinkie?” a soft voice asked. I looked up to see Marble at my doorway, her hair still damp from a shower and a fluffy grey robe tied tight around her. I remember getting her that robe for her birthday three years ago. While it was still in pretty good condition, it was getting a little small on her. We had both hit a late growth spurt and shot up a few inches each. “I just couldn’t find something,” I told my baby sister. I couldn’t help that I was three minutes older, so I always gave her her own birthday party. “It’s just frustrating.” She nodded, coming in to sit next to me. “Is it something I could help with?” I shook my head. “It’s something to do with the school,” I said, fluffing up my hair. “I’m trying to find something in my files but I don’t appear to have it.” “Mmhmm,” she murmured. “So what are you looking for?” “I got a letter the other day from a secret admirer,” I told her, feeling the excitement build up again. “And I haven’t been able to find a single clue to who it is in any of my party files! I’ve gotten two notes so far, and they want to meet me tomorrow to have a picnic!” “Have you thought, maybe,” Marble began hesitantly. “That maybe the information isn’t in your files? There are more schools than Canterlot High in town, and that’s not counting people that are homeschooled like me.” Marble had been home-schooled by Limestone because of her really bad social awkwardness. A lot of people assumed we just talked over her, but she just didn’t like a lot of attention on her. Limey, Maud, and I frequently had to prompt her around strangers to the point that when my friends first met her they thought she was mute. Can you believe that? “But I’m almost sure it was someone at the school,” I said. “How else could they have slipped the first one in my locker?” “Pinkie, in case you haven’t noticed,” my twin told me. “It’s not exactly hard to get into your school. I was never stopped that day you forgot your math book.” “But there must be a thousand lockers in the school,” I protested. “Finding my locker out of all of those?” My sister shrugged, standing. “That isn’t hard either,” she said. “Just asking another student to slip it in is enough.” I chewed on my bottom lip, thinking. It all made perfect sense, but still, something about it had been so familiar I was sure I had encountered it before. And then I got to thinking, in the last couple of years I had come across a ton of people that I don’t see regularly. Maybe one of the Shadowbolts? Or Gloriosa Daisy? “Pinkie!” Limestone shouted. “You got a letter.” My eldest sister poked her head in and held up a card. I skipped over and took the card and started giggling when I saw the handwriting on it. Marble laughed too. “I guess that makes three?” “Yupperooni!” I said, opening the envelope. Inside was a simple card with a pair of short sentences on it. Can’t wait for tomorrow, I’ll be wearing blue and carrying a basket. I hope three is ok with you? Oh, if they only knew I had cleared my entire calendar for Sunday.
It’s an Ensemble!I was up super early on Sunday. I swept Gummy up and gave him a huge hug, giggling. “It’s the day, Gummy!” I squealed. “I’m going to find out who my secret admirer is!” Gummy didn’t say anything. He’s always so stoic, but I could tell he was happy for me. He’s so easy to read to me, probably as easy as books are to Twilight. Maybe even more so. There was so much to do! I set Gummy down and skipped over to my closet, flinging the doors open and started rifling through the various things I had there. Blue dress? No, the note said my admirer would be wearing blue, and I didn’t want to seem like I was copying. Hmm. Pink dress shirt and jeans? No, too casual. The sound of hangers scraping across the bar in my closet filled the room as I kept flipping by various outfits. Last year’s Fall Formal Gown? No, the boots that went with it looked ridiculous to me now. Why had I thought they looked good again? Chicken costume, my work uniforms, the dress from that fundraiser concert at Camp Everfree, a suit that I had never worn, a jacket that I borrowed from Sunset - oooh, I should probably return that Monday - and just so many other options I felt overwhelmed. I sat on the bed and stared. My heart was pounding in my chest and I was so nervouscited I could barely think. Nothing in the closet would work! I also remembered that I had a dresser of things to consider as well. I tossed my hands up and flopped backwards with a groan. The jostling of my bed made my phone flop off the mattress and I glanced at it and had an amazing idea. I snatched it up and pulled up Rarity’s number. It wasn’t until it was ringing that I remembered what time it was. “For the sake of everything good, Pinkie,” Rarity grumbled into the phone. “This had better be important.” “It is, Rarity,” I said. “It’s super-duper important!” “It isn’t another matter of pie filling to match one of my designs, is it?” “No, silly,” I giggled. “I already know to use peaches for your debut parties. Except for your pie, because you’re allergic to peaches, so I use apricots instead.” There was a sound on the other end of the line, one that sounded like a hand hitting a forehead. “To the point, Pinkie,” she groaned. “Please?” “I need your help picking out something for a special occasion later today,” I told her. “Its super-duper important that I wear the right thing.” I smiled. “And I don’t know anyone better at fashion than you.” The silence on the line stretched out for a minute before she sighed. “I’ll be over…” “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” I said, glad she had decided to help. “…after I get another hour or two of sleep and something to eat. I’ll be there at noon.” She sighed. “Good bye, Pinkie.” “Bye Rarity!” “Hello, darling,” Rarity cooed as she swept into my room, every hair perfectly in place in a way that I envied sometimes. My curls were perky and fun, but sometimes I envied the sleek waves she could get without effort. Well, not totally without effort, but if I took the time to completely recount what she did, we’d be here past my picnic date time. “Hi Rarity!” I said, leaping forward to hug her, though I spared her the same force I usually did in my hugs. “I really, really, really appreciate this!” Rarity pulled her way out of my embrace and tuned to my closet. “Let’s see what we have to work with,” she drawled as she opened my closet. “I believe you said it was going to be a picnic date?” “Yup!” I squealed. “At three! She said she was going to wear blue.” “Hmm,” Rarity hummed as she ran her hands over the edges of the clothes, her eyes half-lidded. “Then it wouldn’t do to be wearing something that would clash, would it? And I do think the weather is simply too nice to cover up with anything too bulky.” As she started pulling out and considering items, she continued to speak about drape and texture and all sorts of things that I really didn’t understand. What did curtains have to do with clothes? A couple of dresses landed on the foot of the bed, jolting me from my thoughts. “Well, then,” she declared, setting a few pairs of boots down and sitting down by my desk. “Shall we get started?” I looked at the last dress and frowned. “Is that mine?” I asked. I don’t really remember owning something like that. It was so…simple. “Yes,” Rarity, said, crossing her legs. “I found it had slipped from a hanger and was behind some of your shoes. You should really clean your closet out more often. Did you know you had a purse from three years ago?” “I didn’t know I had something like this.” I picked it up and held it against myself and glanced in the mirror. The soft sky blue of the dress has a few bits of soft white lace on the shoulders and hem, giving a bit of breathability to the dress. It was cinched in around the waist and was ankle grazing, but even with the rather form-fitting cut, it was still loose in the top. I sighed. “I guess no cartwheels in this, huh?” Rarity smiled. “I would suggest you refrain from them, it you can.”
It’s You!I love skipping. There just something about it that just makes your cares go away. Like, for example, I was totally worried that I wasn’t going to make this meeting. After deciding on this dress - which was totally awesome despite having to hold the skirt to skip in - Rarity had insisted on helping get me ready even though I don’t really do makeup. Or my hair. It’s curly so it’s not like there’s much you can do with it sometimes. Which is why I’m amazed she managed to work a small braid running down one side and had a clip that looked like a balloon in her bag. It was simple but I felt amazing because of it. Now just to make it to the park. I like the park, it’s just one of those places that always seems peaceful. I like to come here when things are wild and crazy and I just need a bit of quiet. I’ve planned and held some of my bestest parties here, like Sunset’s “Welcome to the Group We’re glad you’re not Evil Anymore” party, or Twilight’s “Welcome to CHS” party. Those were good times. It’s hard to mix a cake that tastes like dandelions, but the smile on Sunny’s face when she took a bite was worth the effort. It was kind of a light day for traffic. A few people jogging, some walking their dogs, and some that were just enjoying the sunshine. I saw one person in particular and waved as I walked by. “Hi Wallflower!” The girl blushed and ducked back behind her book after waving back. I’m so glad things were back to normal. It was horrible realizing that I had forgotten all the awesome times we had spent with Sunset, simply awful! I Pinkie Promised to never forget her again, and to be her friend fiveever. It’s longer than forever, after all. I rounded the path and came up on the picnic grounds which were empty save for a girl across the way wearing a pair of jeans and a baby blue shirt. As I came up to her I saw the basket on the ground by her feet and realized I knew her! This was awesome! She turned and smiled shyly at me. “Hi, Pinkie,” she whispered as she fiddles with her ponytail. I grinned and stepped forward to hug her. “Hi, Sonata!” I chirped. “Didn’t think I’d see you again.” Oh, you didn’t know? I suppose it makes sense, after all. You see, just before our trip to the beach we had run into the Siren-turned-girl and she had actually apologized. Her... sisters? Broodmates? I’m not sure what their relationship is called, actually. If they all hatched at the same time wouldn’t they be sisters? But what if their eggs were laid by different Sirens? Did Sirens lay eggs? Anyway, her sisters had ditched town shortly after the Battle and she stayed behind for reasons. No, I don’t remember what she said, because she said reasons. Stop skipping ahead! “I was surprised to hear you started going to Crystal Prep,” I said as we spread the blanket she had brought. “Why did you decide to stay?” The Siren shrugged. “We’ve been on this world for a long time, Pinkie,” she said hesitantly. “But we never really did anything to learn about it. Now that we’re..” she reached up and fingered a pendant of a heart with a eight note engraved in it. “Well, you know. Dagi and Aria thought we might be able to keep getting on like we had but I was tired of always running.” She eased to the ground, reaching into the basket and pulling out a thermos. “I figured the best way to adjust to this new life was to do what teenagers do and go to school.” “But why Crystal Prep?” I asked as she handed me a paper plate. “Why not CHS?” She gave me a sad smile, tilting her head a touch. “After what we did,” she replied. “I doubted anyone would have put up with me there. And Crystal Prep has held a scholarship contest for music. I may not be able to sing anymore, but I did pick up the viola about a hundred years ago or so. I like the way it sounds.” I gasped. “You can play the viola?” I couldn’t believe how much there was to this girl I didn’t know. Then again, she didn’t go to CHS and that’s where I gathered most of my party files. I only had five for Crystal Prep and they were still sadly thin. I’d have to fix that. “So, what kind of scrumdiddlyumptious treat did you make?” I asked, leaning forward to glance inside the basket. “Well, I didn’t really make it,” she giggled. “I’m not all that great a cook. But there was a good place down the street from my job at a taco shop that offers preplanned picnic lunches.” She pulled out a package of cold fried chicken and a small container of what looked like Mac and cheese. “I thought we could warm them up on one of the grills, but I forgot to get matches.” I grinned and reached up to feel the geode around my neck. “Don’t worry, I got you covered,” I said slyly. “Besides, cold chicken is just as good.” She smiled with relief and set the chicken down, opening the thermos and pouring out some lemonade. “I’m glad you decided to come,” she said. “I was kind of worried you wouldn’t.” “Well, I just had to find out who it was!” I exclaimed. “I never had a secret admirer before, and the guessing game was super fun even though I didn’t have anything to help me with since I don’t really have a lot of information on you or your classmates.” She started laughing. It was one of the best sounds I had ever heard from her and the smile was without maliciousness, just happiness. And I live for smiles like that. “I think you’re really cool, Pinkie,” she gasped as she caught her breath. “And even if nothing come from this, I’d really like to be your friend.” “Of course!” I grinned. “But why me, if I can ask?” “I... like they way you smile,” she blushed harder than Wallflower ever did. “And the energy you have. And your laughter. It’s infectious. I was a spectator at the Friendship Games, and I think that was when I started feeling... well,” “A crush?” She nodded silently. I reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Nata,” I told her. “I think this is going to be fun.” Author's Note So this was typed up on my phone following the death of my laptop and had more than one proofreading pass. If you spot something I missed, please alert me by pm.
It’s a note!A note dropped out of my locker when I opened it at the end of the day. I picked it up, grinning. I loved getting notes, usually thank-you letters for the parties I had thrown or for cheering up a friend. OH! And the one from Vice-Principal Luna for setting up the surprise party for Principal Celestia was very nice, though I don’t think Principal Celestia liked it very much. I don’t know why. Maybe I had made too much cake? But as I unfolded the note, I found it wasn’t a thank you, it was something even more fun! Pinkie, I’ve been trying to work my way up to this, and trust me, it wasn’t very easy. I’ve never completely sure how to move forward with things like this and instead of beating around the bush, I’m just going to flat out say it and then hide for a few weeks until my blush goes away. I really like you. I’ll write you again later. Your Secret Admirer I scanned the letter, my smile growing wider. A secret admirer? That was the super duper best thing in the world! And they hadn’t signed with a name, so that meant one thing. I had a mystery to solve! Which was my fourth favorite thing ever. First was making people smile. Second was the PSSSD events I threw every year. Third was baking. But I loved mysteries! They were super fun and also kind of tough, almost like when you over-kneed bread dough. It gets really dense and dry and the crust is super hard. But those are great for bread bowls for soup or pasta and if you let it just sit for a while with the broth it’ll soften up and be oh so delicious. What was I saying again? Right! I looked at the letter again, looking for clues as to the identity of the sender. The penmanship was a very fine, closely written hand, very neat and orderly. I didn’t recognize it immediately, and I knew all my friend’s handwriting. We had studied together plenty of times and though it looked a little like Rarity’s, it could have just as easily been Fluttershy. And there was that mention of hiding, very much how Flutters might have reacted. Very suspicious. I sniffed the letter, but there was nothing but the smell of a regular piece of paper. That ruled out Rarity. Anything that had been in close contact with her for more than five minutes always had a faint whiff of her perfume. Though it’s possible she had written it hurriedly, not giving the paper time to absorb her aroma. Tasting it also ruled out a friend. It was, again, just plain paper. Any paper form Twilight tended to have a bit of tangy taste, almost like she had left it a little too close to one of those electric doohickeys she had in her garage. Those things are fun. I never knew my hair could be that straight and floaty, but brushing it later was no fun at all. Don’t you just hate having to take everything out of your hair just to brush it and put it all back in? I frowned and re-read the letter, tapping my chin. As much as I hated to admit it, I may have to wait until the next letter to figure out who it was. I started skipping down the hall to the music room for rehearsal when my left leg twiched, my ear itched, and I felt a tingle in my spine. My Pinkie Sense telling me I was being watched. I turned, but with so many students in the hall, I couldn’t pick anyone out. Was my admirer in the crowd somewhere? Or was it the Hall Monitor making sure I didn’t have any paint cans with me. I don’t know why he worries, Principal Celestia issues a memo whenever I let her know about possible painting situations. And I had cleaned up the last mess! The door to the music room was open, and I heard a pair of guitars tuning up. I hopped in and waved at Rainbow and Sunset and pulled my sticks from my bag before hugging them. “Hey,” Sunset said after catching her breath. “You’re in a happier mood than usual. What’s up?” “How can you tell?” Rainbow asked. “Oh, she probably got a flash from her magic necklace, silly dilly!” I said, tapping Sunset’s Geode. “Though I’m not sure why she doesn’t always like seeing my thoughts and memories.” “It’s not that I don’t,” Sunset said slowly. “It’s just…” “Yeeeeeeees?” I smiled. “Well, everyone makes me recover differently,” she said. “And Pinkie, trips in your head just wear me out worse than that day in gym we did a 5k.” “You thought that was hard?” Rainbow laughed. “I didn’t do a lot of running as a filly,” she said, turning a little red. “And sometimes I still feel uncomfortable in this body. Give me a break.” The rest of my friends filtered in, including a newer friend in the form of Juniper Montage. The home-schooled girl had gotten permission to take musical studies here and she was a really great piano player. We had used her in a couple of tracks for the demo we were recording to do a piece Rarity had written that was for two pianos. But she was carrying a camera today, smiling like someone had given her a cake of puppies. No, silly. Not baked puppies, shaped like them. Weirdo. “So, I got permission from Uncle Canter,” she said before anyone could speak up. “And he gave us permission to use one of the small stages to film a music video! All we have to do is make sure we’re only there a few hours so we don’t interrupt filming or construction.” “So why do you have a camera with you now?” Applejack asked. “Oh, I just got done doing some test shooting,” she said, toying nervously with one of her pigtails. She did that a lot, and I couldn’t understand why sometimes. We’d forgiven her for the whole evil sucking us into a magic mirror and almost dooming us to an uncertain but probably horrible fate. What did she have to be nervous about? “Test shooting?” Sunset asked. “Uncle Canter gave us permission based on if I were able to do a satisfactory job filming it,” she said. “But before he allowed us in, I had to show him some shots of the band practicing, and some landscape scenes.” “So we get a soundstage to do some of the video,” Rainbow said. “But only after we shoot the video?” “Nonese, Rainbow,” Rarity drawled. “It simply means that we will do some of the shooting outside. And there is nothing saying we have to use the footage. After all, just look at the amount of cut sections from the contest video we had.” “That was fun, though,” Fluttershy whispered. “So,” Juniper spoke up quietly. “You guys want to try? If we do well enough I can use it in my portfolio for when I apply to film school.” “Of course,” I beamed. “It’s going to be a load of fun!” I stomped on the pedal to the bass drum, causing a shower of confetti to billow out. Twilight shook some of it from her hair before smiling. “You’re in a rare mood,” she obseved. “What happened?” I smiled, tucking the letter a little further into my bag. “Oh, nothing,” I said. “Just had a really good day.” Author's Note This story is made possible due to a commission by Multiversecruise. For more information on commissions, check here. Don’t want a commission, but want to support my horrible ponyword addiction? Buy me a Kofi!
