Friendship Solving Trip with Pinkie. Yay.by Rainbowfan45ChaptersOn a quest with Pinkie?Presented ProblemsProblems Explained & Cannon CatastrophesSolutions to the ProblemEpilouge: The Day AfterOn a quest with Pinkie?"I'm called to do WHAT?!" Starlight stood frozen, staring at Twilight with her jaw hanging open in shock. Twilight chuckled. "You're being called here...to Manehattan." She pointed at the map, particularly the part where two cutie marks were circling. Starlight shook her head. "Yes, I see that...but...but..." she broke off, struggling. "Is there a problem?" Twilight asked. "Well, of course! Why else would the map call me!" Twilight giggled. "No. I meant with where you're going." "Not really, no." "Then what's wrong?" "My traveling companion is what's wrong!!" "Um, why?" Starlight gestured wildly with a hoof, sputtering. "Why...because I...it...she...there's...ugh!" She took a deep breath. "Don't get me wrong, Twilight. I love Pinkie Pie, I do. But...but traveling with her all the way to Manehattan on a friendship quest??? Just the two of us??? I'll...I'll go crazy!!" Twilight grinned. "Well, I'll admit she's quite alot to deal with, Starlight, but honestly, what other pony would be better company for you on this trip than Pinkie?" "Oh, gee, I don't know...Discord? A manticore? A dragon? A completely harmless flowerpot that can't talk incessantly?" Starlight said flatly. Twilight rolled her eyes. "It'll be fine." She said. "Look, the map called both you and Pinkie Pie for a reason." "Maybe it made a mistake." "You know very well it doesn't, Starlight." "How do you know?!" "Because it doesn't work that way!" "Well, why not?! Maybe it meant to call Discord or something!" "It wouldn't do that! And Discord doesn't even have a cutie mark!!" "Well neither does Spike, and it called him!" Twilight blinked. "Good point." She sighed. "Starlight, it isn't going to kill you to spend a day or two, or three, with Pinkie Pie." "I wouldn't bet on that." Starlight said stubbornly. Twilight rubbed her head alongside her horn. She was starting to develope a headache. "Look, like I said, you'll be fine." She said. "And you'll get to know Pinkie Pie better!" "I know Pinkie Pie well enough now!" Starlight insisted. "Twilight, can't you change this?? Send Rainbow Dash with me? Or Applejack? Even Fluttershy! I don't care, I'm not picky! But please....I am begging you...do not make me go with Pinkie Pie!!" "Did somepony say my name???" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounced into the room. "Hey, Twilight! So, Starlight, did ya hear?? We're going on a friendship quest together! Isn't it so cool! Well, isn't it? Huh? Oh, this will be so much fun!!! I can't wait! I packed cupcakes for the trip!" As Pinkie prattled on, Starlight moved closer to Twilight. "Please. Do something." Twilight sighed. "Starlight, the map called you two. You and Pinkie. I can't change that. So go on and get going. And try to enjoy yourself." Starlight gave her a look of despair, prompting a grin from the purple princess. "Come on, StarGlim! Let's get going!" Pinkie said excitedly. "I can't wait to get started! And we're going to Manehattan!!! Its so cool there! We are gonna have so much fun, and maybe we can solve the friendship problem fast and then go exploring and do some really cool and fun stuff! Ooh, they have all kinds of good food, too!" Starlight groaned as she was dragged from the room by the pink pony, who kept on talking a mile a minute. 'And so it begins.' She thought. 'Celestia save me. I'm gonna lose my sanity before we even leave Ponyville!' Pinkie just chattered on, oblivious to the fact her companion wasn't even listening. ********************************** Starlight managed distract herself from Pinkie's talking until they were on the train leaving Ponyville. Pinkie finally paused for breath, and Starlight took the opportunity to speak herself. "Pinkie, do you want to play a game?" "Ooh, I love games! Guess that Tune?" "Uh, no. I was thinking-" "Who can hold their breath the longest??" "No. I was-" "How about What Pony Said It??" "No!" Starlight's shout got the attention of everypony on the train car. She took a breath. "No. Actually, I was thinking one of my favourites. Its called How Long Can You Not Talk?" Pinkie thought. "Hmm...I don't know, but I guess we can find out!" She clamped her mouth shut. Starlight sighed, glad to be free of the persistant chatter. She looked out the window at the passing scenery, absorbed in thoughts of the friendship problem they were going to solve. Perhaps somepony had gotten mad over mud on their clothes and was now feuding over it with the friend responsible. She shook her head. No. That was just silly. But then again, maybe not... A humming noise broke her out of her ponderings. Pinkie was staring at her, blue eyes sparkling, humming any and every tune she could think of. And throwing in ocassional whistles. Finally, Starliggt snapped. "Pinkie, will you stop?!" Pinkie grinned. "Ha! I win! I win!!" She giggled. "Wait, what?? No! You weren't being quiet! I said..." "You said 'how long can you go without talking'...not 'how long can you go with zero noise at all'. And I won!!!" Starlight silently cursed herself and her unclear rules. Pinkie Pie was now off on another rapid trail of speech, and Starlight could only sigh heavily as she slumped in her seat and tried to follow the numerous rabbit trails without encountering a massive headache. But just as suddenly as she'd started, Pinkie stopped talking and focused intensely on her companion. "What?" Starlight finally said, uncomfortable. "Can I ask you a question?" "I...guess so?" "I asked Twilight once, but...well, what do you think the meaning of life is?" Starlight blinked. "Uh...I...don't know?" "That's what Twilight said!" Pinkie giggled. "Well, yeah...I don't know of anypony who knows that." "But life has meaning?" "Of course it does!" "Okie dokie lokie! Just asking! Hey, do you suppose maybe somepony stole another pony's fashion line or something and the other pony is mad because they were friends and now they're fighting??" Starlight was getting dizzy. How in Equestria could Pinkie switch topics so fast?! Redirecting her thoughts to Pinkie's oddly specific question, Starlight shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Why? And how did you even come up with that?!" "I'm Pinkie Pie, remember? I can come up with lots of stuff! Like, for instance, its snack time! Want a cupcake?" Starlight blinked rapidly, her brain on the verge of a breakdown as it seemed to writhe in agony inside her skull. "N...no. Thanks." She managed. "Ok!" Pinkie chowed down on her cupcake. Starlight rubbed her head. "Hey, Starlight, did you know that there are literally thousands of cupcake flavour combinations?! There's stawberry cream, orange spice, chocolate cherry..." Pinkie rattled on at a furious pace. Starlight let her head fall against the window and groaned. Twilight's words from that morning came to mind. "Its not going to kill you to spend a day or two, or three, with Pinkie." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. 'Yeah right!' Presented ProblemsAuthor's Note Alrighty. Here's chapter two. I rewrote this twice before finally deciding to post it....I hope its ok. If its not, its not from lack of trying. Presented Problems Upon their arrival in Manehattan, Starlight looked around and sighed heavily. "Well...this could take a while..." she muttered, considering the vast and seemingly unending sea of ponies and buildings. "Don't worry, Starlight! One thing I know, is we don't go to the friendship problem!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "It comes to us!" "Very reassuring." Starlight said, almost drily. "So, what do you suggest we do for now, then, Pinkie?" The wide grin that crossed her friend's face made her regret those words instantly. "We go exploring!!!!" Pinkie squealed, before bouncing ahead. Starlight sighed as she followed at a slightly slower pace. This was not gonna end well. She just knew it. Deep in her gut, she knew. ********************************** Curse her gut. Why couldn't it for once be wrong?! "Ooh! So this is what its like to be in jail!" Pinkie's voice was full of excited wonder. "Its so cool! I've never been in jail before! Have you ever been in jail before, Starlight? Have ya? Have ya? Huh?" "No...and I would have prefered to keep it that way." growled Starlight, resisting the increasingly strong urge to strangle the hyperactive pony. "Awwww...but its something we've never done! Its so cool!! Don'tcha think??" "No, I do not." Starlight muttered. "Why you thought assaulting a group of ponies with a party cannon and cupcakes was even remotely a good idea, I don't know...but clearly it wasn't!" "They looked unhappy!" Pinkie said, deflating a little. "I wanted to make them smile. But, it didn't work...did it?" Starlight sighed. She didn't have the heart to yell at her friend, not right now, anyway. Not when she was clearly upset. "Well, actually...I think you got a smile out of a couple of foals." She offered. Pinkie lifted her head, blue eyes locking into hers hopefully. "Really??" "Yeah." Starlight nodded. "And...I think I heard them giggle." "Yay!" Pinkie bounced happily. "I made somepony smile!" Starlight took note of her wide grin and happy expression and shook her head. 'I'll yell at her about the appropriate time and place for such stuff later. Right now, I'll just let her be happy while I try to think of how to get out of this mess.' She thought. 'I wonder what the punishment is for blasting ponies with cupcakes, anyway?' "So how long do you think we'll be here?" Pinkie asked. "Ooh! Will I have time to throw a super duper our-first-time-ever-in-jail party????" 'I wonder if Twilight would understand if I left Pinkie here and completed this mission on my own?' Starlight thought, inhaling deeply. "Pinkie Pie." She said, fighting to keep her voice calm and even. "You can't throw a party celebrating our first time ever in jail." "Aw, but why? I could make it so super fun!" "I'm sure. But its not something to celebrate." "But its our first time!" "I know that! But you don't celebrate it!" "Well, why not? Don't you think its worth a big party to remember it by??" "Trust me, Pinkie, I will never forget this moment." 'Especially if you make it better by forcing me to either murder you or leave you behind or blast you to Las Pegasus.' "Well, ok. If you say so. I can throw a party later when we get back to Ponyville! Ooh, and invite all our friends! And I'll make cake and punch and cookies and cupcakes..." Pinkie rattled on without even pausing for breath. Starlight facehoofed. 'Twilight would totally understand if Pinkie accidentally wound up in jail for life or something, right?' She leaned against the bars and yelled for the guard, hoping that it wouldn't take much for them to get themselves released. Otherwise, she would have to resort to contacting Twilight, and that thought didn't appeal to her. Not one bit. Especially if she choked her companion first. Said companion just kept right on talking, oblivious to the exasperated look flung her direction. *********************************** Turns out that the only punishment for assaulting ponies with cupcakes was to pay a small fine for littering and destruction of public property(namely a window that had been taken out by a massive cupcake thrown with full force). Starlight paid the fine and then made the decision to go to the nearest hotel. The friendship thing could take awhile. They'd need a room for that night, anyway...and who knows how long after that. She paid for the room and she and Pinkie dropped off what they didn't need with them before heading back out to look around some more. Starlight was more on her guard this time, and Pinkie's suggestion of a pie throwing contest when they stopped at a local bakery was promptly ended before it could be begin...much to Pinkie's great disappointment and the bakery owner's immense relief. They finally had to stop at a small but pleasant diner for dinner. After ordering hayburgers with french fries and milkshakes, they sat and chatted while they waited on their order. "I can't believe you wouldn't let me throw those pies!" Pinkie said. "I could have easily beaten anypony else!" "I'm sure of that." Starlight said. "But the owner wouldn't have been happy. We both could have ended up right back in jail." "Ooh, then I'd have to throw a super duper PinkieandStarlightgotthrowninjailtwotimesinoneday party!!!!" Pinkie squealed. "Yeah, somehow I don't think Twilight would approve." Starlight muttered. 'She's already gonna be mad we wound up in jail once!' "Your order." The waiter placed their food on the table and left. The two mares dove in, the day's excitement and travel making them very hungry. As they ate, a pair of ponies came in and took a seat near them, arguing. "Now look, Twinkle Star, you and I both know its all your fault the shop isn't doing well!" huffed the young stallion. "How dare you blame me, Blue Moon!!! It most certainly is not my fault!! You keep driving ponies off with your offensive language and behaviour!" the young mare snapped. "Honestly! Why Mom and Dad ever thought you and I should run the place together I'll never know!" "What offensive behaviour?! You keep driving me and them crazy with your endless need for parties, pranks and jokes!" "And how am I supposed to help that?! I love to make people smile!! In any way I can!!" "But our customers don't like being scared out of their wits by exploding balloons, confetti, and that stupid cannon you insisted on buying!!" "That cannon is...you...I should...! Take it back!" "Believe me, I would if I knew what store it came from!" "How dare you!!!" Starlight and Pinkie were very interested in the conversation...er, argument. Something clicked in Starlight's head, and gut, and she looked at Pinkie, who simply smiled and nodded knowingly. The friendship problem seemed to have found them. Then a part of the argument flashed like an warning sign in her head. 'Parties. Pranks. Confetti. Cannon. Oh sweet Celestia...Twinkle Star is just like Pinkie Pie. That's why she was called to come with me.' She glanced at Pinkie, noting a devious grin as the mare studied Twinkle Star. Starlight knew that grin. She knew it well. 'Celestia save us all. Two Pinkie Pies? I'm not gonna survive this mission. And Manehattan has no idea what's likely to hit them very, very soon.' She planted her head on the tabletop and groaned. Problems Explained & Cannon CatastrophesIt was Pinkie Pie that made the first move. She leaped over to the table and let out a shrill squeal of delight. "Hi! Are you really a party pony?? I'm a party pony, too! I heard you like balloons and confetti and cannons! Isn't it so cool?! I do too!!! My name's Pinkie Pie! Yours is Twinkle Star, right?? I know cause I heard your brother say it! He is your brother right??? I always wanted a brother! So you like pranks too??! That is sooooo cool!!!!" "Pinkie Pie!" Starlight interrupted in exasperation. "Don't be rude!" But Twinkle Star was up and facing the pink pony with a wide grin. "Oh my gosh! You like parties and pranks and cannons too?! How cool is that!" She squealed. And the two were off on the subject of parties and such. Starlight looked at Blue Moon, who looked as exasperated as she felt. "Lemme guess," he said. "That's your crazy, party loving, prank playing, cannon blasting, drives-you-totally-nuts-at-every-turn sister?" "Correct on all points except one." Starlight said wearily. "She's not my sister. She's one of my best friends. If she were my sister, or any relative at all, she probably wouldn't even be here right now. She'd either be on the moon, in jail, or..." She trailed off. "Or at the bottom of a shallow grave after suffering an 'accidentally' fatal blast from her own cannon?" Blue Moon said flatly. "Exactly." Starlight huffed. She stuck out a hoof. "I'm Starlight Glimmer." "Blue Moon." He said, extending his own hoof and shaking hers. "And I guess you already heard my sister's name." "And you already heard my friend's name." Starlight answered. The two of them took a seat at the table, their hyperactive companions too busy prattling on about the thousands of combinations of cupcakes to notice. Twinkle Star was apparently also good at baking. They struck up a conversation, one much calmer than that of the other two, and Starlight explained their reason for being in Manehattan. Blue Moon listened with interest to the tale of the Friendship Map. "So this map sent you to solve a friendship problem?" He questioned curiously. "Yep." "And you believe my sister and I are the ones with this problem?" "Again, yes." Blue Moon glanced at Twinkle Star before rubbing his head and sighing wearily. "That makes perfect sense to me." He said. "Uh, it does?" Starlight frowned. "Usually the subjects of the problem don't want to accept they have one." "Oh, we have one." Blue Moon said. "We used to be closer than two pages of a book, but lately....well, all we do is fight. She drives ponies away from our shop with her incessant pranks and jokes...and that stupid cannon. I swear, if she sets that thing off one more time..." At that precise second, there were two simultaneous explosions accompanied by shrieks of glee. Starlight and Blue Moon spun in their seats to find that the two party loving ponies had blasted each other with their cannons, and were now happily jumping up and down as stray confetti floated down on them. "See what I mean?" Blue Moon muttered, as a random string of confetti landed on his head. "Ohhhhh yes." Starlight said. "I see exactly. And um, as you can see, Pinkie is just as bad. If not worse." "You don't have to live with her though." Blue Moon growled. "I live with Twinkle!" "Ouch." Starlight muttered, wincing in sympathy as she pondered living with a party crazed pony all the time. Quite frankly, being around Pinkie at some point every single day(whether for two minutes or an hour)was bad enough. "So why does she say its your fault that the customers are being driven away?" She asked. Blue Moon shrugged. "I don't know." "Of course you know!" Twinkle Star appeared next to him, Pinkie at her side. "You're rude and obnoxious and use offensive language!" "I do not!" "Yes, you do! You're always yelling at me and calling me crazy and nuts and weird and sometimes even stupid because I like to fire my cannon and play pranks and tell jokes! That's offensive! And it makes me cry! Alot!" "But you are crazy! And that cannon of yours is a menace to our peaceful society!!! It needs to be destroyed is what it needs!" Twinkle Star promptly burst into tears, and Blue Moon suddenly found himself staring into a pair of the most icy blue eyes he'd ever seen. And a voice as cold as those eyes spoke, directing its wrath at him. "Now you listen here, you mean meany pants!! Making people happy and wanting them to laugh and smile is perfectly ok! And party cannons are the best!! How dare you say they should be destroyed?! And how dare you make your sister cry?!" Starlight leaped to the stunned stallion's rescue. "Pinkie Pie, ease up." She said. "You'll make this worse. You don't solve the problem by yelling at them." Pinkie shrugged. "Eh, it was either that or blast him with the full power of my party cannon." She said. "Yelling seemed better." Starlight rolled her eyes. "Pinkie, I have never seen the full force of your cannon do anything worse than completely cover a room in the biggest mess imaginable and possibly knock a pony over." "Starlight." Pinkie leaned close to her friend, suddenly completely serious. "You have never seen the actual full force of my cannon. And believe me when I tell you, you don't want to. I mean, you really don't want to. EVER." Starlight blinked. "Why?" She asked, suddenly very afraid of the answer. "Would it destroy an entire building in Ponyville" "More like destroy an entire city the size of Canterlot...times three." Pinkie said cheerfully. Starlight and Blue Moon locked eyes. The stallion gulped. "I am suddenly very, very glad she yelled at me." He said. "You know what? Me too." Starlight said, shivering. "I'm not even sure how its possible to destroy an entire city with one cannon, but, um, I don't really want to know." "Ok, so how do we solve this friendship/brother-sister problem??" Pinkie asked, bouncing. "We need to try to get you two to work out a compromise." Starlight said, looking from Blue Moon to Twinkle Star and back. "Good friendships always require compromise." "I have one!" Twinkle Star announced. "How about Blue Moon says he's sorry for making me upset, and promise to let me keep up my fun stuff?" "Why do I have to apoligise?! You started it!" Blue Moon said. "I did not!" "You did too!" "Did not!" "Did too!" "Pitch the cannon and we'll talk!" "No! The cannon stays!" "Ugh!! Twinkle...!" "The cannon STAYS!!!!!" The siblings locked eyes in an intense staring contest. Starlight rubbed her head. "Pinkie Pie, I think we're gonna have ro split them up and deal with them seperately for now." Getting now answer, she looked to find Pinkie standing almost between the two, acting as staring contest monitor. "Careful! Don't blink! First one to blink loses! Smiling is totally allowed though!" "Pinkie Pie!!" Starlight said. "What???" "Did you even hear me?!" "Yeppers! You take Blue, I'll take Twinkle!" Pinkie giggled as she suddenly swooped in and whisked Twinkle Star away from her brother and out the diner door. "Pinkie, wait! We shouldn't split-" The two were gone. "-up." Starlight groaned, feeling the beginnings of a very massive headache. "Uh, are you ok?" Blue Moon asked. "Not really." Starlight replied. "Pinkie is gone. With your sister. And at least two cannons. And a very endless supply of confetti." "Sis has a good amount, too." "In other words, all of Manehattan could end up looking like a multicolored snowstorm hit." "Um, yes?" "Oh wonderful." And Starlight grabbed Blue Moon in her magic and rushed out the door to put an end to the Double Pinkiepocolypse before dozens of innocent ponies succumbed to confetti and cupcake attacks. And certainly before the entire city of Manehattan crumbled before the never before witnessed might of the full power of Pinkie's cannon. She heard an explosion in the distance, followed by faint yelling. She paused just long enough to drop Blue Moon, then started running towards the commotion, the stallion right behind her. As they rounded a corner, a group of ponies rushed by, and Starlight snagged one in her magic. "Let go!" The obviously nervous mare panted. "Two crazy ponies! Cannons! Cupcakes!! Mayhem!" Starlight released her and she ran. "My sister and your friend?" Blue Moon asked. "Yep." "We have to stop them!" "Yep." "Do you have a plan??" "No, I do not." "What?!" Starlight moved closer. "Stand still. I'm gonna try a modified teleportation spell that ought to take us directly to wherever they are." With a flash, they teleported to the next location, just in time to see the next thing Pinkie and Twinkle Star had in mind. Starlight and Blue Moon gulped. "Uh oh." They said in unison, before there was a massive explosion and a wall of white, pink, purple, red, blue, green, and various other colors rushed at them. "Gaaaaaaah!!!" Thud. Stars whirled around their heads before everything got incredibly blurry. There was a taste of sticky sweetness in their mouths, and they got a glimpse of two giggling ponies, and then everything went black... Author's Note Eeyup...there's another chapter coming Solutions to the ProblemAuthor's Note Sorry if this feels rushed. Posted it and twelve thirty am and was so sleepy I could barely type. My apologies for mistakes... Solutions to the Problem "I'm blind! I'm blind! They blinded me!!" Blue Moon yelled, flailing his legs. Starlight, after an initial flash of panic, realised what had happened and lit her horn. Or tried to. It refused to work. "Ugh! My magic's no good! I can't use it all covered in...what am I covered in?!" "Cake batter, whipped cream, sprinkles, ice cream, cookie dough, and edible confetti!" came a familiar cheery voice, with a giggle. "Pinkie Pie..." Starlight groaned. "Now just hold still! I'll have you out before you can say hot sticky cinnamon rolls!" "Pinkie, what're you do...? Gah!" Starlight let out a shriek as she was unceremoniously rolled and turned, and something warm touched her. Seconds later, she was standing upright, able to see, completely clean, and Pinkie was grinning as she licked a final sprinkle from her muzzle. Starlight gaped at her. "Did you just...lick me?!" "Like an ice cream cone!" Pinkie giggled. "Cause, you know, you were covered in ice cream, and we had to clean you up somehow!" "Did you stop to consider using a bucket of water?!" Pinkie blinked. "Was I supposed to? I thought I was supposed to help you right away?" Starlight facehoofed. Hard. "Look, Pinkie." She sighed. "Let's just get these two back to the diner and talk to them...seperately. ok?" "Okie dokie lokie!!!" Starlight turned around...and found herself snout to snout with a scowling police pony. "You four come with me!" He snapped. "Great." Starlight muttered. "Just great." *********************************** This time, the fine was significantly higher. So much so that Starlight nearly had a heart attack when she saw the numbers. She didn't have that many bits with her! And even the quarreling siblings' chipping in didn't help much. "Terrific." Starlight moaned. "The only other recourse is to contact Twilight..." "Ooh! Maybe she'll bring our friends and we can celebrate and have that StarlightandPinkiewoundupinjailtwiceinoneday party!!!" Pinkie squealed. "Pinkie Pie! There will be no party for that!" "Awwww. Not even a teensy weensy one?" "No!!!" Pinkie pouted while Starlight wrote a note and handed it off to one of their guards. He in turn would see that it got to the Ponyville Castle in record time. "I'm sorry for all this, Blue Moon." Twinkle Star said with a sad sigh. "Maybe I really should give up all my stuff. Including my cannon." Her head drooped. "Finally!" Blue Moon cheered. "She sees reason!" "Now wait!" Pinkie started, only to be hushed by Starlight. "Look, Blue Moon." Starlight faced the stallion. "I understand your feelings on Twinkle Star's...um...eccentricities...believe me, I do. But you know something? It makes her happy to make others happy. Just like it does Pinkie there. I would never ask Pinkie to give up her party stuff, or her goofiness, because I know it's part of who she is. Her destiny. But there are times when I'll ask her to tone it down a little, and she will. Right, Pinkie?" "Yuppers!" "But...but why?" Twinkle Star asked. "Don't you love partying and being all goofy and making ponies laugh?" "Well, yeah," Pinkie giggled. "That's my destiny, silly! But I also know that my friends and other ponies don't always like the crazy stuff I do. Sometimes I have to make myself not do it, cause it might not be a good time. Or place." "Huh." Twinkle Star pondered that. "So...maybe I should ease up on all the craziness at the store? Save most of it for ponies I know really will like it?" "Yuppers!" Twinkle Star blinked. "That really makes sense!" She suddenly exclaimed. Blue Moon looked at Starlight. "So, when your friend there shoots off party cannons and goes crazy, you just...deal with it? Ignore it?" "Oh, no, I don't ignore it." Starlight said, snorting. "It's impossible to ignore. But I've learned to just bear with it, because it's Pinkie Pie, and she's just that way. I understand that...most of the time. My point is, any relationship, whether it's marriges, friendships, or siblings, they all take alot of care, love, understanding and acceptance of who the other pony is. Pinkie is goofy, silly, funny, throws awesome parties, and just generally turns things upside down with her craziness. But I accept that it's who she is." "Yep! That's me! I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie interjected, bouncing. "So, I should accept that Twinkle needs to be silly and shoot off her cannon sometimes?" Blue Moon asked. "Exactly!" Starlight replied. Blue Moon turned to his sister. "I'm sorry, sis. I haven't been very nice to you. You love your party stuff, and I should respect that. I will respect that. I won't try to make you give up your cannon or your confetti or anything else, because it's who you are. You make ponies smile. Er...well...most, anyway." "I'm sorry, too." Twinkle Star apologised. "I should have realised that doing all that crazy stuff in the shop might not be the best idea." "How about we make a deal?" Blue Moon suggested. "Or a compromise, rather. I'll suppprt your silliness..." "And I'll stop playing so many jokes and stuff in the shop." Twinkle Star said. They shook on it, then hugged each other. The cutie marks on Starlight and Pinkie glowed, and the two of them squealed with joy. Their mission was accomplished! And in a day, too! "Hey, Starlight," Pinkie said. "Do ya think Twilight got our message yet?" Starlight blinked. "Uh oh. I shouldn't have sent that!" "You're probably right." The new voice made Starlight cringe, and she turned to face her mentor. Twilight stared hard at her. "I paid your fine." She said. "But can you tell me how in the wide world of Equestria a friendship problem ended with you two in jail and forced to pay a thousand bits for propery damage?!" Starlight cringed. "Uh, well...we, uh...we at least fixed the problem!" "Good! I'm going home. And I want to see both of you in my castle library tomorrow morning at ten. Sharp!" And Twilight was gone. "Aren't Friendship solving trips fun??" Pinkie squealed in excitement. "I can't wait to do this again sometime!" Starlight facehoofed so hard she was sure she was going to have a black eye. She loved Pinkie, but she was never, ever, ever going on a trip like this with her again! Epilouge: The Day AfterAuthor's Note Ok, guys. Here it is. Final chapter. Sorry it took soooo long to write. Also, I know its short. But its an epilouge chapter anyway. Writer's block sucks. I'm not convinced that its even close to my best work, but oh well. Hope you enjoy it! Epilouge: The Day After The ride home from Manehattan was quiet....at least on Starlight's part. Pinkie talked almost non stop, until a glare from her companion made her hush for a while. Then she finally spoke again, blue eyes locked concernedly on Starlight. "Twilight seemed mad yesterday." Her voice was deadly serious. "Yep." "It was because we...well, I, got in so much trouble. Right? Sorry. I should have listened to you." Pinkie looked sad now. Starlight sighed. "Its ok, Pinkie. I'm not mad. Its not all your fault anyway." She didn't even want to think of what Twilight was going to say to them. Pinkie shifted in her seat and managed a small smile as she locked eyes with Starlight. "Do you think she'll yell?" Starlight slightly arched one eyebrow. "Its Twilight. And she's mad. I would say yes, she will probably yell." Pinkie looked thoughtful. "What if I go in blasting my party cannon with a big cake that says 'I'msosorrywegotinsomuchtrouble' on it? And balloons?" Starlight had to laugh. "The cake and balloons might be fine, but uh, I'd leave the cannon out of it for now." The conductor chose that moment to call out through the car,"Next dtop, Ponyville! Next stop, Ponyville!" "Ooh, good! We're home!" Pinkie said with an excited bounce, apparently forgetting what awaited them on thier arrival. The train chugged and screeched to a halt, and Starlight and Pinkie left the train car and stood on the station platform. Starlight looked at her friend. "Alright. Time to report to the castle." She started walking. Pinkie followed along at her side. "We should throw an apology party after." She said cheerfully. Starlight resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine." She said, then muttered under her breath, "If we both live through Twilight's lecture." ********************************* Starlight began to wish they'd just stayed in Manehattan the second they entered the castle library. Twilight was, of course, waiting. And she was, of course, looking quite stern. In fact, the look she threw at them was enough to make Starlight think that teleporting clear out of Equestria might be a good idea. Pinkie seemed to not see it though. "Hey, Twilight!" She greeted, with only slightly less than her normal enthusiasm. "We're back!!" "So I see." Twilight's tone was unamused and firm. She pointed a hoof at the sofa. "Sit. Both of you." Starlight grimaced. Yep. This was going to be unpleasant. Before she could move, however, Pinkie gave a cheerful laugh and a second later a large cake and a massive bunch of multicolored balloons appeared in front of the somewhat startled Twilight. "These are yours!" Twilight blinked at the cake, on which had been written the long apology Pinkie had come up with earlier on the train. Starlight wasn't even going to ask how her friend had summoned up a cake and balloons from nowhere. She didn't want the headache she was sure would accompany trying to figure it out. Twilight arched an eyebrow and stared intensely at Pinkie in slight amusement. "I appreciate it. But right now, I would rather have an explanation of how you two ended up in so much trouble." Starlight sat down, and Pinkie came and plopped down beside her. Over the next fifteen minutes, Starlight explained...with frequent input from the pony at her side. When they finished, Twilight was pacing and looking like she didn't know whether to laugh or yell. She finally paused and rubbed her head. "I'm...not going to say anything else." She announced at last."You completed your task and saved a friendship problem." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Though I would appreciate it if next time, you would stay out of jail." Starlight rubbed her neck with a hoof and gave a slight chuckle. "Heh. Yeah. We will." Twilight shook her head. "Well then. This matter is closed. Now, how about some cake?" She summoned plates and a knife. KABOOM!!! The blast made both Starlight and Twilight yell in shock. Colored confetti rained down on thier heads as Pinkie giggled hysterically. "That wasn't as fun as the big cannon ball of cake, ice cream, and confetti in Manehattan..."she said cheerfully. "Ooh! Next time we're there I should grab Twinkle and we can add more stuff to the cannon ball!" Starlight turned to her mentor. Leaning close, she said in a low, urgent tone,"Twilight, I'm begging you. Next time that map calls me and her to go somewhere together...just find a way to send me to the moon first. Please?" Neither Pinkie nor Starlight could figure out why Twilight suddenly collapsed in the floor in a fit of laughter.
On a quest with Pinkie?"I'm called to do WHAT?!" Starlight stood frozen, staring at Twilight with her jaw hanging open in shock. Twilight chuckled. "You're being called here...to Manehattan." She pointed at the map, particularly the part where two cutie marks were circling. Starlight shook her head. "Yes, I see that...but...but..." she broke off, struggling. "Is there a problem?" Twilight asked. "Well, of course! Why else would the map call me!" Twilight giggled. "No. I meant with where you're going." "Not really, no." "Then what's wrong?" "My traveling companion is what's wrong!!" "Um, why?" Starlight gestured wildly with a hoof, sputtering. "Why...because I...it...she...there's...ugh!" She took a deep breath. "Don't get me wrong, Twilight. I love Pinkie Pie, I do. But...but traveling with her all the way to Manehattan on a friendship quest??? Just the two of us??? I'll...I'll go crazy!!" Twilight grinned. "Well, I'll admit she's quite alot to deal with, Starlight, but honestly, what other pony would be better company for you on this trip than Pinkie?" "Oh, gee, I don't know...Discord? A manticore? A dragon? A completely harmless flowerpot that can't talk incessantly?" Starlight said flatly. Twilight rolled her eyes. "It'll be fine." She said. "Look, the map called both you and Pinkie Pie for a reason." "Maybe it made a mistake." "You know very well it doesn't, Starlight." "How do you know?!" "Because it doesn't work that way!" "Well, why not?! Maybe it meant to call Discord or something!" "It wouldn't do that! And Discord doesn't even have a cutie mark!!" "Well neither does Spike, and it called him!" Twilight blinked. "Good point." She sighed. "Starlight, it isn't going to kill you to spend a day or two, or three, with Pinkie Pie." "I wouldn't bet on that." Starlight said stubbornly. Twilight rubbed her head alongside her horn. She was starting to develope a headache. "Look, like I said, you'll be fine." She said. "And you'll get to know Pinkie Pie better!" "I know Pinkie Pie well enough now!" Starlight insisted. "Twilight, can't you change this?? Send Rainbow Dash with me? Or Applejack? Even Fluttershy! I don't care, I'm not picky! But please....I am begging you...do not make me go with Pinkie Pie!!" "Did somepony say my name???" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounced into the room. "Hey, Twilight! So, Starlight, did ya hear?? We're going on a friendship quest together! Isn't it so cool! Well, isn't it? Huh? Oh, this will be so much fun!!! I can't wait! I packed cupcakes for the trip!" As Pinkie prattled on, Starlight moved closer to Twilight. "Please. Do something." Twilight sighed. "Starlight, the map called you two. You and Pinkie. I can't change that. So go on and get going. And try to enjoy yourself." Starlight gave her a look of despair, prompting a grin from the purple princess. "Come on, StarGlim! Let's get going!" Pinkie said excitedly. "I can't wait to get started! And we're going to Manehattan!!! Its so cool there! We are gonna have so much fun, and maybe we can solve the friendship problem fast and then go exploring and do some really cool and fun stuff! Ooh, they have all kinds of good food, too!" Starlight groaned as she was dragged from the room by the pink pony, who kept on talking a mile a minute. 'And so it begins.' She thought. 'Celestia save me. I'm gonna lose my sanity before we even leave Ponyville!' Pinkie just chattered on, oblivious to the fact her companion wasn't even listening. ********************************** Starlight managed distract herself from Pinkie's talking until they were on the train leaving Ponyville. Pinkie finally paused for breath, and Starlight took the opportunity to speak herself. "Pinkie, do you want to play a game?" "Ooh, I love games! Guess that Tune?" "Uh, no. I was thinking-" "Who can hold their breath the longest??" "No. I was-" "How about What Pony Said It??" "No!" Starlight's shout got the attention of everypony on the train car. She took a breath. "No. Actually, I was thinking one of my favourites. Its called How Long Can You Not Talk?" Pinkie thought. "Hmm...I don't know, but I guess we can find out!" She clamped her mouth shut. Starlight sighed, glad to be free of the persistant chatter. She looked out the window at the passing scenery, absorbed in thoughts of the friendship problem they were going to solve. Perhaps somepony had gotten mad over mud on their clothes and was now feuding over it with the friend responsible. She shook her head. No. That was just silly. But then again, maybe not... A humming noise broke her out of her ponderings. Pinkie was staring at her, blue eyes sparkling, humming any and every tune she could think of. And throwing in ocassional whistles. Finally, Starliggt snapped. "Pinkie, will you stop?!" Pinkie grinned. "Ha! I win! I win!!" She giggled. "Wait, what?? No! You weren't being quiet! I said..." "You said 'how long can you go without talking'...not 'how long can you go with zero noise at all'. And I won!!!" Starlight silently cursed herself and her unclear rules. Pinkie Pie was now off on another rapid trail of speech, and Starlight could only sigh heavily as she slumped in her seat and tried to follow the numerous rabbit trails without encountering a massive headache. But just as suddenly as she'd started, Pinkie stopped talking and focused intensely on her companion. "What?" Starlight finally said, uncomfortable. "Can I ask you a question?" "I...guess so?" "I asked Twilight once, but...well, what do you think the meaning of life is?" Starlight blinked. "Uh...I...don't know?" "That's what Twilight said!" Pinkie giggled. "Well, yeah...I don't know of anypony who knows that." "But life has meaning?" "Of course it does!" "Okie dokie lokie! Just asking! Hey, do you suppose maybe somepony stole another pony's fashion line or something and the other pony is mad because they were friends and now they're fighting??" Starlight was getting dizzy. How in Equestria could Pinkie switch topics so fast?! Redirecting her thoughts to Pinkie's oddly specific question, Starlight shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. Why? And how did you even come up with that?!" "I'm Pinkie Pie, remember? I can come up with lots of stuff! Like, for instance, its snack time! Want a cupcake?" Starlight blinked rapidly, her brain on the verge of a breakdown as it seemed to writhe in agony inside her skull. "N...no. Thanks." She managed. "Ok!" Pinkie chowed down on her cupcake. Starlight rubbed her head. "Hey, Starlight, did you know that there are literally thousands of cupcake flavour combinations?! There's stawberry cream, orange spice, chocolate cherry..." Pinkie rattled on at a furious pace. Starlight let her head fall against the window and groaned. Twilight's words from that morning came to mind. "Its not going to kill you to spend a day or two, or three, with Pinkie." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. 'Yeah right!'
Presented ProblemsAuthor's Note Alrighty. Here's chapter two. I rewrote this twice before finally deciding to post it....I hope its ok. If its not, its not from lack of trying. Presented Problems Upon their arrival in Manehattan, Starlight looked around and sighed heavily. "Well...this could take a while..." she muttered, considering the vast and seemingly unending sea of ponies and buildings. "Don't worry, Starlight! One thing I know, is we don't go to the friendship problem!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "It comes to us!" "Very reassuring." Starlight said, almost drily. "So, what do you suggest we do for now, then, Pinkie?" The wide grin that crossed her friend's face made her regret those words instantly. "We go exploring!!!!" Pinkie squealed, before bouncing ahead. Starlight sighed as she followed at a slightly slower pace. This was not gonna end well. She just knew it. Deep in her gut, she knew. ********************************** Curse her gut. Why couldn't it for once be wrong?! "Ooh! So this is what its like to be in jail!" Pinkie's voice was full of excited wonder. "Its so cool! I've never been in jail before! Have you ever been in jail before, Starlight? Have ya? Have ya? Huh?" "No...and I would have prefered to keep it that way." growled Starlight, resisting the increasingly strong urge to strangle the hyperactive pony. "Awwww...but its something we've never done! Its so cool!! Don'tcha think??" "No, I do not." Starlight muttered. "Why you thought assaulting a group of ponies with a party cannon and cupcakes was even remotely a good idea, I don't know...but clearly it wasn't!" "They looked unhappy!" Pinkie said, deflating a little. "I wanted to make them smile. But, it didn't work...did it?" Starlight sighed. She didn't have the heart to yell at her friend, not right now, anyway. Not when she was clearly upset. "Well, actually...I think you got a smile out of a couple of foals." She offered. Pinkie lifted her head, blue eyes locking into hers hopefully. "Really??" "Yeah." Starlight nodded. "And...I think I heard them giggle." "Yay!" Pinkie bounced happily. "I made somepony smile!" Starlight took note of her wide grin and happy expression and shook her head. 'I'll yell at her about the appropriate time and place for such stuff later. Right now, I'll just let her be happy while I try to think of how to get out of this mess.' She thought. 'I wonder what the punishment is for blasting ponies with cupcakes, anyway?' "So how long do you think we'll be here?" Pinkie asked. "Ooh! Will I have time to throw a super duper our-first-time-ever-in-jail party????" 'I wonder if Twilight would understand if I left Pinkie here and completed this mission on my own?' Starlight thought, inhaling deeply. "Pinkie Pie." She said, fighting to keep her voice calm and even. "You can't throw a party celebrating our first time ever in jail." "Aw, but why? I could make it so super fun!" "I'm sure. But its not something to celebrate." "But its our first time!" "I know that! But you don't celebrate it!" "Well, why not? Don't you think its worth a big party to remember it by??" "Trust me, Pinkie, I will never forget this moment." 'Especially if you make it better by forcing me to either murder you or leave you behind or blast you to Las Pegasus.' "Well, ok. If you say so. I can throw a party later when we get back to Ponyville! Ooh, and invite all our friends! And I'll make cake and punch and cookies and cupcakes..." Pinkie rattled on without even pausing for breath. Starlight facehoofed. 'Twilight would totally understand if Pinkie accidentally wound up in jail for life or something, right?' She leaned against the bars and yelled for the guard, hoping that it wouldn't take much for them to get themselves released. Otherwise, she would have to resort to contacting Twilight, and that thought didn't appeal to her. Not one bit. Especially if she choked her companion first. Said companion just kept right on talking, oblivious to the exasperated look flung her direction. *********************************** Turns out that the only punishment for assaulting ponies with cupcakes was to pay a small fine for littering and destruction of public property(namely a window that had been taken out by a massive cupcake thrown with full force). Starlight paid the fine and then made the decision to go to the nearest hotel. The friendship thing could take awhile. They'd need a room for that night, anyway...and who knows how long after that. She paid for the room and she and Pinkie dropped off what they didn't need with them before heading back out to look around some more. Starlight was more on her guard this time, and Pinkie's suggestion of a pie throwing contest when they stopped at a local bakery was promptly ended before it could be begin...much to Pinkie's great disappointment and the bakery owner's immense relief. They finally had to stop at a small but pleasant diner for dinner. After ordering hayburgers with french fries and milkshakes, they sat and chatted while they waited on their order. "I can't believe you wouldn't let me throw those pies!" Pinkie said. "I could have easily beaten anypony else!" "I'm sure of that." Starlight said. "But the owner wouldn't have been happy. We both could have ended up right back in jail." "Ooh, then I'd have to throw a super duper PinkieandStarlightgotthrowninjailtwotimesinoneday party!!!!" Pinkie squealed. "Yeah, somehow I don't think Twilight would approve." Starlight muttered. 'She's already gonna be mad we wound up in jail once!' "Your order." The waiter placed their food on the table and left. The two mares dove in, the day's excitement and travel making them very hungry. As they ate, a pair of ponies came in and took a seat near them, arguing. "Now look, Twinkle Star, you and I both know its all your fault the shop isn't doing well!" huffed the young stallion. "How dare you blame me, Blue Moon!!! It most certainly is not my fault!! You keep driving ponies off with your offensive language and behaviour!" the young mare snapped. "Honestly! Why Mom and Dad ever thought you and I should run the place together I'll never know!" "What offensive behaviour?! You keep driving me and them crazy with your endless need for parties, pranks and jokes!" "And how am I supposed to help that?! I love to make people smile!! In any way I can!!" "But our customers don't like being scared out of their wits by exploding balloons, confetti, and that stupid cannon you insisted on buying!!" "That cannon is...you...I should...! Take it back!" "Believe me, I would if I knew what store it came from!" "How dare you!!!" Starlight and Pinkie were very interested in the conversation...er, argument. Something clicked in Starlight's head, and gut, and she looked at Pinkie, who simply smiled and nodded knowingly. The friendship problem seemed to have found them. Then a part of the argument flashed like an warning sign in her head. 'Parties. Pranks. Confetti. Cannon. Oh sweet Celestia...Twinkle Star is just like Pinkie Pie. That's why she was called to come with me.' She glanced at Pinkie, noting a devious grin as the mare studied Twinkle Star. Starlight knew that grin. She knew it well. 'Celestia save us all. Two Pinkie Pies? I'm not gonna survive this mission. And Manehattan has no idea what's likely to hit them very, very soon.' She planted her head on the tabletop and groaned.
Problems Explained & Cannon CatastrophesIt was Pinkie Pie that made the first move. She leaped over to the table and let out a shrill squeal of delight. "Hi! Are you really a party pony?? I'm a party pony, too! I heard you like balloons and confetti and cannons! Isn't it so cool?! I do too!!! My name's Pinkie Pie! Yours is Twinkle Star, right?? I know cause I heard your brother say it! He is your brother right??? I always wanted a brother! So you like pranks too??! That is sooooo cool!!!!" "Pinkie Pie!" Starlight interrupted in exasperation. "Don't be rude!" But Twinkle Star was up and facing the pink pony with a wide grin. "Oh my gosh! You like parties and pranks and cannons too?! How cool is that!" She squealed. And the two were off on the subject of parties and such. Starlight looked at Blue Moon, who looked as exasperated as she felt. "Lemme guess," he said. "That's your crazy, party loving, prank playing, cannon blasting, drives-you-totally-nuts-at-every-turn sister?" "Correct on all points except one." Starlight said wearily. "She's not my sister. She's one of my best friends. If she were my sister, or any relative at all, she probably wouldn't even be here right now. She'd either be on the moon, in jail, or..." She trailed off. "Or at the bottom of a shallow grave after suffering an 'accidentally' fatal blast from her own cannon?" Blue Moon said flatly. "Exactly." Starlight huffed. She stuck out a hoof. "I'm Starlight Glimmer." "Blue Moon." He said, extending his own hoof and shaking hers. "And I guess you already heard my sister's name." "And you already heard my friend's name." Starlight answered. The two of them took a seat at the table, their hyperactive companions too busy prattling on about the thousands of combinations of cupcakes to notice. Twinkle Star was apparently also good at baking. They struck up a conversation, one much calmer than that of the other two, and Starlight explained their reason for being in Manehattan. Blue Moon listened with interest to the tale of the Friendship Map. "So this map sent you to solve a friendship problem?" He questioned curiously. "Yep." "And you believe my sister and I are the ones with this problem?" "Again, yes." Blue Moon glanced at Twinkle Star before rubbing his head and sighing wearily. "That makes perfect sense to me." He said. "Uh, it does?" Starlight frowned. "Usually the subjects of the problem don't want to accept they have one." "Oh, we have one." Blue Moon said. "We used to be closer than two pages of a book, but lately....well, all we do is fight. She drives ponies away from our shop with her incessant pranks and jokes...and that stupid cannon. I swear, if she sets that thing off one more time..." At that precise second, there were two simultaneous explosions accompanied by shrieks of glee. Starlight and Blue Moon spun in their seats to find that the two party loving ponies had blasted each other with their cannons, and were now happily jumping up and down as stray confetti floated down on them. "See what I mean?" Blue Moon muttered, as a random string of confetti landed on his head. "Ohhhhh yes." Starlight said. "I see exactly. And um, as you can see, Pinkie is just as bad. If not worse." "You don't have to live with her though." Blue Moon growled. "I live with Twinkle!" "Ouch." Starlight muttered, wincing in sympathy as she pondered living with a party crazed pony all the time. Quite frankly, being around Pinkie at some point every single day(whether for two minutes or an hour)was bad enough. "So why does she say its your fault that the customers are being driven away?" She asked. Blue Moon shrugged. "I don't know." "Of course you know!" Twinkle Star appeared next to him, Pinkie at her side. "You're rude and obnoxious and use offensive language!" "I do not!" "Yes, you do! You're always yelling at me and calling me crazy and nuts and weird and sometimes even stupid because I like to fire my cannon and play pranks and tell jokes! That's offensive! And it makes me cry! Alot!" "But you are crazy! And that cannon of yours is a menace to our peaceful society!!! It needs to be destroyed is what it needs!" Twinkle Star promptly burst into tears, and Blue Moon suddenly found himself staring into a pair of the most icy blue eyes he'd ever seen. And a voice as cold as those eyes spoke, directing its wrath at him. "Now you listen here, you mean meany pants!! Making people happy and wanting them to laugh and smile is perfectly ok! And party cannons are the best!! How dare you say they should be destroyed?! And how dare you make your sister cry?!" Starlight leaped to the stunned stallion's rescue. "Pinkie Pie, ease up." She said. "You'll make this worse. You don't solve the problem by yelling at them." Pinkie shrugged. "Eh, it was either that or blast him with the full power of my party cannon." She said. "Yelling seemed better." Starlight rolled her eyes. "Pinkie, I have never seen the full force of your cannon do anything worse than completely cover a room in the biggest mess imaginable and possibly knock a pony over." "Starlight." Pinkie leaned close to her friend, suddenly completely serious. "You have never seen the actual full force of my cannon. And believe me when I tell you, you don't want to. I mean, you really don't want to. EVER." Starlight blinked. "Why?" She asked, suddenly very afraid of the answer. "Would it destroy an entire building in Ponyville" "More like destroy an entire city the size of Canterlot...times three." Pinkie said cheerfully. Starlight and Blue Moon locked eyes. The stallion gulped. "I am suddenly very, very glad she yelled at me." He said. "You know what? Me too." Starlight said, shivering. "I'm not even sure how its possible to destroy an entire city with one cannon, but, um, I don't really want to know." "Ok, so how do we solve this friendship/brother-sister problem??" Pinkie asked, bouncing. "We need to try to get you two to work out a compromise." Starlight said, looking from Blue Moon to Twinkle Star and back. "Good friendships always require compromise." "I have one!" Twinkle Star announced. "How about Blue Moon says he's sorry for making me upset, and promise to let me keep up my fun stuff?" "Why do I have to apoligise?! You started it!" Blue Moon said. "I did not!" "You did too!" "Did not!" "Did too!" "Pitch the cannon and we'll talk!" "No! The cannon stays!" "Ugh!! Twinkle...!" "The cannon STAYS!!!!!" The siblings locked eyes in an intense staring contest. Starlight rubbed her head. "Pinkie Pie, I think we're gonna have ro split them up and deal with them seperately for now." Getting now answer, she looked to find Pinkie standing almost between the two, acting as staring contest monitor. "Careful! Don't blink! First one to blink loses! Smiling is totally allowed though!" "Pinkie Pie!!" Starlight said. "What???" "Did you even hear me?!" "Yeppers! You take Blue, I'll take Twinkle!" Pinkie giggled as she suddenly swooped in and whisked Twinkle Star away from her brother and out the diner door. "Pinkie, wait! We shouldn't split-" The two were gone. "-up." Starlight groaned, feeling the beginnings of a very massive headache. "Uh, are you ok?" Blue Moon asked. "Not really." Starlight replied. "Pinkie is gone. With your sister. And at least two cannons. And a very endless supply of confetti." "Sis has a good amount, too." "In other words, all of Manehattan could end up looking like a multicolored snowstorm hit." "Um, yes?" "Oh wonderful." And Starlight grabbed Blue Moon in her magic and rushed out the door to put an end to the Double Pinkiepocolypse before dozens of innocent ponies succumbed to confetti and cupcake attacks. And certainly before the entire city of Manehattan crumbled before the never before witnessed might of the full power of Pinkie's cannon. She heard an explosion in the distance, followed by faint yelling. She paused just long enough to drop Blue Moon, then started running towards the commotion, the stallion right behind her. As they rounded a corner, a group of ponies rushed by, and Starlight snagged one in her magic. "Let go!" The obviously nervous mare panted. "Two crazy ponies! Cannons! Cupcakes!! Mayhem!" Starlight released her and she ran. "My sister and your friend?" Blue Moon asked. "Yep." "We have to stop them!" "Yep." "Do you have a plan??" "No, I do not." "What?!" Starlight moved closer. "Stand still. I'm gonna try a modified teleportation spell that ought to take us directly to wherever they are." With a flash, they teleported to the next location, just in time to see the next thing Pinkie and Twinkle Star had in mind. Starlight and Blue Moon gulped. "Uh oh." They said in unison, before there was a massive explosion and a wall of white, pink, purple, red, blue, green, and various other colors rushed at them. "Gaaaaaaah!!!" Thud. Stars whirled around their heads before everything got incredibly blurry. There was a taste of sticky sweetness in their mouths, and they got a glimpse of two giggling ponies, and then everything went black... Author's Note Eeyup...there's another chapter coming
Solutions to the ProblemAuthor's Note Sorry if this feels rushed. Posted it and twelve thirty am and was so sleepy I could barely type. My apologies for mistakes... Solutions to the Problem "I'm blind! I'm blind! They blinded me!!" Blue Moon yelled, flailing his legs. Starlight, after an initial flash of panic, realised what had happened and lit her horn. Or tried to. It refused to work. "Ugh! My magic's no good! I can't use it all covered in...what am I covered in?!" "Cake batter, whipped cream, sprinkles, ice cream, cookie dough, and edible confetti!" came a familiar cheery voice, with a giggle. "Pinkie Pie..." Starlight groaned. "Now just hold still! I'll have you out before you can say hot sticky cinnamon rolls!" "Pinkie, what're you do...? Gah!" Starlight let out a shriek as she was unceremoniously rolled and turned, and something warm touched her. Seconds later, she was standing upright, able to see, completely clean, and Pinkie was grinning as she licked a final sprinkle from her muzzle. Starlight gaped at her. "Did you just...lick me?!" "Like an ice cream cone!" Pinkie giggled. "Cause, you know, you were covered in ice cream, and we had to clean you up somehow!" "Did you stop to consider using a bucket of water?!" Pinkie blinked. "Was I supposed to? I thought I was supposed to help you right away?" Starlight facehoofed. Hard. "Look, Pinkie." She sighed. "Let's just get these two back to the diner and talk to them...seperately. ok?" "Okie dokie lokie!!!" Starlight turned around...and found herself snout to snout with a scowling police pony. "You four come with me!" He snapped. "Great." Starlight muttered. "Just great." *********************************** This time, the fine was significantly higher. So much so that Starlight nearly had a heart attack when she saw the numbers. She didn't have that many bits with her! And even the quarreling siblings' chipping in didn't help much. "Terrific." Starlight moaned. "The only other recourse is to contact Twilight..." "Ooh! Maybe she'll bring our friends and we can celebrate and have that StarlightandPinkiewoundupinjailtwiceinoneday party!!!" Pinkie squealed. "Pinkie Pie! There will be no party for that!" "Awwww. Not even a teensy weensy one?" "No!!!" Pinkie pouted while Starlight wrote a note and handed it off to one of their guards. He in turn would see that it got to the Ponyville Castle in record time. "I'm sorry for all this, Blue Moon." Twinkle Star said with a sad sigh. "Maybe I really should give up all my stuff. Including my cannon." Her head drooped. "Finally!" Blue Moon cheered. "She sees reason!" "Now wait!" Pinkie started, only to be hushed by Starlight. "Look, Blue Moon." Starlight faced the stallion. "I understand your feelings on Twinkle Star's...um...eccentricities...believe me, I do. But you know something? It makes her happy to make others happy. Just like it does Pinkie there. I would never ask Pinkie to give up her party stuff, or her goofiness, because I know it's part of who she is. Her destiny. But there are times when I'll ask her to tone it down a little, and she will. Right, Pinkie?" "Yuppers!" "But...but why?" Twinkle Star asked. "Don't you love partying and being all goofy and making ponies laugh?" "Well, yeah," Pinkie giggled. "That's my destiny, silly! But I also know that my friends and other ponies don't always like the crazy stuff I do. Sometimes I have to make myself not do it, cause it might not be a good time. Or place." "Huh." Twinkle Star pondered that. "So...maybe I should ease up on all the craziness at the store? Save most of it for ponies I know really will like it?" "Yuppers!" Twinkle Star blinked. "That really makes sense!" She suddenly exclaimed. Blue Moon looked at Starlight. "So, when your friend there shoots off party cannons and goes crazy, you just...deal with it? Ignore it?" "Oh, no, I don't ignore it." Starlight said, snorting. "It's impossible to ignore. But I've learned to just bear with it, because it's Pinkie Pie, and she's just that way. I understand that...most of the time. My point is, any relationship, whether it's marriges, friendships, or siblings, they all take alot of care, love, understanding and acceptance of who the other pony is. Pinkie is goofy, silly, funny, throws awesome parties, and just generally turns things upside down with her craziness. But I accept that it's who she is." "Yep! That's me! I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie interjected, bouncing. "So, I should accept that Twinkle needs to be silly and shoot off her cannon sometimes?" Blue Moon asked. "Exactly!" Starlight replied. Blue Moon turned to his sister. "I'm sorry, sis. I haven't been very nice to you. You love your party stuff, and I should respect that. I will respect that. I won't try to make you give up your cannon or your confetti or anything else, because it's who you are. You make ponies smile. Er...well...most, anyway." "I'm sorry, too." Twinkle Star apologised. "I should have realised that doing all that crazy stuff in the shop might not be the best idea." "How about we make a deal?" Blue Moon suggested. "Or a compromise, rather. I'll suppprt your silliness..." "And I'll stop playing so many jokes and stuff in the shop." Twinkle Star said. They shook on it, then hugged each other. The cutie marks on Starlight and Pinkie glowed, and the two of them squealed with joy. Their mission was accomplished! And in a day, too! "Hey, Starlight," Pinkie said. "Do ya think Twilight got our message yet?" Starlight blinked. "Uh oh. I shouldn't have sent that!" "You're probably right." The new voice made Starlight cringe, and she turned to face her mentor. Twilight stared hard at her. "I paid your fine." She said. "But can you tell me how in the wide world of Equestria a friendship problem ended with you two in jail and forced to pay a thousand bits for propery damage?!" Starlight cringed. "Uh, well...we, uh...we at least fixed the problem!" "Good! I'm going home. And I want to see both of you in my castle library tomorrow morning at ten. Sharp!" And Twilight was gone. "Aren't Friendship solving trips fun??" Pinkie squealed in excitement. "I can't wait to do this again sometime!" Starlight facehoofed so hard she was sure she was going to have a black eye. She loved Pinkie, but she was never, ever, ever going on a trip like this with her again!
Epilouge: The Day AfterAuthor's Note Ok, guys. Here it is. Final chapter. Sorry it took soooo long to write. Also, I know its short. But its an epilouge chapter anyway. Writer's block sucks. I'm not convinced that its even close to my best work, but oh well. Hope you enjoy it! Epilouge: The Day After The ride home from Manehattan was quiet....at least on Starlight's part. Pinkie talked almost non stop, until a glare from her companion made her hush for a while. Then she finally spoke again, blue eyes locked concernedly on Starlight. "Twilight seemed mad yesterday." Her voice was deadly serious. "Yep." "It was because we...well, I, got in so much trouble. Right? Sorry. I should have listened to you." Pinkie looked sad now. Starlight sighed. "Its ok, Pinkie. I'm not mad. Its not all your fault anyway." She didn't even want to think of what Twilight was going to say to them. Pinkie shifted in her seat and managed a small smile as she locked eyes with Starlight. "Do you think she'll yell?" Starlight slightly arched one eyebrow. "Its Twilight. And she's mad. I would say yes, she will probably yell." Pinkie looked thoughtful. "What if I go in blasting my party cannon with a big cake that says 'I'msosorrywegotinsomuchtrouble' on it? And balloons?" Starlight had to laugh. "The cake and balloons might be fine, but uh, I'd leave the cannon out of it for now." The conductor chose that moment to call out through the car,"Next dtop, Ponyville! Next stop, Ponyville!" "Ooh, good! We're home!" Pinkie said with an excited bounce, apparently forgetting what awaited them on thier arrival. The train chugged and screeched to a halt, and Starlight and Pinkie left the train car and stood on the station platform. Starlight looked at her friend. "Alright. Time to report to the castle." She started walking. Pinkie followed along at her side. "We should throw an apology party after." She said cheerfully. Starlight resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine." She said, then muttered under her breath, "If we both live through Twilight's lecture." ********************************* Starlight began to wish they'd just stayed in Manehattan the second they entered the castle library. Twilight was, of course, waiting. And she was, of course, looking quite stern. In fact, the look she threw at them was enough to make Starlight think that teleporting clear out of Equestria might be a good idea. Pinkie seemed to not see it though. "Hey, Twilight!" She greeted, with only slightly less than her normal enthusiasm. "We're back!!" "So I see." Twilight's tone was unamused and firm. She pointed a hoof at the sofa. "Sit. Both of you." Starlight grimaced. Yep. This was going to be unpleasant. Before she could move, however, Pinkie gave a cheerful laugh and a second later a large cake and a massive bunch of multicolored balloons appeared in front of the somewhat startled Twilight. "These are yours!" Twilight blinked at the cake, on which had been written the long apology Pinkie had come up with earlier on the train. Starlight wasn't even going to ask how her friend had summoned up a cake and balloons from nowhere. She didn't want the headache she was sure would accompany trying to figure it out. Twilight arched an eyebrow and stared intensely at Pinkie in slight amusement. "I appreciate it. But right now, I would rather have an explanation of how you two ended up in so much trouble." Starlight sat down, and Pinkie came and plopped down beside her. Over the next fifteen minutes, Starlight explained...with frequent input from the pony at her side. When they finished, Twilight was pacing and looking like she didn't know whether to laugh or yell. She finally paused and rubbed her head. "I'm...not going to say anything else." She announced at last."You completed your task and saved a friendship problem." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Though I would appreciate it if next time, you would stay out of jail." Starlight rubbed her neck with a hoof and gave a slight chuckle. "Heh. Yeah. We will." Twilight shook her head. "Well then. This matter is closed. Now, how about some cake?" She summoned plates and a knife. KABOOM!!! The blast made both Starlight and Twilight yell in shock. Colored confetti rained down on thier heads as Pinkie giggled hysterically. "That wasn't as fun as the big cannon ball of cake, ice cream, and confetti in Manehattan..."she said cheerfully. "Ooh! Next time we're there I should grab Twinkle and we can add more stuff to the cannon ball!" Starlight turned to her mentor. Leaning close, she said in a low, urgent tone,"Twilight, I'm begging you. Next time that map calls me and her to go somewhere together...just find a way to send me to the moon first. Please?" Neither Pinkie nor Starlight could figure out why Twilight suddenly collapsed in the floor in a fit of laughter.
