"A Treasure More Valuable than Gold"
It was a beautiful sunny morning in Canterlot, especially so because it was a Saturday, meaning there were no classes, homework assignments, or other obligations to keep Sunset Shimmer from doing her favorite weekend ritual.
Sleeping.
Sunset let out a content sigh in the midst of her slumber as she repositioned her head on her fluffy pillow. To her, there was nothing quite as serene and peaceful as being showered with the warm embrace of blankets, taking her to the tranquil expeditions of dreamland. To some, she may be lazy for sleeping in for so long, but after a week long of academia, she could care less what others said about her chance for a little rest and relaxation.
Knock Knock Knock.
The frantic pounding of the door however made her retract her previous statement.
Begrudgingly, Sunset plopped herself out of her blissful slumber and tiredly made her way to the door. If she was lucky, it would be an angel who could cure her from her newfound state of drowsiness.
With the opening of the door however, she found it to be none other than the overly-excited Pinkie Pie.
Sunset supposed this was close enough. The bubbly and joyful demeanor of Pinkie would have Sunset awake before long; plus she did make a decadent angel food cake.
"Pinkie..." Sunset mumbled, "What are you doing at..." her eyes tried to squint at the discovered-to-be unreadable clock in her kitchen. "...morning o' clock?"
The pink human didn't seem to notice her friend's dreary state however, quickly clasping onto her shoulders.
"Sunset! I'm glad you're awake! I need your help! It's important!"
Now Sunset was alert.
"What's wrong?!" she found herself growing worried, noticing the pleading expression on the bubbly girl's face. "Is there Equestrian magic somewhere?! Is there a monster on the loose?! Is Twilight trying to combine radioactive material and magic again?!"
Pinkie slowly blinked with a puzzled expression, realizing she gave her friend the wrong impression.
"No no no, nothing like that silly!" she dismissed with a wave of her hand before bringing a rolled up piece of paper in her grip. "What I have here is a scroll that leads to treasure and I need your help to find it!" she boldly declared, holding out the parchment in triumph.
Sunset only quirked her eyebrow, thankfully relieved the intensity of the situation downgraded from "Category Twelve" to "Category Pinkie Pie".
"Treasure?"
Pinkie frantically nodded. "It's supposed to be a treasure more valuable than gold. And if it's more valuable than gold, there could be an endless supply of cupcakes! Who wouldn't want that?"
Sunset let out a playful smirk, enjoying her friend's optimistic imagination. She wasn't a day-full of sleep, but her infectious positivity was certainly a gift of its own.
"A treasure, huh? Where did you find this 'treasure tracker'?" Sunset tilted her head.
Pinkie blinked in rapid succession before her smile quickly returned.
"Oh, that's easy. I made it."
Now it was Sunset's turn to be bewildered, her mouth hanging open for a good half a minute before she finally found her voice.
"But... if you created the riddles, shouldn't you know where the treasure is?"
"Well yeah, that's why I knocked myself out with a frying pan. If I want to find the treasure, I have to not remember what or where it is." she scoffed with a roll of her eyes, acting as if it was the most obvious solution in the world.
At the mention of a possible head injury, Sunset stared aghast, now noticing the tiny bump on top of her noggin.
"......ok." she slowly muttered, before realizing the sooner she accepted Pinkie's insanity, the more of her own sanity she could keep intact.
"So, what's does the scroll say?" she inquisitively asked, peering curiously at the paper wrapped in a pink hand.
Pinkie focused her attention on the writing, slowly reading out loud the first clue.
"A Treasure More Valuable than Gold, Surrounded in a Sea of Pink."
Pinkie gasped. "Maybe it's in your house!" She quickly tried to storm her way inside before an orange hand stopped her in her tracks.
"I'm sorry Pinkie, but I highly doubt that. I don't have anything pink inside. Not really my style you know?"
Pinkie's eyes widened, suddenly having an epiphany.
"Duh! Silly Pinkie, of course! I forgot, you have a totally awesome bisexual rock-girl style."
Sunset was about to protest, but found that as she played what Pinkie had just claimed in her head she had no arguments or objections to the quote, merely shrugging her shoulders.
"Never had it outright said to me like that before... but I guess I do." she shrugged with a faint blush on her cheeks, secretly relishing in the praise the pink bundle of energy had bestowed upon her.
Pinkie however only gave a dejected sigh, a frown developing as she contemplated her newest predicament.
"Where am I supposed to find a 'sea of pink'?"
Sunset found herself rubbing her chin in thought, stumped by the mysterious puzzle.
"Yeah..." she uttered out-loud. "The only places I know with lots of pink are those 'girly' clothing stores."
As an internal lightbulb clicked upon hearing that phrase, Pinkie gave a large excited squeal, suddenly wrapping Sunset in a bone-crushing hug.
"Sunset, you're a genius! Thank you so much!" she happily exclaimed, before she took off in a trail of literal smoke, leaving the orange girl dazed and confused.
"You're...welcome...I guess..." she drawled out, before realizing who she was referring to.
"Meh, it's Pinkie." she summarized before she stared distantly at the interior of her home, a fond smile suddenly enveloping her.
"Awesome bisexual rock-girl, huh? I like the sound of that."
"Thank you! Come again." Rarity's cheerful voice called out, seeing yet another satisfied customer walk out with the outfit of their dreams. She let out a content sigh as she gazed lovingly at the boutique she proudly called her second home.
True, working in middle-class retail wasn't all that was cracked up to be - especially when some of the clientele seemed to have some sort of "superiority complex" - but every delighted face she created when she showed someone their "perfect ensemble" made it worth any negative experience ten times over.
Many who knew the aspiring fashionista assumed that she was in the industry for the fame, fortune, and luxury that came with being a successful seamstress and designer; but only those closest to her knew the real reason was for the philosophy she held close to her heart. While the publicity was a cherished thought, what truly made Rarity happy was seeing others display their inner beauty through fashion. She was a believer in the ideal that the perfect wardrobe had the power to make anyone radiate a charming essence, and the happy faces she instilled when showcasing her designs was proof of that. She saw how others could gain confidence, determination, and most importantly, happiness through simple fabrics and stitches. Simply put, Rarity aspired to become a professional designer not just for her own gain, but to help as many people as she could shine. Some say its too much of a fantasy, but Rarity - the generous spirit she was - had to politely decline that criticism. Every smile that filled her field of vision gave her the strength to continue day in and day out.
Of course, the smile that was quickly clouding her vision was of a different variety.
"Rarity, there you are! Quick! Sea! Pink! Endless Supply of Cupcakes! Go!"
And with that, the pink blur quickly took to the racks, frantically searching for a certain hue in the swarm of outfits and displays. Thankfully the boutique was rather quiet at the moment, otherwise Rarity would've been embarrassed beyond belief.
"Pinkie Pie! Whatever is the meaning of this?!" she grew mortified, seeing her friend scour through shelves and hangers with overwhelming speed, threatening to destroy the foundation of her shop if she slipped up.
The pink menace didn't cease her reign whatsoever. "I have to find the treasure!"
Rarity stood there stumped, feeling more questions had been raised than answered. She was going to receive very little helpful explanation if Pinkie was distracted with a purpose. When determined, she was an unstoppable force that was constantly in motion and halted for no mass. Perhaps physics wasn't her best subject, but she knew a complex formula when she saw one. She needed to stop Pinkie and she needed to do it now!
"Pinkie, darling! Stop this frantic searching at once!" she instantly yelled, succeeding in grabbing the attention of the energetic teenager who now looked back at her with a look of surprise.
She didn't intend to be that harsh, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Again, she was appreciative of the fact the boutique wasn't really occupied at the current moment.
The purple-haired girl cleared her throat before adorning a stern position. "That's better. Now please, calmly explain to me just what exactly is going on here."
Pinkie placed the clothes back in their proper belongings before she calmly waltzed her way over to her friend, glumly looking down at her feet as she began explaining.
"Well, I found this riddle that is supposed to lead to a treasure, and I thought the answer lied here in the boutique, but I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry, I guess I got carried away. I didn't mean to cause such a ruckus."
Rarity's face softened as she noticed the regretful look on her friend's face. How could anyone remain annoyed at such a face? Perhaps Rarity would meet the person who could one day, but here and now was a different story.
"Pinkie, it's okay. I just didn't want you to make a mess, that's all. I didn't mean to get so flustered. Now, what's this about a treasure?"
Pinkie's head perked up while regaining her joyful expression, digging the scroll out of her skirt pocket as she carefully unfolded it, revealing the riddle within.
"A Treasure More Valuable than Gold, Surrounded in a Sea of Pink."
Both girls looked at the riddle for a moment, before Rarity's eyebrows arched in confusion.
"Ummm... Pinkie... are you certain there's not more to this clue?"
Pinkie's head tilted, before looking down and realizing her thumb was blocking what looked to be another line.
Sheepishly removing her appendage from the paper, she was amazed to find there was more to this mystery than meets the eye.
"A Warm Shiny Yellow, Sometimes Can be Quite Blue."
Rarity regarded the new piece of the puzzle curiously. "Yellow and Blue... quite the conflict."
Pinkie was about to nod in agreement before a string of words replayed in her mind. "Yellow. Blue. Conflict."
Pinkie suddenly beamed as she affectionately embraced her friend.
"Rarity, you've just given me the hint I need! Thank you so much!" she happily chirped before enthusiastically skipping to the exit and back out into the outdoor realms.
Rarity was about to question her motives, but saw how happy she supposedly made her friend; almost like she was a client being given a custom-made dress. That same sort of smile that encouraged Rarity to continue every single day no matter what obstacles came her way.
To say that that smile hadn't touched the designer's heart would be a crude understatement.
A delicate white hand over her chest, Rarity stared longingly at the exit that her friend had long since walked through.
"Happy to help."
On top of a nice meadow just outside of Canterlot laid a rivalry that was about to unfold, the ultimate victor between them to be revealed once and for all.
Rainbow and Applejack. Two opposing forces with equal power. A clash between two equal sides of a coin.
"You think you're better than me?" Rainbow snorted, albeit good naturedly at her rival, giving her a wicked grin a few feet in front of her.
"Correction. Ah know ah'm better than you." Applejack retorted, both girls giving themselves playful daggers as the tension of the current situation skyrocketed in their minds.
Both girls glared silently at the other, waiting to pounce on their prey the moment a weakness was revealed. There would be a winner once and for all.
"It's on!" they both declared, rushing for each other...
...before sitting back down on their picnic blanket and re-focusing on the pile of cards in front of each of them.
"Got any 3's?" Rainbow asked.
"Go fish!" Applejack smirked.
"Dang it!"
Meanwhile, in between the pair sat a rather annoyed Twilight Sparkle, groaning at being forced to referee their latest "scuffle".
"Must you turn everything into a competition?" she muttered, slapping a hand to her head as she watched the pair go back and forth in front of her.
"Yes." Rainbow nonchalantly explained, "I won Yahtzee, Applejack won Monopoly, this is the tie-breaker."
Twilight felt her eyes roll dramatically. "I know. I was there for both of them. I've had to watch you two all day." she sighed, looking at her watch and realizing it was now mid-afternoon. So much for her chemistry research, the only observing she was currently doing involved a different chemistry... whether involving a positive or negative reaction she couldn't tell sometimes.
Applejack looked up from her cards, tilting her head at Twilight. "Sorry, sugarcube. Ya'll know we need a referee to make sure someone doesn't cheat."
"Hey! I don't cheat!" Rainbow exclaimed, apparently taking offense to the previous claim.
"Not with a referee, ya don't!" Applejack retaliated.
Twilight wanted nothing more than for the madness to end. When she promised to help her friends, she didn't realize being a peacemaker and glorified babysitter was in the job description.
"I repeat, must you turn everything into a competition?"
Thankfully, to her immediate relief, the arguing ceased once Pinkie Pie had sprinted towards them in a frenzy. Twilight was hoping her savior was a bottle of Aspirin or perhaps a meteor crashing into orbit, but beggars can't be choosers.
Of course, where one problem halted, a more confusing one took its place.
Pinkie quickly grabbed one of each opposing side's hands as she gazed at them like they were a scientific breakthrough.
"Yellow!" she squealed, glancing at a speechless Applejack. "And Blue!" she then turned to a now worried Rainbow.
"Uh... and you're pink. So... what are we doing here?" Rainbow questioned, turning to look at her two companions, each giving puzzled shrugs.
Pinkie however dropped their hands as she froze in shock for a split second, adopting a look like she had just discovered the meaning of life in all of its glory.
"Wait... I am pink!" she jumped in joy at the revelation, before cold reality slapped her across the face.
"But wait... I can't be the clue. That doesn't make any sense."
Twilight now found her opportunity to speak, regarding Pinkie with hesitation.
"A... a clue? Pinkie, what exactly is going on?"
Pinkie noticed the trio's inquisitive looks, realizing good ol' exposition was needed to get them up to speed.
"I have a riddle here that leads to a treasure, but I need help figuring out what the riddles mean. Look." she rolled out the parchment and unveiled it in front of them as they all glanced at the written scripture in front of them.
"A Treasure More Valuable than Gold, Surrounded in a Sea of Pink."
"A Warm Shiny Yellow, Sometimes Can be Quite Blue."
Each of the girls pondered over the hidden meanings associated with the wordings (even the brainiac that was Twilight
was having difficulty deciphering its context) until a voice snapped them out of their musings.
"Umm... Pinkie. Why is yer thumb covering up the rest of the paper?" asked Applejack.
Pinkie however wasn't falling for it, rolling her eyes in an attempt to play confident.
"Hah! Nice try, but Rarity already made me realize my thumb was in the way!" she boldly declared.
Applejack wasn't deterred in her objection however.
"Yer other thumb sugarcube."
Pinkie's eyes widened, frigidly glancing back down to her hands to see that her other thumb had been hiding the last piece to the puzzle, much like her other thumb did earlier. All day long of going around, exploring, and searching for clues (Ok, so maybe there was a two hour lunch break included but that was just between her, the Cakes, and the seven layer ice cream sundae she consumed), and her digits betrayed her twice!
"SON OF A..." she exclaimed, before Twilight (thankfully) took the opportunity to read the last clue.
"The Answer Lies Within the Caretaker, Her Kindness Makes You Think."
"Not Often Appreciated, She Needs a Friend Like You."
The gang of four sat there in contemplation for a moment, before a thought occurred to Rainbow.
"Caretaker? Like how Fluttershy takes care of animals?"
Pinkie gasped. Of course! If anyone can help her find the treasure, it was Fluttershy! Maybe an animal was hiding her confectionary euphoria, if that was indeed the case, she could help her unveil the secret.
"You girls are the best! Endless supply of cupcakes, here I come!" she announced, before sprinting off once again, leaving the three gasping behind as she took off faster than a powered-up Rainbow on a good day.
Even more to Twilight's surprise however was the fact that Rainbow and Applejack had apparently formed a truce.
"You know... we are the best." Rainbow smiled, reaching out a hand to her companion.
"Ah agree. We do work well together." Applejack chuckled, accepting Rainbow's offer of friendship and shaking it with her own, the two having come to a mutual understanding to end the friendly competition.
Twilight couldn't help but shine a radiant smile at the sight. "Well at least that stopped their fighting. Thank you Pinkie Pie. I guess you really are my savior today."
However, good things didn't last forever.
"But I'm still beating you at 'Go Fish'."
"Ah'd like to see you try."
And so it seemed like perhaps not everything had changed, the status quo returning to torment the lavender girl once again.
"Celestia help me." Twilight brought a palm to her forehead in exasperation.
It was just after 5 PM and it was the saddest time of the day, for Fluttershy's shift at the animal shelter had come to an end. It pained her heart every time the animal lover was forced to say goodbye to all her furry friends, their distraught looks as they saw her retreating form from behind the steel cages. Despite the promises that she'd return as soon as she could, it always pained her to leave these sweet creatures behind; she loved them dearly with all her heart and if she had the space and money to adopt them all, she'd do so in a heartbeat. Alas, the shallow reassurances that they'd find a loving family was all that she could provide for now.
Of course, while Fluttershy was often slightly dejected after work, she was very much emotional today for an entirely different reason.
Quickly running away from the shelter as fast as she could, she found a vacant bench in the nearby park (which was fortunately empty) before ultimately plopping herself down and collapsing in a fit of tears. Today had been just horrible at the shelter and that was for one reason alone.
Her boss.
There was only one thing Fluttershy disliked when it came to working at the shelter and that was this middle-aged man who seemed to take delight in scolding and harassing his employee into near emotional breakdowns. Not to sound like she was bragging or anything of the sort, but she prided herself in giving her all, going above and beyond what any volunteer or even any paid employee accomplished. She would do any task without complaint, she would provide extensive knowledge to any potential adopted families, she would clean and care for the animals like they were her own flesh and blood.
Of course, that wasn't good enough for him. It would never be good enough for him.
No matter what she did, he always found fault. Whether to clean the cages faster, wash the animals better, or just him loathing her positive demeanor, he would yell and scold her without fail. Fluttershy tried to appease him in any way possible, but it was never good enough.
She was never good enough.
It didn't matter how many shifts she covered, how much the customers and animals loved her, or the fact that she could literally communicate with the animals (seriously, how many employees could understand 50 different animal languages), she was a failure in his eyes.
Of course, the fellow animals didn't hide their distaste for the grouchy manager. The dogs would tell her to bite his leg, the cats to claw his face off, and the rabbits to... well she didn't want to even repeat what they said..., but the fact that she was an introverted being who hated confrontations put her at a disadvantage.
Today had been the breaking point though. It wasn't that he had said anything particularly awful (in fact he was his typical miserable self), but it was all Fluttershy could take. Months upon months of verbal abuse had culminated into the sobbing mess of anxiety that she currently was. All the hate, all the rage, all the taunting he had given her. It made her sad, furious, heartbroken, it made her a lot of different emotions.
As she sat there with her face crouched in her fetal position, she just wished she could feel appreciated for all that she did. She just wanted to know someone cared for her at this very moment.
"Cupcakes here I come
We're going to have lots of fun
Eat you, put you in my belly
Make my insides feel like jelly."
As Pinkie sang her happy little melody on her quest to find her supposed helper, she stopped when she noticed the friend she had been searching for - turquoise skirt and all - huddled on an amber bench. At long last, the anticipation would soon be over. She would uncover her treasure once and for all.
With a gasp of joy, Pinkie raced over to her friend, not paying attention to the heartbreaking cries she was pouring out.
"Fluttershy, there you are! I really really need your help with this treasure hunt!"
The yellow-skinned girl looked tearfully up at her friend before she retreated back into her huddled state.
"I'm sorry Pinkie, but I'm not in the mood for any games right now. Please just leave me alone."
As if she was suddenly snapped out of a trance, Pinkie finally recognized the devastated appearance of the sweet and kind girl, her own heart threatening to break at the sight.
All too quickly, the treasure became a thing in the past.
"Fluttershy... what's wrong?" Pinkie's eyes began watering, slowly seating herself next to the muffled sobs of her peer.
Only making matters worse, Fluttershy dismissed Pinkie's growing concern.
"Don't worry about me, Pinkie. Please go do what you were off to do, I'm sure it's important."
Pinkie couldn't take just sitting by and doing nothing any longer, especially after that last comment. With a sudden burning desire, Pinkie used her hands to guide the tear-stained girl's face to her own, Pinkie's eyes threatening to burst at any moment.
"You're what's important to me. I can't stand to see you upset like this, so please tell me what's going on."
Fluttershy sniffled as she gazed curiously into the big blue eyes that held nothing but sincerity in them. She could've just shoved her away again, but something in her friend's appearance told her to confide in her. Perhaps this is what she needed after all.
"It-it's my boss at the shelter." she choked, before taking a moment to steady her breathing. "No matter what I do, he always berates me and finds faults in everything I do. I put my heart and passion into my job and he makes me feel like I'm the worst employee ever!"
"I-if I'm not good enough, what am I supposed to do?" she sobbed, clenching her eyes shut to absorb the tears.
To her astonishment though, a delicate pink hand wiped away the tears in her eyes before she used her hands to clasp onto her friend's shoulders, scooting herself closer so they were mere inches apart.
"Flutters, don't say that about yourself! You're amazing at what you do! Those animals love you, they wouldn't want anyone else to take care of them. You're passionate about what you do and you always consider the needs and wants of them first. You're the kindest, sweetest, gentlest being I know and I'm positive you're doing and will continue to do great things."
Fluttershy felt herself growing speechless at her bubbly friend's speech, very much touched by the sweet sentiments being offered.
"Pinkie..." Fluttershy stated with a small, shaky smile, but was quickly interrupted.
"Flutters, I appreciate you everyday! I love you." Pinkie stated, staring at the sea of pink hair and the warm radiance of her yellow skin.
"Wait a minute." her thoughts suddenly paused. "Something's happening."
Like a hamster wheel spinning rapidly, Pinkie's brain went into overdrive.
"Pink hair. Yellow skin. She's sad and feeling blue. She's kind and cares for animals. She doesn't feel appreciated..."
Then, as a heavenly choir imploded in her mind, Pinkie's suddenly found herself staring at her friend with newfound revelation. A smile gradually crept at the corners of her lips before it stretched from ear to ear in an amazed display.
"Fluttershy! That's it! You're the treasure I've been looking for!"
Her tears finally ending, Fluttershy stared her puffy eyes at the now ecstatic friend with curiosity.
"W-what? Treasure?"
Pinkie excitedly nodded, revealing the parchment from her pocket, showing her the riddle.
"A Treasure More Valuable than Gold, Surrounded in a Sea of Pink."
"Because your hair is pink."
"A Warm Shiny Yellow, Sometimes Can be Quite Blue."
"You're yellow and you feel blue when you're sad."
"The Answer Lies Within the Caretaker, Her Kindness Makes You Think."
"You care for your animals and I always envy your kindness."
Fluttershy gave an appreciative blush at that.
"Not Often Appreciated, She Needs a Friend Like You."
"And you feel like you're not appreciated, but I always will. It's true, you are my treasure!"
Pinkie quickly hugged the girl, catching her by surprise as she felt wafts of pink poofy hair nuzzling her neck.
"When the riddle said the treasure was more valuable than gold, I was thinking like an endless supply of cupcakes, but you're even better than that!"
Fluttershy's eyes practically burst out of their sockets upon that statement. Did Pinkie Pie - the girl who practically lived off of confectionary goodies and desserts - just claim that she was better than unlimited servings of her favorite treat? A treat that she could very well see her swimming across an ocean for?
"B-b-better than c-cupcakes?!" Fluttershy choked out, even finding her question ridiculous.
"Absolutely!" Pinkie assured without a hint of hesitation. "You're my best friend and I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world. I appreciate everything you do for your friends, animals, and anyone who needs kindness. You're the most amazing friend anyone could ever ask for. How could I receive a greater treasure than you?"
Fluttershy felt her mind pause at the confession of the being currently hugging her before the last bit of dam had burst from her eyes, letting out a roar of tears as she embraced her friend back with all of her strength.
As Pinkie heard the return of crying however, she assumed the worst, letting herself out of the hug as soon as she felt a slither of freedom from the other's clutches.
"Flutters?! Did I say something wrong?! I'm so sorry!" Pinkie felt her hair droop ever so slightly.
Thankfully, Fluttershy lifted her own head up, revealing a warm smile on her face as she continued crying. After a minute more or so, the tears ceased as she wiped her eyes before finding her voice.
"Pinkie, don't you dare apologize! You said nothing wrong; in fact, that was one of the sweetest things I think I've ever heard!"
Fluttershy tackled Pinkie into a hug, catching the normally affectionate one off guard as the timid being nuzzled her head into the other's shoulder.
"You'll never know how much that meant to me! Thank you, Pinkie. I love you so much."
Pinkie felt her heartbeat in her chest, hugging the girl in return as a single tear shed down her cheek.
"Best friends?" she uttered out in a soft tone, relieved she hadn't scared said person away.
Fluttershy chuckled in return.
"Forever and ever." she replied with such genuine conviction, Pinkie swore she was hugging a different, more confident being.
As the two girls exited the warm hug, Pinkie jumped off the bench before extending a hand to her friend.
"Mind if I take you out to that pizza place I know you like? Treasure hunts make me hungry."
Fluttershy gave a tender smile as she accepted the hand, finding herself standing as well.
"That sounds nice, but I'm paying."
Pinkie however wouldn't have any of it.
"No you don't. You're my guest and I insist."
"Pinkie, I insist. You've done more than enough for me."
Pinkie tapped a hand to her chin in serious thought.
"I'll let you pay if you let me help you stand up for yourself against Mr. Jerkface."
Fluttershy couldn't help but burst out laughing upon hearing Pinkie's surprisingly appropriate nickname for her boss. With a great friend by her side, maybe it was finally time to assert herself against his reign of terror once and for all.
"Alright, you have a deal." she said a moment later, the two walking side by side, hand in hand, ready to take on their latest adventure - the quest to quell their appetites.
Meanwhile off into the distance, unbeknownst to the two girls, the remaining five teenagers had observed the scene played out in front of them with knowing smiles.
"I guess everything worked out after all." mentioned Rainbow.
"Heh. That Pinkie. Always cheerin' up folks wherever she goes." Applejack chuckled.
Twilight smiled before a sudden thought occurred to her.
"Wait a minute... if Pinkie created the riddle, how did she know Fluttershy would need consoling?"
"It's Pinkie." the others replied in deadpan voices, much to the nerdy girl's chagrin.
"Fair enough."
"Still though, Pinkie's a really great friend." Sunset commented.
"Indeed, when it comes to friendship, I guess the greatest treasure of all is showing how much you care to those who really need it." Rarity added, watching the sun lower on what was overall a spectacular Saturday.
Author's Note
I'm now imagining this was the aftermath after pizza:
Hope you enjoyed this one! Friendship away!
Sincerely,
-frenettek314
