Misty opened the door to the Brighthouse with her hooves. She quickly sighed as she shut the door behind her. The mare patters with a wobbly step towards one of the couches and collapses on it with a Fwoomp! She hugs one of the pillows, nuzzling into its soft surface with her hooves wrapped around the other end. The party the town threw was very fun, but it was very, very exhausting! Misty had never been to anything like that… well ever!
There were balloons, drinks, games, ponycorn~ She grinned as she remembered how much she ate, only now realizing she definitely has a bit of a tummy ache. Misty groaned and tried to calm down. Her mind was frazzled as the party itself was too much. A game here, a few fruit drinks from Sunny there, then yet another game! So many ponies wanted to talk to her or just say hi! She couldn’t keep up, yet her mind was spinning the whole time. Just being around everypony was nice, but she felt so tired after talking and being around just a few ponies.
“I mean… it makes sense, I’ve never been around more than one pony before. The others seem to be able to go on forever.” Misty sighed.
Still seeing the multi-colored lights from the town reaching the windows of the Brighthouse, she peered down at the medallion on her neck. The gold shininess was always something ponies complimented her on, but she wasn’t sure how to feel about ‘complements’ yet. Misty’s lips curled a bit as she took it off and placed it on the table. She didn’t want to disappoint Opaline by not calling in, but she didn’t have anything to report other than Izzy being able to chug a gallon of juice without needing to take a single breath. That mare scared her a bit.
Misty was glad Opaline eased off of the ‘get that dragon’ plans and such, but now she was meant to be scouting out an opportune time to take the dragon rather than being on a wild goose chase like before. Opaline said something about studying the ‘friendship ponies’ schedules for the perfect time to take the dragon,’ which Misty was glad she didn’t have to improvise as she did for the sleepover. Peering around and trying to study their schedules has kept her close to the ponies she was trying to fool, and it led to her kinda being in the Brighthouse a lot due to Izzy really liking to hang out with her. At least she hadn't had to come up with any new last names on the spot. ‘Brightdawn is a nice last name! Although, I doubt Opaline would approve of me having something related to the ponies. At least she can’t see into my mind… hopefully.’
The ponies were nice no doubt, which is something Opaline seemed to take offense to. At least in her mind, Misty could admit that she liked them, even if at the end of the day, was trying to dupe the ponies for Opaline's goal. ‘At least I’ll get my mark once Opaline's plan is completed! And from what Opaline says, maybe everything will be better then…’ Misty sighed, feeling kind of unsure.
Misty looked around the Brighthouse, she had gotten used to it as a kind of second home. It was very nice of Izzy to invite her to stay over anytime! She nodded a bit, realizing that all of them were nice to be around. ‘What about them makes me feel nice around them?’
‘Let’s see… Sunny is kinda like her name! Always bright and cheery, she always makes my smoothies perfectly, especially after I found my favorite flavor!’
‘Hitch is nice, but he tends to not always be at the Brighthouse like the others, taking care of his dragon and other animals, but he’s definitely one of the kinder ponies she’s seen.’
Misty flipped her body on the couch to face upwards to the ceiling. Staring at something blank always helped her think.
‘Zipp was kinda scary at first! There were so many times I thought she saw right through me, but I suppose she is nicer now after the accusation at the salon. She raises her eyebrows every time I do something weird to them, but at least she doesn’t accuse me anymore!’
‘Izzy… is a lot. She is certainly my opposite! I didn’t know unicorns could pick up others with their hooves instead of their magic, yet she picked me up like I was a foal. Magic… ugh never mind! So silly of me! I’m talking to myself like always! Yet I don't have to! There are ponies outside in the town, you can just walk to them and say hi! You don't have to be alone anymore!’
“Then why do I feel so exhausted when I’m with them?”
Misty mumbled to herself, tapping her horn with her hooves. ‘Stupid, stupid horn, stupid job, stupid friends! Stupid… me.’ Her lips quivered as she lightly sobbed into her pillow. ‘Everypony else has got it down! Why can’t I? Why does just imagining talking to somepony make me feel like I have a stomachache? Why do my knees get shaky anytime I’m looked at?’
Everypony else had their marks, everypony else smiled, and was happy and talked to others like how a pony is supposed to. She grimaced as she bit her tongue accidentally.
“Owie!” She yipped.
‘Yet another stupid mistake by Misty Brightdawn! So unimportant that you didn't even have a last name before a few weeks ago! Stupid stupid stupid…’ She put her hooves on her cheeks, trying to rub out the pain.
At least Opaline sees something in me… no matter how mean, she is trying to make me better! Opaline saved me after all! She knows so much! At the very least I have value with her.’
Misty groans with a rare case of anger as she hits herself in the head with her hoof. She nibbles on her fetlocks as she thinks some more.
‘I guess Pipp is left. She’s nice, very confident and outgoing! Not an energy ball like Izzy though which I’m glad about. Pipp’s also very pretty, which she says is her “Brand.” I’m still not sure what that is, but she seems to take great pride in it. Also, her wings look so fluffy, like a soft blanket!~’
Misty thought back to when the ponies showed her around town at some of the shops so they could pick out some soft stuff for Misty to sleep in for their recent sleepovers. There was this one giant fluffy blanket that was heavy and soft, like a warm hug that made sure you were always ok. Like somepony was holding you tight. Like somepony truly cared for you.
Sunny caught Misty nuzzling under the blanket and after an embarrassed tirade by Misty, they agreed to keep it secret from the others. She wishes she could have that blanket, but it wasn’t in the section they were shopping for and she didn’t want to beg for it, that’d only lead to them all yelling at her.
The unicorn sat up a bit as the bright lights of the town stopped shining on her face, she tilted her head up a bit and noticed a silhouette approaching the Brighthouses doors. It looked like… Pipp’s! ‘Speak of the chaos! Or at least I think that’s how the saying goes. Pony society is so unfamiliar.’
Misty jumped a bit at the door opening, being caught in her own mind.
“H-hey Pipp!” She stuttered as she sat up quickly. “What are you doing back here so soon?”
Pipp grinned and waved a hoof as she trotted in and approached Misty.
“Oh! I was just looking for you Misty.”
“W-what! Me? I’m not doing anything!” Misty stuttered, sitting up straight with a nervous look on her face.
“Not like that silly!” Pipp chuckled as she took out her phone, snapping a picture of herself with the colorful lighting bleeding in from the window behind her before tucking it behind her wing. “You disappeared from the party! It’s no fun without the birthday mare!”
Misty's heart stung a bit, she did tell them it was her birthday. Honestly, she didn’t know when it was, but when they asked her casually about a week ago she couldn’t stop from coming up with something dumb. What type of pony didn’t know their own birthday? An alone one apparently. She wasn’t alone, right? Misty had Opaline, Opaline raised her, she saved her, and she’s trying to make her all she can be! Opaline can give her a cutie mark. Worth.
“Hello? Equestria to Misty? You ok?” Pipp waved her hoof in front of Misty’s face.
“Oh! Y-yeah I’m just… tired. Being around so many ponies is so new and tiring!” Misty’s face contorted as she admitted that. “Err! I did it all the time back at Bridlewood of course! It’s just. I mean…” She trailed off, not being able to come up with a good excuse.
Pipp smiled with a cute smirk as Misty tapped her hooves nervously.
“It’s fine Misty! I get it! Let me guess, around others it's very fun, but you feel like your energy is getting sapped from interacting with so many ponies, even if you aren’t running around? And you need to be away from others to ‘recharge’ like a phone does?”
Misty’s face went flat, Pipp can read minds? Or no, it’s emotions? She has to tell Opaline!
“How can you do that? You’re not a unicorn!” Misty blurted out, before putting her hooves on her snout.
“Wh- I’m not sure what you mean Misty! You’re very sweet but you can be quite confusing at times! Like oh my glitter!” She chuckles, almost tearing up.
Misty’s face goes into a sad drawl as she gets berated again before realizing one of the words.
“S-sweet? You’ve tasted my fur!?” Misty exclaims.
Pipp’s face goes into an unrecognizable look before she bursts out laughing.
“Oh. My. Glitter. You are the funniest! Also if you were serious, no I haven’t tasted you, although you definitely would be sweet just like on the inside~”
Misty didn’t know what sweet meant when applied to a pony and she wasn’t comfortable enough to ask. She will just assume it means ‘good’ and move on.
“Oh don’t give me that look, Misty! It’s a compliment! I just mean you’re one of the nicest and cutest mares I’ve met here! Like, you are too adorable!”
Misty’s cheeks flushed, she knew what those words meant. Why was Pipp saying nice things to her, Misty hasn’t done anything for Pipp to earn them! Opaline warned her about ponies like this. They would say nice things to you and then ask you to do stuff for them forever. Surely Pipp wasn't? She patted her cheeks and tried to get the blush to go away. Why did her cheeks feel hot? Misty’s never felt this way before.
“W-what do you want from me?” She avoided eye contact as Pipp went from a chuckle mess to a bit more somber, looking confused and concerned.
“Nothing? I just want to know what’s wrong. Other than your reason for leaving the party, I got that. Have you been… ok, Misty? You always are jumpy and stuff but sometimes you look so stressed, like-”
Misty puts her hooves over her ears, a pained expression on her face. Pipp was taken aback, Misty has acted out before but she always thought of it as a personality quirk, like how Izzy mentioned she used to have no friends all the time. Although now, Pipp was sure it was something more. ‘Oh my, I don’t think glitter is the solution to this one.’ Pipp hops onto the couch next to her. Misty naturally tilts away but Pipp opens her wing and puts it around Misty. Her eyes open with some light tears as she looks back. This. These fluffy wings, it was just like that blanket.
“It’s ok Misty, I’m here if you want to talk.”
Misty was bewildered! She leaned into the soft wing as Pipp lightly brushed her mane. By all means, Pipp should be asking stuff of her, was what Opaline said wrong about these ponies? She didn’t like to doubt Opaline no matter how extreme she got, she was her world to Misty. But a pony being selfless? This was new, Pipp didn’t gain anything from this. Her eyes teared up as she nuzzled into Pipp’s soft fur.
“Y-yeah. What about?” Misty asked, wiping away her tears.
“Well, it seems that you have a lot to talk about. And ask? You seem confused a lot, and I’ve got time! The party can wait for us, Misty.”
Misty shuffled her hooves a bit, not sure where to start or how to start. She rolled her neck, tapping her hooves as she was feeling nervous.
“Hmm, I can explain about the energy thing I mentioned, introversion!” She smiled brightly.
Misty nodded, just trying to cool down.
“Ok then, essentially introversion is where you get energy from being alone and stuff. Extroversion is where you get energy from being around other ponies if that makes sense? I have the latter and I think you have the former.”
Misty nibbled her fetlock again. She was different from the other ponies. Of course she was.
“Of course I am…” She mumbled accidentally before biting her lip. “I mean! Uh.”
“Misty! It’s not something bad! We all have our own little ways of how we process things. Yeah, it can be a bit of a downer sometimes but I totally understand! Zipp is also a bit of an introvert! Not as much as you of course but that is ok. I’m proud of how you handled it, it must be hard for you.”
Misty’s heart was shocked a bit at what Pipp said. ‘P-proud.’
“W-why? What did I do to make you proud, you’ve never asked anything of m-” Pipp put her golden goof to Misty’s snout.
“Because. You always try your best no matter how much you fail or stutter, you always pick yourself up and I’m proud because you simply exist, you’re you. Does there need to be more of a reason?
Misty didn’t know what to say, or even how to react. Her face was a wet mess, blush spread across her cheeks as she nuzzled Pipp’s chest.
“T-thank you, Pipp. I don’t know what to say! or h-how I can repay you.”
“Nothing about it Misty. I’m just glad I can help.”
Misty was nuzzled on Pipp as the pegasus brushed her wings over Misty. Pipp thought hard about all she saw these past weeks. She recognized some of the signs from times when her Pippsqueaks had no one else to go to and messaged her for help with their trouble. Pipp also thought back to when she was in school, one of her classmates… Of course, Pipp was by no means the expert on this, so she wanted to ask carefully.
“Misty if it’s ok to ask, is there somepony… causing you grief? Like, making you scared?”
Misty’s relaxed nuzzling of Pipp changed in an instant as her fur went on ends and her whole body stiffened, with Misty no longer nuzzling her.
“N-nope! Nopony! Why do you ask?” Misty was anything but subtle.
She eyed the medallion she left at the table, wishing she could hide it out of sight. ‘Opaline is scary but she is supposed to be! She says that alicorn rulers are meant to be feared and loved! This isn’t whatever Pipp is asking about surely!’
Pipp’s face grimaced as her eyes saddened a bit.
“Look, if you don’t want to talk about it right now I won’t judge you, but for your sanity, I would like to talk soon. We don’t have to tell the others if you don’t want to.”
“N-no talking about it please.” Misty avoided eye contact as she edged away.
Pipp sighs, bringing her wing around Misty to pull her closer, putting her hooves around her in a hug. A hug, Misty had no idea why contact like this felt so good or always made her cry. Misty melted into it, starting to tear up as she hugged her back tightly.
“Misty, I just want you to know that you are an amazing mare and all of us enjoy having you around. You are much, much stronger than you know.”
This overwhelmed Misty’s heart, these… words. They meant so much, they weren’t two-faced, they were genuine from somepony who didn’t gain anything from saying it. Misty sobbed with a mix of happy and pained tears.
“We can uh, we can stay here for the night if you need Misty. I can text the others.”
Misty nodded. Their hug loosened as she lay down on Pipp’s lap. Pipp pulled out her phone to text the group chat that she was with Misty in the Brighthouse and to continue without them. She sent the message and then placed her phone on the table next to Misty’s medallion. Pipp gave a small genuine smile as she started to lightly groom Misty’s mane as the unicorn relaxed on Pipp’s lap. Both the day and the talk must have exhausted Misty as she was already half asleep on her! Oh glitter, she was so cute! If Misty was up to it maybe she should ask her if she wanted to be her cute picture partner. There were only so many poses one glitterific pony like herself could do, mixing it up would be nice, especially since it might help Misty be more confident. ‘Sunny and Hitch are too busy being pillars of the community, I’ve been trying to ask Zipp for literally our whole life so she’s an obvious no, Izzy is darling but she can’t sit still or pose for the life of her!’ Pipp chuckled as she felt a warm feeling in her chest as she looked down at Misty’s cute, sleepy face. She was starting to snore lightly as her body was sprawled around Pipp, her hooves, in particular, snuggling up to the pegasi’s wings. ‘Of course, it would be up to her. I hope that I can be somepony she trusts soon enough.’
“Good night Misty. You are so, so much braver than you could ever know.”
And with that Pipp brushed Misty’s freckled cheek softly as she grabbed Misty’s pillow with her un-cuddled wing, pulling it close as she lay against it. The two ponies cuddled softly in each other's presence as they drifted to a warm, peaceful sleep.
