It was an average day in Ponyville and the Mane 6 had decided to gather at Sugarcube Corner for lunch, it was Pinkie's treat today because she gets a discount. Pinkie carried the tray of cakes and whatnot over to her friends. Rainbow Dash was talking loudly about the new Daring Do novel that Twilight had let her borrow, Pinkie sat down as Dash kept talking
"Daring Do and The Race Against Time, I swear it's like this book had been written just for me. Thanks for letting me borrow it Twilight." Rainbow Dash said as she handed the book over to Twilight
"Oh, it's no problem Rainbow Dash, I know how much you love this series, so I let you borrow before I had even read it through myself." Twilight said as she placed the book down and the table and began reading
"...and there she goes." Said Applejack as she waved a hoof in front of Twilight's face
"She picks up a book she hasn't read yet and all of a sudden she's lost to the world. Wasn't this luncheon her idea?" Rarity said as she nibbled at a croissant that Pinkie had bought for her
"Well she is a super duper fast reader, she'll probably have that book finished cover to cover in about twenty seven minutes and thirty six seconds... At least that was how fast her reading was the last time she made me time her." Pinkie said starting a stopwatch that she had miraculously materialised out of nothingness, yet no one questioned it.
"I've actually been meaning to take a look at that series, it isn't scary is it?" Fluttershy asked taking a look over Twilight's shoulder
"Only if you think awesome adventures are scary." Dash said punching at the air for emphasis
"Oh, never mind then..." Said Fluttershy sheepishly turning back to eating her plain muffin
"Aww, come on Fluttershy, it's just a book it can't hurt you, unless you coun-" Applejack began but was suddenly cut off
"AAAAAAAAAGGGHH!" Twilight suddenly screamed causing Fluttershy to jump ten feet into the air and land on the other side of the table behind Rarity and Pinkie
"Ooh, oh! What part? What part? The shark tank right?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed and looked over too see which page Twilight was on
"Rainbow Dash?! What in Celestia's flowing mane is this?" Twilight said pointing to a dog eared corner of the page
"Umm, a book?" Rainbow Dash shrugged not understanding issue, 'Daring Do hadn't even jumped out of the plane yet, what was she shouting about?' Dash thought to herself as she finished off her cupcake
"I only have one rule when it comes to borrowing my books and that is never, ever dog ear the pages. I even give away free bookmarks, I offer you one every time I lend you a book and you just say 'no need Twilight, It's not like I'm going to be putting this book down until I'm finished.' For hoof's sake you practically produce bookmarks." Twilight said plucking one of Rainbow Dash's Colombian blue feathers "So what happened?" Twilight asked
"I dunno, I was getting kind of drowsy so I folded over a page so I wouldn't lose my place. And what do you mean you only have 'one rule when it comes to borrowing books' you wrote the guide to high maintenance book keeping. Literally!" Dash said pushing Twilight back out of her face
"Hey girls maybe we should all just calm down a little, huh? I'll go get us some more cake!" Pinkies said attempting to diffuse the situation
"I'm not high maintenance!" Twilight shouted which prompted a snicker from Rarity "What was that Rarity? Do you have something to say about me as well?" Twilight said leering over the table at ivory unicorn
"Well, you did have that nervous breakdown earlier this year over a single piece of late homework." Rarity said recalling the events of that day with a shudder "I guess my point is that you could stand to let little things go and mellow out a little."
"Maybe we should all try to act as mellow as you then. Oh I lost my measuring tape! The world as I know it is coming to a tragic and fiery- oh wait there it is!" Twilight said putting on her best Rarity impression
"Don't ya think yer bein' a bit of a hippopotamus Rarity? Yer hardly the pony to be preaching about being uptight." Applejack said hoping the fighting would be over soon
"I pray that the word you meant was 'hypocrite', Applejack. You know just because you cobble together whatever you can when it comes to your fashion sense doesn't mean you should do the same with words." Rarity said thinking that everyone at the table was now imagining her as a hippopotamus
"Ah may not be as fancy as you when it comes to talkin' Rarity but at least Ah can say that Ah know the meanin' of li'l hard work!" Applejack said beginning to get frustrated with Rarity's inflated sense of superiority
"HARD WORK!? Don't tell me I don't know the meaning of hard work, although my definition may differ slightly from yours, you see Applejack you consider hard work as walking around a farm in the sun all day kicking a few trees and getting sweaty. I view hard work as making dresses for FIVE UNGRATEFUL MORONS WHO WOULDN'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT FASHION IF IT BIT THEM ON THE FLANK!!" Rarity said exploding in anger and was about to storm out but Pinkie quickly grabbed her, meanwhile Twilight turned her attention back to Rainbow Dash
"It's not just books Rainbow Dash, you have so little care in everything you do, can you imagine how quickly the Wonderbolts might accept you if you actually gave a flying feather?" Twilight said
"Don't you realise that we need someone who actually does things in this demented little group, if it was up to you Twilight we'd all be so careful that we'd flinch at the sight of our own shadow." Rainbow Dash said coming to the conclusion that she'd never be borrowing a book from Twilight again
"You mean like me?" Fluttershy piped up, finally finding her voice in this argument
"That's not what I meant... But you have to admit your instinct to play it safe isn't really doing anypony any favours." Rainbow Dash said
"Well, I'm sorry if I don't want to go charging head first into a dragon's cave or fight with ancient chaos deities from a thousand years ago, if that what you girls want to do then that's fine but from now on leave me out of it." Fluttershy said smacking the table in lieu of punctuation
Meanwhile Pinkie was still trying to sooth Rarity who was still frothing mad and looked about ready to start shouting again
"Rarity, are you really still mad about that whole gala dress fiasco? It was a year and a half ago, why don't you turn off the caps lock and come sit down." Pinkie said as she tried to guide Rarity to the table but it was suddenly Twilight's turn to talk again
"You know what Pinkie, this time I'm not just going to let it slide, what the hay is 'caps lock'? On second thought don't tell me because you'll just tell me it's faith or randomness, well do you wanna know what I call it? IDIOCY!" Twilight asked flashing back to the "Pinkie sense" incident as it had come to be known
Pinkie bowed her head, sighed and looked back up Twilight, not even bearing the slightest smile
"I'm not an idiot Twilight, I'm just happy, I like to have fun and I like laughing. I've always been trying to help you to realise that just because you're intelligent doesn't mean your relationships have to suffer. I thought the whole reason Princess Celestia sent you here was because you lived all alone high up in your ivory tower, not even taking so much as five minutes to go to a friend's birthday party? You're just like that book, so afraid of being flexible. You're so careful to get any dog-ears but for what? So you'll stay in mint condition? I pity you Twilight." Pinkie said
Everybody just took a moment to be in awe of what Pinkie just said, but Pinkie just turned around headed towards her room at Sugarcube Corner
"And if this is the way that such close friends are going to act, getting so bent out of shape over such insignificant little conflicts... Then maybe I'd be better off just keeping my distance and remembering birthdays." Pinkie said looking back one last time and saying
"I'll see you guys around." As she shut the door
The five former friends all looked across the table at each other and in total silence, one by one they walked out the door and went their separate ways.
Chapter One
End
