My Little Pony: Friendship is Mythic

Pinkie Pie was trying her best not to cry.

After all, she had to look at the bright sides of things.

Right now, she was in the Cakes' kitchen. They were away on business, and she was doing her favorite thing: baking cupcakes.

She loved baking cupcakes. She loved getting the ingredients and mixing them and making the batter. She loved the bowls and spoons and sights. She loved the sound of the blender. The smell of the oven lighting. She loved the whole process.

She just loved baking. Cookies. Cakes. Any sugary baked good imaginable.

But it just didn't lift her spirits today.

Pinkie stood in the Cakes' kitchen, staring at a bowl full of batter that she was mixing. It looked like it was going to be a great batch, thick and creamy, but she couldn't think about that.

Rarity was in the kitchen, too. She was helping. One of her best friends was helping her make one of her favorite things, but she just couldn't be happy.

A tear welled up in her eye.

She could smell Rarity's cigar. The Cakes didn't allow smoking anywhere in Sugar Cube Corner, especially not the kitchen. Normally, Pinkie would gather up the courage and just tell her that she couldn't do that, but today she couldn't bring herself to care. It was hard to care about anything today.

Including baking cupcakes.

The tear fell into the batter.

And then another.

The smell of cigar smoke filled her nostrils.

The kitchen was deadly quiet, except for the sound of Rarity's spoon going around her bow, and then like a neglected baby, Pinkie Pie broke the silence.

She turned to face her friend, and she cried, "Why does she do this?"

Rarity stopped what she was doing and just looked at Pinkie Pie. She blinked.

She said, "Why does who do what, darling?"

Pinkie just stood there, looking at Rarity. Rarity always had the cleanest white coat and the most beautiful purple mane. Bright blue eyes. She was always the prettiest pony when they all went out, and Pinkie was jealous.

She closed her eyes and sniffled, saying, "Rainbow Dash."

Rarity simply said, nonchalantly, without emotion (without genuine care), "Oh. Her."

Pinkie Pie went back to staring at her bowl of batter. She wiped her nose and wondered if she should just throw out the batch.

Rarity shrugged and went back to stirring and said, "I simply do not know why she is such an, pardon my language, asshole."

Pinkie just look at her batter and let the spoon slide into it. She just didn't care about it. She said, "I...I wish she wouldn't..."

Rarity took a big puff and let the smoke flow out into the air. It drifted lazily through the air, settling into the ceiling as it slowly vanished. She said, "Then why don't you just ask her, sweetie?"

The pink pony squealed unhappily, and she screamed, "No! I can't do that!"

Rarity winced at the noise. Putting down her wooden spoon, she rubbed her ear. She said, "And why not?"

Pinkie spun around on her hoof and faced her friend, a look of absolute horror on her face. She squealed, "I don't want her to know that I know!"

Rarity winced again, her eyebrows crossing. She rubbed her ear again, and said firmly with all pretenses of politeness and regality dropped, "Stop doing that. Stop screaming."

Pinkie gulped and cowered, a little. The last thing she was wanted to do was piss off her friend. She couldn't handle it if Rarity left right now. She needed someone, anyone. Her ears drooped and her tail fell, and she said, quietly, "I'm sorry."

The white unicorn said, "It's okay, although I don't understand why you can't just confront Rainbow Dash. If what you're saying is true, she's...mistreating you."

Pinkie just stood there, looking at the ground.

Rarity rolled her eyes and walked toward her friend. She put an arm around her shoulders and said, "Look. I simply cannot fathom what it is that you want me to say, darling. Rainbow Dash is...well...a dick, and you don't want to do anything about it."

Pinkie sniffled and looked up at her. Her eyes were weak and watery, and she said, "I just...I don't want Rainbow Dash to leave me."

Suddenly grabbing Rarity by the shoulder and shaking her, Pinkie said, vigorously, "And she might leave me if I harass her and make her hate me! I'm not pretty like you!"

Rarity just frowned, trying to ignore the shaking. This was annoying.

She gingerly grabbed Pinkie's hooves and nudged them off of her. Then she took Pinkie by her cheeks and made her look into her eyes, and she said, "Listen. Pinkie. Rainbow Dash isn't going to leave you. If you think she's cheating, though, you need to say something, or leave her, or anythin-"

There was a loud scream, loud enough to make Rarity shut her eyes and flatten her ears and grimace. Her cigar nearly fell out of her mouth. The ash on the end of it fell to the ground. She reeled from the horrible noise.

Pinkie yelled, "No! I can't do that! I can't leave her! Then I won't have ANYPONY! Don't you understand?! I won't have ANYPONY AT ALL!"

She was huffing deeply when she was done, and her eyes were wide and wild in panic. Her heart was pumping, and she could feel it. Her hair was frazzled, and she could tell that she was about to break down.

Rarity was still cringing, and when Pinkie was done, she slowly opened one eye. Then the other, and her ears snapped back to attention. Then her pearly blues narrowed, and she frowned deeply. Very deeply. This was past the point of irritating, now. She had work to do, and she had generously taken time out of here day to come try and help this wreck, because this wreck had said that she needed help.

"Pinkie Pie," asked Rarity, gently and sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Yes, Rarity," responded Pinkie Pie, timidly and quietly. Part of her was afraid.

The scream that came afterward was unexpected and probably unwarranted, but the white unicorn didn't care. Rarity bellowed, like an angry masticore, "STOP SCREAMING! STOP! JUST STOP!"

The scream filled the entirety of Sugar Cube Corner. It filled all of the empty spaces and all of the rooms. It filled the kitchen and all the pots, pan, bowls, and ovens. It even filled some of the empty space outside.

Pinkie stumbled backward, throwing her arms up over her face, and tripped over herself, trying to get away. The playful pink pony fell unceremoniously to the ground, falling before her friend. When she hit the ground, the ground hit her head, and she cried and grabbed it.

Laying there, feeling like what little she had was being taken from her, with a knot forming on her head, and one of her only friends screaming at her, Pinkie Pie began to cry.

It started off as a sniffle and tear, and then the floodgates opened. The sniffle turned into a wail, and the trickle of tears turned into a river. She just laid there on the ground, bawling at the top of her lungs and trying to curl up into as small of a ball as she could manage.

Maybe if she curled up into a little enough of a ball, she would disappear entirely, and the whole world wouldn't abuse her anymore. She could just go away, and no one would miss her. She wouldn't bother anyone, anymore.

Amidst the hideous racket, Rarity just rolled her eyes and sighed. Turning away, she tried her best to ignore the noise and fished out a match. Striking it on the counter, it sparked. The smell of sulfur filled the air.

She loved that smell. It always made her happy. It reminded her of good places, of her calm center. It reminded her of what was really important in her life. Bringing the match to her cigar, it relit. She gave it a few good puffs and shook the match out, throwing it on the ground.

Rarity closed her eyes, trying to drown out Pinkie's wailing. She just took a few deep puffs, attempting to really taste and enjoy the tobacco. The nicotine washed over her, massaging her temples like an old friend, easing the stress out of her mind. She felt the muscles relax in her face. She felt it relax the muscles in her body. The smoke filled her mouth and permeated it. She could taste it, and it was delicious. It was the most wonderful taste in the world. It wafted in there, for a few moments, and then she exhaled it slowly and deliberately over a few seconds.

Opening her eyes, she could see the cloud drift lazily in the air, dispersing. It was calm and relaxed, and so she tried to be the same.

Rarity looked down at the crying Pinkie Pie, who was drowning in her own tears at this point. She simply started to say, "Pinkie. I-"

Pinkie let out a pitiful moan and crawled, latching onto Rarity's leg like a clam, bawling.

She looked up at Rarity. Her eyes looked to be made entirely of water, and her lip was akin to the teeth of a typewriter. She cried, piteously, "Rarity! I'm so sorry! Please don't hate me!"

Rarity rolled her eyes and said, calmly, "Pinkie, I don't-"

"I didn't mean to make you mad," screamed the pink pony, and she clung harder to her friend's leg. "Please don't leave me here. I didn't mean to make you mad! I promise! I'll never scream at you ever again! Neverneverneverneverneverneveragain! Ijustdon'twantyoutoleave! I'msoscaredtobealone!"

Rarity could only sigh in defeat and roll her head. She rubbed her hair with her hooves and said, "Pinkie. Let me talk. I don't hate you."

Pinkie looked up at her, still crying, and she said, "Are you sure? I didn't mean to yell-"

Rarity put a hoof on Pinkie's head and tussled her hair, saying, "Yeah. I'm sure. I didn't mean to yell, either. I just got irritated-"

And that broke the dam again. Pinkie spluttered out a response, speaking almost incoherently, "Ididn'tmeantoirritateyouRarity! I'llneverirritateyoueveragain! You'reoneofmyclosestfriendsandI-"

Rarity shushed her a few times, trying to calm the pink pony. She said, "No no no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I wasn't really irritated. I just didn't know how to handle-"

And Pinkie began crying again. Rarity huffed and put her head in a hoof, sighing heavily. Dear fucking Luna, what in the hell was she supposed to do here?

Pinkie lifted her head to talk again, and Rarity plunged a hoof into her mouth, plugging it up like a drain. She said, "Don't! Don't. Just don't. It's okay. I'm still your friend, Pinkie Pie." She checked to see if Pinkie was going to cry again, then said, "That won't change. I promise. I just don't know how to take care of you. I WANT to take care of you. I just don't know how."

Pinkie looked pitiful and tried to mumble something, but it couldn't be heard behind Rarity's hoof. Rarity just said, "Now, when I take my hoof out of your mouth, will you be calm?"

Pinkie nodded her head, vigorously.

Rarity asked, "You won't scream?"

Pinkie shook her head.

Rarity smiled as genuinely as she could manage and said, "Good. I want to take care of you. Just let me know how."

With that, she removed her hoof from Pinkie's mouth with a pop, wiping it off on her side.

To Pinkie's credit, she had stopped crying, and she was calm. She did not scream. A thought popped up into her head.

Was Rarity really wanting to take care of her?

She said, still sniffling a little, "Do you mean it, Rarity?"

Rarity just smiled and said, "Sure." Maybe she did mean it. Maybe this one time.

Pinkie still sat down on the ground, looking up at the white unicorn. She liked this; it made her feel small. Feeling small was all she wanted to feel, at times like this. Ponies like small things. They felt bad for them, and they tried to take care of them. Pinkie wanted ponies to take care of her.

All she managed to say, after a few moments of silence, was, "Why?"

Rarity looked at her quizzically. Why? What kind of question was that? Although, Rarity couldn't really think of a good reason. She didn't really give a shit about anypony besides herself. It had been that way for years. She didn't even really give a shit about her sister.

So, maybe it was a good question. Why Pinkie?

Rarity just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know. Why not? You're my friend, right?" Oh that, Rarity was certain. She didn't have many friends.

Pinkie nodded.

Rarity sat down on the floor next to her, trying not to blow smoke in her face. She looked Pinkie in the eye and said, "Listen, Pinkie, do friends not take care of friends?" Honestly, she was just blowing it out her ass, now. None of her friends had ever taken care of her.

Pinkie just nodded, again.

Rarity put a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder, saying, "You know, if you ever need anything or if you just want to talk, you can always call me. I'll try to help you." Except, of course, when she was busy...or it was late at night...or when she was cranky or smoking or at a bar or working or doing most anything. Rarity kept that to herself.

Pinkie sniffled again and smiled, very weakly.

Rarity stood up, smiling down at the pink pony. Maybe this would end well.

She rubbed her nose and said, "Thanks, Rarity."

The white unicorn just smiled and said, "Don't worry about it, Pinkie Pie. Now what do you want to do? I'm all yours."

Pinkie stood up, slowly, and she said, "Can we finish making cupcakes, then?"

Rarity just nodded and smiled fakely, saying, "All right."

Pinkie said nothing about the cigar being smoked. She just smiled widely and bounced happily over to Rarity's batch of batter, humming a song. Rarity followed behind.

The pink pony hummed a happy tune and began to vigorously stir the bowl. Her mind began to buzz, and she wondered.

Was somepony going to take care of me?

The thought made her ecstatic. Her head began to soar in the clouds! Dashie never said anything like that to her. All Dashie ever did was talk about sports and want to fool around when they were together.

Rarity watched her, feeling like she had finally done something good. The pink pony bounced and danced to her tune, happily stirring the bowl. Rarity just leaned against the counter and watched, smoking her cigar.

Then she realized something and looked over at Pinkie's bowl and said, "Hey. What about your batch? Why are you stirring mine?"

Pinkie stopped and looked at her, blushing. She said, "Oh. No reason. It's just not a good batch, anymore. I'm sorry."

Rarity just looked at her and shrugged, saying, "Oh well. I don't care."

I don't care. That was something she said a lot. But not today, maybe.

And so Rarity just watched as Pinkie Pie mixed the batter and added the other ingredients and put it all in a tray. It was a process she had done a million times. When the tray was in the oven, Pinkie set the timer. Spinning around to see Rarity, she crossed her arms and said, "So...Rarity."

The white unicorn let out a puff and said, trying to regain her Victorian composure, "What, darling?"

"What do you want to do, next," said Pinkie, fluttering her eyelashes.

Rarity just shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the counter again, saying, "I really do not know, darling. Equestria is our oyster. Anything, I suppose. Why?"

Pinkie said, slowly, "Aaaaaaaaaanything?"

Rarity's eyes flitted from side to side, and she said, cautiously, "Yes?"

Pinkie suddenly exploded, jumping up and down. It surprised a smoke-filled cough out of Rarity, who took a step back, taken completely unawares by her friend's sudden diarrheic display of energy.

Pinkie jumped up and down, as fast she could. Faster than normal, and she said, excitedly, "Toystoretoystoretoystoretoystoretoystoretoystoretoystoretoy-"

And Rarity's hoof immediately found itself directly inside of Pinkie Pie's mouth, again. Pinkie rambled on for a few more seconds, despite the obstacle preventing the words from fully leaving her flapping gums.

Rarity sighed again, letting out a big puff of smoke that wafted around Pinkie's head. The pink pony didn't mind, though. Nothing could bother her right now.

Rarity said, with a questionable face, "Pinkie Pie. Slow down. Did you say 'toy store'?"

The prancing pink pony nodded her head very violently, shaking Rarity's arm.

Rarity said, "Aren't you a little too old for toys?"

Pinkie shook her head vigorously, her eyes pleading childishly. She tried to say something, only to have it come out as an excited mumble.

Rarity pulled her hoof out Pinkie's mouth again, and the words tumbled out, "No, silly Rarity! You're NEVER too old for toys!"

No sense fighting it. The white unicorn just shrugged her shoulders and waved her hoof, saying, "Fine. To the toy store it is, then. Whatever makes you happy."

Whatever makes you happy. Pinkie's heart swelled at the words. Nobody had ever been so nice to her, before! Rarity was such a nice pony! She was such a good friend!

She began to bounce up and down, saying, "C'mon, then! Let's go right now!"

Rarity's eyes narrowed, and she looked at the oven. She said, "Don't you think we should wait-"

And the pink pony immediately ran over and turned the oven off, pulling out the pan of cupcakes at superpony speed. Then she turned to Rarity and said, "No! Let's go now! We can finish them when we get back!"

Rarity smirked and said, "You really want a toy, huh?"

Pinkie Pie jumped up and down, faster than normal, saying, "Uhhuh" over and over again as quickly as her pink pony lungs would allow her to.

Rarity turned to leave the kitchen, taking off her apron and tossing it onto the counter, saying, "Well, then. Let's go."

Then she left, Pinkie Pie hopping after her. They left the kitchen and walked out of Sugar Cube Corner, making sure that Pinkie locked the door behind them.

And so they were off, walking down the streets of Ponyville. Being in the middle of the day, there wasn't too much hustle and bustle, and the weather was very pleasant. The sun was warm and bright, and the weather control had not scheduled for there to be any clouds that day.

So with the suns on their faces and warm cobblestones beneath their hooves, the odd pair made their way to the toy store, Prancing Pony Toys.

As soon as it got within sight, Pinkie began hopping even more quickly than before, and she overtook Rarity as she ran as fast as she could to the entrance of the place. Trailing behind her, Rarity laughed as Pinkie smooshed her face up to the glass of the store, looking inside the front displays at all the wondrous things that lay within them.

Rarity walked into the store, and Pinkie ran after her. The Prancing Pony was a small store, but it was packed wall-to-wall with a great myriad of various play things for young ponies, from dolls to train sets to blocks and everything in-between.

Upon entering, Pinkie became a pink hurricane, running all over the store with 'oohs' and 'aahs' and 'Rarity I want this' and 'Rarity I want that.' She was impossible to keep up with.

Rarity didn't even want to muster up the energy to try. She just fished a cigar out of her bag and clipped the end off of it. When she struck a match to light it, the owner of the store, a cream-colored mare with spectacles and a gray mane, stared at her crossly from behind the counter.

Rarity stared back, cigar in mouth and lit match hovering in the air, and said, "What?"

The mare said, pointedly, "No smoking in here! This is a children's store!"

Rarity's eyes narrowed, and she said, perturbed, "Do you know who I am, lady? A little smoke won't kill anypony."

The mare walked from behind the counter and said, again, "No smoking! I don't care if you're Princess Luna herself! No smoking!"

Rarity's eyebrows furled. She opened her mouth and said, "Listen lady-"

And the mare blew out Rarity's match, saying, "No! If you want to smoke, go outside!" And she walked back behind the counter, carefully watching the white unicorn.

Rarity just shook her head and stared dejectedly at her unlit stogie, saying, "Fine." Then she muttered under her breath, "Bitch."

Satisfied that her dictates had been obeyed, the store owner went back to watching her store. More specifically, she was watching Pinkie Pie, who was still running around and looking at everything and talking non-stop. The mare just laughed and said, to Rarity, "Is she going to pass out?"

Rarity just shrugged and said, "I hope so."

The toy-mare looked at Rarity with a slight hint of disgust on her face and said, "That's not very nice."

Rarity stared at her both in disbelief and annoyance, saying, "Well, I'm not a nice pony. But my money is the same as everypony else's. Right?"

The toy-mare huffed. She hated ponies like that, but she just couldn't not serve them. Besides, she just loved making ponies like Pinkie happy. She loved it when her toys brought smiles to ponies' faces. She wasn't going to spite someone out of happiness just because of the company that pony kept.

Finally, after a few more minutes, Pinkie came up to the counter, holding an armful of things that she wanted to play with. She dumped them all on the counter, and the toy-mare laughed and said, "Is that all for you, today?"

Rarity's jaw almost dropped, and she ran up to the counter, saying, "Pinkie. What the hell are you doing? You are NOT getting all of that!"

Pinkie instantly went from being super happy to sad. She looked at Rarity, pouting, and said, "But but Rarity."

Rarity shook her head and said, "No. What the hell? No."

Pinkie pouted, and her eyes began to water.

Rarity threw her hooves up into the air, saying, "No no no."

The pink pony said, "Come on...Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease? With whipped cream and a cherry on top?" She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled, saying, "I knoooooow you have the money, don't you?"

Rarity's eyes shifted from side to side.

Pinkie said, desperately, "Please, Rarity? Dashie never buys me anything!"

Rarity stomped her hoof and gritted her teeth, saying, "Luna-dammit, Pinkie. I said No!"

The toy-mare interjected, saying, "Hey, miss! I don't appreciate language like that in here!"

Rarity ran a hoof through her hair, in aggravation, and she turned to the toy-mare, saying, "Listen, bitch. I don't give a damn about what you do and do not appreciate. Just shut up and stay out of this."

The store owner just clenched her teeth and said nothing. Rude customers were the worst kind, and she had not run across many customers as rude as Rarity.

Pinkie got right up to her friend and pouted, her bottom lip sticking out as far as it would go, and her eyes looked watery. Rarity just huffed and said, "Fine fine. Whatever. Just ring it all up."

At which point the toy-mare smiled and began to tally it all up, making it a point to 'accidentally' ring up a couple of the items twice. After it was all done, she showed the total to Rarity, who nearly messed herself out of surprise.

She exclaimed loudly and slammed her hooves on the counter, saying, "What the-! That's highway robbery! This junk isn't worth that much!"

The toy-mare just laughed bitterly and said, "Listen, miss. I do not care about what you do and do not think about my prices. That's the total."

Rarity stared at her very crossly. She wished her eyes could shoot daggers or turn ponies to stone. She wouldn't even remotely regret turning this bitch into a rock. She rolled her cigar in her mouth and pulled out her bit-purse, saying, "Fine! Whatever! It's not going to break MY bank."

As she counted out the bits, she muttered, "Cunt." Then she said, "Is that all?"

The toy-mare said, happily, "Do you want a bag for that?"

Rarity snapped, "I want two bags."

The owner just shrugged her shoulders and said, giggling vindictively, "Okay. The customer's always right." The white unicorn's eyes narrowed.

After the toy-mare was done packing everything up, Rarity took the bags and stormed loudly out the store. Pinkie followed, gaily bouncing up and down the whole time, completely oblivious to the animosity between the two ponies. As they left, the toy-mare said, cheekily, "Thank you for coming to Prancing Pony Toys! Come see us again!"

Rarity said nothing. She didn't even stop. She wanted to come back, all right, but not to buy toys. Right when they got outside, Rarity stopped and pulled out another match, lighting her cigar and giving it a few good puffs. She needed a smoke, right now.

Pinkie jumped in front of her, as she did so, and said, loudly and exuberantly, "Can we go to the candy store, now?!"

Rarity just stopped, match still hovering in the air. It dropped to the ground, and Rarity said, blankly, "What?"

Pinkie said again, still excited, "The candy store!"

Rarity shook her head and said, "No! Are you even serious! Do you have any idea how much money I just dropped in that shit-hole?"

And Pinkie just stopped bouncing and stuck out her bottom lip, eyes watering, and she said, "Pleeeeeeeeeease" in as high of a pitch as she could.

Rarity just shook her head, smoke billowing out of her mouth. She said, "No! Absolutely not!"

Pinkie frowned and snuggled up to her, saying, "Pretty please, Rarity? With whipped cream and a cherry on top?"

The white unicorn huffed. She just stared straight ahead and said, "Fine. Whatever. Let's go to the damned candy store."

Pinkie squealed and began hopping again, saying, "Dashie NEVER takes me to the candy store! She says it's not good for me."

Rarity shrugged and said, "Well, it's really not. But I don't care."

Pinkie's mood abruptly changed, and she said, "Why? Do you think I eat too much candy?"

What the hell. What a stupid question, thought Rarity. She said, "Well...Sometimes, I guess. Why?"

Pinkie sat down in the dirt and looked at herself, then back at Rarity, saying, "Do I...Do you ever eat candy?"

Rarity shook her head, saying, "No. I don't like sweet stuff."

Pinkie said, "Is that why-" Then she blushed and stopped talking. Pinkie Pie not talking; it was quite the rarity indeed.

Rarity's eyes narrowed, and she said, "Is that why what? What were you going to say?"

Pinkie just shook her head and said, "Nothing."

Rarity pressed the matter, taking a few steps closer, saying, "No. What?"

The pink pony just said it, swallowing her anxiety. She said, "Is that why you're so pretty?"

Rarity didn't even know what to say. She stood there in silence for a few seconds and bobbed her hair, eyes drifting off as her mind did the same. She hadn't thought about it in such a long time, but she really was pretty, wasn't she? The stallions all sure thought so. They always had, ever since she was an older filly, ever since they all got to be the age where they started to look at each other, in that way.

Rarity blushed a slight bit and licked her teeth, smiling and giggling softly, thinking about her past. It still gave her a thrill, just thinking about all of those stallions who thought she was just the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria. She still had it, didn't she?

Pinkie frowned and said, worriedly, "Rarity?"

Rarity snapped out of her reverie and said, plainly, "I don't know. I'm sure that helps."

Pinkie looked at herself and said, "Dashie never calls ME pretty. Maybe that's why she's cheating on me. Maybe it's because I'm ugly."

Rarity was none-too-good at comforting ponies. Coming down, she just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I think it's just because Rainbow Dash is a-"

"Maybe I should try harder to be pretty. Then maybe Dashie will stay with me," said the pink pony.

Rarity just shook her head. This was ludicrous. This wasn't the kind of conversation she wanted to have in the middle of the street outside a toy store. She said, "No. Pinkie. Listen. You're fine. I wouldn't worry about it. Now let's go."

And Rarity began to walk off, towards the candy store. Pinkie Pie just sat in the dirt, looking at herself. She did not budge an inch. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

After a few feet, the white unicorn turned around and said, "C'mon, Pinkie! Don't you want to go?"

Pinkie sat in silence, pouting.

For the love of-. Luna-dammit. Rarity grumbled and walked back over to her friend, running a hoof through her mane, in frustration. She said, "Pinkie, listen. You're-"

"Do you think I'm pretty, Rarity," asked Pinkie, suddenly.

Rarity was taken aback. She said, "Do I what? What are you asking?"

Pinkie said again, pleadingly, "Do you think I'm pretty? I don't think Dashie does. Nobody does. Do you?"

Rarity didn't even know what to say. She was at a complete loss for words. She just said, "I don't know. I guess."

Pinkie looked up at her. She was starting to cry again, now.

Rarity rubbed one of her temples. She knew what she had to say. She said, "Yes, Pinkie. I think you're pretty, and if Rainbow Dash doesn't think so, she's an idiot." She tried to say it as sincerely as she could, which was, needless to say, not very much.

Pinkie gobbled up the lie as a tear ran down her cheek. She said, in disbelief, "Really? You think so?"

Rarity reached out a hoof and tenderly wiped the tear off of her friend's cheek, saying with confidence, "Yes. I do. We should go out to a bar sometime. I'm sure every eligible stallion in all of Ponyville will think the same."

Pinkie sniffled and said, "Think so? But I don't like stallions."

Rarity just laughed and said, "Fine. Eligible mares. You know what I mean."

Pinkie stood up and said, "Thanks, Rarity. You're really nice."

Rarity just looked to the side and said, "Why, yes. Yes, I am."

Pinkie just laughed and said, "So you think I'll still be pretty if I had some candy?"

Rarity said, "A little bit wouldn't hurt you."

The pink pony jumped up, cheerful again, and said, "Well then let's go!"

Rarity laughed, herself, and said, "Sure. Let's go."

And with that, the pair of ponies began walking towards the candy store. Specifically, to Pinkie's favorite candy store. She said they always had the tastiest treats. Rarity never argued, since she never ate any.

The rest of the day was like a dream, to Pinkie Pie. They went to the candy store, and Rarity payed for everything, since Pinkie had already used up all of her allowance. She figured since Rarity said a little bit would hurt her, a little bit more than a little bit wouldn't hurt her, either. So Pinkie got a bunch of candy. Rarity complained about the price again, and she swore bitterly as she payed the tab. Afterwards, they went to eat dinner and then finished baking cupcakes.

That night, as Pinkie laid in bed, playing with one of the toys that Rarity had bought her that afternoon, she didn't mind being alone so much. Her head was swimming with thoughts about how much nicer Rarity was to her than anypony else had ever been (aside from maybe the Cakes, since they let her live in their upstairs).

Dashie never called her pretty. Rarity had. Dashie was never there when Pinkie was sad or upset. Rarity had been. Dashie never bought her anything. Rarity bought her lots of stuff. She knew that Dashie secretly thought she was fat. Rarity said she wasn't.

Rarity.

Rarity.

Rarity.

Rarity was so nice to her. Dashie wasn't half as nice as Rarity was, and Rarity was pretty. Maybe she could help make Pinkie pretty, and they could be pretty ponies, together.

Together.

Pinkie wanted to be together with her...

And so as she turned off her light that night and went to bed, Pinkie Pie could only clutch the doll that had been bought for her that day and think about how nice of a mare Rarity was.

For the first night in countless nights, Pinkie was happy as she fell asleep, and she didn't complain when Rarity came and visited her in her dreams...