Pillow thoughts

Chapter 2
That Particular Night

"Pillow fiiiiight!!" yelled Applejack as she launched one of her pillows towards Rarity. To everypony's surprise, Rarity actually avoided the shot. She then grabbed the nearest pillow and counter-attacked her enemy.

A good pillow fight is probably required, as Twilight would say, at every slumber party. Not because it's written in the book, but just because they're fun. Even Fluttershy joined the girls as they screamed and giggled in the night. Soon, the entire floor was covered in feathers. It’s almost a miracle that their half-empty glasses of refreshing drinks were sparred.

Rainbow was under a pile of books, recovering from one of Pinkie's pillow-shots, when she heard Twilight calling out to them. "We should really get to our beds, girls. It's almost 3 AM and—" she giggled as she avoided a flying pillow. "—and Spike won't be able to sleep with us making such a racket. He's still a baby dragon, after all."

"Awww, but this is a sleepover party!" whined Pinkie. "Sleep...Over!"

"Nopony said we'll actually sleep, Pinkie," replied Twilight. "I just suggested we all get to our beds and continue talking and having fun, just a little quieter."

Pinkies eyes lit up again, with excitement. "Oh! We can tell ghost stories! I know a ghost story. It's about a ghost, that wasn't really a ghost! Oh, wait, I spoiled it. How about another ghost story? This one is not really a ghost story but it can be if you really use your imagination!" She continued rambling about her stories as they trotted up the stairs, towards the bedroom.

Twilight already set up three big beds for them. They barely entered the room as Pinkie immediately jumped on one of the beds. "This one's mine! It's so bouncy!"

"They're all identical, Pinkie" said the purple unicorn, watching her friend jump up and down and worrying a bit about the ceiling. Then again, she could easily repair whatever gets broken in here, so she just turned to the other four members of the gang. "Okay, so... who wants to join Pinkie?"

One of the things Twilight enjoyed most was actually organizing the parties. How many types of drinks, what kind of activities and exactly how long each activity should last... but one of the more difficult choices was distributing them in beds. It may sound silly…

"...but I just can't let Rarity and Applejack share a blanket. No offense girls."

"None taken,” replied Rarity, glancing at Applejack. "Friendship or not, you know I'm a bit... strict when it comes to a proper good night sleep and the necessary requirements for it," she added, quickly. "Rainbow is a lot less... strict than I am."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked the blue pegasus, not sure if that was an insult or not.

"Oh, it... ah, just means that you're a free spirit, darling! ...and also that you're probably used to sleeping without a blanket anyway. Or a pillow. Or a glass of warm milk before—oh, that reminds me... Twilight, dear, do you happen to have some milk?"

Twilight smiled and just rolled her eyes. Despite Rarity's confused stare, Applejack approved of the idea.

"Yeah, apples and warm milk don't mix. Ah'm fine with sharin’ mah blanket with Rainbow. That okay with you?" she asked her pegasus friend.

"Whatever," replied Rainbow, making a double flip in the air and landing directly on the bed. She sighed, relaxing her hooves and wings on the soft mattress. Suddenly, she realized something. "Uhhh, you guys?"

The ponies pricked up their ears. Something was definitely wrong. Everything was quiet. Too quiet.

"Where's Pinkie?" concluded Dash, looking towards the bed where, just a few moments ago, the pink pony was jumping up and down.

"Oh... oh my," squeaked Fluttershy, trying to hold herself from laughing. She just pointed at the window, when the bedroom door burst open. Pinkie stood in the doorway with a very puzzled look on her face.

"I have no idea what happened, but it was awesome!" she shouted, as the other ponies just looked at her, not knowing how to react.

"Darling,” started Rarity, "did you just throw yourself out the window?"

"I'm good at fixing broken glasses, not broken necks, Pinkie," said Twilight, in a rather nervous tone. "Um, Fluttershy, maybe you should... keep an eye on her. Since you can fly and all that." Fluttershy nodded and walked towards the bed. "Actually, let's not put Pinkie near the window... Rainbow, Applejack, you two should take that bed.”

After some strategic moves that would make even the best chess player jealous, all three pairings were happily sitting in their beds. Twilight loved talking to her friends, they were all so different and with so many stories to tell, she could've easily arranged 100 slumber parties, and they would still have stuff to talk about. They talked and talked, sharing thoughts and secrets, fears and desires... when, suddenly:

"Apple pie!"

The ponies stared at Applejack, whose fake smile could be distinguished even through the semi-darkness of the bedroom.

"Your biggest wish... is an apple pie?" asked Twilight."I understand Rainbow wanting to join the Wonderbolts and Rarity wanting to become the biggest fashion designer in Equestria, since they are both working on their dreams each day."
Applejack scratched her left ear with her hoof, feeling a little awkward. "But you buck apples everyday," continued Twilight, "is the thing you want most really an apple pie?"

"Well, ah... uh..." mumbled the cowpony, looking for a way out of this.

"If you don't want to tell us, that's okay," whispered Fluttershy.

"Ummm, it's not that Ah don't want to... it's just..."

Rainbow stood up, looking at her friend. Even Pinkie stopped counting her teeth (again) and turned towards the orange pony.

"Aw, shoot... it's stupid, okay?" said Applejack, lowering her eyes.

"I'm sure it's not stupid," replied Twilight. "Pinkie's dream of a mountain of chocolate... that is stupid.
“Hey!” shouted the pink furball. “My dream is practical! If you have a HUGE amount of chocolate, you can focus on doing something constructive with your life. You can’t focus on both!”
Twilight blinked once and decided not to open up a debate that she would have, somehow, lost. “What I’m trying to say is this: whatever it is, it can't be sillier than what we've all been through."

Applejack sighed and looked at her friends. They were all waiting to hear what she had to say.

"Well, why not? Ah suppose friends share secrets and... stuff. Just don't tell anypony else." She took a deep breath and tried explaining the best she could. "Ah like workin' on the farm and helping out mah family, but there are times when Ah wish Ah had, you know... somepony beside me. Like… you know..."

"Like a coltfriend?" asked Pinkie, smiling.

"Yeah, Ah guess. Don't y'all get me wrong now, Ah always put mah family first but, sometimes, at night, when Ah'm in mah room... it does get kind of lonely." She paused a bit, searching for the right words to say. "Y'all are mah best friends, but Ah could never be as good as y'all. Ah mean, Twilight, you know so many things and you can do magic. Rarity, you're so talented at making those dresses. RD can even get any stallion she'd wanted, impressin’ him with her flyin’ and all..."

Rainbow was taken by surprise by that statement. She never thought about it like that. Actually, she just never thought about it at all.

Applejack gave a crooked smile and continued. "Ah don't have any special talents... so mah chances are pretty weak at findin' somepony who'd like me like this."

"Applejack, you are one of the Elements of Harmony. You are the Element of Honesty," replied Twilight.

"That means Ah should know best that Ah'm tellin' the truth here. Mah only talent is puttin’ food on the table... and that don't make it good enough for some stallions. Not to mention there's nothin' impressive about that." She lowered her ears, not sure if she should've talked about this. It was not making her feel better, that's for sure.

"Ah think it would be nice to wake up to somepony beside me," she said while lowering her head on the pillow. "Sorry if Ah messed up the game."

"You didn't," intervened Rarity. "Your wish might be the best out of all our wishes... after all, one does want to share the success of one’s life. Besides, none of us has a coltfriend right now."

"I bet, when the time comes, you're gonna be the first to have one, Applejack," said Twilight, trying to make her feel better. "As magical as my horn is, I think a hard working pony is much more admired. At least, we admire you for that."

The cowpony smiled. "Ah know you do, girls. Thanks."

After that, nopony asked anything else. The game had ended and they soon started to fall asleep, one by one. Ponyville was quiet that night and the warm blankets sure felt cozy.

Even so, one of the mane six had trouble sleeping.

***

Rainbow tossed and turned.

I can't get any stallion I want, she thought to herself. Nopony can really keep up with me. It's not just about speed, or style... I'm just too... wild for everypony.

She looked around the room. Twilight and Rarity were sleeping in their bed, Fluttershy was asleep... even Pinkie was quiet, a rare state in which you don't usually find her. Rainbow turned to her side and put her head on the pillow, looking straight at Applejack.

Why would she want a coltfriend so badly? She's doing great on her own... Also, how can she know if I can find somepony... like that? Out of all of us, I would probably be the hardest pony to fall for. She paused her thoughts for a bit, making sure to add: Not that I'm not cool enough... but I get bored easily and I’ve yet to met anypony who is at least able to tackle my challenges. Well, except AJ. For an earthpony, she can hold her ground pretty well.

She smiled, remembering the Iron-Pony Competition and all their adventures. They've already been through a lot and Applejack was incredibly reliable. Rainbow did feel sorry for her, even if she didn't completely understand it. She never really fell for anypony herself. Sure, she had tiny crushes here and there... but nothing serious. Not to mention the fact that she lost interest everytime she could outrun said crushes in any type of competition.

Maybe that’s what was wrong in this picture. Both her and Applejack were more or less unapproachable.

Why wouldn’t anypony like her in...that way? the trail of thoughts continued in Rainbow's mind as she studied her friend, silently, guided only by traces of moonlight. I mean, look at her... she's awesome, her mane is beautiful, she looks so, uh, what’s the word… nice? Yeah, she looks nice when she sleeps peacefully like that. She's funny, she's smart... her accent can be really cute sometimes... I’m no expert, but I just don’t get it.

Rainbow leaned closer, like trying to inspect a valuable piece of art. From the outside, it could be seen as a funny (or very creepy) gesture, but in the blue pegasus' head things were clear and straightforward.

She doesn't have any imperfections, the freckles are cool... not to mention the color of her mane and coat; I love orange. She is honest, reliable, independent... what's there not to like?

She leaned even closer, trying to figure out... well, she didn't really know what she was looking for, but she did realize at one point that, for the past 10 minutes or so, she had been sitting very close to Applejack's muzzle. Suddenly, the so-called analysis turned into an awkward situation, making Rainbow back up a bit.

She blinked once or twice. Okay, enough about that. I should just get some sleep. I'm sure Applejack will find somepony, someday, waking up to her or whatever. As the element of Honesty, no, as a friend, she felt that Applejack truly deserved to have somepony by her side.

She stared at the bedroom's wall. Maybe I'll find somepony too. Someday.

She let her mind slowly part from the shores of consciousness, floating into colorless dreams as she drifted away, with one tiny question still hovering around: Really, who wouldn't like AJ? ...if only they stopped for a minute and actually look at her... just... look...

As the last thought broke loose, it ascended towards the stars, where all thoughts end up... and nopony would've ever guessed that the very same thought would come back from there in a most unexpected way for a certain blue pegasus.

***

Birds were chirping somewhere in the distance. Warmth... light... orange... orange light...

It was so cozy... so warm...

I'm not getting up today... no matter what, thought a very sleepy Rainbow.

The cloud was so warm and fluffy.

Lazily, she eventually managed to open up an eye and glance at the clouds and the sunlight. She couldn't see any clouds. Instead, she saw a wooden wall. Many wooden walls.

Oh yeah, I’m at Twilight’s. The sleepover party-thing, she thought, hugging the cloud tighter. Best. Cloud. Ever.

She closed her eye and smiled, enjoying the sunlight and the coziness of it all. She opened her eye again, looking out Twilight's window. The sunrays were so vibrant that morning, the weather was perfect for, well, not doing anything all day. Not even a rainbow could make this more beautiful. The wind slowly ruffled the leaves of the treehouse, singing its own tune and waking up sleepy squirrels with its unique chimes.

Sheepishly, the blue pegasus followed a golden ray with her glance... that golden light...

Wasn't it orange a few moments ago? she asked herself, not thinking too much about it. She felt too good to waste time thinking about stuff. She just giggled in her mind and kept following the playful sunray. It landed somewhere above her head.

It landed on the cloud, the fluffy cloud, making it golden. Oh and there's the orange she saw earlier. She snuggled the cloud once more, closing her eye, losing herself in the sensation and the smell.

"Apples," she mumbled.

Applejack would probably love this cloud.

Rainbow suddenly opened both her eyes, as if an entire bucket of cold water had just been emptied over her head. VERY slowly, she lifted her head, looking at the orange pony she was snuggling earlier. Applejack was still asleep.

Good... this is good, the pegasus thought to herself. Let's just...easily back away.

She looked at her hooves and realized that she was, basically, on top of the cowpony completely. She started to move one of her hooves from underneath the ‘Applejack-pillow’, slowly, so she didn't her wake up.

The earthpony let out a soft moan as Rainbow tried shifting back to her part of the bed. The back legs were easier to move, so she focused on them when, suddenly, she noticed another pair of eyes, watching her.

Twilight was cute when she had her big, curious eyes widely open. But not now. Rainbow actually found the whole situation rather scary, since she couldn't explain anything to Twilight without waking up Applejack. She put a hoof to her lips and mimicked "Be quiet" to the purple unicorn.

Twilight blinked, confused. Eventually she nodded, slowly. After what seemed like forever, Rainbow managed to get all her hooves back to her part of the bed. Just in time too. All that shifting and fussing made Applejack open her eyes.

Rainbow froze. She looked at her friend who yawned and stretched. Her mane was going in all directions and her coat clearly needed a brush right now. Not the regular morning-hair-brush.
Rainbow could feel her cheeks getting hotter as she didn’t quite dislike the way her friend looked at that moment, yet another problem kept filling her head with questions, making her ability to focus very difficult. Why is her mane like that? And her coat? And.. MY coat! What the hay did we do last night?!

"Mornin', everypony,” mumbled Applejack. She looked at Twilight, who still didn't know how to react, then at Rainbow. “Why are y’all staring like that? Am Ah interruptin’ somethin’?”
Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie were still sleeping. Not getting an answer from either of her friends, she shrugged and gently scratched her muzzle. "Ah guess Ah'll go first to the little fillies room, hehe."
She got out of bed and started walking towards the bathroom, trying to keep her ballance. "Gosh, what a night! If Ah didn’t know any better, I’d say we’ve all been drinkin’." She giggled as she shut the door behind her.

Rainbow started panicking a little. A little more actually. To be perfectly honest, she just started waving her hooves like crazy, hoping that Twilight might shed some light on the situation. She looked at her lavender friend, waiting for an advice of some sort. No good.

What will she think when she sees her mane like that?? Or her coat?! she thought to herself. Gotta think of something, fast! Ummm..the wind! Yeah, that's it... the wind was strong last night and Twilight forgot to close the window! Perfect!
The pegasus put on the most fake grin in the history of fake grins and started nodding to herself, as if she was trying to convince somepony that the wind explanation was perfect. Twilight blinked. She had no idea what was going on and why Rainbow looked like she just swallowed a coat hanger. For a moment, she seriously considered offering first-aid.

"What in the hay?!" shouted Applejack from the bathroom, breaking any chain of thought that the lavender mare might have started. She trotted back into the bedroom, looking at Twilight and then at Rainbow Dash. The blue pegasus was ready with the perfect explanation.

Applejack pointed at her neck and asked, confused, "Where did these bite-marks come from?"

Twilight's jaw dropped and Rainbow felt the blood rushing to her ears and cheeks. She did not expect that.

- End of Chapter 2 –