One Step at a Time

Chapter 3

*PINKIE PIE'S POV*

LALALALALALALALALALA! I hummed to myself as I hopped happily around Ponyville. Today was one heck of a day. I baked alot of sweets at Sugarcube Corner for hours, I helped Applejack applebuck some apples for some apple cider at Sweet Apple Acres, I hung out with Fluttershy and helped her take care of Angel bunny and her other animal friends, I played hopscotch with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and then I hopped on my mini helicopter to fly up to Cloudsdale to help the pegasi paint some clouds. It was so fun yet so exhausting. I was one busy bee having fun! Now, I was planning to go play some pranks with Rainbow Dash today...if only I can find her. And then, a couple zillion seconds later there was Dashie leaving the Carousel Boutique. I frowned. Since when Dashie went to Rarity's house today? I thought she's not into girly things? I shook my thoughts away as I hopped to Rarity's place to meet up with Dashie.

"Hey Dashie!" I chirped in my usual cheerful voice as I bounced over to her.

Rainbow looked at me somehow in a frantic way. I notice her eyes looking at several places but me and she has been twitchy too.

"H-hey, Pinkie." she mumbled.

"Anything the matter?" I asked, my ears drooping a bit with worry. Did I do anything wrong to her? Did anything bad happen to her today? I thought.

Dashie shook her head. "Nah, nothing's wrong. Haha I'm just a little....twitchy and nervous..for...practice for the next Wonderbolts competition." she said hesitantly, having a pinch of sweat already.

"But the next Wonderbolts competition isn't until next year..." I gave her a confuzzled look.

"I know! But practice earlier the better right?" she grinned nervously, still not wanting to look me the eye.

I rolled my eyes as I gently put Rainbow's chin up so that her face can be looking straight at me.

"Is there anything the matter, Dashie? Was it because of what I asked earlier at Sugarcube Corner? Was it because I asked you what you're embarrassed about? If I pressured you, I'm so sorry!" I cried as tears starting to form in my eyes.

"No, no! Not at all!" Dashie confirmed it as she gently wiped the tears from my eyes. "I'll be fine, Pinks. I'll be fine."

She reassuringly nuzzled my cheek.

"If you say so." I sniffled.

"Yeah, so anyways now if you excuse me. I gotta go practice now. See ya around Pinks." said Dashie as she dashed off to the sky.

My hoof reached to the spot where Dashie nuzzled my cheek. I can literally still her touch of her nose on my cheek. I blushed at the thought of her sweet action to reassure me that she will be fine. What a nice friend she is. I smiled at the thought. Maybe Dashie will be fine after all. Oh well, when she's all fine and all she can probably tell me what's wrong. I won't pressure Dashie, I'll just giver her the time she needs.

"Oh hey, Pinkie!" said somepony. It was none other than Rarity. ", I'm surprised that you came by to my place, today. Anything the matter?" she winked at me. I looked at her weirdly. Did she see the whole thing that just happened? Because according to that winky face she did, it seems like it. Nevertheless, I shook it off.

"Nope! Nothing really, Rarity! I was just asking Dashie if she wanna hangs out but she couldn't because of practice. Do you wanna hang out, Rarity?"

"Oh today? I wish I can, Pinkie but I have alot of dresses to make and sew." she winked. "Maybe we can hang out some other time, shall we?"

"Okey dokey lokey." I said skeptically as I noticed another wink from her. What's gotten into her and Dashie? I thought. Hmmmm..oh well.

I asked everypony if they wanna hang out but all they said the same thing Dashie and Rarity said. They're busy and at the end, they gave me a winky face. WHAT THE HAY?! It's so weird. Twilight Sparkle has to focus on her studies and gave me a winky face, Applejack has to bake some apple pies and gave me a winky face, Fluttershy was busy teaching her animal friends how to make music and dance and she gave me a winky face. Derpy Hooves just gave me a winky face for fun. I shrugged. Everypony probably got the bad case of the winky eyes. I really don't know but I ain't gonna let my curiosity ruin that right? As I continued to enjoy my day, I noticed Dashie and the rest of my friends at a tree nearby Fluttershy's cottage.

I felt that uneasy feeling inside me. Could they be doing something without letting me know? Why would they? I'm their friend...are they lying to me? So many questions once again scurry around in my head as I hid myself in thick bushes and quietly tiptoed towards them to see what they're up to. I felt like a furry guinea pig who couldn't really see through its bangs as I tiptoed. It's a little hard to tiptoe when you keep tripping over twigs and branches but my curiosity got the best of me anyways, I just had to see what my friends were doing without me.

"It's hopeless guys." said a familiar voice that sounds like Dashie. "I just can't tell Pinkie Pie." she added.

"Why not?" said Applejack. "We shouldn't keep this secret from her. She's our best friend."

Dashie shook her head. "I know, but I just can't bring myself to do this."

"Don't worry, darling. Pinkie won't get upset." Rarity murmured.

Upset? A secret? What would I be upset about? What secret is Dashie and my friends hiding from me?

"I agree, you don't have to be nervous. We'll be right here with you, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy added reassuringly.

Not taking this anymore, I quickly sprinted bush to bush to get to them as quietly as possible like how a lioness can catch her prey quietly in the grass.

"Thanks for the support, everypony. But, it seems hopeless. I'm too nervous to tell Pinkie." said Dashie.

"TELL ME WHAT?!" I blurted out loud as my head popped out of the bush, startling my friends.

"Pinkie Pie! Gurl, were you spyin on us?" Applejack squealed, insulted.

"Of course not, Applejack, I was having an awesome day going 'LALALALALALALA' until I notice you guys at the tree near Fluttershy's cottage without telling me anything! What's up with that?!" I shouted, anger fuming inside of me.

Fluttershy yelped as she cowered when I bursted like that.

"Please don't y-yell. You'll s-scare the animals." she whimpered.

I was too confused and mad to hear her. "I need an explanation here!"

Applejack facehoofed. "It's nothin' really, sugarcube. We were just talking about what we should do....."

"About your current hairstyle!" Rarity butted in, cutting Applejack off.

I raised a brow at her. "My hair? What's wrong with my hair?"

"Your hair is all over the place and it looks completely messy. We were talking about how we can improve your hair to make it more extravagant and more dashing."

"But I love my hair just the way it is!" I whined.

"Of course, which is why we're here at the tree. We didn't ask you to come along because obviously, you're going to protest about my suggestion but it's just a suggestion, darling. We're not gonna force you to change your hair but still though." Rarity explained calmly.

"Ohh." I realized. "Sorry that I went all meanie butt on you guys. It's just I thought you guys don't want me around and just ditched me." I finished as I started to cry and my hair threatening to deflate from the sadness and hurt I'm feeling.

Dashie wiped the tears from my eyes. "Please don't cry, Pinkie. That's so not the answer. We do love you, Pinks.."

"And don't deflate your hair, PLEASE!" Rarity complained, cutting Dashie off. "You look horrible when your hair is all straight and deflated."

Applejack nudged her. "I thought you said that you don't like her hairstyle at this moment?

"Oh hush."

"Okey Dokey Lokey." I gave them a small smile. "I guess I'll be on my way then. See you guys later." I responded as I hopped away from the tree they were at.