Heart's Warming: A Pinkieshy story

Chapter 3: Tanks for the advice

Rainbow Dash lead Fluttershy all the way over to Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack was trying to convince Tank the tortoise to go into hibernation, but she wasn't having any luck. "Come on, Tank. Y'all love hibernatin'. Just snuggle on down in that there burrow and go to sleep for a few months; easy!" said AJ as she sat down next to the stubborn reptile.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew over to the orchard where Applejack was now lying on the ground in desperation; she'd had enough of Tank's willpower. "Oh my, thank Celestia y'all are here! Ah can't get this darn reptile to do anythin' ah say!" said Applejack as she jumped up to greet the two pegasi. "See, Fluttershy? I don't know what the heck is wrong with him! He's never refused to hibernate before now!" said Rainbow Dash in despair.

Fluttershy gingerly trotted over to where Tank was sitting, and she gracefully parked herself next to him. "Oh, you poor poor thing. I wonder what the matter is" said Fluttershy in a gentle voice. She lovingly stroked Tank's tiny head with her hoof, and he smiled up at her with his toothless grin. "You two go on with whatever you were doing; I'll take it from here," she said to Applejack and Rainbow. "Y'all sure you can handle it? He's been mighty stubborn" replied Applejack. "I'm certain. He'll be absolutely fine once I've had a good talk with him" said Fluttershy with confidence. And with that, Applejack and Rainbow trotted off towards the barn and left Tank in Fluttershy's capable hoofs.

Just as the two mares reached the barn, Pinkie Pie bounded in behind them with a cartoonish boing. "Well howdy, Pinkie. What brings you to Sweet Apple Acres?" asked Applejack in her usual southern twang. "Wait a second, did you follow us all the way from Fluttershy's?" added Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie glanced at the floor in confusion, much to Applejack and Rainbow's dismay. Pinkie was always so joyous and full of life, but she looked genuinely lost and bewildered as she stood in the damp and chilly barn.

"Everythin' alright, sugarcube? Y'all seem a might flustered just now" asked Applejack attentively. Pinkie Pie knew what she wanted to ask her two friends, but her mouth, for once, wouldn't let her words escape. Rainbow and Applejack glanced at each other for a moment as Pinkie anxiously drew into the ground with her right hoof. She gave a large sigh as if to indicate that she was about to speak. "So I've been over at Fluttershy's all afternoon helping her decorate the cottage for Hearth's Warming and there was this party canon, a weird mistle-plant, I think I might be in love with her, and then Rainbow showed up and I bounced all the way here to tell you this story!" Pinkie declared without taking a breath.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash's mouths we're wide open upon hearing Pinkie's statement. They blinked their eyes in unison before bringing themselves back to reality with a quick shake. "Ah'm sorry, ah didn't quite catch that middle part" mumbled Applejack. "Yeah, something about Fluttershy and you BEING IN LOVE WITH HER!" Rainbow exclaimed. Applejack nudged Rainbow with her hoof, to which she responded with a resounding "OW!" "Now, tell us slowly. What in Equestria happened over at Fluttershy's?" said Applejack in a calming voice.

Pinkie gave out another despairing sigh in order to calm herself down. "I-I've never felt this way before, you guys. Urgh, I'm so confused!" Pinkie confessed as she held her head in her hoofs. "Hey, Pinkie. It's okay. You know you can tell us anything" Rainbow declared as she put her hoof around Pinkie. "Okay. I just don't want you to think any less of me" admitted Pinkie. "Now why in the name of Celestia would we ever think less of you, sugarcube?" asked Applejack as she trotted closer to the pink pony. "I mean, you heard what I said, right? I think I'm in love with Fluttershy! I like mares, I think... Isn't that weird? Shouldn't I be settling down with a nice stallion instead of falling for my bestest best friend?" Pinkie said as her voice began to crack.

Rainbow tilted her head at Pinkie as she gave out a small grin. "As if we'd think less of you for being a filly-fooler! Pinkie Pie, you are so random!" said Rainbow Dash as she gave Pinkie a one-armed hug. Pinkie looked up at her two friends with teardrops in her eyes; she thought they'd be ashamed of her. "Y-you mean it? You don't think I'm weird?" said Pinkie in a shaky voice. "Pinkie, y'all are weird for just being yourself. And that's what we love 'bout you" explained Applejack. "Yeah! So what if you like mares? Heck, I like mares too!" Rainbow admitted a little too enthusiastically.