Fillies and gentle colts. This is a suspenseful match. It's the bottom of the ninth, bases are loaded. All the next pony up the bat has to do, is make sure all ponies cross home plate and they win. Will Manehatten take it home this year?
Pinkie Pie was staring intently at the television set. This was a custom at this point to watch baseball when you are in the Cake household. In fact, even the baby Cakes were watching it…even though they hardly understood it.
Pinkie and the Cakes loved baseball. Most ponies would rather watch hoofball, but not these guys. They just never understood why anypony would want to watch such a violent sport like hoofball with all that tackling. This was a much better sport to the folks in the household because it allowed a nice intense game without all that violence.
However, Pinkie had another reason for watching the baseball game besides quality entertainment.
You would probably never guess this but, Pinkie always wanted to be a baseball player. It wasn't her main dream though, just a little something that she thought about every now and then. It just always held in interest to her. She wanted to see what it was actually like.
Lucky for her, she had Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash actually offered to help Pinkie be a good baseball player. Tomorrow, not only would she be learning how to be good at the sport she adored, but she would spend time…with her crush. Pinkie blushed thinking about it.
She had always liked Rainbow Dash as a special pony instead of a regular old one. At least, that's how she put it. That cyan pegasus was always there for her, and now she is doing it again.
And that brings us back to why she was watching a game of baseball more closely on the day before her practice with her Dashie. She wanted to make sure she could be as good as she can as not to disappoint Rainbow.
She finally decided that she has seen enough baseball for one night. Besides, she needed to be all rested it up and smiles for Dashie tomorrow. She gave a title giggle then hopped up to bed. The last thing she heard on the TV was:
"This is going to be close folks. Lucky Shot is dashing towards home plate with the ball flying towards it as well. This could mean the whole game. Here it comes. Folks, it looks like the player is…"
The next morning, the pink pony went off to an open field that Rainbow Dash instructed her to come to. She brought a bat that she added a few things onto it herself. The field was turned from a simple little field to a little sandlot, (by Rainbow of course). It had all the plates and even had a big silver fence to prevent the ball from passing if she missed. She wouldn't though, especially with a great teacher like Dashie. She gave a light blush and giggle and continued bouncing closer.
As Pinkie bounced closer, she saw the cyan pony with a rainbow mane already there, (Though, why wouldn't she be?). Rainbow was wearing a little white and blue cap and was lightly pitching the ball up and down.
Rainbow Dash finally heard Pinkie Pie's boings. She ceased playing with her ball and focused on the the pony coming towards her. She proceeded to show a light smirk and then hovered towards the pink pony.
"Glad you finally made it." Said Rainbow Dash as she gave a gentle touchdown. Rainbow Dash looked over at the bat that Pinkie was holding. Pinkie Pie noticed this and gave Dashie the bat with a smile. Rainbow Dash noticed that it had the Pinkie's cutie mark on it.
"Well," Rainbow began, "Great minds think a like." She then proceeded to toss Pinkie her ball. She fumbled a little with the ball, but when she had a steady grip on it, she examined the ball.
She noticed the ball also had a cutie mark on it. "I guess we do." Pinkie giggled. She tossed back to Rainbow and Rainbow gave Pinkie her bat back.
"Alright Pinkie Pie. The first we need to do is to see if you are able to hit the ball. If you can't even hit it, then you have no chance. Got it?" The pink pony nodded in agreement. Rainbow Dash repositioned her cap to face backwards. "You ready?"
"Okie dokie lokie Dashie." Pinkie announced with a giggle. Rainbow Dash winded her body back a little, got her arm ready, and with a mighty push, the ball went flying towards the plate. Pinkie knew she was ready for it. She took her her tongue out and with a huge swing there was a great:
Swoosh!
The ball just ended up hitting the little gate fence behind them. Rainbow had to go over and get the ball herself with how stunned Pinkie Pie was.
"Well…" Rainbow Dash began, not so sure what to tell the pink pony. "…Must have been a little slip-up." Pinkie's face went from shock to disappointment. Rainbow realized she had to be a bit more careful. "Don't let it get you down Pinks. Everypony has a slip-up now and again. You won't get better unless you try. " Rainbow Dash then gave a smile.
Upon looking at that smile, Pinkie went to an immediate state of eagerness and was already up to bat again.
The second verse was the same as the first. Rainbow Dash wound up and pitch the ball. Pinkie swung her bat. It all ending in another:
Swoosh!
Both of the ponies weren't sure how many times they tried, but they both knew that it was already getting pretty late. Yet…Pinkie hasn't even gotten a single hit.
Pinkie Pie's normal smile had vanished at this point.
"I'm sorry Dashie. I'm a disappointment." She then started too galloped towards home. It wasn't even her bounce. It was just running and sobbing. Rainbow Dash didn't know what to tell her to make her feel better. Rainbow just sat at the sandlot and tried to think.
"How can I help Pinkie?" She asked herself. "I can't stand to see her all sad." Rainbow Dash flew up to the air back towards her cloud home. I" guess helping her get better at baseball would be a start. The problem is…how?" The pegasus suddenly stopped going to her house. She decided on a new designation. One in ponyville…
Twilight was just finishing her studies for the night. Spike was asleep and it was Owlicious's turn to be the assistant.
"Thanks for your help Owlicious." Twilight said while petting the owl.
"Who?"
"You of course Owlici-" Twilight stopped herself. She then giggled to herself. "I need to learn to stop doing tha-"
Knock, knock, knock.
Twilight paused and stared at the front door.
"Who could be up at this hour?" Twilight said as she went towards the door. When she opened it, she saw Rainbow. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night Rainbow Dash?"
The cyan pony suddenly bolted past her and started rummaging through Twilight's library without even acknowledging her. The purple pony raised a brow.
"Um…what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash stopped searching through the library and looked at Twilight.
"Oh, hay Twi'." Rainbow replied. It didn't seem like she realized just how rude she was being. "By the way, you wouldn't have a spell or potion that would make some pony better at baseball would you?"
"Why would you need that?"
"I want to help Pinkie. She can't even hit a ball." Twilight narrowed her eyes.
"You want to help her cheat?" Twilight said in a bit angry tone.
"Well…yes, but you should've seen her Twilight. She was all sad and depressed. I was at least thankful her hair wasn't down." Rainbow Dash shuddered at the memory.
Twilight put her hoof to her chin and began to think. She then levitated a notepad and started writing stuff down.
"That doesn't sound like Pinkie. Why would she be so depressed? Hmm…" Twilight wrote a bit more down. "Tell me, how does she act when she is around you?" Rainbow gave a smirk.
"Pinkie? She's great. She always pretty excited to see me and is usually happy to help me out with anything I need." Twilight wrote some more stuff down.
"How did she feel when you were finished with her practice for the day?"
"Well, she was really upset. In fact, she said, "I'm sorry Dashie. I'm a disappointment." Twilight stopped writing and looked over her notes. Twilight gave a smile.
"I think Pinkie Pie just looks up to you."
"Kind of like Scootaloo?"
"That would be the best comparison yes…" Twilight had an idea. "Maybe that's what you should do." It was Rainbow's turn to raise a brow.
"Come again?"
"Maybe you should try to relate baseball with something Pinkie likes or likes to do." Rainbow Dash pondered this for a moment.
"I see what you are saying…but what do I use?" Twilight Sparkle frowned.
"Sorry Rainbow Dash, but she is your best friend. I don't know her as well as you." The cyan pegasus let out a sigh. Twilight gave her a pat on the back for comfort. "You'll think of something. I know it."
After telling each other good night, Rainbow walked out of Twilight's house and back towards her home. A little ways there, she came up with just the thing to help Pinkie Pie…
The next morning, Pinkie was still in her depressed state. She wasn't crying at least. Pinkie had just arrived at the sandlot. It was time for Rainbow to put her plan into action.
"Hay Pinkie," Began Rainbow Dash. "You like helping me right?"
Pinkie looked up and nodded. Though, she still had her frown. In fact her returned to facing the ground again. Rainbow Dash lifted Pinkie's chin up. The pink pony gained a light red blush on her face before Rainbow started speaking.
"Then here is what you can do." Rainbow Dash began. She released Pinkie's chin and brought out her baseball. "You see this ball? Pretend it's me. Pinkie Pie gave a look of confusion.
"Huh?" Pinkie asked.
"Just trust me. Where was I? Oh yeah! You know how much I love flying right? Pinkie gave a little giggle.
"Of course I do Dashie. I mean duh, you're the Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow smiled when she saw Pinkie was slightly returning to her old self.
"Well, here's the thing. I need your help to fly." She showed her the baseball. "The only way I can do that, is if you hit this ball." Pinkie was now filled with worry.
"B-b-but Dashie!" Pinkie said. "I don't know if I can do it!" Rainbow Dash put her hooves on Pinkie's shoulders.
"You can Pinkie Pie. I need you right now." With those words, something clicked in Pinkie's brain. She stopped arguing and just went back to home plate. She had a look of determination: Eyes squinted, bat raised in the air, feet planted firmly into the ground. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. She leaned back, wound up, and then she let it fly.
Pinkie kept chanting over and over in her head: I will help Rainbow Dash fly, she needs me right now. The ball came closer and closer, and building up all the energy she could, she swung the bat.
WHACK!
The ball went flying all right. The two ponies watched in awe as the ball kept going.
"Wow Pinkie." Rainbow began. "I am sure you just got a home run." Pinkie was now bursting with excitement. She was bouncing all over the place. She was dancing a little. She even gave Rainbow a big hug.
"Thank you so much Dashie." Pinkie Pie as she squeezed her. "You are the best coach ever!" She then gave Rainbow a big kiss on the cheek. Now it was Rainbow's Dash's turn to have a bright crimson blush.
Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash still didn't know about Pinkie's crush. She just thought Pinkie was being, well, Pinkie. Pinkie Pie didn't mind though. Maybe someday she would learn of it, but for right now, she was just happy to be friends with the best pony in the entire world.
The pink pony released Rainbow, gave a little giggle, then proceeded to bounce back home.
"Hold it Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash commanded. Pinkie stopped then turned around. "We aren't done with practice for today." Pinkie gave let another giggle.
"Oops, my bad."
Pinkie went back up to bat. Rainbow gave her smirk, leaned back, wound up, and pitched the ball. Pinkie Pie gave a smile.
WHACK!...