It was 8:00 PM. Time for the party. Pinkie had transferred all of her party supplies to Fluttershy's house in a overflowing wheelbarrow, and contacted all the guests about the change in plans. Now everything was ready. The guests would begin arriving any minute. Pinkie was just setting out the last drinks on Fluttershy's table.

"I'm so super duper EXCITED!" she squealed. Fluttershy looked at her and smiled. She was happy for her friend.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Pinkie practically flew to the door, bursting to know who the first guest was. Fluttershy followed behind. Opening the door, Pinkie welcomed the gray pegasus that stood outside. Derpy stepped happily inside and put the cake she had brought on the table.

"Thanks for the invitation, Pinkie," she said. "I really-"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Pinkie opened the door again, and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle came in. No sooner had they sat down on the sofa than Pinkie heard another knock on the door. And so, guests arrived very quickly, and the party began.


who the first guest was. Fluttershy followed behind. Opening the door, Pinkie welcomed the gray pegasus that stood outside. Derpy stepped happily inside and put the cake she had brought on the table.

"Thanks for the invitation, Pinkie," she said. "I really-"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Pinkie opened the door again, and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle came in. No sooner had they sat down on the sofa than Pinkie heard another knock on the door. And so, guests arrived very quickly, and the party began.


Beans Lightsoil had been to quite a few of Pinkie's parties, and was more than ready to attend another one. So, when he got the invitation in the mail, he was very excited. At 8:27, he knocked on Fluttershy's door. He was almost thrown backward as the tidal wave of music, played by DJ-PON3, crashed down on him when Pinkie opened the door. Barely recovering from the blow, he was grabbed by the pink party pony and pulled into the loud, flashing chaos, as the door slammed behind him.

As he made his way through the crowd, Beans saw lots of familiar faces. There was Soarin, stuffing a large piece of cake in his mouth, Rarity, yelling at ponies when they very nearly spilled drinks on her exaggerated dress, Octavia, trying to persuade DJ-PON3 to play something classical instead of the blasting dubstep. Spotting Thunder Twister over by the table, Beans made his way over to him.

"ENJOYING THE PARTY?!" Beans yelled over the noise.

Thunder looked up from his drink and noticed the pale green pegasus, waving to him. He set down his drink and weaved his way over to where Beans was standing.

"HEY, BEANS! HOW'S IT GOING?!"

"BESIDES THE FACT THAT WE'RE AT A PARTY, I'M DOING PRETTY GOOD! HOW ABOUT YOU?!"

"I'M GREAT! HEY, YOU KNOW THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A STORM TONIGHT?!"

"REALLY?!"

"YEAH, I JUST HEARD FROM THE WEATHER PONIES! THE PARTY MIGHT HAVE TO BE CUT SHORT!"

"OH, WELL I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO ENJOY IT NOW, THEN!" The two pegasi laughed and helped themselves to the refreshments.


The party wore on for a few more hours, when suddenly, around 10:30, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and crash of thunder reached the ears of the ponies inside Fluttershy's house. The music stopped. Everypony listened. Another flash, followed by a thundering boom. Ponies moaned sadly and began to thank Pinkie and Fluttershy before making their way home. Nopony wanted to be caught in the rain.

Finally, it was just Pinkie and Fluttershy, along with Vinyl Scratch, who was packing up, a few young foals who would spend the night, and some other ponies who were helping to clean up. Beans swept the last of the streamers into a garbage can as the other volunteers headed for the door.

Then the rain came. Big drops splattered onto the windows and roof of the small house. Most of the ponies decided to make a run for it, and flew out the door. Beans, Soarin, and Lyra were just about to run after them, when Fluttershy stopped them.

"I know the others left before I could say anything," she explained. "But if any of you want to stay here for the night and avoid the storm, you could go home in the morning. And don't think it would be taking advantage of my hospitality, I do everything I can for my friends. Besides, Vinyl can't let her equipment get wet, and I have plenty of spare beds."

Lyra and Soarin accepted the offer gratefully. Beans still didn't want to be intrusive. But he did have a long way to his cottage, and he hadn't been looking forward to the trip.

"Are you sure it's okay with you?" he asked Fluttershy.

"Of course," she replied, smiling. "Anything for a friend."

That smile, thought Beans. He had never really noticed how beautiful Fluttershy's smile was. They had been good friends ever since Beans had come to Ponyville, and she was always just a kindhearted pony that cared for everything and everypony. They had had adventures together before, but even then, she had just been a travelling companion. But now, as he looked at her, her eyes shone like aquamarine, her fur was like melted butter. A crash of thunder suddenly popped him back into reality.

"Um, okay," he said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. "There's a bedroom for you upstairs."

Beans lay on the bed in the small bedroom. It was a nice bed, not some dusty cot pulled out of a closet. He could hear the foals in the next room, muttering sleepily as they listened to the lullaby Fluttershy was singing. Beans smiled. That pony could probably calm an army of dragons with just her voice. He sighed. Yep, he was hopeless. He had known Fluttershy for so long now, but it took her just one night to steal his heart. Beans was in love.

All characters mentioned in the story are owned by Hasbro with the exception of Beans and Thunder Twister.