The sound of cold water running resonated throughout the tiny room.
Mm. Much too cold. A bit hotter.
Twilight Sparkle turned the faucet to a warmer temperature.
That's better. Now what did that dream say?
She turned the dial more.
Elope?
And more.
No, it was escape.
And even more.
Escape from what? Sweet Apple Acres?
Even more still.
Nah. Couldn't be. Just a silly nightmare. Clearly-
Twilight yelped loudly at the sudden shock of steaming hot water trickling down to her hooves. "Sweet Celestia" she mumbled, realizing the sink was over flooding. She swiftly grabbed some nearby towels, turning off the scalding water before mopping up the puddles on the floor. Twilight rolled her eyes due to her own carelessness. Caught up in her own thoughts due to a nightmare. How embarrassing.
The sound of hoofsteps seeped through the door.
Hopefully, nopony will see her-
"Whoa! What's going on in this thread?" Pinkie Pie yelled as she burst through the door with a string full of tangled ties. Almost immediately, however, she disregarded it and turned to the damp, still half dirty, unbelieving purple pony. "What is this? A sitcom?" Twilight blurted out. Her life must be a show. Entertainment for all to enjoy and relish in her everyday life. "And what happened to you, Twilight? Are you okay? Do you need any help? It looks like a swimming pool that was out in the sun for too long in here! But I guess most pools are out in the sun, aren't they? Except for the indoor ones. You know the ones that have the really cool, twisty water slides? But some outside ones have that too! We should-" Once again, Twilight held up a hoof to cease her party friend's rambling. After a few seconds of silence, despite Pinkie's sole cough, Twilight decided it was safe to ask, "Actually, help doesn't sound too bad. Uh… Would you mind?" Twilight gave her a cheeky grin, wide eyes pleading to Pinkie Pie. "Sure! There's always a clean up after the party. But that doesn't mean that can't be a party either!" The lavender pony's features expressed immediate relief. "Thank you so much, Pinkie. It'll really help me out."
She picked a towel off the ground, wiping her face with the side her hooves were recently pressing upon. Her coat was sure to be stained for a while. She inwardly groaned.
"Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie chirped, tying the last sponge onto her hooves. "What's got your tail all in a ruffle?" She coughed before proceeding to skate around the small room. "Well…" Twilight began, as she sat in the middle of said room while Pinkie continuously zipped around her. 'Doesn't she ever get tired? No, that's not what I should be thinking about. Should I tell her? Again? Couldn't hurt, right?' she thought to herself. Meanwhile, Pinkie had been scrubbing so much that bubbles began fill the room. As one popped near her face, Twilight snapped back into reality, noticing that she was surrounded in foam and bubbles. "Wha- Pinkie, what did you do?" There wasn't even soap on the floor to begin with! The pink pony, who was formally skating around with closed eyes, opened them, and instead of gasping with subtle horror like Twilight, she was marveled at the sight. "Bubbles! I was wondering what that kinda wet thing that kept bumping against me was!" Pinkie giggled gleefully, halting to a stop. "There must've been a little bit of soap stuck on the bottom of these things." Sure enough, as Pinkie took a sponge off one of her hooves, the residue of a bar of soap was clearly evident. Pinkie coughed a bit then shrugged. "I'll just pop all the bubbles!" She began to pop the several amounts of bubbles throughout the room. As if she was casually standing perfectly still, Pinkie continued. "Sooo tell me what's up with you!" Pinkie flashed Twilight a trademark Pinkie Pie grin. Twilight's look of confusion turned into one of warmth and affection. "It's just the dream again. It really freaked me- Pinkie, are you okay?' Throughout Twilight's brief explanation, Pinkie continuously coughed, almost violently, and enough to make Twilight stop talking and Pinkie, of course, to stop popping. "I'm…" Another cough. "I'm fine. Really! Must be the bubbles!" she replied, cheery despite the fact her voice had a raspy tone to it.
Applejack appeared in the doorway, with a look of concern. "Ah heard a whole lot of coughin'. Everypony okay in here?" She then turned to Pinkie. "Ya not sick, are ya, Pinkie?" Pinkie shook her head, dissipating the remainder of bubbles left floating. Applejack inspected the room, noticing every puddle, bubble, and subtle patches of cherry. "Eh… Ah think ah'll clean this up, Twi. Ya should go an' take Pinkie home." Twilight nodded, raising Pinkie to her feet. Pinkie wasn't weak, of course. She'd been coughing for the longest. Almost about 3 weeks. But, to console both of her dear buddies, and for her own sake, Pinkie went along with it. "Okay, but I really do feel fine, Twilight! Honest!" The stubborn pony shook her head. "Maybe you just haven't gotten any symptoms yet. Come on, we're going back to the library. Maybe I can figure out what's wrong there." Twilight trotted out of the room, Pinkie Pie happily bouncing after her. Could it be that these are aftereffects of staying up too late? Pinkie bounced out of the room, happy as ever as the lavender pony's expression turned to one of confusion. No. It couldn't be.
"I'll try to be back later, Applejack. Thanks so much for the pies!" Twilight flashed Applejack a smile. Applejack, though seemingly distracted, returned the smile. "No problem, Twilight. Ah'm happy ya liked them so much." A bit taken aback from her friend's rare distracted state, yet shrugging it off anyhow, Twilight gave Applejack a quick hug then returned to the still bouncing Pinkie Pie, who seemed all too eager to return home. "I'll see you later, Applejack! Sorry about the mess. Make more bubbles to make it fun!" She laughed as she trotted out, guided by Twilight.
On their way home, Twilight looked over at Pinkie Pie, still ever so eager to get home, or at least, to Twilight's home. "Pinkie, why do you want to go home so badly? I thought you wanted to go to Applejack's."
"Oh! Well, you see, I have something I need to get ready for."
Twilight nodded. "Another Pinkie party, huh? Well, I'm afraid I can't go tonight, but I'm sure it'll be just as fun without me!" Twilight hummed a small tune, not noticing that she had passed Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie Pie and her sudden change of facial expression. One that was almost blank.
"Mhmm! Fun."
Ah... Sorry. Life, school, and my damn computer got in the way of me and this chapter. But at least it's finally up. HUZZAH.
I'm very inconsistent, so bear with me.
Jake: Oh man, I certainly hope so.
ReverseSceptile: ...Well. Operator, eh? Hehehe... Thank you very truly much~