Chapter Eight: The Reassurance

Unfortunately, Cheese couldn't get around to telling Pinkie there was nothing to worry about, due to the changes done on the slide mechanism taking longer than planned. By the time he had finished working out the kinks, it was way past dark. He didn't want to wake her with such a (he thought) trivial thing so he decided to tell her the next morning.

"Now time for Cheesy to get some sleep," he yawned. He began to walk back to his inn. He was really enjoying his time in Ponyville; this was by far the best town in which to throw parties. Ponies knew each other and were friendly. Even he, an outsider, was treated like a part of the town. But when Cheese considered, he wasn't that much of an outsider; he had really just been away for a while. A long while.

Cheese never really had anywhere to call home since he left Manehattan. He always travelled, even as a colt, and did his parties. The first time he had really collaborated with somepony in making a party was when he and Pinkie worked on Rainbow's birthaversary party.

Pinkie certainly influences a lot of my choices, thought Cheese with a chuckle. He walked into the inn and went to his room. Upon doing so he plopped onto his bed and immediately fell asleep.


Pinkie had fallen asleep early worrying about Cheese's situation, and was currently in the process of snoring very loudly when the doorbell rang. She started, blinking slowly and dazedly. Wiping the puddle of drool from her mouth, she walked sleepily to the front door and, yawning, opened it.

Rainbow Dash was standing there, looking a bit confused. "Uh, so these ponies arrived with no explanation, and I'm wondering if you might..." Her expression had turned into a smirk by now. "Know them?" She stepped aside and Pinkie's sleepy daze disappeared when she gasped loudly in shock. Standing there was her immediate family, minus Maud Pie, the sister in Manehattan.

"Oh—OMIGOSH! Mom, Dad! Limestone and Marble too—you're all here!" cried Pinkie, running forward to hug them.

"It's so good to see you, Pinkie," laughed Igneous.

"Even better to see YOU guys!" replied Pinkie, releasing them. "How have you been? When did you arrive?"

"Well," said Marble, "just now, actually. We left last night."

Limestone nodded. "Mm-hmm! Rainbow Dash met us at the train station."

Pinkie was grinning from ear to ear. "Wow!"

"Consider it an early birthday present from Twilight and Applejack," said Rainbow with a wink.

"How did you guys know? The only pony who I mentioned anything like this to was...Apple Bloom! She must have told Applejack who told Twilight! That's so cool! I'll have to thank them later," cheered Pinkie. She stood beside the door. "Well, come on in! I insist you all stay here for the next few days!"

Cloudy looked apprehensive. "Are you sure?"

"Course I am, Mom! Maybe one or two of you will have to share beds but other than that, I think we'll manage." Pinkie frowned. "I just wish Maud was here too."

Limestone gave a sad smile. "Who knows? Maybe somepony gave her the memo too."

Rainbow so wanted to tell them but she didn't want to ruin the surprise. "Oh well, nopony knows, gotta go!" She sped off in the distance.

Pinkie's family blinked as they watched her fly off. "...Well, then," said Marble. "Is she always like that?"

"Yep! That's what makes Dashie, well, Dashie! Now just plop your stuff down and make yourselves at home! Excuse all the party supplies but it's Gummy's birthday party tomorrow and I'm throwing that one," explained Pinkie as the family walked inside. "And while you're here, don't forget to stop by Sugarcube Corner!"

"We never do!" was Marble's reply. She had set down her saddlebag and looked itching to explore. "Come on, Limestone," she begged her twin sister, "I want to explore and look for some stallions!" As the pair rarely got out, they always liked to scope out the land for "cute" stallions.

Limestone looked at Pinkie sheepishly. "Ehehe...would you mind if we...I mean, we just got here but..."

Pinkie shooed them off. "Go on, go on! If you young fillies don't go get married soon you'll be a burden to us for the rest of our lives!" she said in a parent-like voice.

Marble and Limestone giggled. They galloped out to search Ponyville.

Cloudy walked over to Pinkie and hugged her. "It really is great to see you, Pinkie. You've grown up so much."

Pinkie tipped her head as she observed her mother when she let go. "What do you mean? I always thought I was the least grown up pony I knew, heehee!" she giggled.

Cloudy chuckled. "Trust me on this one, Pinkie, I can see it in you. And besides, if you grew up too much you wouldn't be Pinkie anymore!"

Igneous laughed. "Don't I know it? But really, you do look grown up, at least. I'm surprised you haven't found a stallion to at least date, like most mares your age."

For some odd reason, the first pony to pop up in Pinkie's mind was Cheese. She blushed and simultaneously was hit with embarrassment, and the guilt and worry from last night. She pushed it away for the moment. "Don't worry, Dad, I'll find somepony—"

"I said surprised, Pinkie," her father said, slightly sternly. "Never said it was a bad thing."

Pinkie giggled. "Oh, Daddy."

"I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind a nap," admitted Cloudy. "I couldn't sleep a wink on that train. Too much noise and movement and all that. I'm getting old!" finished Cloudy with a laugh.

"Oh!" exclaimed Pinkie. She went into another room, and after they heard a large amount of silly noises and even an explosion, Cloudy and Igneous were greeted with a queen-sized bed with sheets and a comforter already placed neatly on it. Pinkie was somehow holding the entire thing. "I keep it with me in case of guests!" squeaked the pink pony. She dragged it into a room that had virtually nothing in it. "And that's the room I put it in for the guests!"

Her parents blinked. "Er, wouldn't it make more sense to just keep the bed in the room?" asked Igneous after a beat. Pinkie laughed.

"You two are so funny! I'm so glad you're here!"

Shrugging, Cloudy thanked her daughter and went to take her nap. She fell asleep instantly. Igneous decided to join her; they obviously hadn't had much time to sleep that night. Pinkie didn't know it but they couldn't stop talking about her and how excited they were to see her. But by the time they had gotten there, they could barely keep their eyes open and were unable to hang out very long with their daughter, ironically.

Pinkie decided to go talk to Twilight about Cheese now. She had no time left to spare; if she didn't act now then she would have to say goodbye to any more time with Cheese! And she couldn't let that happen! Rearing, Pinkie galloped out to carry out her mission before it was too late.


Cheese was on his way to tell Pinkie that there was no harm done and everything was okay, but he was held up. Two mares he didn't recognize were walking around and giggling, and when they noticed him...well, he didn't exactly have time to get away.

"Oh my gosh!" he overheard. "He's so handsome!"

Handsome was nice, but he preferred to be called "cute."

In no time the mares had approached him. "Hello!" one of them said. "Who are you?"

"Uhh...I'm Cheese Sandwich...?"

"We're Marble and Limestone Pie!" exclaimed the other. "Well, I'm Marble and she's Limestone."

"Howdy do!" said Limestone. She shook Cheese's hoof quickly. "So you're from Ponyville? That's great! I love Ponyville! We're thinking about movig here, would you date one of us if you did?"

Cheese was backing away. "Er, uh, well..." But he was saved by a familiar voice.

"LIMESTONE! MARBLE!" The ponies stopped and looked back at Pinkie. The pink pony was staring them down in a way not unlike the way Pinkie had done right before her goof-off with Cheese. "Step away from my coltfriend."

Cheese blinked dumbly. "Uh, what?"

The mares paid him no heed but instead backed away. "Pinkie, you never told us you had a coltfriend," moaned Marble enviously.

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?" asked Pinkie in a gruff voice.

"We're sorry! W-we didn't know!" exclaimed Limestone. "Come on, Marble, let's look for somepony else. Sorry, again, big Sis!"

Sis?!

"No harm, no foul," replied Pinkie, waving them along again. "I forgive you." The sisters laughed nervously before galloping away. Pinkie zoomed over to Cheese. "Are you okay?"

"Thanks to you, yes," laughed Cheese. "What made you think to come save me?"

Pinkie snorted. "Only the fact that they hit on every single not-ugly stallion they ever see. I love my sisters, but they can be a little..." She leaned in close to Cheese and whispered, "Craaaazy," as she made the universal "crazy" symbol.

"I noticed," chuckled Cheese.

Pinkie gasped suddenly, remembering something. "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! Did you get into huge, super deluxe trouble after I bumped into you, because I really didn't mean it and I don't want you to leave yet and I'll accept full responsibility for all of it!" she exclaimed, grabbing the front of Cheese's shirt.

"Pinkie, relax!" gasped Cheese. The way she was grasping his polo was slightly choking him as he struggled to speak. "I'm not going anywhere! Twilight and I worked it out after deciding that not many things had to be changed. And if even if not, what was that about leaving?"

Pinkie stared for a few seconds. "...I had thought Twilight would send you away after I messed it all up," she admitted. She looked down sheepishly as she released Cheese and blushed. "I guess I overreacted a teensy bit. I..." I didn't want you to go so soon. "I didn't want to lose my party planner friend, haha..." muttered the pink pony awkwardly.

Cheese put a hoof around her and gave her a side hug. "Hey, it feels good to know that you care!" he said cheerfully. Better than you could even imagine. Pinkie smiled gratefully at him.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Pinkie suddenly gasped. "Tomorrow's Gummy's birthday! I need to set everything up!" She sped out of Cheese's embrace and began to head in the direction of her home. Before that, however, she came to a sudden halt. Turning where she was, she called, "You're invited, Cheese, it's at my place at, like, 11:00! AM! Don't be late! Bye!" Pinkie then sped off again.

Cheese looked at where she had gone. A smiled spread across his face as he already began to think about his talk with Pinkie. He spent the rest of the day Pinkie-skipping and didn't give a straight answer to anypony who asked him why. But he was most certainly in love by now, because he knew Pinkie had worried about him.


Marble and Limestone had run off in the direction of a little hut. They resumed their giggling as they did so, and they met up with a beaming Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash when they arrived.

"So?" asked Rainbow with glee. "Did they fall for it?"

"Mmhmm! I could see the jealousy all over Pinkie's face," replied Marble.

"It was adorable!" added Limestone. "What now?"

"Knowing those two, they'll have made up," murmured Fluttershy. "And they're friends again."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "But friends isn't romance, Fluttershy! Do you want Pinkie to get friendzoned?"

"I, uh...no?"

"Exactly. So here's what we gotta do. It's just like in the romance novels. Marble and Limestone will try to convince everypony that Pinkie an Cheese are dating!" announced Rainbow. "They'll deny it, of course, and they'll hurt each other's feelings—"

Fluttershy gasped. "That's an awful thing to do, make them hurt each others' feelings. You wouldn't actually do it, would you, Dashie?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "If you'll let me finish! Yeah, yeah, they'll get upset, but then they'll make up! And this time they'll admit their feelings for one another! Trust me, Flutters, it's foolproof."

"Oh...I don't know..."

Rainbow clapped her on the shoulder. "You worry too much! It'll be fine!"

Marble and Limestone agreed. "Yeah! I read stuff like this all the time!" added Limestone. "And they'll totally end up together; they always do!"

Fluttershy wanted to protest, but her not-quite-overcome shyness added with the pleading looks of the other ponies finally caused her to sigh in defeat. "Fine."


I don't care if Flutters was OOC~ Lalalala I can't hear you~

Now for replies.

AwkwardTurtle13: I have it bad for this ship too, lol! I really wasn't thinking about how they're all picking up on it, but thanks! :)

Dixie Darlin: So many new reviews! :D Yes, she did learn her lesson, but Pinkie probably won't stop meddling anytime soon...

MaxwellsBook: It'a fun to write them interacting, haha! It's easier to write Pinkie in-character.

wildone97: Thanks for the fave and follow! And for your kind words :3 It was an automatic ship for me too. I...think I have a problem, actually.

FruitySheep: I like your idea of having Soarin come! I don't think I'll include Fluttercord, since I'm more of a Discolight shipper...

See you guys tomorrow!

Keep writing and God bless,

Shippings