Chapter 25

As I trot with Pinkie I can't help but notice more ponies are saying hi to me and calling me by name. They acknowledge me, even if Pinkie hasn't spoken yet, her mere presence makes ponies social and friendly. Hours pass this way with idle chat and random ponies somehow knowing and calling me by name. We never stop though, and we walk through both routes twice. It's nearing noon when we reach the last checkpoint and I sit for my break.

"Relax Pinkie, I know those basic helmets can get even warmer than the custom ones so you must be really uncomfortable." I tell her and take off my own helmet.

"Pssh, with hair like mine you either suffer incredible heat or learn to forget about it. Thank you though! So, what'd ya pack for lunch?" She asks enthusiastically.

"Just a daffodil sandwich, would you like some? I can cut it in half. Or if you want something else we can turn back to a shop and I can treat you." I say.

"Half a sandwich? Is that really all you need? I need, like, at least two cupcakes per meal." I'm not sure if she's serious or joking, and for all I know it could be some impossible answer like both. I decide to treat it seriously and take a shot in the dark.

"Oh well, I haven't been too hungry recently. I think I might have a cookie or cupcake back in my fridge in the barracks if it's that important. I don't want you to get out of your routine or go hungry or anything."

"Nah, I'll just eat a cake or something later. Or maybe something impossible will happen!"

"Impossible? Like what, Pinkie? The world exploding twice?"

"Oh my Celestia, don't say things like that!" A mare walking past exclaims as she overhears. She grabs Pinkie quickly, almost violently, "Pinkie, the only impossible thing that's going to happen right now is I'm going to go bake you not one but two cakes okay don't inadvertently cause the world to explode twice alright I'm going to go make those cakes now!" She yells while Pinkie smiles knowingly. The unnamed mare dashes off, to bake a cake apparently.

"Who was-" before I could finish another gray mare, a pegasus, crash lands, barely missing me and Pinkie. "Lunar Liberties, are you okay, miss!?" I help her up and she looks at me cross eyed and Salutes.

"Special Priority mail for Prestissimo Echo!" She gives me a letter and flies away as if nothing ever happened.

"That's what I'm talkin' about! Not that stuff like that doesn't actually happen all the time, it does, but it's never happened to you before. Heehee, it won't seem impossible for long, though! Also: whatsinthemail?" Her mood switches nearly immediately, all focus on the letter.

"Um, I don't know.. let's find out." I reply and take a bite of the sandwich before opening the letter. I read it aloud for the sake of easing the seemingly demi-god Pinkie. Something tells me when she's this anxious you don't want to get her mad… can she get mad?

"Dear Echo…

It's me, Neon! I know I haven't been in touch in, like, forever, and I don't really have an excuse, but Octavia wrote me a letter saying you were in town with her, living and working there! It's been ages since the three of us were together, and now that you live where she lives, it makes visiting you a lot easier, since I get with her regularly if at all possible! I still work out of Canterlot, and Octy composes in Ponyville, and our schedules don't always align, but it's great when they do! Anyway, now that you're there, and we know you're there, we make it a huge get together!

Remember when we were really little, like when we'd just met and we'd say we'd never stop seeing each other? Well I'm going to make sure we keep that promise, so don't ignore me! I know where you live now, haha! But seriously, I can't wait to see you. I don't even know what to say, I'm just so stoked to hear from you, even if it's through Octy first. I'm not sure where this letter is going anymore, other than 'just super excited and rambling' so I guess I'll save it for later!

Get back to me soon, you knucklehead!

-Neon..

Neon Lights." I finish. An awfully long letter, for him at least.

"Ah cool! You know Neon? I love his dubstep, especially his crossover-experiment album with Vinyl!"

"Oh yeah.. Well… he's really talented.. I'm not surprised." I feel my eyes watering, why are they watering? Dammit, if Pinkie sees, or senses, she won't let go. I'm not sad or anything so why am I about to cry?!

"Yeah, but you know him! Wow, you're friends with really cool ponies! I mean, everypony is really cool, but then there are ponies who are agreed upon by the masses to be totally cool and they're not extra cool or anything but it's definitely a different kind of cool and that in itself is very cool!" She rambles, not noticing, or perhaps ignoring me. I don't know that she has the tact to act through the latter idea.

I smile, "Well believe it or not... his signature look? Me and Octy stuck gel in his mane and put it like that because he thought the look was ridiculous when he saw it in papers. But next morning he apparently decided he liked it on him, after he stopped chasing us down the halls, that is."

"Omigosh, really? That's so fun! Tell me more!" Pinkie takes an enormous chomp of her sandwich, settling down like it's story time.

I laugh, I wonder if she's ever made me laugh before, "Well one time my mom, she's a great baker, she threw a Nightmare Night party and all of our parents told me, Octy, and Neon to do an eating challenge for my moms caramel apples and whoever finished first won a prize. But instead of her famous caramel apples they were onions underneath the carmel! We all raced to the apple dunking barrel for the water! The whole thing spilled over!"

"HMO MY GOODNESH THASH AMASHING!" Pinkie Pie says through a full mouth. She swallows but immediately rolls over in laughter. I didn't think it was even that funny but her giggling is infectious.

"What about you I'm sure you have lots of cool stories working with the Elements." I say and take another bite.

"Oh sure, but a lot of them where we have to act as the Elements of Harmony are all about fighting and saving the day and pressure and blah. It's a lot of fun, it's really exciting, but it's nothing like gelling the next biggest pop music writer's hair against his will into what will one day be the most strove-after look in Equestria, amongst certain groups. Although I do have a lot of stories like that, too."

"Ok so tell me about Pinkie stories outside of the saving day blah stuff ." I smile.

"Weeeeell. One time I had a party battle to determine whether or not I was the best party-planner in all of Ponyville, and maybe even Equestria!" Doing that thing where she pops up out of nowhere, nowhere near where she was a second ago, she narrates: "It was me against Cheese Sandwich: the stakes were high and the ponies were ready to party. Cheese Sandwich had his party cannon and I had miiine." She talks in a gritty low voice, obviously for effect. "We squared off! Singing our greatest party ballads and shooting our grandest loads of party cannon balls! Confetti, streamers, cake, cream; you name it, we were shootin' it! Pinatas, balloons, pin-the-tail-on-the-equine! Twas a glorious battle!"

I wait for her to continue for a moment but her triumphant smirk and silence tells me that's where she decided to stop. I can't help but giggle at her randomness in thinking that's where the story should have ended.

"Yupperooni, it was a fuuun day!"

"Sounds like way too much fun for me to handle." I finish off my sandwich.

"Whaaat? There's really no such thing as 'too much fun'! Maybe in context of situation, but mathematically? Logically? No such thing! Fun and laughter are an equation that only goes up, my dear Echo!"

"Heh, sure Pinkie, I will take your word for it.. speaking of fun .. what cake recipe is your specialty?" I ask, keeping an eye on the clocktower.

"I don't really have a specialty. I make whatever's asked of me! I really, really love a good old fashioned vanilla with raspberry filling, though! I had a lot of fun working on the MMMM a couple years ago, too!"

"Could I get a small personal sized cake? My birthday's coming up and I'll be busy but I'd like a dessert made from you if it's not too much trouble." I tread lightly. I don't want a big party so I hope she'll leave it alone. Her eyes, literally, light up like it's new year's eve as she gasps.

"Of course! What's your favorite flavor, what kind of icing patterns do you want, how big exactly, what sort of icing color and flavor do you want do you mind if Gummy helps me?"

"Oh um you're call, though I do like custard filling desserts, I guess maybe a music note design or a ponyville cake design. Big enough to feed five if a pony had one slice each. That way if anyone comes by I can give them some, or if they don't I can save some for later."

"That is a smaaaall cake, Echo. I need at least two slices." She smirks. "I'll make a medium-ish small-but-not-too-small cake. Aaaand. Your color scheme. Wiiith…. both a big fantastical musical note aaaand an iconic building of Ponyville! Yesss!"

"Oh ok thanks.. um so I guess that means you'll be visiting me then ?" I ask for confirmation.

"Well, sure! I'm delivering if for your birthday, I really hope I'm visiting you on your birthday, for your birthday!"

"Heh right, " I rub the back of my neck.

"Whaaat? Did I say something?" Her eyes don't lose their luster, but the rest of her face falls.

"No!" I pause to regain composure thinking my response was a little too fast, "No, I just didn't know, I mean I forgot Sugarcube Corner delivered." I explain.

"Oh, they don't. I do. If you want to get technical, when I throw a birthday party I more-or-less buy the cake or other marvelous desserts from the Cakes, and then I host the party. Sugarcube Corner gets plenty of revenue as it is, and the Cakes can't really stretch themselves any thinner what with having twin foals and all. Sometimes they insist I don't need to pay because I'm a 'valued employee' and 'like a daughter' and 'cinnamon roll too good for this world', but I always sneak the money back anyway." She giggles.

"That's wonderful Pinkie," I smile and look at the clock tower, "It's time for me to take the second shift. You should go, I hear its gonna warm up. It was nice talking to you this morning."

"It was splenderific, Echo, and I hope we get to hang out like that some more!" She returns the helmet to me, and waves as she prondles away. "Byyyyyyyyyye!"

I wave and start to walk away but pause.. Why would the Cakes call Pinkie a Cinnamon roll? I shake it off and continue patrolling, with the helmet in my magic hold, until my shift is over a few hours later and then go to the barracks. I trot to the storage and put the spare helmet back before heading to the gym to spar with 's not here yet so I get a drink of water from the fountain. It's more refreshing than usual because it's such a hot day. I honestly can't wait for that fall freeze to come through.

Major Flash shows up first, probably having just returned from a patrol of his own or organising the next weeks' or so. He doesn't say anything, but he takes off his helmet, and puts it on one of the benches along the wall. Then he trots over.

"Lieutenant, you've really never sparred before?"

I stare blankly how does he even know that."Um, not formally sir, I tussled around with two friends when I was a foal though."

"Well, typically we don't spar in full gear. Training gear is usually made of faux leather, but you don't own any of that. If we all sparred in full gear we'd damage our armor constantly, and that'd be a financial hell. You're not required to own training gear, but it would be helpful if this becomes a regular thing." He gestures to the courtyard, and to me.

"Trust me by the time you're done with me, if I see this courtyard again it will be too soon. I don't have faux leather but I do have sweats if you want me to use something it should be thick enough." I say taking my helmet off.

"Oh no, it would not be thick enough. You'd tear those apart. Trust me." The accompanying eyebrow gesture makes me wonder why he says that. "Just go without the armor, you'll be fine. It's only a spar; the worst you should expect to receive are bruises and scrapes."

"Wait.. am I..sparring you, sir?" I look at him confused slightly worried about Stampede who I guess never showed up today.

"What, no. I'm just giving you instruction. Stampede will be along shortly, I'm sure. His schedule is slightly behind yours." He looks towards the road entrance, pointing. "Here he comes now."

"Alright, yes sir, thank you. I'll consider investing in training armour." I say and salute before walking over to a nearby bench and putting my own helmet down and taking off the chest piece and hoof guards. Stampede is already stripped of his formal attire, but not bearing any of this training gear I'm being told about. He salutes and stands at attention, and once I get the finicky left rear guard off, I trot over and do the same.

Flash gives the command to start and we do. I charge him but he side steps me then kicks me to the ground and pins me. I struggle and throw my weight around until I'm the one on top of him. I take a swipe at his face; brutal but it may be the only chance I get to deal a blow. He punches back, knocking me over. I try to roll back to my hooves, but in a second he's after me again. We go rolling, and I feel dizzy. Major Flash stops us, pulling us apart.

"Alright, really raw, fellas, but let's see less rolling in the dirt and more hoof-fighting. Alright? Go."

With a nod I pump a fisted hoof at Stampede, going for his shoulder. He ducks to his left, flinching more than preparing for another move. I take a shot and go for a kick to his side, since he's so close. I connect with his shoulder, ironically the one I was just going for anyway. I hear him make an 'oof' sound, which suggests that maybe I didn't hit him as hard as I thought. He doesn't take much time to recover, instead immediately shoving his weight under my legs, toppling me over. This time I manage to roll to my hooves.

I charge, preparing to try to deal a left uppercut, but Stampede soars over my head unexpectedly, landing behind me and kicking me, literally, in the butt. I go sprawling in the dirt, half-expecting him to leap on me while I'm down, but he gives me some time to recover. I spit dirt out of my mouth and ready myself. I'm spending a lot of this spar with my face in the dirt and I don't like it.

I give a yell and charge again, feinting to the left and delivering a right hook that he practically runs himself into. He stumbles over the blow and the confused momentum, trying to place a right-hoofed blow of his own. I dodge down and away, his hoof missing my horn by inches. I charge up, to give a head butt, but he starts to fly away again. Quickly, I use my telekinesis to grab him by the tail, rooting him in place. The result is him flying backwards into the ground, knocking the air straight out of him.

Across the courtyard, Major Flash is clapping, all four hooves going.

"Good, good." He says with a smile. "Now do it again, this time with weapons."

Damn that smug orange smirk.