APPLEJACK: THE FLUTTER EXPERIMENT
CHAPTER 25
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride or My Little Pony
But...not for that long.
Pinkie hummed a cheerful tune despite their situation, bobbing up and down with an exuberant smile as her voice wound through the air jubilantly before reaching her companions ears.
The impatient hybrid began swinging her hind legs back and forth, the momentum swinging her in the same pattern on the cliff ledge she was perched on.
Twilight opened an eye a crack to peer at the pink mare with an amused smile that spread across her face.
"She'll be back soon." Twilight comforted, sensing the uneasiness plaguing the pink hybrid that was being covered up by her merry tune and happy facade.
"I know it's just, Fluttershy is waiting for us!" Pinkie's large wings fluttered before ruffling to her sides where they folded.
The hybrid sighed after her outburst, holding her head in her hooves as her hind legs swung into midair in front of her.
"It's just... When everypony else is asleep late at night we tell each other jokes and funny stories. Mind you Flutters could always guess the answers to my jokes but that's not the point!" Pinkie rubbed her blue eyes where Twilight could see the first signs of tears coming to the surface of her orbs.
Twilight listened attentively, reaching out to give the hybrid a hug.
Pinkie's lib wobbled and she reached over and clenched the lavender hybrid in a spine shattering hug, nuzzling her muzzle into her friend's fur.
Twilight gasped for breath, feeling her ribs digging into her heart with every crushing move the pink hybrid made, but decided not to resist as she felt Pinkie's rapidly pounding heart against the warmth of her own chest.
"I don't want to have to share a room by myself! Tell me AJ's coming back soon Twi!" The lavender mare nodded on instinct but as she opened her mouth to reply all that came out was a warm breath, she couldn't reassure Pinkie if she could barely convince herself that her own words are true.
"Uh, l-look! At that hawk! It's flying a little different and seems faster that the others because of it, perhaps we could try and perfect it's technique!" Twilight immediately tried to distract the pink hybrid clutching at her chest as she pointed at a distinct hawk swiftly soaring as it banked towards it's nest.
Pinkie sniffled loudly, pulling away from Twilight's ruffled fur long enough to catch a glimpse of the speedy avian.
A smile instantly crossed the pink hybrid's face, a giggle escaping her lips as her blue eyes followed the hawk's wings with joy singing once again in her now tearless orbs of blue.
"Oo, I wanna try! Move out of the way hawkies!" Pinkie gave an enthusiastic cry before bouncing twice, springing off the ledge with an audible boing sound.
The hybrid's powerful wings caught the air and the wind swooped her back up into the sky, the oxygen tangling into her pink feathers with a whoosh.
Twilight smiled warmly at the sight as the happy pony soared until she was gliding in front of the small ledge, beckoning the lavender hybrid over with a hoof and wiggle of a protruding tongue.
Rolling her purple eyes the horned mare took a small run up before leaping off the edge, her hooves clacking on the stone.
Her majestic wings were buffeted by the wind, lifting her up higher into the darkening sky.
She felt a strong wind gush past her and she saw pink blur barrel past as Pinkie darted through the sky.
Twilight felt an elated laugh escape the prison of her lips and she followed suit.
...
That evening Pinkie was rolling across the floor, her fluffy mane picking up many twigs and pebbles as the hairs swept across the ledge floor.
Twilight had given up trying to stop her ages ago, ignoring the pink hybrid whenever she rolled past and nudged her side with her nose.
"Hey Pinkie, how about you focus your attention on the sunset?" A meagre attempt at a distraction sure, but it's efficiency worked well enough.
The brightly coloured hybrid laughed with jovial excitement, springing upwards as her blue eyes settled on the sky.
Well... Settled is a bit of a stretch, Pinkie didn't settle, she was always moving, often inwardly in her imagination if not outwardly expressing her happiness through warm hugs and dazzling smiles.
The bright blue orbs darted across the wide expanse of the sky in zigzags as she took in everything she could.
After watching Pinkie's heartwarming grin Twilight felt a smile tug at her own lips, turning to the sunset with a curious sparkle in her purple eyes.
When she saw the sight she gasped out loud with surprise.
The sun was like an orange ball of flame as it descended in the sky, the normally blue expanse a brilliant pink as the remaining clouds took on a gold lining that shone through the compacted fluffiness of condensed water vapours.
"Ooh pretty! I wanna be a sunset when I grow up!" Pinkie chortled at her own jokes, clapping her hooves together joyfully as she continued to happily stare at the sunset with a beautiful fascination.
"If only it was that simple." Twilight replied in a whisper as she watched the majestic sun lower in the vibrantly coloured sky.
...
They waited for the sun to set before turning in for the night, laying uncomfortably side by side as they silently watched the hawks tuck in their offspring before nesting themselves.
Twilight sighed before she rolled over to face her energetic friend.
"Try to get some sleep ok?" Pinkie replied with a wholehearted nod and the horned hybrid smiled before sticking out her hoof in front of her.
Pinkie grinned before piling her hoof on top.
It was something they always did before bed. But know their were only two of them...
"Night Twi Twi!" Pinkie giggled before rolling over it face the cave wall.
"Goodnight Pinkie." Twilight answered with a small yawn before rolling over herself.
She couldn't herself from hoping that AJ would turn up out of the blue tomorrow, the thought of the orange mare soaring into their cave with her classic AJ smirk and her independent attitude made her head fill itself with wishes.