âOh, whoâs your friend, Daisy Dreams?â the pink pony who just bounced out of Daisy Dreamsâ warehouse looks at you with a sparkle in her eyes, but you can barely focus on anything aside from said ponyâs WINGS.
âYouâre aâyouâreââ you stammer weakly, unable to get the words out through your shock.
Sheâs a PEGASUS! Theyâre real after all! That is⌠A LOT to take in!
âPinkie Pie! Get BACK inside!â Daisy Dreams growls and shoves the pink pony back into the warehouse, slamming the door on her, then looking around anxiously to make sure she didnât disturb anypony; itâs pretty late at night for slamminâ doors after all.
âPe-pe-pega-pe-p-p-peââ you continue stammering like a goof, at a complete loss for what else to do.
âApplejack, I can explain,â Daisy Dreams says.
âYou really were smugglinâ a pony!â you exclaim, and Daisy Dreamsâ ears go flat against her head.
âI mean, yeah,â she says awkwardly, âbut itâs not like I kidnapped her! Sheâs the one who hired me. I can explain everything, but I donât want to do it out here. Please, come inside.â
You bite your lip and avert your gaze; you donât really know what to do here. If you go inside and she like jumps you or something⌠well honestly, you could probably take her. But still, you donât know how much you really wanna get involved withâ
âApplejack, please,â Daisy Dreams pleads to you. âYou know me, Iâm an honest pony trying to run an honest business. I promise I can explain everything, I just need you to come inside and listen to me.â
You got a couple options, Applejack.
Number one, you can trust Daisy Dreams and hear out her explanation, and potentially get drawn into a massive outside world where pegasi and potentially unicorns or even alicorns are real, completely shattering everything you thought you knew about modern Equestria.
Number two, you can tell Cherry Spices that she was right and let this be her problem, though you donât really like that option cuz you donât know what Daisy Dreams is up to and as much as you like Cherry Spices, you donât really trust her to take things lightly with a business rival like Daisy Dreams OR a pegasus.
Number three, you can just walk away now and pretend this never happened and that you didnât see nothinâ.
All of these options suck but number one sucks the least, so you let out a frustrated sigh and brace yourself for the world shattering.
âAlright, Daisy Dreams,â you say begrudgingly, âyou got me.â
Daisy Dreams puts a hoof over her chest and sighs in relief, before opening up the warehouse and letting you inside. Itâs actually really nice in here, with a couple of soft lookinâ beds in the corner and kept super tidy.
âOh hey, youâre back!â the pegasus says, waving enthusiastically at Daisy Dreams.
âPinkie Pie, what did I TELL you about blowing your cover?!â Daisy Dreams scolds the pegasus, who shrinks into herself sheepishly for like exactly one second before popping back up with renewed enthusiasm.
âLmao sorry, I just canât help it!â she jumps and dons a bright smile, fidgeting her wings. Youâre still not used to them and you canât stop yourself from starinâ like an idiot. âI see a new friend and I just gotta introduce myself!â
âYouâre lucky,â Daisy Dreams groans. âIf itâd been anypony but Applejack, I donât know what we would do, but Applejackâs a friend and I trust her.â
âTh-thanks, Daisy,â you say reflexively, your eyes still glued to the pegasusâ wings.
âWhatâre you starinâ at?â Pinkie Pie giggles. âYou never seen a pegasus before?â
âI really havenât,â you admit.
âI TOLD you, Pinkie Pie!â Daisy Dreams slaps a hoof against her forehead. âNo one here has ever seen a pegasus! The earth ponies have never seen pegasi or unicorn, even I thought they were just myths until⌠well, yâknow.â
âWhat, you meant that LITERALLY?â Pinkie Pie asks, her mouth agape. âI thought you were just like⌠doing a bit or something.â
âYes, Pinkie, I meant it literally,â Daisy Dreams gives a long suffering sigh. âWhy did you think we had to sneak you into Ponyville? If anypony sees you, itâll be complete chaos!â
âI thought it was just to avoid Cupcakeâs goons,â Pinkie Pie shrugs, and you are starting to realize that you have fallen into the deep end of a very large pool. You need to start gettinâ your facts straight.
âSomepony wanna tell me whatâs goinâ on?â you ask helplessly, turning to Daisy Dreams, but you canât entirely let yourself look away from the pegasus. The shock is starting to wear off but in its place is the realization that she is GORGEOUS. âDaisy Dreams, you said you were gonna explain yourself?â
âYeah,â Daisy Dreams sighs. âGeez, where do I even begin?â
âI can do the explaining!â Pinkie Pie chimes in and raises her hoof.
âNO,â Daisy Dreams immediately shuts Pinkie down. âYou keep your mouth shut, or else weâll be here all night. Why donât you go grab a juice box from the fridge?â
âYou got it, boss!â Pinkie gives a salute and bounces off into another room, and you can practically feel the weight falling off of Daisy Dreamsâ shoulders.
âShe a bit of a handful?â you ask with a playful chuckle.
âYeah,â Daisy answers seriously. âBut it is what it is. Anyway, I owe you that explanation.â
âHit me,â you say, sitting on your haunches and listening intently.
âBasically,â Daisy says, âIâm bringing Pinkie Pie away from her homeland and into the open arms of a mutual friend of ours, someone who should be waiting for us in the ruins behind Ponyville.â
âHowâd you get wrapped up in this?â you ask.
âLike I said, a mutual friend hired me,â Daisy says. âBut thatâs all Iâm gonna say on the matter. I told you Iâd explain whatâs going on with Pinkie Pie, but whatâs going on with ME is my own business.â
âFair enough,â you shrug. âAnd you had to smuggle her through town, cuz if any of the earth ponies saw herââ
âLike I told her,â Daisy says coldly, âitâd be chaos.â
âPersonally, I really like chaos,â Pinkie Pie bounces back into the room, talking with her mouth full of apple. âBut I can be a good girl, Iâll stay quiet.â
Daisy Dreams rolls her eyes at that remark.
âHey, Pinkie Pie,â you say, bashfully rubbing your neck. âSorry I freaked out earlier, I just have really never seen a pegasus my whole life. I thought they were just mythical or whatever.â
âNo worries!â Pinkie Pie beams. âIâm surprised though, canât you just look up pegasi on the internet? Go to hot pegasi in your area dot com or somethinâ?â
âWe donât HAVE the internet, Pinkie,â Daisy Dreams groans. âI told you this already.â
âWHAT?!â Pinkie exclaims in shock, jumping in the air and staying afloat with her wings, and you put your hooves over your mouth to stop yourself from cursing in surprise. Her wings actually work! They ainât just for show!
âWe donât have the internet,â Daisy repeats, sounding more and more exhausted with each word, âwe donât have phones either.â
âOh, so yâall just use laptops still?â Pinkie hums. âI wouldâve thought you were still on flip phones at least, I was kinda hoping for it tbh, flip phones are cute.â
âWe donât have computers either,â Daisy says. âWe donât have that kind of technology AT ALL.â
âYOU DONâT HAVE COMPUTERS AT ALL?!â Pinkie shouts, once again hopping into the air and flapping her wings. Itâs just as impressive to you the second time. âYou were SERIOUS about all that stuff?! Wow, I thought you were just on some like charming rustic cavepony thing, Daisy Dreams. But this place is like the legit boonies, huh?â
âYep,â Daisy shrugs, and then affects a charming smirk. âBut we also donât have a fascist megacorporation dictating our every move, which seems like a good tradeoff if you ask me.â
âHeh, you got me there!â Pinkie says with a bright smile.
âSomepony wanna fill me in here?â you say awkwardly, tilting your head in complete and utter confusion. âWhatâs a computer?â
âApplejack, I love you, but Iâm sorry,â Daisy Dreams sighs and shakes her head, âI am NOT explaining what a computer is to you. I barely understand the bloody things myself, and trust me, youâre better off not knowing.â
âRelax, I got this,â Pinkie holds her head up proudly. She holds her hoof into the air, and an array of green sigils appear around her hoof and suddenly sheâs holding a little pink rectangle; the face of it lights up bright white and she enthusiastically thrusts it into your face. âCheck THIS out!â
âWhat am I lookinâ at?â you blink twice, not even sure where to start. You get that sheâs got some kinda magic doohickey, but youâre not sure what the big deal is.
âItâs like a library in the palm of my hoof!â Pinkie says proudly, and NOW youâre interested! You bet Twilight would love that. âExcept,â Pinkie taps at the rectangle and puffs up her cheeks, âI canât connect to the internet right now, so actually this thing is a worthless brick that does nothing.â
âUhâŚâ you are no longer impressed.
âWeâll put a pin in the computer thing for right now!â Pinkie laughs, making the rectangle disappear.
âAnyway,â you chuckle; now that youâre starting to get a read on Pinkieâs vibe, sheâs pretty cool. âSounds like everything youâre doinâ here is on the up and up, Daisy Dreams. Iâm sorry I doubted you.â
âItâs no problem,â Daisy says with a smile. âI appreciate you giving me a chance, Applejack. I know this is a lot.â
âAnytime,â you say with a nod. âAnyhoo, Iâll be takinâ off for the night. See ya around, Daisy. And uhhh, I guess⌠I dunno if Iâll be seeinâ you around, will I, Pinkie?â
âAwww, youâre leaving already?â Pinkie falls on the floor and she looks like some kinda weird mix of a deflated balloon and a melting pudding cup. âBut we just met!â
âItâs just as well,â Daisy Dreams says, âwe were just about to head to the ruins and meet with our friend anyway. Figured it would be good to move under nightâs cover, but Pinkie Pie here has been difficult about getting back into the suitcase.â
âI donât WAAAAANNAAAAAA go back in the suitcase!â Pinkie whines, flopping around on the ground and banging her hooves on the floor. âItâs cramped in there!â
âI know, Pinkie,â Daisy Dreams sighs, and she walks over to Pinkie Pie and puts a comforting hoof on her head. âBut weâre SO close to getting you home free, and we canât take a chance of anypony seeing you.â
âI know,â Pinkie Pie pouts.
âHey, I got an idea,â you chime in, and the two women look at you expectantly. âAll we gotta do is hide Pinkie Pieâs wings, right? As long as nopony knows sheâs a pegasus, she can walk around town like normal. Letâs just get her a cloak.â
âHEY, YEAH!â Pinkie cheers, jumping into the air and in one swift motion she creates a black shroud from nothing, those same green sigils you saw before hovering in the air around her as she puts it on, the cloak big enough to hide the silhouette of her wings. âLookit that! No wings!â
âHow did youââ you blink, and then shake your head. âNever mind, itâs not important. I canât give you the tour tonight, Pinkie, cuz itâs dark and everyponyâs asleep, but tomorrow morning I couldââ
âNO,â Daisy Dreams says sternly, surprising both you and Pinkie Pie. âPinkie, weâre getting you home TONIGHT, thatâs what we agreed on, remember?â
âI know, butâŚâ Pinkie shrinks down, her ears going flat and her lips curling into a pout. âI donât wanna go back in the suitcaaaaaaase!â
âItâs ONE NIGHT, Pinkie,â Daisy Dreams sighs.
âExactly, Daisy, itâs just one night,â you say, walking up between Daisy and Pinkie and putting a comforting hoof on both. âCan you just let her have this?â
âPleeeeeease?â Pinkie pleads, pressing her hooves together and giving Daisy Dreams a really impressive set of puppy dog eyes.
âIâŚâ Daisy Dreams bites her lip.
âTell ya what,â you say enthusiastically, excited about a really good idea you just had, âIâll even take her off yer hooves tonight. She can sleep at the shop, with me.â
âYeah!â Pinkie cheers. âWe can tell spooky ghost stories and roast marshmallows and I can bake you a lava cake!â
Daisy Dreams does not look as enthusiastic about this plan, her face scrunching up in concern.
âIf anything happens to her, Iâmââ Daisy murmurs.
âI wonât let anything happen to her, you can count on me,â you say softly, putting your hooves on Daisy Dreamsâ shoulders. âIâll take her home tonight, give her the tour first thing in the morning, and have her back with you in no time. Iâll even keep Cherry Spices off yer tail, to boot!
âYou donât need to do everything all by yourself, Daisy,â you say with a self-deprecating chuckle. âBelieve me, I know how it is.â
âPromise me everything will be okay,â Daisy Dreams whispers.
âI promise,â you say confidently. âLet me take care of everything. Iâve got you.â
âAnd this is what you want, Pinkie?â Daisy Dreams asks.
âMhm!â Pinkie nods excitedly.
Daisy Dreams sighs and hangs her head.
âFirst thing in the morning!â she says sternly, pressing a hoof against your chest. âYou bring her back to me, okay? Iâm counting on you.â
âSwear on my ma and pa!â you say, nodding affirmatively. âYou can count on me!â
âI know I can count on you, Applejack,â Daisy sighs, but this time she has a slight smile on her face. âOkay, fine. You can take her for tonight.â
âYESSSSSS!â Pinkie pumps her hooves. âGoodbye, stinky suitcase!â
âBut youâd better not let anypony else know that youâre a pegasus!â Daisy Dreams taps Pinkie on the chest.
âRelax, this is a heavy cloak,â Pinkie says, âI couldnât get my wings out even if I wanted to.â
âOkay, okay fine,â Daisy sighs and starts gently pushing you and Pinkie toward the door. âThank you, Applejack. I appreciate you.â
âI wonât let you down, hon,â you say, bowing your head to Daisy Dreams before hopping out the door, Pinkie Pie hopping out just behind you. You turn to her and the two of you smile at each other. âCâmon, Pinkie Pie, maybe you can tell me what this internet thing is about.â
âOh, Applejack,â Pinkie Pie grins ear to ear, âyou are in for a TREAT.â