Appledashery

by Just Essay

The Sun Never Sets on the Cupcake Empire

"Hey! Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy!" Twilight Sparkle waved her hoof from across Sugarcube Corner as the two pegasi entered. "Come on over here! Sit with us!"

"Mmmmm..." Trixie lowered a mug from her muzzle. "Yes. Do share in the comraderie of midday carbohydrates consumption."

"Eugh, honestly, darling, must you?" Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Sparkle thought it was funny," Trixie said.

"Please, as if she'd be tickled by something so blatantly childi—" Rarity clenched her eyes shut at the sound of Twilight's explosive giggles. With a sigh, she muttered, "Well, at least the table is twice as elegant as it was a few moments ago." She cradled her tea and smiled up at Fluttershy. "Good afternoon, Fluttershy, dear. Looking beautiful as ever."

"Why thank you, Rarity." Fluttershy smiled as she took a seat.

"And your coat's looking extra shiny today, Rainbow Dash." Rarity winked. "By the way, I should have your..." She lingered, then leaned in with a whisper. "...your you know what properly finished by weak's end."

"Thank you, Rarity," Rainbow droned as she slid a chair over and sat casually in reverse, facing the girls. "That'll be all, girl. Thanks."

"My my..." Fluttershy glanced at the others. "What was that about?"

"Beats me," Twilight said with a shrug.

"Fashion horse is making Rainbow a dress, isn't she?" Trixie remarked, sipping.

"Snkkkt!" Rainbow winced, the blue hairs on her back sticking up.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!" Twilight broke into more giggles.

"Oh, how nice of you, Rarity!" Fluttershy leaned over to nudge Rainbow Dash. "You will show the rest of us, won't you?"

"Yes! Hehe! Please do!" Twilight fluttered her eyelids.

"Ugh. Rein it in a little, will ya, guys?" Rainbow droned. "If I wanted this much sap I would have crash-landed into a tree farm."

"Oh, just be happy, Rainbow Dash," Rarity murmured. "Your friends love you and love to see you enjoying life."

"Yeah, well, I hope you love seeing me get fat." Rainbow craned her neck towards the front counter. "Hey! Hey Pinkie!"

Pinkie stuck her head out of the kitchen door. "Phwee?"

"Six cupcakes for me and Fluttershy! Extra sprinkles!"

"Phweeeee..." With a solemn nod, Pinkie slid back into the kitchen.

"Well, if this isn't positively exquisite?" Rarity smiled. "All of us sitting together? Enjoying a midday treat? Well, almost all of us."

"I think that camping trip was just the boost we needed!" Twilight said with a perky smile. "It's almost like old times again!"

"Twilight..." Rainbow glared across the table. "'Old Times' was only—like—a few months ago."

"Even still! It's good to know that we don't have to always get so caught up in... getting caught up!" Her cheeks turned slightly rosy. "I missed this."

"Awwww..." Fluttershy reached across the table to caress Twilight's hoof. "Our hangouts never went away, Twilight. I like to think they just... chose a brief change of scenery."

"And gender!" Pinkie squeaked, suddenly at tableside with a tray of treats. "Isn't that right, Little Miss Side-saddle?"

"Snkkkt!" Rainbow nearly fell out of her chair, giggling. "Heeheehee!"

"Ahem..." Fluttershy, beet red, reached for the tray. "Uhm... th-thank you for the cupcakes, Pinkie."

"Anytime!" Pinkie flopped into a chair between Fluttershy and Twilight. "Well, it's my break time!"

"Glad to have you, darling," Rarity said.

"What's shakin', parks and recreation?" Pinkie giggle-snorted.

"Yeah, what brings you mares here?" Rainbow asked.

"Well, we were just telling Rarity about a trip we're gonna take to Canterlot soon," Twilight explained.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "'We?'"

"Y'know how I've mentioned that Princess Celestia... hasn't been writing me back much lately?"

"Uhhhhhhhh... no."

Twilight looked flabbergasted. "You mean I never told you?!"

Fluttershy nibbled on a frosted cupcake, and gulped. "No, Twilight. This is the first time for me too."

"How's that possible?! All I ever talk about is Princess Celestia when you girls are around!"

"Nah, I'm pretty sure all you talk about is books and then your brain just makes you think that you were talking about something else," Rainbow muttered.

"Eugh..." Twilight rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Is everything okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, more than okay!" Twilight smiled. "You see, I finally got a letter back from Princess Celestia!"

"A very important letter," Trixie droned.

"Uh huh! In it, the Princess responded to all of my friendship reports as of late. But then she invited me, Trixie, and Spike to come visit the Royal Castle in Canterlot!"

"Heeeeeeeeey..." Rainbow Dash smirked. "Your old stomping grounds!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Rainbow!" Twilight huffed. "I would never stomp my hooves around the Palace!"

Rainbow face-hoofed.

Smiling, Rarity waved at Twilight. "Do carry on, darling."

"Well, in Celestia's letter, she had an explanation for why she'd been so distant as of late."

"A very legitimate reason," Trixie droned.

"Ugh!" Twilight pouted at Trixie. "Who's telling this story? You or me?"

"So?" Rainbow leaned her head to the side. "What's got Celestia coming out of her shell?"

Twilight smirked at the rest of the table. "You won't believe this... but it turns out that Princess Celestia's just recently been reunited with her former apprentice, Sunset Shimmer!"

"Oh?" Fluttershy blinked.

"Wowie Zowie!" Pinkie Pie managed through a mouthful of cupcake. "Thunthett Thummer!" She swallowed hard. "Ulp. Uhhhhh... who's Sunset Shimmer?"

"Apparently a unicorn with a bad attitude," Trixie muttered.

"Trixie..." Twilight patted her shoulder, then smiled at the others. "What matters is that she's come back to Celestia to work things out. Seems as though the two had a... falling out of sorts. But all of that has changed in the last few weeks, and now Celestia feels confident enough to introduce us to one another." She smiled, dimples showing. "Isn't that positively exciting?"

"How marvelous for you, Twilight!" Rarity remarked. "Celestia gets to show you her little grump and you get to bring her yours!"

"Mrmfffff..." Trixie rolled her eyes.

"Hehehe! I'm just excited to meet somepony who means so much to Princess Celestia!" Twilight remarked. "I mean, somepony besides Luna..." She blushed slightly. "...or Spike..." She blushed even more. "...or me."

"Well, that's neato keano, Twilight!" Pinkie said with a firm grin. "And we couldn't be happier for you! Right, Flutters?"

"Mmmmhmmm!" Fluttershy nodded, her muzzle christened with frosting.

"Rarity?"

"Indeed!"

"Dashie?" Pinkie blinked. "... ... ...Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash slumped against the back of the chair. Her petite frame huddled behind it.

"Dashie?" Pinkie squinted. "You hiding from somepony?"

"Uhhhhh... n-no...?" Rainbow sat up straight. Nevertheless, her ears twitched as she said, "Just... y'know... moved beyond words, I guess."

"Works for me! More cupcakes! Coming right up!"

Comments

[destinedjagold]

Oh Hai Thar, Bacon Horse.
And Oh Hai Thar, Jelly Trixie.

[RoboRed]

I sense fun times over the horizon.

[Sharp Quill]

Twilight smirked at the rest of the table. "You won't believe this... but it turns out that Princess Celestia's just recently been reunited with her former apprentice, Sunset Shimmer!"

This. Was. Not. Foreshadowed.

[Phoenix Kitten]

"Yeah, well, I hope you love seeing me get fat." Rainbow craned her neck towards the front counter. "Hey! Hey Pinkie!"

Something tells me only Dash could get away with this.

Pinkie stuck her head out of the kitchen door. "Phwee?"

Okay that's just adorable.

"Six cupcakes for me and Fluttershy! Extra sprinkles!"

Spike likes his donuts the same way.

"Phweeeee..." With a solemn nod, Pinkie slid back into the kitchen.

...dammit Pinkie, keep being adorable.

Rainbow Dash slumped against the back of the chair. Her petite frame huddled behind it.

Come on Dash.. you had to know this was coming.

[Salad king]

6896245 looking like it, seems like its going to be fuigured out nice and slowly though, rather than a big realisation.

[Lightning Bearer]

I almost got excited at the prospect of Twilight learning about Rainbow's exploits, but... then I remembered what story I'm reading.

[Tim the Planes-pony]

Well Rainbow, there goes your cover for the dragon lands quest, and by extension everything else.

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

6896243 Figured you of all people would be ecstatic about this. Bacon horse for the win!

[Leftover of Saikano]

"Celestia gets to show you her little grump and you get to bring her yours!"

And then people wonder why I think Rarity is best pony.

[Jay_Baker]

well wasn't that nice?

[Jay_Baker]

well wasn't that nice?

[zaponator]

Oh no. SunsetSparkle had better not get in the way of the already-established adorableness of Twixie in this story!
...also she might reveal everything about Rainbow's adventures, but whatever.

[arancaytar]

"Apparently a unicorn with a bad attitude," Trixie muttered.

Trixie doesn't remember meeting Shimmy, so I can only assume she's preemptively jealous.

Time to expand the lavender bookhorse harem! Off to Canterlot!

(Also, won't she have an interesting story to tell about what Dashie has been up to.)