Surprise on Short notice
Part 3: Rarity & Pinkie Pie


Written by Septia.


I could not believe my eyes. Fluttershy just. Vanished from the air, snapped by a drape of purple hair; an actress vanishing beyond the fickle veil of the stage drapes. There just… suddenly was no Fluttershy. This couldn't be true, how would. And Applejack was, and where was Rainbow when you needed her bombsure brashness? There had to be something I could do, but how would I even? And was anyone else even okay? How could I know if. 
	“Hey there, Rarity.” 
	The cheery greeting cut through my train of thought like a cold silver knife. Turning my attention to Pinkie Pie, waving by the end of the bookshelf by my hiding spot at the desk. My eyes widened, I trotted over. “Pinkie Pie, you are okay. That is wonderful to see but, we have to put our heads together, there might still be time for-” 
	“The surprise, of course, I don't even think Twilight noticed us yet, soooo she's going to be so happy, right, right right?” 
	I just stared, “Pinkie… What are you talking about?” 
	“Did you forget, silly? The party. That's why we're here, duh.” 
	My lips scrunched into a sharp line. Starting at the pink pony as she smiled, head twitching, eyelids flickering. My heart sank… She didn't seem to be in any state to help. Wouldn't be much help. The way her eyes stared so full of joy, and yet gazed vacant into the empty distance. 
	“Seems I will have to think of something. Hmm, prey tell, what would, what would Twilight do in a snag like this…?” 
	“Hey there, Fluttershy,” Pinkei Pie said with a wide wave. 
	Rarity froze up, and stared in her direction. At first, only seeing Twilight’s, ahem… derrière. But… there… thigh up in the tail. Was that… buttercup yellow? It was. “Fluttershy.” 
	“Looks like she's having fun up there~. Maybe we can all join in later?” 
	I ignored her. I had untangled my fair share of yarn in my life. Being stuck in the center of one… a chill dusted down my back. Lacking the tools to get Twilight’s attention, the best I could do was care for Fluttershy. “Pinkie, I am going for Fluttershy.” 
	“Sweet, you do that, and I'll check on the refreshments to make sure they don't get too dusty, phaaha,” Pinkie said and skipped off. Might be for the best, least she was out of the way… 
	From the tip of Twilight's tail on the ground, the way up to her flank seemed… exponentially longer. Taller than any ski slope I'd vacated to. Though. Though, time was short, this had to be done right, and fast. My horn lit up, and wound the surrounding hairs in folds, forming steps. Remarkably it felt as easy as weaving fabric for a dress. I climbed upwards, forming nooks and crannies to rest my hooves and boost me higher. Though, even with this, it was tiring work… I hadn't exactly prepared for mountain-climbing today. Though this was fine, most certainly. I didn't need to reach all the way, only close enough to be within range of my magic, then. “Hold on Fluttershy, I am coming,” she didn't respond. That chill at my spine rippled once more. -Chhfhhrt- A rumble rattled down the tail. I quickly snagged myself tight as to not fall. Why would she need to start moving now? 
	“Hmm, mmm,” Twilight hummed as she turned the book to and fro, “Maybe if…” She sighed and left the book open on the desk, shuffling off from the seat -Ghhrbglglpsah- A churn of growls warped in her guts like a screw reeling through moist gravel. “Phew,” she huffed and shuffled out of her room, humming a soft tune melody as she approached the bathroom. 


The sways and bobs tore and chucked me to and fro, the tailhairs wrapping and trying to cling around my frame, though fields of levitation kept them at bay, and me from being caught tight, even if the jerking twitches and careening was doing a number on my stomach… Dares to crawl through it. When it finally came to a halt I was steady, tussled, but alight. And now, much closer to the tangle. “Fluttershy? Are you there? do not be alarmed, I am right by you,” I called out. 
	“…” Still nothing… there wasn't even any movement, but, I could see the lump, I could see yellow, I… I could see… crimson. 
	-Bbghrhrlgpththa- A rumble caught me off guard. Earthquake trickling through the hair wires around me. Coming from… behind the tail? I thread my hooves into surrounding nooks I carved out, and spread the strands out of the way. Where I saw… a wide ring of pale lilac, scrunched up skin, puckering out towards me… 
	-Chrlrpsth- then it pinched shut with a squelch of a frog wrapping its tongue in honey. -Bpprprlllppptptthhhfffrrprth- The onslaught of smog was relentless, an earthquake of staggering winds pouring out in a cascade of pungent rot: the air tainted in shades of crusted grease and coagulated hay pulp, the close, somewhat clear air instantly invaded by the sharp tang of mould infested, untreated goat yarn marinated in liquid slug breath. My countenance cracked, my whole face warped in on itself, and my muzzle resigned from service. 
	“Dear Luna, that is repugnant-.” And, that was just about as far as I got, before I realised my mistake… I had to cover my nostrils. There was no choice, anything to mitigate even a smidgen of this skunk breath was pure instinct. But in doing so, I lost control of my grasp. The void took me, the only thing supporting my body was air resistance. I was such a fool… But, I had been so close. My vision trailed back, I would meet my fall head on… That's when I saw it, water, a pool of clear water. A grain of hope. And in a frantic shuffle, I aimed my rear hooves towards the surface to break my fall and split the surface. If only I had more tim-. 


“Phaaa, Phew. Oh, whoops, sure glad nopony was around to hear that,” Twilight said to herself as she seated herself back on the toilet. 


Darkness. Pressure. Pain, pain, lungs, water. Surface… Air… sweet air. I was alive, I was so very, very alive. The pain made it blisteringly clear… half submerged in water I could just barely feel my lower legs enough to know that they pulsed and throbbed in blinding white ache. They had, broken my fall, quite literally. But I was alright, I was alive. And I could rest against the wall, slippery as it was, … it was a point of support, and I would take anything I could-. 
	-PPfrrrbbpth- My ears twitched, I stared above. Darkness, a sledge of light, shining up a dark cleft, a rim shrouded in shadows, slowly parting… -Chrlrlpththhaa- It crinkled like an army of crabs marching through a field of frosting, reverberating down the bowl and swaying the space around the sound. Pocks and crinkles, pops of viscous bowel glue lacing the surface… and the smell. So high above, but its pungency pierced through my nostrils, sharp spears of dried processed malt and black pepper. 
	It was a nightmare. It, had to be. This happening. I was not, I was not about to be buried in. 
	“P-please, please,” I whispered, trying to flail away, feeling sharp aches as my legs locked up, a pain as if they were struck against an anvil kept me in place. But it was coming: A behemoth of sludge, carved in intricate patterns by Twilight's bowels, folds of raw, distilled filth compacted to a bale of manure suspended from on high… 
	“Please no. Don't, anything but this. A-any ow a-anything,” I whimpered, but it only descended lower, reeking of rot. I grasped the bowl. It was, it was a cone… a cone. It was a giant echo chamber. My breath sped up trying to compose myself, of course. I drew in a deep breath, reared back and shouted. “Twi-” 
	-Cdllrprbtwwpplgshhs- -Splltthshah- The tower of manure toppled down, smashing into the porcelain wall and bending into the water to crack, unsnap into it like a whip crack, splattering the walls in currently clean water, and at once, muffled my attempts to reach my friend. 


“Phaa… ooo… did I ever need this…” Twilight hummed out, reclining against the seat and brushing over her tummy. 


~ 1 ~


Muck… Pure ruination… every stretch of my body, mired in gunk. My breath was miasma, every sense torched with broiled methane and decomposing grains. -Chrlrpth- It crinkled as it dragged over me, its own weight pulling me down, crinkling as polished butter, off of my form. “Pthhea phtahot float-” I spat out mouthfuls of gunk, slop clogged between my teeth and gums, corrupting what remained of my rosebuds in a hail of prickling vitriol. Every stretch of my body was fraught with the foulest of dirt, clinging not only to my mane, my coat, every stretch of my body… but to my soul. But… I was freed? My upper body, in the open, as the weight of the loaf had wedged itself off. Piling up below me in the bowl. I couldn't celebrate. My mind was trash. Mulch. But, mulch, that still harboured a cinder of hope. I turned to the wall. -Chrlrpghhth- ignoring the cacophony of crinkles at my legs. And… put my filthy, filthy hoof to the porcelain -Chrlrlpthsh- It pasted onto it, like plaster… success… another… -Cllrpth- and another -Schrllprthh-. Slowly, hoisting myself and my frail legs up along the concaved surface. I had never, in my wildest nightmares, imagined I would have to use… t-this, as my method of escape. To overcome the utter disgust that ravaged my body… But here I was. Perhaps a new mare. Perhaps Rarity died down there in the plumbing. But I… survived. I… would make it out of here… 
	-Chrlrlpthhs- Another crinkle, a quake. I didn't dare turn around. Even as it grew closer, I had to keep going… another stretch, another pull. Clrpth- -Cpllthc- I heaved myself higher… 
	-Fhhrrgswrllcpthhc- Then it came… With a squeal of compated clay smothering everything in its path. My legs, a stretch of dark sludge, piled on… creeping over my hooves, up over my tail… 
	“Oh, p-please no,” I huffed through tarnished teeth. 
	-Chrlrlpsthhgbth- But it wouldn't stop… the mound of muck bulldozed my body to the porcelain, steamrolled my frame under dunes of steaming manure, baking me in the raw fumes of pestilence, and clamping my frame sealed… I was trying to move. To splay my forehooves further… only to watch the blanket of mulch devour me, sealing my my body in a tomb of hot sweltering mortar. A pupa of pottery. Still twitching towards the light, as I was subsumed and enveloped in grime. 


Twilight rose from the seat with a huff, fanning over her muzzle. “Phew, was glad to be rid of that,” she mused, and flushed. -Chrlrlpfffhht- The spiral of water trailed along the bowl, lapping clear the muck stamped to the ceramics, down into the maw of the drain. Though, a few smudges remained, those bothersome stains that gummed to the wall. Tiny climps of umber. Though, such was life, she would eventually need to give the bowl a good scrubbing. But for today, it could wait… 


~ 2 ~


The good news was, all aside from that earlier cart mishap, all the party decorations and refreshments were ay-o-kay. This party was gonna go off without a hitch after all. Though, everypony had gotten a bit more silent. Even when Twilight came back, there was not a peep from either Rarity or Fluttershy. That was pretty silly. But, of course, they were just in character. Yes, I knew it. They were planning to really surprise Twilight, and so they were hiding. And I hadn't given them the signal yet either, silly me, though at times I can get a bit empty headed I suppose. I was just too excited to share this wonderful day with all my best friends. Though, it would be hard to really surprise Twilight, still being this small. But if I asked nicely, I bet she could pop me back to size, and then we'd clear this all up~ 
	Boy, the desk really was tough to climb, really had to put all my earth pony muscles to the test for this one. “Twilight, c-could I get you lend me a hoof? I only need it for a sec.” Though she didn't respond. Of course, I almost ruined the surprise. Hah, can't do that, and I was more than halfway up after all, She knew I could do it. Huh, maybe all the snacks weren't accounted for, there was some strawberry jam poking out from thunder the seat cushion. Oh, that’s Applejack, she can chew with her mouth a bit too open at times, yessurie. And, would you look at that? Almost at the top, and I still got a song in my heart and adventure in my eyes, could use some water for maybe, then I'd be good to go. Just… maybe, a lil… rest to… just… just before I reach the top I… so tired…
…
… 
	-Thhdft- Peeking up. A rope… A colourful rope hanging down the edge of the desk… Twilight… “You noticed me…” I huffed out, my hoof shaking as I reached up, grasping a hold of the thread, and hauling myself up. Just, a bit… further, and… yes… over the ledge, up on the edge,… I cleared it. “Yes, Twilight hah, su-surprise~” I whimpered out, looking around myself. The rope was a frayed stump decoration of a mat, inscribed with colorful runes, with a handful of gemstones placed along it. Twilight, was deep in a book, tracing it with her hoof. “Hey, Twilight?” 
	Her horn was set aglow. The mat vibrated, lifted… Ooh, a flying carpet, that's fanc-fancy.” I huffed out, slumping towards the center as it raised up, the sides of the mat closing together, as I crumpled up in ball with the gemstones. “H-hey, am I… your present Twi… Twilight?” 
	“And… just like, so.” Twilight said, as her horn gleamed brighter, I could see it through the fabric… as it begun to glow, and soon, everything, became, so warm… so fast, every strain in my body bending at once, inflating, compacting, grinding together, tempering… until I couldn't stay lucid… 


~ 3 ~


“Hmm, Curious.” 
	I felt her. I …'Saw' her, close. Twilight, yes that was Twilight, right in front of me, I did it, she found me. 
	“I do not recall having any pink gemstones in there, but I suppose the spell mentioned drawing out the essence of the objects, certainly did turn out pretty nice.” 
	Those were. Words. Kinda strange words. I looked down, I couldn't quite… perceive myself. I felt… flatter? I suppose? Like a balloon before you blow in it. Through… below, I recognized the cloth. Through, there were no gems left, and in the center just… a big, uniform pile of ash… just. Grey, dust… 
	Twilight, this is, I didn't know you had gotten so good at pranks. Though, she didn't appear to hear me. 
	“Let's give it a test run,” she said. I was pulled through the air, down in front of her, level with the desk, and I felt a soft brush of parchment at my back. “Ooo, nifty, it is so smooth to the page, that's sure better than defiling the corners with dogears: Twilight said to herself… to herself… herself. She wasn't, talking in my direction, almost as if I… 
	'Oh Twilight, that's so silly, I guess you were the one to surprise me today, one step ahead huh?' It was a joke, Twilight wouldn't… turn me into a bookmark, just like that. She sure, knew we were here, knew all her friends were close, knew how much we cared for her. Even, even if she was closing the book now, she just, she needed a bit of time to be ready for the surprise. Yes, how kind of her to play along. Of course, she didn't want to disappoint her friends, even if she knew… about. Yes, all the work we had put in. She just needed to brace herself or the surprise, then a-… after she, got the book I was in back from the shelf she would open it up, and boom, a surprise for the surprises, Twilight was really next level on this stuff. It was gonna be so much fun to chat about this afterwards. With everyone gathered around the table, or out dancing, eating cakes and buns. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Twilight, and me, inseparable heroes of Equestria. As soon as she came back, they'd have so much fun. As soon as Twilight came back, the party would be on. As soon as Twilight would return… it would be the best day ever. 


~ 4 ~


“Hey, Minuette?” Twilight asked the mare closing up shop. 
	“Hmm? Oh, hello Twilight, evening finding you well?” 
	“For the most part, I would say so, though, you don't happen to know where Fluttershy is?” 
	“Reckon, back at her cottage. Isn’t that usually where you find her?” 
	“Well, she's definitely not there, turned the whole place upside down, she didn't even leave a note.” 
	“Oh,” Minuette mumbled, “Perhaps she's just out caring for some animal in need? Or up in Cloudsdale? Have you asked Rainbow Dash?” 
	“See the thing is… I haven't seen her either, all day.” 
	“Hmm, suppose she does tend to sleep in some days, maybe she was just feeling particularly sleepy?” 
	“Yeah maybe… You haven't seen, Pinkie or Applejack ether, have you?” 
	“Twilight,” Minuette said, patting her shoulder. “You know your friends better than I do, I haven't seen or heard of ‘em all day either.” 
	“Oh, right. Of course, thank you still, appreciate it.”
	“It is getting dark, you sound like you could use some rest.” 
	“Yes, that's, sound. Sounds… Goodnight Minuette,” Twilight waved and shambled off. 
	Just as Minuette was about to turn away, she spotted something… a little yellow tangle at Twilight's tail, bobbing with her steps. She rose a hoof, then lowered it. Twilight had enough on her plate as it was, it would be rude to point out something so insignificant like a snarl in a tail…