Greetings. I am Vultariano1. First, I would like to apologize for my lack of writing genius lately. This is the last month of regular college classes, so you can imagine how hectic it must be. Secondly, I would like to explain you something about this chapter. This chapter, Chapter 40, was originally going to be over 20,000 words. You can imagine how difficult it is to read that much in one settings. So, in order to not over-saturate your minds, I divided it into three chapters. This is obviously the shortest chapter, but I feel that the tone of this part is separate from the other parts. And I think it's important to let this be it's own chapter for plot purposes, and for reasons that you'll understand once you read chapter 41. I will, of course, post chapter 42 within two days or so. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Danke.

Disclaimer: I do not own MLP or its respective characters. I also do not M&M's (Read the chapter. This'll make more sense.).

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Chapter 40

Saturday, October 24

Twilight Sparkle was impatiently pacing around in a circle. Almost everyone was already present at the building and ready to go; everyone except for Shining Armor, who had yet to arrive, and Pinkie Pie, who was no longer sick, but still said she was going to be a while. Twilight didn't mind Pinkie Pie being a little late though. She was more concerned about her big brother's lack of punctuality.

Twilight: 'C'mon Shining! What's taking you so long?!' Twilight thought to herself in angst.

Since Twilight was busy pacing and talking to herself in her mind, she didn't notice Sunset Shimmer slowly walking behind her and tapping on her shoulder.

Twilight: "Ah!" Twilight exclaimed in surprise.

Sunset chuckled. "Sorry, Twilight."

Twilight laughed tiredly. "It's okay, I'm just wondering why Shining Armor's so late."

Sunset crossed her arms. "You still sure inviting him was a good idea?"

Twilight groaned. Since she didn't want to give her friends and members another surprise, she had told everyone, except Rainbow Dash for obvious reasons, about Shining Armor ahead of time. The reaction was a bit mixed. Applejack, Vinyl Scratch, Lyra, and Bon Bon were pretty open to having a guy watch the show. Pinkie Pie was the most excited, obviously, and agreed right away. However, some of them, like Rarity, Fluttershy, and Octavia, were a little uncertain about letting a male watch them wrestle together, even if it was her sibling. Of course, upon mentioning his relationship status, their skepticism was put to rest. Most of it. Sunset Shimmer didn't seem to care either way, but by her worried expression, it seemed she was now having some doubts.

Twilight and Sunset Shimmer were standing by the main doors while the others were by the bleachers, either talking amongst themselves, or just hanging out and waiting patiently.

Twilight: "Sunset, it'll be fine. I know Shining Armor isn't going to try anything."

Sunset: "Because of that Cadence girl, I know. I'm just saying that the last time you invited someone…" Sunset's sentence faded as she shifted her feet uncomfortably.

Twilight: "But this time it's different. He's not joining, he's just watching. He's not a stranger, he's my brother. He's not single, he has a girlfriend. And unlike last time, everybody else agreed… more or less."

Sunset: "I know. I just don't want you to make another mistake… like me." Sunset Shimmer said with a sad sigh.

Twilight put a hand on Sunset's shoulder and smiled. "Sunset, it wasn't a mistake letting you in. My friends are just being stubborn. They'll learn to like you," She said, taking her hand off Sunset's shoulder, "Besides, It's only Shining Armor. He's a nice person and wouldn't say a word about this to anyone. His honor and loyalty are his greatest traits." Twilight assured.

Sunset: "Well, if you insist," Sunset conceded, before giving Twilight a questioning look. "Can I ask you something?"

Twilight looked curiously at Sunset. "Okay. What's up?"

Sunset: "Do you think it's okay if I don't wrestle this time?"

Twilight: "Huh? How come?"

Sunset: "You remember when I went to see Dr. Daroque?"

Twilight: "Yeah, did you make any progress?"

Sunset nodded with an optimistic smile. "Yes I did. In fact, I'm going to try a technique I learned in my therapy session, but I need to test that out. So, is it okay if I skip today?"

Twilight looked at her unsurely. "I guess so, but why not wrestle?"

Sunset looked away shamefully.

Twilight frowned. "Because of last week, right?"

Sunset's gaze met Twilight's once more. "It'll just be for today. I showed them my dark side last week. The old side of me that I didn't want anybody to see ever again. Now's not the best time for a wrestling match. So, can I skip and just have one next week?"

Twilight shrugged. "Sure, Sunset. Whatever you want. You sure your technique will work though?"

The corner of Sunset's lip rose. "I have a good feeling. So, when do you think Shining Armor will be here?"

As if the devil couldn't speak any louder, one of the main doors slowly pushed open, and in walked Shining Armor. He was wearing his blue jeans and white shirt, he didn't need to have anything fancy on just to watch his sister wrestle. Twilight went to greet him with a hug.

Shining: "Hey, Twiley! Ready to rumble?!" Twilight's brother cheered.

Sunset Shimmer smiled and watched their hug break.

Twilight: "Oh, I am! I know I haven't had the best week, but it's good to know that I have you cheering me on." Twilight said with a gleeful smile.

Shining Armor's face drooped, and he went awkwardly silent.

Twilight cocked her head. "Shining? What's wrong?"

Shining scratched the back of his head. "Umm… well, you see …"

HIs voice trailed off as the doors opened once more. Twilight and Sunset Shimmer looked to see who had entered. At first they thought it would be Pinkie Pie because of the hint of pink hair coming out from behind the door. However, as the rest of the person came out, it was clear to see that the pink hair was only a violet streak, mixed with moderate rose and pale gold streaks of long hair. The person was revealed to be a girl. She was wearing a light cerise colored jacket that was covering a plain white blouse. The blouse was tucked into her cobalt blue long skirt that went past her knees. The rest of her legs, however, were covered by white high-knee socks that reached down to her pink, buckled shoes.

Twilight scanned her from the bottom up, so she could identify the sudden intruder. She was nervous, but she soon realized who it was. The first thing that tipped her off was the object around her neck: A flat-surfaced crystal heart with golden channel settings. But it was the purple eyes and kind face of the girl that helped Twilight not only recognize her, but make her 'squee' with excitement.

Twilight: "CADENCE!"

Cadence: "TWILIGHT!"

The two girls suddenly tackled each other in a powerful embrace, making Sunset Shimmer jump back in surprise. After their minute long hug, they got into a strange hand clap position. They then started to perform some kind of greeting ritual, or something. It was strange, but also adorable.

Twilight and Cadence: "Sunshine, Sunshine, ladybugs awake~! Clap your hands and do a little shake~!"

Cadence and Twilight giggled and embraced each other once more.

Twilight: "Oh, Cadence! I've missed you so much!"

Cadence broke up the embrace to get a better look at Twilight. "I KNOW! It's been so long since I've been back in Canterlot!"

Twilight laughed. "You've been so busy volunteering at the orphanages and retirement homes in Ponseyville that you hardly ever stop by for a visit!"

All the girls, who were originally talking amongst themselves, could not help but notice high-pitched squealing going on near the main doors. Curious, the girls of Canterlot Carnage Pro Wrestling left their seats and proceeded towards the ruckus. They eventually stood in a group a distance around Twilight and her smaller group of four.

Shining Armor recognized them and waved his hand. "Hey you guys, what's up?"

The group chorused their greeting for Shining Armor, but were more interested in the tall girl next to Twilight.

Octavia: "Who is this person?" inquired Octavia.

Twilight looked at them and bonked her head. "Oh! Yeah, for those of you who haven't been friends with me since I started CCPW a month ago, this is Cadence. She was my babysitter when I was ten."

Cadence stood before the group and bowed, her hands clasped in front of her. "Hello, everyone. For some of you it's nice to see you again, but for those who don't know me, it's still nice to meet you." Cadence greeted sweetly.

The group chorused their greetings. The ones who knew Cadence were happy to see her again. The ones who had just met her were polite in their greetings. With the exception of Vinyl Scratch.

Vinyl: "Hey, what is she doing here? I thought you said Shining Armor wasn't going to tell anyone!" She snapped.

Silence filled the half second after Vinyl Scratch's exclamation, but it quickly became a quiet murmur. Even Twilight caught herself pausing to interpret the information given to her. After the process was finished, her eyes widened and her eyebrows furrowed.

Shining Armor knew that face. It wasn't good. "Hey, wait a minute, I-

Twilight: "Why would you do this?!"

He held his hands up in order to calm his sister down. "I didn't say anything to her Twiley! Honest!"

Twilight spun around, nose scrunched up. "You promised me you wouldn't tell ANYONE! And not only did you tell, you also brought another person here without my permission!" Twilight yelled before turning to Cadence. "No offense."

Cadence: "Wait! He didn't tell me!" Cadence pleaded.

Everyone: "What?!

Cadence went over to Shining Armor's side and looked at Twilight. "It's true. Well, sort of. I just came back today, and I wanted to surprise him. I caught him walking here. He was happy to see me at first, but after I asked him where he was going he started to sweat, and told me that he was just taking a walk," Cadence explained before turning to everyone else, "He sweats when he lies."

Shining Armor blushed. "Cadence! *sigh* Long story short, she eventually talked me into telling her everything. I felt bad for giving into my feelings but…" -Shining Armor turned and took hold of Cadence's hands- "She's just too pretty to say no to."

Cadenced blushed bashfully. A couple of the girls awed. Some of them gagged. A few of them said nothing. Twilight was still upset.

Twilight: "Fine. Whatever." Twilight said with a pout.

Shining Armor saddened. "I'm really sorry, Twiley."

Cadence: "Twilight. I think you should use that stress-release breathing exercise I taught you." Cadence suggested kindly.

Twilight sighed. She placed her hands on her chest as she inhaled and extended her arm forward as she exhaled. "It's okay Shining. I'm still ticked… but I forgive you."

Cadence smiled widely. "Good! I take it everyone is okay now?"

There was some murmuring among the group, but they all eventually nodded. Except for Applejack.

Applejack: "Ah don't know. Ah'm not sure if we can let him stay if he ain't even willin' to keep his yap shut. Even if it is his girlfriend, it ain't right to bring someone here and not tell anyone."

The doors suddenly began to creek open and a large shadow grew visible. Everyone jumped back, probably expecting it to be Pinkie Pie. Nope. The intruder eventually revealed himself to be Big McIntosh. The towering young man used his free hand to open the door and his other hand was hoisting a large sack with the word 'POTATOES' written in bold on the side. His stature and frame seemed like it would take up the whole door, but by some miracle of science, the door frames held intact. Calm silence entered the building with him watching its residents. As everyone stared at him bizarrely, he effortlessly picked up the bag that was over his shoulder and stood it up on the ground next to him. The bag was a little more than half his height with potato bulges around the edges. Big McIntosh assumed an air of uninterest as he dug into his pocket, took out a straw of hay, and put it in his mouth to chew. He just stood there waiting, along with everyone else, before nodding to his sister.

Big Mac: "Ah'm here."

Everybody slowly turned their heads over to the cowgirl, who was trying her darnest to put on her nicest of grins. It obviously wasn't doing her much good.

Twilight: "…Applejack. Could you repeat what you just said?" Twilight said cocking her head, and crossing her arms.

The rest of them eyed her down, but Applejack stood her ground. "W-Well… Ah thought that since ya'll were invitin' Shining Armor over to this shindig, ah reckoned ah'd let Big Mac come. He's been workin' himself to darn near exhaustion, and, uh, ah thought that he could use a break. Ya know, from workin' and all…"

Everyone immediately switched their target and locked on to their new target: Applejack. Everyone, except for a few of them, started ragging on AJ.

Twilight: "Applejack, why would you go and do something like this, and then say to us the exact OPPOSITE?!" Twilight snapped.

Octavia flipped her hair. "Looks like we've got ourselves a hypocrite, ladies."

Fluttershy tapped her fingers. "I don't mind, really…"

Rarity crossed her arms and leered at AJ. "You never mentioned Big McIntosh getting an invitation to our little get-together."

Lyra: "Yeah, what makes him so entitled?!"

Applejack grunted and took off her hat. "Well, maybe he's entitled to a little relaxation, have ya ever thought 'bout that?! 'Sides, if Twilight's bringin' her kin with her, ah don't see why ah ain't allowed to do the same thing. Workin' in the fields can really give you a sore back after a few hours. Ain't that right, Big Mac?"

Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup."

Applejack: "Ya'll know what else?! Ya'll need to learn some consideration! Ah have the human decency to help mah brother relax after he's been slavin' away, and this is the thanks ah get?! TCH!"

Twilight: "I'm not saying you're not allowed to bring your brother. I'm just saying you could have told someone first!" Twilight lectured. She felt her stress levels already rising, luckily Cadence's stress-release breathing technique helped her cope.

Applejack snorted. "Fine…"

Twilight: "Well, at least there are no more surprises." Twilights says in her almost nasally tired tone.

Big Mac shook his head. "Nope."

Twilight's eyes widened as she slowly turned her head to the sky, as it was the only way for her to look Big McIntosh in the eye. Big McIntosh didn't say anything, as he tilted his head towards the potato sack. Twilight studied Big McIntosh's face. His expression was as about the same in contention as it was when he came in, but on closer inspection, although you couldn't notice it right away, he was trying to hold back a grin. Twilight then narrowed her eyes at the sack. She noticed that the potato sack was rather tall, and stuffed potatoes would usual give the sack a more spherical shape. The sack was lumpy, but it also looked like it was holding something up. Twilight then remembered that Pinkie Pie had yet to arrive. It didn'tt ake long for Twilight to put two and two together.

Twilight pushed down her irritation for a moment, and walked up to Big McIntosh. "Hey, Big Mcintosh. You wouldn't have run into Pinkie Pie on the way here by any chance, have you?"

Big McIntosh blinked, but said nothing.

Applejack frowned. "Big Mac, why do you have a sack of potatoes?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, AJ. I know the answer to that…"

Twilight slowly walked towards the large bag that was supposed to hold the once grounded vegetables. Twilight politely waved Big Mac's hand off of the knot so she could untie it. Twilight then inserted her thumbs in the opening, and swiftly opened the bag.

Twilight: "AH-HAH!"

The bag was filled with cookies. A large variety of them, actually; Peanut Butter, Raisin, Chocolate chip, M&M, it was all there, and they were stacked pretty well upon one another. Everyone else got closer to peer inside the bag, and they were also met with the delicious baked goods packed into it. Twilight, as well as everyone else, was confused.

Twilight: "Wha…?"

"SURPRISE!"

Fluttershy: "EEEEEEEEK!"

Everyone jumped back from the sack, shocked to hear a high pitched voice pierce their eardrums. Everyone jumped back from the back, thinking that it was the source of the sound. However, one look behind them would reveal the culprit: Pinkie Pie. She stood there with her usual cheerful smile, and then she rolled on the floor, laughing at everyone's reactions. Although Big McIntosh didn't fall to the ground, he did let out a good bellowing of enjoyment.

Everyone: "PINKIE!"

Pinkie Pie kipped up from the ground to her feet, and cocked her head. "Yes?"

Cadence poked her head out from behind Shining Armor. "Same old Pinkie Pie…"

Twilight looked both horrified and bewildered. "H-HOW did you…?"

Pinkie: "Misdirection, my dear friend, Twilight! While Big Mac was distracting you with that sack, I slipped into the room, and surprised you! And MAN you should have seen your faces!" Pinkie Pie laughed, giving Big McIntosh a thumbs up, "Good work Agent Big Mac! Mission accomplished!" she said with a wink.

Big Mac winked. "Eeyup!"

Applejack: "Wait a sec… you two was in cahoots?!"

Pinkie: "Yep! I was carrying my cookies, but they were so heavy. Then I saw Big Mac, and we both came up with Operation: Cookie Crumble! And it was a success!" Pinkie Pie said as she skipped over to Big Mac and jumped to give him a high-five.

Twilight's mouth hung open, and meanwhile Bon Bon was looking at the contents of the bag. She didn't like what she saw.

Bon Bon: "Yeah, you know you could have just walked in like a normal person."

Pinkie Pie cocked her head again. "I would have, but that would have been way too easy! And surprises feel the most suprisiest when they're done in ways you don't expect." Pinkie Pie said smugly, proud of herself at how much she would go through to bring joy to everyone.

Twilight: "Pinkie Pie, you scared us!"

Fluttershy: "I agree…" Fluttershy mumbled.

Pinkie Pie giggled. "Didn't you listen? I wasn't trying to scare you, silly-goose I was trying to surprise you because now I feel hundred and thirty-seven percent better! As for the cookies, I called my doctor during the week and he told me I would feel better by today, so I wanted to celebrate my good health by baking sugary treats! I didn't know which kind of cookie everyone liked, so I tried ALL OF THEM!" Pinkie Pie shouted excitedly, "Speaking of which…" -Pinkie Pie skipped over to the large bag and held out the opening- "Who wants cookies?!"

Lyra raised a hand. "I want one!"

Pinkie: "You won't be disappointed!" Pinkie Pie said, letting Lyra take out a couple of the baked delights. Pinkie Pie then noticed Bon Bon, and proceeded to shove the bag in her face. "You want one, Bon Bon?"

Bon Bon smiled, but gently pushed the bag away. "No thank you. Too many calories."

Vinyl: "Then I'll take one!"

Sunset: "I guess I'll have one too."

Everyone went to help themselves to the variety of cookies, although they could not get too many because Pinkie Pie mad an absurd amount of them. Meanwhile, Twilight stood from the crowd, still stunned at what had just happened. She massaged her head, and was approached by Pinkie Pie who was holding a couple of chocolate chip cookies in her hand.

Pinkie: "I hope I didn't scare you too much, Twilight. You wanna cookie?" Pinkie Pie offered.

Twilight looked at her with b"I thought Big Mac stuffed your body inside a potato sack!" Twilight blurted.

Pinkie Pie looked bizarrely confused, but she switched back to a fit of giggles in less than seconds. "Wow, Twilight! You got some serious issues," Pinkie Pie laughed, taking a bite out of one of the chocolate chip. Then she noticed Cadence, smiled widely, and tackled her into a hug.

Pinkie: "Cadence! It's been SOOOO LONG! We all missed you after you went to Ponseyville to sing to deaf children, and-

Cadence winced in pain but forced a smile. "Yes, yes, it's nice to be back."

Twilight wiped her hand down her face. "Okay… is that everything? No more surprises?" Twilight asked warily.

Everyone collectively looked at the main doors.

Twilight: "We should be getting started with our meeting," Twilight finished, before turning to all the CCPW wrestlers. "Alright girls, you go on ahead to the office while I finish speaking with our guests."

All of the girls, besides Twilight and Cadence, left to go to the office to wait for Twilight to start their routinely meeting. Among them, Pinkie Pie gave the bag of cookies back to Big McIntosh, telling him to put them in a safe place. Once all of them had left, Twilight asked for the attention of the remaining few.

Twilight: "Okay, it will take us a while for the meeting to conclude, and even to get the show started. So all of you just wait on the bleachers, and be patient. One of us will tell you when the show is about to start, Alright?"

Shining Armor put an arm around Cadence's waist. "Sure thing, Twilight."

Cadence: "Of course. Take your time."

Big Mac: "Eeyup."

Twilight thanked them and walked away, rehearsing the meeting protocols in her head. This would leave Shining Armor, Big McIntosh, and Cadence alone for a while. The three of them stood there in silence.

Cadence: "So… it's good to see you again Big Mac." Cadence presented as a means of making small talk.

Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup."

More awkward silence ensued.

Shining: "So… they thought you stuffed Pinkie Pie in a sack, huh?" Shining Armor offered, not knowing what else to say.

Big Mac: "Eeyup."

The three stood there for a moment. And then another one. And another. Then they all started to laugh amongst themselves, delving in the humorous situation that had taken place not too long ago.

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So? Surprised?

Leave me a review if you don't mind. I'll see you next chapter, so until then, arevoir.