"Tulip!"

"Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit?!" Tulip sat bolt upright, her eyes snapping open.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!" Her cousin was bouncing ecstatically around her bedroom, a huge grin spread across her features.

"I'm pretty awake now, Pinkie." Tulip's eyes closed again, but she positioned herself over the side of the bed and rolled sluggishly off of it. "What's so dreadfully important that you have to wake me up at six in the morning?"

"It's nine."

"Oh." Tulip thought for a few seconds before retorting, "Well, it's my birthday, so I should get to... I dunno... sleep in and stuff."

"Your birthday was yesterday."

"Still," Tulip replied drowsily. "What do you have to tell me?"

"Not tell you, show you! See, see, look out the window. Do it! Look out the window!" Pinkie skipped over to the window in question, beaming brightly.

"Okay," Tulip said, walking over next to Pinkie. "I see... the sun. It's... really bright. It's hurting my eyes."

"And?"

"Uh... I see my backyard." She looked up at Pinkie's smiling face. "It's... um... amazing?"

"Nope!"

"What is it, Pinkie?" Tulip's patience was wearing quickly away.

"It's a beautiful day!"

Tulip looked in total disbelief at her cousin, and shook her head. Pinkie. "Welp, I'm goin' back to bed," she announced, and turned on her hooves, walking shakily back to the mattress... the still-warm, good-smelling, soft, comfortable mattress...

"Wait!"

Tulip groaned softly, and turned around, facing Pinkie again. "What's up?"

"I have to get back to Ponyville... I won't be seeing you for another year. I wanted to say goodbye before I leave."

Tulip awakened more fully because of the oddness of the comment. "I thought I'd have time for that later... don't you still have to pack your bags?"

"Nope." Tulip squinted at two horrifyingly pink bags sitting by Pinkie's hooves that she hadn't noticed before. How could she have missed neon in its purest form.

"... What time do you usually get up in the morning?"

"Sunrise."

"You lie," Tulip said, grinning. She shook her head again, chuckling. "Why... how do you... how can you possibly wake yourself up?"

"I dunno. I just do." Pinkie smiled again, her eyes shining. "Come here. Hugs."

Tulip cocked her head at Pinkie, whose mouth was open expectantly and whose foreleg was raised towards her. "Alright. Okay." She smiled again, and nodded, walking over to her cousin for a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, 'cuz." Pinkie said sadly.

"No, you're not." Tulip grinned. She'd been waiting for three months for her birthday, just to tell Pinkie something that she was sure Pinkie would love. "I," she began, pulling away, "have taken two personal days to spend in Ponyville with you."

Pinkie's mouth opened, as though she was about to say something, but all that she could force out of her throat was a squeak. Tulip walked over to the shelf above her bed and took down two dusty train tickets, before turning and waving them happily in front of Pinkie.

Eventually, Pinkie managed to speak. "...Are you gonna bring the party cannon?"

The train ride back to Ponyville was filled with laughter and happiness. It was just what Pinkie needed, a little morale boost after the emotions of the last few weeks. The recovery to her normal self was slow-going, but it turned out perfectly in the end.

Her thoughts, as per usual, were flying into her head and hundreds of miles an hour. Tons of questions and comments were tumbling one by one out of her mouth, and the conversation between the two cousins was better than ever. After all, the fact that Tulip would be with her for a few extra days in Ponyville combined with the perfect weather? Too much.

During a quiet moment, as each pony regained their breath, Tulip spoke up. "You know, I heard you singing yesterday. In the grove near the house."

"Oh," Pinkie replied. "So..."

"No, I'm not getting at anything. I'm just saying." She looked back up at her cousin, smiling slightly. "I thought it was pretty."

"Aww. Thanks, 'cuz." Pinkie smiled back brightly. "You know, I just came up with that when I was walking through the trees 'cause I was just so happy and I remembered something and then this tune came to my head and I started putting words to the tune and - oh look, we're here." She glanced out the small portcullis-style window to see the station speeding into view as the train slowed to a halt.

Tulip looked momentarily out the window to see the sprawling Germanic town, dotted with all shapes and sizes of thatched-roof cottages and long, decorative tiled streets. Beyond the station, and the town itself, she caught a glimpse of Ponyville's most essential economic feature: the huge rolling farming fields and orchards.

She remained still, her eyes opening a little wider. "It's so beautiful here," she commented to Pinkie as she was preparing their bags for departure. "I don't even remember Ponyville that much."

"Really?" Pinkie asked. "Last time you said you had such a super-duper time that you'd never, ever forget it."

"Pinkie, that was almost twenty years ago."

"So?"

"Pinkie, how on earth do you manage to wake up at sunrise every day and remember things from two decades ago?" Tulip laughed.

"It's my brain's fault," Pinkie replied, laughing along with her, and the two stepped out the train doors and onto the wooden platform. "Don't call me out for my brain. It doesn't work."

"Call you... what?" Tulip asked, confused, as the pair stepped out of the station and onto Mane Street. "You know, I'm glad I decided to do this. And I'm even more glad you let me stay at your house," she added, chuckling.

"How could I refuse having my bestest cousin ever ever over for two whole days?" Pinkie asked joyfully, bouncing along next to Tulip. She slowed down for a second and looked over to her cousin. "Why can't you stay for more than two days, though?"

"I have stuff to do back home, too, you know. Daddy's sending me to law school, actually, on Wednesday afternoon. This whole thing is like a sending-away party... and I'm sure you, of all ponies, know how to throw a party." Pinkie looked back at her friend and laughed.

"Law school? Boring!" She giggled. "Sorry. But seriously, if it's a party you want, it's a party you'll get." She nudged Tulip in the ribs with her muzzle, making her giggle, too. "I promise."

They arrived at the apartment shortly, and Pinkie, still talking and laughing with Tulip, walked up and knocked on the door.

Tulip watched on, entertained by the pink earth-pony standing on her own front steps, knocking her own door. She decided to speak up after about a minute. "Um, Pinkie, isn't this your apartment?"

Pinkie turned around, and shook her head. She thought for a few seconds and burst into laughter. "Well, I feel smart," she said, unzipping the front pocket on one of her suitcases and pulling out a small keyring. "Here it is!" she called to nopony in particular, and opened the door wide.

When both were inside, Pinkie began helping Tulip bring the luggage up to her bedroom. Pinkie began renting the apartment almost a year ago, when she could finally afford the down payment. However, she wasn't able to afford much; the best deal seemed to be a one-bed one-bath townhouse rather close to Sugarcube Corner.

As Tulip was bringing the last of the suitcases up to her room, she heard a small, surprised voice behind her. "Pinkie?"

Pinkie instantly recognized the voice, and turned around to the screen door. "Fluttershy?" she replied, and pushed open the door slowly. "Hey, Fluttershy! I haven't seen you in, like, forever!"

"Hi, Pinkie," Fluttershy said, accepting her friend's hug. "I noticed you and somepony else came back from... wherever you've been. I just wanted to make sure... have you, um, moved on?"

Pinkie smiled and looked back at the apartment behind her. "What, with her?" she laughed. "No! No, no, no, no, no. She's my cousin."

"Oh," Fluttershy murmured, and looked rather embarrassed. Maybe she shouldn't have brought anything up... after all, they hadn't spoken for three or four days.

"But," Pinkie added, her voice lowered, "I'm planning on trying soon... I mean, Twilight seemed pretty sure of herself when I asked last time. I hoped there'd be a chance, but apparently not."

Fluttershy could see that Pinkie's mood swung quickly back to downcast; fortunately, she'd been about to tell Pinkie some possibly uplifting news anyways. "Well, I wanted to tell you that Twilight's been looking for you over the past few days... she said you didn't tell anypony where you were going, and she was kinda right. She said she wants to talk to you."

This gave Pinkie mixed feelings. On one hoof, it could easily be something very good - something very, very good. On the other hoof, she could be angry or... or something. Pinkie didn't dwell too much on this thought. On the other other hoof, it could be something totally neutral.

While Pinkie thought, her cousin descended the stairs, beginning to speak to her absent cousin. "So Pinkie, I was thinking that maybe -" she stopped when she saw Pinkie outside talking to a yellow pegasus.

Tulip pushed open the screen door and walked to the pair. She couldn't hear much except hushed conversation between the two; maybe she shouldn't be interrupting.

However, Pinkie heard her cousin's hooves on the tile. "Hi, Tulip!" she said, spinning around to meet her. "I wanna introduce you to my friend Fluttershy!" Tulip reached out to shake her hoof and they exchanged quiet greetings.

Tulip leaned over to Pinkie and whispered, "Is she-"

"No, say nothing."

"Okay."

There was a brief conversation between all three mares before Fluttershy quietly walked off. Before she could, though, Pinkie called out to her. "Wait up, Fluttershy!"

She turned her head. "Yes?"

"Where's Applejack? I haven't seen her in forever."

"I'm not sure... I mean, I could try to find her.. if I can."

"Don't worry about it, I'll find her. It may take longer, but I will!" she called back, giggling a little.

Tulip leaned over to Pinkie again. "Is she-"

"No."

"Oh."

They both watched Fluttershy depart and walked back into the house, Tulip first. Pinkie almost groaned when she heard her name again, before she realized who it was.

"Pinkie?"

Pinkie turned around, her eyes darting quickly to the lavender unicorn standing a few feet away from her. "Twilight, uh, hi!" she stumbled, a light blush coming to her cheeks momentarily before Pinkie willed it desperately to fade. Just because she said she wanted to move on didn't mean she had.

"Pinkie, I've been looking for you for the past few days! I didn't know where you went!" she said with hints of annoyance and distress in her voice.

Tulip leaned over once more. "Is she-"

"... Yeah," Pinkie whispered back.

"Oh. Um. I'm just gonna - I - I have to go to the bathroom?" she offered, and laughed nervously before turning and walking quickly back into the house.

Pinkie had been watching her cousin disappear into the apartment; when she turned back, Twilight was standing only about three feet from her. Her first instinct was to step back, but she calmed herself and remained in place.

Twilight continued. "I've been worried about you! You didn't tell me, or anypony else, where you were going!" She shook her head. "Why are you always so secretive?"

"I guess I, um, just forgot to tell everypony. I, uh, went to my cousin's birthday party and I came back today but she surprised me and came back with me. I didn't plan it, but I'm happy she's here." She grinned. "She's my favorite cousin."

"Ah."

The two stood in an awkward silence for a few moments, each trying to figure out what they should say. Eventually, Twilight spoke up. "Pinkie, I... uh... I've been thinking."

Pinkie stood still, and blinked. She didn't dare assume anything; it never seemed to work out for her.

Twilight continued segmentally. "I, um, I've been thinking about, uh, what we've - what you - gimme a second." She closed her eyes and started over. "I've been thinking about what you said to me the other day. I've been thinking... that maybe it wasn't quite fair."

Pinkie didn't move a muscle. Did she dare believe her ears? Well, yeah, 'cause ears don't lie, except that one time a few months ago when the - no! Focus!

"Maybe - um - maybe I could, sort of, take a chance?" She blushed a bit. "I mean, I'm going out on a limb here, 'cause I don't wanna make myself look stupid, but I... I mean..."

Pinkie took this pause to regain her speech. "What do you mean by 'take a chance?'" she asked, almost shyly.

"Well, I mean, um, maybe we could... uh... how do I say this?" she said, frustrated. "Well, the point I'm making is that I've never taken the time to actually be with anypony. I'm just not sure whether it's fair to turn you down without thinking things through first." She inhaled, composing herself once more. "I'm not sure how to say this. Um... are you free Friday?"

The cogs in Pinkie's brain were still moving slowly, struggling to process such sudden, yet dire information. This was important; if she didn't phrase something right, this tentative grasp on a relationship could be ruined. She decided that saying less kept her safer. "Yes," she replied.

"I was thinking maybe we could meet at the corner deli on Mane Street at seven?"

"Yes. Yeah. Y-yes," Pinkie stuttered, still trying to make sense of what she was hearing.

"Well, I guess, uh, I'll see you there," Twilight said softly, still flushed pink.

"Yeah."

Pinkie stood there, dumbstruck on the tiled street, until Twilight was totally out of sight. Then, she lowered her head to the ground and sighed. Without another thought, she turned and ran back into the townhouse.

"TOOOOOO-LIIIIIIIIIIIP!" she shouted, scrambling madly up the stairs. "Tuliptuliptuliptuliptuliptulip!!!"

"I wasn't asleep," Tulip said, sitting up quickly on Pinkie's bed, the still-packed suitcases next to her.

"Oh Celestia, I have so stay calm but I can't 'cause GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"What? What happened? Was it good? Are you dead? Am I dead? Am I dying?"

"Morbid thoughts, Tulip," Pinkie reminded her, and Tulip settled down. "But guess what?"

"I did. I was wrong."

"Oh yeah. Okay, so listen."

Pinkie then sat next to Tulip on her bed, smiling happily. Tulip's face fell, and she shook her head to keep he mane out of her eyes. "So... what?"

"I've got a date on Friday!"

"What? With that mare outside?"

"Yeah! It's such a long story..."

"Oh, no, no, no, wait Pinkie -"

"So two weeks ago, oh jeez, it seems like such a long time ago now..."

Tulip sighed, and fell back onto the bed, a hint of a smile creeping onto her lips. Oh, Pinkie.