My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Matchmaker

Chapter 2

Exposition Picnic

Requiem whistled a tune as she pulled a few plates out of a cupboard and but them into a basket.

Twilight stood in the doorway, suspicious. “What are you doing, Req?”

“oh, Twilight. Thank goodness you’re here. Can you grab a few cups?”

“For what?”

“I’m planning a picnic for you, me, the rest of the gang.”

“A picnic? Huh. That seems almost kind of you.”

Req closed her eyes half-way as she looked to her. “what do you mean almost?”

Twilight laughed as she walked over and grabbed a few cups.

“not using your magic?” Req asked, grabbing some napkins off the rack.

“well, I read in a book that if a Unicorn overuses magic while pregnant, the baby will turn out mean and obnoxious.”

Req looked to the camera. “Guess we found out why Diamond Tiara is such a meanie head.” she went back into character. “so, you’re gonna be cutting back on the magic?”

“down to once or twice a day.” Twi put the cups into the basket. “Any more and I run the risk of my foal turning into someone like… like…”

“Nightmare Moon?”

“bingo.”

Jax snored as she slept in her bed in a hap-hazard way. She snorted as she opened her eyes. She rolled over to the side to see a golden-yellow Pegasus right beside her. She opened her eyes and saw Jax.

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!”

They fell out of the bed and onto their backs.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED!?” they both yelled. “YOUR BED? IT’S MY BED!” Derpy and Carrot Top ran in to see both Jax and Daring on the side of the bed. “WHAT IS SHE DOING IN MY BED!?” Both Jax and Daring yelled.

“oh.” Derpy face-hoofed. “Knew I forgot something last night.”

“you think!?” Jax exclaimed. “Who is this anyway?”

“oh, Jax. This is my sister Daring Do. Daring, this is Jax.”

Daring looked over to her. “a human? Thought you guys were myth.”

“we seem to be getting that a lot on this world.” Jax muttered. “but but but why is she in my bed?”

“Eh… well, I was half-asleep at the time so I guess I gave her your bed without knowing it.” Derpy nervously chuckled.

Jax pouted angrily and pointed up to her face. “see the face. See the face. Not amused.” she groaned as she got up. “if that’s the case, I’m gonna take the couch.” Jax walked out of the room, leaving behind a confused Daring.

“What’s her problem?”

“she’s not a… big fan of ponies.” Carrot Top explained. “She was almost trampled to death when she was 3.”

“oh. So wait, she redirects it to anger?”

“yep.” both Derpy and Carrot Top said.

Requiem fanned out a picnic blanket and put it to the ground of a nice smooth field.

“there. Starting to get good.” she sighed. She reached back into the basket and pulled out a couple of glasses. She went to put them down only to see her friends suddenly right in front of her. “Ah!”

“Req… what are you doing?” Jax asked.

“I’m just setting up a picnic for us and our Equestrian friends. What’s so bad about that?”

“yeah, we’re not buying it.” Bahamut said. Req glanced over to him. “ever since Lylat, you’ve always been trying to set up couples.”

“Well, Fox and Krystal were already in love, I just moved it along. As for Falco and Katt…”

“and what you said yesterday confirmed it; when it comes to love, you go to far.” Ash said.

“what? Hehe. Who say’s I go too--” everyone gave her suspicious looks. “okay okay, fine. Maybe I do go a LITTLE bit to far. Just a little.”

“just a little?” Aura and Sora asked.

“okay, fine. I’m Cupid in girl form. I’m Aphrodite but hotter. So what?”

“just cut it back, okay? There’s helping then there’s going too far. Just try to cut it back, okay?” Satoshi asked.

“fine. I promise.” Req said, crossing her fingers behind her back.

“Without crossing your fingers.” Jax and Bahamut said.

Req rolled her eyes and held up her hands, uncrossed, as she promised yet again. “now can we get this ready? The others will be here any minute.”

Before long, the gang all arrived for the ‘picnic of love’, as Requiem called it. But since she promised her friends, she ain’t gonna do a thing to move along relationships. Well, not while their around, anyway.

“oh, it is simply gorgeous out. Just gorgeous.” Rarity said while wearing a sunhat.

“Anybody else experiencing déjà vu?” Applejack joked. Twilight silently chuckled at that.

“This was a good idea, Requiem. With all that’s been happening, we all could’ve used a relaxing break.” Halo said.

“ti nada. ti nada.” Req said. “just wondering where Rainbow is.”

“give her time. She always runs late for things.” Lyra said.

“True. And speaking of missing ponies, where‘s Armor and Cadence?”

“They had to go back to the crystal kingdom.”

“ah. Okay. Could’ve said good-bye or something.”

Daring looked between Req and Lyra, a bit surprise that they knew each other. “so it’s true. You all are really friends with humans.”

Ash gulped down a watermelon. “and who are you?”

“the name is Daring Do, world-famous sister to your beloved mail mare here.” she announced, pointing to Derpy in the process.

“sister?” Pinkie and Barry exclaimed in surprise. “Derpy has a sister?”

“yep.” Derpy smiled. “but this is the first time we’ve seen each other in 10 years.”

“oh. So what did you do for 10 years, Daring?” Trixie asked.

Daring’s eyes half-closed. “you serious? Read my books, you’ll get a good idea of what I did for the better part of a decade.”

“yeeeeah, I don’t read books.”

“that explains a lot.” Marble whispered to Pinkie.

Daring just looked at Trixie with those half-closed eyes for a moment before changing the subject. “so, Derpy, you were quite busy during my time abroad? I mean, kids? You never struck me as a mother.”

Derpy chuckled. “yeah. Well…” she looked to Dinky who was playing with Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. “…don’t tell her this but… but Dinky was a accident.”

Twi spit up her drink and coughed. “a accident?”

“yeah. Me and her father had a moment of weakness and we didn’t use protection.” she looked over to her daughter. The CMC dog-piled onto Dinky and all began to laugh. “but that accident turned into the best thing that happened to me.”

“no argument. You deserve a ‘mother of the decade’ award or something like that.” Carrot Top said. Cheerilee and Sparkler nodded in agreement. Derpy blushed in embarrassment.

“I’m gonna have to take mothering tips from you when Starlight comes.” Twi said.

“Starlight?” Bahamut asked as he bit into a chicken leg he made especially for him and the rest of the meat-eating humans. He made sure it wasn’t any of Fluttershy’s, though.

Twilight gulped down a daisy sandwich. “that’s what I’m gonna name the baby when he or she comes.”

“and you’re, what, 2 months along now?” Sora asked, sipping a milkshake with a crazy straw.

“just about. I won’t feel the baby kick for at least another 3 months. And I won’t know what the baby’s gender will be until my first doctor’s appointment in next month.”

Edge chuckled. “I still find it hard to believe that new life can be made inside a girl. I mean, it’s gotta be weird knowing that something‘s growing inside ya.”

“well, it is at first but knowing that you’re giving life to something so small and loveable… there’s just no other feeling like it.” Derpy explained.

“wow. The way you put it, I can’t wait till I have kids of my own.” Sora said.

“me too.” Rarity, Pinkie, ‘Shy, A.J., Lyra, and Bonbon all said.

Req sighed in the same manner they did but had something else on her mind. “(this isn’t what I planned. I was hoping to get them in love, not talk about the reproductive process. Hmm… where’s Dash when we need her? She would have a game at the ready. Wait… I got a idea.)”

She got up and asked; “Who’s up for a game of soccer?”

That was a good idea as they started a game and it got intense. It was the humans vs the ponies. The ponies were up 5-4 but the Humans let them have the first 5 in order to boost their confidence. That and they aren’t using a goalie.

Twilight was sitting out for obvious reasons; Marble was sitting out because, well, he’s not a people person. And Cheerilee is also sitting out for some reason she won’t explain.

“overhear, A.J.!” Shadow exclaimed. Applejack kicked the soccer ball over to Shadow. He stopped it with his head and balanced it on his horn.

“Show off!” Applebloom exclaimed.

Spike leaned on the edge of their goalpost, waiting for something to happen, like the soccer ball to come his way.

Sweetie Belle edged on up next to him. “so… nice day, right Spike?”

“if you say so. Just waiting for something to happen.”

Sweetie took that as incentive. “like, say, waiting someone asking you out on a date?”

Spike looked up from her to Rarity, who currently had the ball. “yeah. Or maybe I should ask.”

Sweetie looked at his face then followed his vision to Rarity. She silently snorted as she slammed her hooves together. “(dang Rarity. She’s trying to steal my Spike away from me. I hate that she gets more attention then me. Time to take drastic measures.)” Sweetie tapped Spike on the knee, getting his attention. “um, Spike. I have something I need help with on Saturday. Can you help me?”

“un… sure, I guess. But why not have Rarity help you?”

“This requires strength, not magic. Besides, Rarity‘s not as skilled as me for this.”

Spike raised a eyebrow in confusion. “iiiiif you say so.”

Sweetie smiled as she dreamily looked up at Spike. “(yes. If everything goes as plan, I’ll have Spike for a coltfriend. Oh, this is gonna be GREAT!)” she squealed in her mind.

“Ha. Take this!” Daring exclaimed as she kicked the ball with all her strength. It went the wrong direction and towards Twilight. “Caution: Runaway Ball!” she yelled out.

Twi noticed it and ducked at the last second. The ball, instead, hit Marble and sent him down to the ground.

“Marble!” Pinkie exclaimed as she ran over.

Marble’s eyes spun as he saw stars. He shook his head and snapped out of it. “that hurt.” he groaned. He got up as Pinkie neared him. She tripped on a exposed tree branch and ran right into Marble.

Both fell down a hill and rolled right into a creek bed.

“you guys okay?” Twilight asked as she looked down to them. The gang ran over to see if they’re okay.

When the water splashed back down, they saw Marble and Pinkie holding each other close, though not intentionally; that’s mostly the vines fault. And their lips were right against the others. Both opened their eyes and saw them VERY close to another.

Requiem and Sora went “OOOOOH!”

Marble and Pinkie stopped kissing and looked at their situation. “eh… it’s not what it looks like!” they both said.

“we know. It’s the vines. Hold on.” Aura grabbed his lance and slid on down to them. With one swipe, he cut though the vines.

Pinkie and Marble got up and wiped the water and excess vine off. “that was embarrassing.” Pinkie muttered.

“you’re telling me, Diamond.” Marble said.

That surprised Pinkie and looked over to him. “Diamond? Who’s Diamond?”

Marble heard what he said and tried to think of something else. “eh… eh… did I say Diamond? Sorry but that gem is on my mind for some odd reason. Guess it slipped out.”

Pinkie raised a eyebrow. She didn’t believe it but went along with it. “if you say so, Marble.”

A couple of familiar Pegasi landed right behind them and looked down from behind Bahamut and Edge. “what happened here?” Dash asked.

“a little accident concerning a soccer ball and Daring’s dangerous legs.” Ash said.

Dash and Soarin’ looked at each other with confused looks. “un, beg pardon?” Soarin’ asked.

Twi looked back and actually took notice. “oh, hey. Glad to see you finally arrived, Dash. And who’s your friend?”

“who’s my-- she doesn’t know who you are. How sad.” Dash joked. “This is Soarin’ of the Wonderbolts.”

“Wonderbolts?” Rarity exclaimed in surprise. “well, it is certainly a honor to make the acquaintance of a powerful flyer such as yourself.”

“please, stop. You’re gonna make me blush.” he chuckled.

“but wait, I thought Wonderbolts didn’t talk to common folk.” Marble said as he walked up.

“no, we’re just like you.” Soarin’ said.

“So how’d you 2 meet?” Fluttershy asked.

“2 ways.” Dash said. She grabbed and pulled Scootaloo over. “turns out Squirt here is cousins with Soarin’.”

The CMC were clearly caught off guard. “What?” the trio exclaimed. “and you didn’t tell us?”

“Didn’t think it was relevant.” Scoot’s chuckled while shrugging. The CMC gave her scolding looks.

“you said 2 ways, Dash. What was the other?” A.J. asked.

“well,…” Soarin’ began. “…turns out we’re both HUGE fans of Daring Do; the book series, not you personally…” Daring shrugged in agreement. “…and he came to Ponyville for the book signing. After that, we went out for Cider and, well, I guess we’re dating now.”

“wait, what?” Scoots suddenly asked. “you’re-- you’re--” she shook her head, trying to process it. “you’re going out with Rainbow Dash?”

“how come all the good stuff happens to her?” Zilver joked. A.J. shrugged.

“Oh, wow. This is SO COOL! My cousin, the Wonderbolt, is going out with Rainbow Dash, one of the coolest ponies who lived. Oh, this is a good day.”

The ponies kept on talking about Dash and her new Boyfriend. Shadow, clearly hurt, backed up and walked away. Req stepped back a few feet to think to herself. “(so, Dash has a boyfriend now so she’s out of the plan. Marble and Pinkie looks like a good couple; they say opposites attract. And Twilight and Halo are gonna be trouble; we know they like each other but he’s too afraid to make any kind of commitment. Guess that leaves Applejack, Shadow, Trixie, Fluttershy, Spike, Zilver, Rarity, and Edge. This may be simpler then I thought.)”