“Pinkie, You’re uh...”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it. After five attempts to meet Pinkie Pie alone were thwarted by Pinkie inviting anybody and everybody along, she finally had her chance in an empty diner late on a Monday night. Of all the times for her unshakable confidence to be shaken!

“I’m a what? Fast eater? Fast talker? Student? Pink Person—,” It turns out Pinkie is a lot of things.

“No, what I mean is—Pinkie! You’re not a purple snake—I’ve been talking to a bigshot talent scout about the future The Rainbooms, and we’re getting a lineup change, and…”

“Oh, ok, I get what you mean. It makes as much sense as frosting on cupcakes.” Pinkie finally took a break from talking to slurp her freshly arrived milkshake.

“You mean you’re not mad?” Rainbow chuckled from how overcautious she was being. Pinkie may seem like a child at times, but deep down she’s still a reasonable young adult who is capable of dealing with tough conversations.

“Of course not! The others are our friends, but there are clear artistic differences between us and the others. If becoming a duo is what it takes for us to take off, I fully support it!”
Rainbow Dash choked on her milkshake.

“Ooh, what will our new name be?” Pinkie obviously continued. “Pie and Dash? The Dashing Pie? A Dash of Pink? All Colors but Mostly Pink?”

“You’re not a Rainboom anymore!” 

The two employees poked their heads out of the kitchen to view the commotion, only to see two customers who had turned to ice. Pinkie’s mouth was wide open, processing what she had just heard, and Rainbow’s fingers were on her eyelids and her elbows were stuck on the table.

What felt like centuries passed until one of the waiters dropped a burger for Pinkie and an omelette for Dash before scurrying back to the safety of the kitchen. Pinkie’s head fell onto the table and she slowly pushed the burger towards her face.

“Do...Do…you not like me anymore?” Pinkie moaned, mouth full of burger.

“No, you’re great. You’re awesome, and you’re my best friend.” Despite the truth of these words, Rainbow was having a hard time convincing herself she meant it. “It’s just, we need a drummer who fits more in line with the band and can fill better.”

“Oh, so I’m awesome but I’m not good enough for you.” Barely audible words spoken into a table. Pinkie wasn’t going to finish her burger. “None of us are awesome enough for you. You were just using us as a rocket to fame. You’re going to forget about all of us, again.”

“That’s not true!” Rainbow swiped her arms in front of her, knocking her untouched milkshake on the ground, shattering the glass. “The talent agent wanted to know who wrote the song we defeated the Dazzlings with. We’re keeping Fluttershy and Sunset.”

Pinkie finally looked up. Her face covered with tears and snot, but their creation seemed to be stopping. She hiccuped once, then said “So you’re not throwing out all of your friends?”

“Come on Pinkie, you know I would never do that. That would be unawesome.” Rainbow’s heart rate began to normalize.

“So, do you have a new drummer picked out?” Rainbow’s heart rate unnormalized.

“Damn it, I knew you were too curious to not ask.”

“What does that mean?”

“Sonata Dusk.”

“How...could you repla...place me with...a villain?” Pinkie was full out bawling now.

“She wasn’t that villainous, she was mostly being led by her sisters. Her full devotion is music now that we’ve defeated her and I’m not sure you can commit that much.” Every world made Pinkie’s wailing louder.

“So you think I’m not a good drummer, cool, marketable, cute, or devoted? Well then, what am I to you? A total loser?”

“No Pinkie, I didn’t say that!”

“You didn’t have to.” And with that, Pinkie ran out of the diner, leaving Rainbow Dash with her untouched omelette and milkshake, staring at the doors Pinkie had just left though. One waiter, brave enough now to come out, crept up to the table.

“Would you like me to reheat your omelette, miss?”

“No, it’s fine, just bring the check, please.” The empty diner, chosen as a comfortable meeting place, now felt like a frozen cave.

Rainbow checked on the texts she sent out earlier. No new messages.

She couldn’t crash with any of her other friends tonight, she could only go home and be alone.