Princess Sparkle shoved Princess Royal Blue and Princess Primrose out of her room and locked her door shut. "I'll show them! I'll show them all!"
“Well, thanks a lot, Royal Blue. I never could have cleaned this up without your help. You, too, Serena, thanks. What a mess this was!” Princess Primrose and her two sisters, Princess Royal Blue and Princess Serena, were flopped on Primroses’ bed, resting after cleaning up the mess that was all of Princess Primroses’ make-up.
Royal Blue heaved a big sigh, and Serena said, “No problem, Primrose. I just can’t believe that Sparkle would do this to you. And just because you told her the truth about her nasty old brownies.”
“Well, believe it, Serena. Primrose and I proved it. And then she admitted it. But that’s not what I’m worried about now that it’s over with and this whole room is clean. What I’m worried about is her ruining Licketys’ dessert baking business. If she does make brownies better then Lickety, she’s screwed, and her whole business is, too. We’ve got to stop Sparkle from making good brownies.”
Princess Tiffany poked her head in the door. “Did I hear you bring up sabotage?”
Primrose sat bolt up. “Sabotage! Of course! It’s our only way!”
Princess Starburst joined them next, pausing outside the door on her way down the go shopping at the comic book shop. “Sabo-who? Is that some new anime character?”
Royal Blue jumped off the bed and dashed to the door, yanking Starburst in and slamming it behind them. “You guys, we’ve got to do something to stop Sparkle from cooking brownies better then Licketys’ and selling them at the benefit tomorrow!”
Starburst snorted. “Oh, don’t be silly. Sparkle will burn them, and no one will buy them.”
Serena shook her head. “No good, Starburst. Primrose and Royal Blue said Sparkle bought a no-burn pan and is going to make her brownies on it.”
Starburst groaned. Tiffany sat down on the bed. “This is gonna be tougher then I thought. We had all just better put our heads together. Sabotage may not be the answer, you guys. We don’t want to bash on Sparkles’ self-esteem...”
The other princesses nodded slowly, and started to think.
It was a little after noon. Princess Royal Blue had stopped the thunderstorm and turned the power back on, but the lights were turned off in Princess Primroses’ room and it was silent, giving anyone outside the locked door the impression that no one was inside.
Royal Blue was curled up on Primroses’ window seat, staring out the window at the sunny garden. Tiffany was lying on her back on the bed, her head hanging off the foot of it. Primrose was lying on her stomach, her head buried in her pillow. Serena and Starburst were sitting on the floor, leaning against each other. Each was thinking incredibly hard about how to stop Sparkle.
Royal Blue was so deep in thought she hardly realized it when Net, her crush pony, came jogging towards the house. When she finally did, she leaped off the window seat. Every pony looked expectantly towards her, then groaned as she waved, “Sorry, I need to, uh.. go for a run! See ya!”
Royal Blue dashed in her room, threw on her sweats, yanked her hair back into a ponytail, and went rushing out the front door. She nearly trampled ten roses in her rush to the sidewalk, and she had to run incredibly fast to beat Net around the block and meet him at the street corner.
He looked over at her and grinned a bright smile. Even though Royal Blue felt dizzy and tired from running so fast, she instantly brightened up and waved. “Hi, Net!”
Net waved a blue hoof back and started jogging in place until she got to the corner. “Hey, R&B. Wanna jog with me?”
Royal Blue blushed deeply at his nickname for her, but she nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
“Great! Y’know, I was hoping I would run into you. I needed some advice on something.”
“You did? What?”
“Well, see, there’s this girl I like. She’s really great, she’s nice, sweet, everything. But I don’t know if I should ask her out.”
Royal Blue’s heart sank inwardly, but she played it cool outwardly. “Well, do you like her?”
“Oh, yeah, I do. I like her a lot.”
“Then ask her out.” Royal Blue was surprised at how easily the words came out. she silently made a note to start looking for that acting agent again.
“What if... she says no?” Net said.
“Do.. do you like her, Net?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then... ask her out. It’s better for her to say no then for you to not know what she would say for the rest of your life.” The words her friends had told her before she had asked him out herself and been turned down echoed loud in her head again.
“Great, R&B. I knew you’d know what to do. So, anyway...”
Royal Blue interrupted him. “Actually, Net, I need some advice of my own, now...” And she started to tell him all about the problem with Sparkle.
Net thought for a second. Royal Blue thought he looked totally sweet with the wind blowing his yellow and white hair back as he jogged along side of her. Suddenly Net grinned. “I got it. The perfect idea....”
At the benefit later that week, Princess Royal Blue was pacing back in forth in front of Lickety-Split’s booth. Only about 10 ponies had dropped by to buy brownies; the rest had all flocked to Princess Sparkles’ booth to try her Definitely-Not-Burnt-Brownies. If Royal Blue was worried, Lickety-Split was a mess.
“ROYAL BLUE,” growled Lickety, “IF THAT BOYFRIEND OF YOURS DOESN’T COME THROUGH. . .”
Royal Blue blushed deeply. “He’s not my boyfriend, Lickety. . .”
“I don’t CARE who he is! If he doesn’t get here soon, I’ll be RUINED!” Lickety sighed. “Oh, I’m sorry, Royal Blue, it’s just. . .”
Princess Tiffany jumped out of her seat, her fan she was using falling to the ground. “Look! There he is!” She waved a hoof in the air, “NET! NET! Over here!”
Net came through the crowd. “Whew. Did you see the crowd at Sparkles’ booth? There must have been. . .”
“STOP!” Lickety cried. “I don’t want to hear about it!”
Net gave her a little nuzzle, “Hey, relax. It’s gonna be fine.”
Royal Blue felt her heart sink. “That must be the one he likes. Lickety-Split,” she thought. Out loud, she said, “Net. Did you. . . bring it?”
Net grinned. “You bet your jangles I did. C’mon.”
Princess Primrose sighed with relief. “Thank goodness. Net, I thought you were gonna let us down.”
Princess Starburst began fanning herself with her own fan. “Please hurry, Net. If it gets any hotter and Lickety doesn’t have business, I’m gonna leave.”
Royal Blue picked Tiffanys’ fan off the ground and passed it back to her. “Net, let’s go get it. Now, hurry.”
Net nodded and dashed off through the crowd. Royal Blue hurried to catch up.
“Lickety! Lickety, where are they?!?” whined Princess Starburst. “It’s too hot!”
Lickety-Split sighed. “I might as well close up the booth. I don’t even know what they’re planning. They wouldn’t tell me. Did they tell any of you?”
Princess Primrose looked to Starburst, Starburst looked to Princess Tiffany. Then all three shook their heads. “We thought you knew,” shrugged Primrose.
Lickety sighed and picked up a box to stack stacking her brownies back in. At that very moment, Tiffany squealed. “LOOK!”
They looked. Net and Princess Royal Blue were heading towards Licketys’ table. They were carrying a basketball hoop. Net had a mesh bag around his neck which held 5 basketballs. The amused crowd cleared the way, then fell back in behind them, following them to Licketys’ table.
The two set the basketball hoop up and Net sighed satisfactorily. He set the basketballs on the ground near the table. Royal Blue spotted a cleared place on the table which Lickety had already removed the brownies from. She leaped up on the table and announced in a loud, theatric voice, “HEY! EVERYONE! Shoot a basket and you get one of Licketys’ famous brownies! Only 50 cents! C’mon and join in the fun! It’s a challenge no one can resist!”
Sure enough, no one could resist it. Ponies left Princess Sparkles’ table and began to shoot basket after basket in hopes of winning a brownie. Lickety-Split was overwhelmed with customers. Net and the princess ponies, minus Sparkle, of course, all stood nearby and watched with pure delight.
Tiffany turned to Net. “Net, I’m amazed! How did you know this would work?”
Net shrugged. “It’s the competitive nature in everyone. Brownies taste better if you have the satisfaction of doing something to get it.”
Primrose shook her head. “I can’t believe it. And we all spent a long time trying to think of something so much more complicated, while Royal Blue was smart enough to come to you.”
Net grinned. “R&B isn’t a normal pony, is she?”
They all glanced over to the table, where Royal Blue was jumping around, shouting out encouraging words to shooters, drawing in more and more customers. The princesses all laughed, then Primrose halted her laughter, staring at Net. One by one, all the princesses looked at Net. He was staring dreamily at Royal Blue.
Tiffany suddenly burst into giggles. The other princesses followed, going into mirth of laughter. Net blushed, caught in the act of liking Royal Blue. “You guys can’t tell her, okay? I’m gonna tell her later today.”
The princess ponies nodded, then turned and dashed off to see the rest of the fair. Net turned back to watching Royal Blue sell Licketys’ brownies.
Princess Royal Blue sank down on the ground. The sun began to set behind clouds, and a few raindrops began to fall. Vendors hurried to close up their stands at the end of the day. It was all over, and it turned out that Lickety-Split came out on top of the brownie business with 5 times as much customers as Sparkle had, and 2 times as much money for people who tried and missed. Out of pity and giddiness for her success, Lickety began to give up cookies to those who missed.
Net sat down on the wetting ground next to Royal Blue. “Hey, R&B. Big day today, eh?”
Royal Blue was so exhausted she could hardly blush. “Yeah. Thanks so much for your idea. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”
Net smiled. “A world without Net’s. Ooooh, scary thought.” Royal Blue giggled. Net stared at her for a while, then said, “Royal Blue. . . I, uh, have something to tell you. Ooh, it rhymes. Um. . .”
Royal Blue sat up straight, staring at Net. He hardly ever called her Royal Blue. It was always R&B or Princess Insanity.
“Look, I, um. . Don’t know how to say this. . .”
Royal Blue took over suddenly, “Net. I still like you. Will you be my boyfriend?”
Net turned bright red. “Gee, you know exactly what to say, don’t you?”
“You bet. I’ve done this before. But I always get turned down. I suppose you’re going to turn me down, too?”
“No way, Princess Insanity. I like you, too. Now whaddya say we get out of the rain and hit the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe?”
Royal Blue stood up, her hair drenched with water. She looked at Net. “Net?”
“Hmmm?”
“You’re hair dye is running.”
Net blinked and looked down at his reflection in a puddle. Sure enough, his white hair dye that he had on the top of his yellow mane was running down his face and through his hair. He blinked again. “Shades!”
Royal Blue suddenly burst out laughing. Net gave her a strange look. “Oh, c’mon, don’t laugh at me..”
“It’s not you, Net. Ever since I started using that word because I heard Tiff use it, no one else picked up on it. You just did and used it yourself.”
Net laughed, then said, “See? I play closer attention to you then you think!”
Royal Blue giggled. “C’mon, Net. Let’s hit the Sweet Shoppe.”
“The pearly princess and the white haired freak skipped off into the sunset, peaking out behind the dark clouds. And they lived happily ever after.”
Net laughed. “Princess Insanity, you already planning our wedding?”
“Of course not,” said Princess Royal Blue.
“That’s good, because I. . .”
Net was cut off by Royal Blue saying, “I already did that long ago! I’m wearing pale yellow, you’re wearing pale blue, I’m baking us the cake, and we’ll go to New York, Africa, and Missouri on our honeymoon.”
“New York?”
“Yeah. You’ll take me to see the Balto statue in Central Park.”
“I see. Africa I can understand.. Missouri?”
“Sure! I want to show you off to my best friend Julie! Unless, of course, she comes to the wedding. And I’ve planned that. Then we’ll go to, er... Oh! Florida!”
“Florida. Florida.”
“Mm-hmm! I love the ocean!”
“Really. Then we come back, right?”
“Right! Come back here to our already finished house that you and my friend Zeb built, since Zeb wants to be a contractor. And we’ll have the furniture all picked out. And we’ve got to have a fireplace. Oh, yeah, can Melissa be my maid of honor?”
“Uh, sure.”
“Great. Sean has to be one of your... whatever the guys are called...”
“Uh.. Best man?”
“Well, he can be that, too! I just figured you would want Cody or someone else to be it. But Sean can be the best man!”
“Er... okay.”
“Great! Oh, yes. I forgot to mention we’re having a sandwich shoppe called ‘Swartzendruber Sandwiches!’”
“SWARTZENDRUBER SANDWICHES?!?”
“Sure! Didn’t you take business courses in High School?”
“Well, yeah, but...”
“And it’s got your last name in it. Catchy, huh?”
“Uh...”
“We’ll be bigger then Subway! Bigger then Jimmy Johns! Bigger then...”
“Your life plans?”
“Ha! Nothing could be that big.”
“I figured as much.”
Net and Royal Blue’s ‘conversation’ was interrupted when the door to the Sweet Shoppe banged open. Scoops, who was listening with a big grin to Royal Blue tick off all the things she had ever thought of for her and Net’s future, glanced up. “Why, if it isn’t Miss Princess Sabotage-The-Cook Sparkle.”
Princess Sparkle snarled at Scoops, “SHUT UP!” She whirled to look at Royal Blue. “What are you doing here? How dare you show your face after embarrassing me like you... YOU!” Sparkle had just spotted Net. She stormed over. “NET! YOU RUINED ME!”
Net shrugged. “You tried to ruin Lickety’s business. I couldn’t let that happen, Miss Sparkle. And please, don’t drip on me anymore.”
Sparkle, completely enraged, reached out a hoof to slap Net across the face. She was close, but Net ducked. Royal Blue jumped up. “SPARKLE! What are you DOING?!?”
“I saw you in here! Listing all your plans to get married to Net! NET! You and ME were supposed to be married!”
Net remained totally cool. “Sparkle, it’s over between us. It has been for a long time.”
“I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU BOTH!” screamed Sparkle. She turned and stormed off.
Royal Blue sunk into her chair. Net sat down, too, and started to dig into his ice cream sundae. Royal Blue stared at hers for a moment, then burst into tears.
Net jumped up. “R&B! What’s wrong?!”
Royal Blue sobbed, “Net, this isn’t over! It’s just beginning! What are we gonna do?!?”
Net put a hoof to his forehead. “R&B. It’s gonna be okay. Relax. Let’s go home.”
Royal Blue got up. “You can stay in the guest room tonight, right? I don’t want you to go home in case anything happens.”
Net nodded, “I’ll stay. No problem. Now don’t worry, it’ll all be fine.” He started to pay Scoops, but she waved a hoof at him.
“Don’t be silly. You guys didn’t eat much. Besides, I had great entertainment. You’ve got a busy life, Net, with your sandwich shop,” Scoops winked.
Net grinned, then he and Royal Blue left.
“Swartzendruber Sandwiches...” mused Scoops, as she began to shut down for the night.
“That’ll show her!” Princess Sparkle snorted. She shut the door to Princess Royal Blue’s door quietly. “Ha! and HA! again! I’m too good!” Then she snuck down the hallway, back to her room.
Net and Royal Blue showed up a few minutes later. Royal Blue opened the door to her room. . .
TO BE CONTINUED. . .