someone left a cake in the rain

[rewritethis]

[BANG. BANG.]

Dash! Dash!! Open up!

[Doorknocking this violent isn't an uncommon occurrence around this particular dorm, especially accompanied by that voice. What might be a bit more notable is that the sound actually seems to be coming from somewhere close to the floor. Yes, closer than usual. In fact, knocking probably isn't the right word...]

Comments

[rewritethis]

[Incapacitated counts. And it's contagious, honestly - he does his best to stifle it, but before long he's leaning over her not to cut a faux-imposing figure but because he's physically having trouble straightening up.

Eventually he surrenders and, still snickering conspicuously, drops to the floor next to her to sit and catch his breath.]

Look at you. You're such a kid.

[elementofloyalty]

[She blindly swats at him with a hoof, still giggling.] Says the guy who turned his arm into a pegasus puppet!

[rewritethis]

[He shields himself with the puppet.] Okay, how many kids do you know who could do that? [And he pointedly flaps its wings at her again.]

[elementofloyalty]

I'unno. [She cracks an eye open, still smiling, to look at him.] Could YOU do it when you were a kid?

[rewritethis]

[He reaches over to tap her on the head with the angry pegasus' nose.] Don't lump me in with kids. I'm on a whole other level.

[She probably shouldn't have tried to compliment him in the first place, really.]

[elementofloyalty]

You can't do the same to me, then! I did my first Sonic Rainboom when I was just a filly!

[Maybe not, but this isn't exactly something they don't have in common...]

[rewritethis]

Yeah? Well, I can buy that. Seeing as you obviously didn't grow up at all since then.

[He springs to his feet deceptively lightly, and goes back to what's left of his clean laundry as if there'd been no interruption... without putting the puppet away. There's something nostalgic about the smile on his face.]

[elementofloyalty]

[She pulls her feet back under her, then rises lightly to stand again.]

If growing up means I can't laugh at things as goofy as that pegasus puppet, then call me a filly forever!

[rewritethis]

[Without looking round, he sticks his arm out behind him and flaps the puppet at her one more time.] You say that like it's something to be proud of.

[elementofloyalty]

[He gets another giggle for his efforts.]

Hey, Laughter is one of the Elements of Harmony, y'know!

[rewritethis]

Whatever. You know, if we're talking goofy, I'm just surprised you think you can get away with accusing anything else of it.

[elementofloyalty]

Two words, Ed: Pinkie. Pie.

[rewritethis]

[He pauses, letting the puppet fall to his side.] Apart from her.

[elementofloyalty]

Probably wouldn't surprise you if I told you she's the Element of Laughter, would it?

[She steps up to get a closer look at the puppet, curious how it works and still leaves his arm working too.]

[rewritethis]

That's not a real element.

[He does glance over his shoulder as she walks up to him, though.] What?

[The puppet itself isn't too sophisticated from a mechanical standpoint - she might notice a tiny chain wrapped under his fingers, attached to a piston or two under the wings, but not much else is visible. The attention to detail is another story, though.]

[elementofloyalty]

Not a chemical element, you egghead, just the sense that it's one part of something bigger. Kindness, Laughter, Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, and Magic, those are the Elements of Harmony.

[She pauses in her inspection to look up at him.] And don't get bent out of shape over the magic thing, either. It's not literal magic. It's the metaphorical kind.

[rewritethis]

Elements of hokey, you mean. [He'd guessed it was something cheesy, but she just sounds so earnest.] You realise I didn't actually ask.

[elementofloyalty]

No, but it's important anyway. Besides, you got me thinking of it.

[She really does, though she doesn't seem inclined to lecture him on friendship or anything.]

[rewritethis]

[Perhaps to head her off before she starts, he slowly and deliberately raises his hand again to flap the puppet right in her face.] Sure, just keep thinking about it. And you try to convince people you're not goofy.

[elementofloyalty]

[She laughs again, putting a hoof on the arm to push it down again.] You can think I'm goofy all you like, Ed!

[rewritethis]

It's not just what I think! Dash, one of these days, you seriously need to get a little perspective...

[He stops and furrows his brow, like he just thought of something.]

[elementofloyalty]

[She flits into the air to sling a foreleg around his shoulders.]

Ed, ol' buddy, ol' pal, your perspective is just as skewed as mine! Just in a different way!

[rewritethis]

Maybe it is that. When did I ever claim it wasn't? [All the times when he wasn't suddenly in a remotely contemplative mood, that's when.] Doesn't mean I'm wrong about everything.

[elementofloyalty]

You told me I couldn't exist by the laws of physics the first time you ever spoke to me.

[She says this wryly and with a pretense at far greater weariness than she actually feels.]

We seem to be pretty nicely in-between Equestria and -- and wherever you come from, here. Face it, you need me to keep you from cramming this whole world into your own mindset!

[rewritethis]

[Hey, he's not the only person who's ever pointed out the physics thing!]

In between? Everything I've seen so far just tells me humans don't change much wherever you go.