Don't forget style, that should be considered! [Visual, filtered from Minato]

[elementofloyalty]

[Rainbow is flush with energy to the point of mania today, grinning and eager as she faces down the scrolls.]

Hey everypony, but especially friends of Minato! I gotta get him a really, really amazing present for Hearth's Warming this year. And I don't think my usual standbys are up to it. [Because as much as he could clearly use a good weight set to put on some muscle, she needs to go more special than that!]

So anypony got any ideas? Stuff he secretly likes that he hasn't mentioned to me yet? A real wish of his? I'll take anything, maybe everything! I'm gonna make this an awesome holiday!

Comments

[usedpartycannon]

He could probably use a new jacket. Doesn't he only have like one or two of those?

[elementofloyalty]

[Rainbow chuckles, all nervous embarrassment since darn it, Minato, she has to be associated with that.] Yeah, I kinda noticed that, but that's not really super-awesome, is it?

[usedpartycannon]

That's the nice thing about jackets though; you can customize them to be super awesome. Like a entertwined logo of your cutie marks, plus a lot of that J-style and what not.

[elementofloyalty]

[Something still doesn't seem right, and Rainbow tries to figure out what it is... oh! It's the idea of a jacket in the first place!] Maybe he needs a big ol' coat instead of a jacket! It could look awesome and cool!

[usedpartycannon]

I dunno. I mean, a long coat would be cool, just don't go completely nuts with it. Like no fur lining or whatever. It's too hot unless you want to give him a winter one.

[elementofloyalty]

Fur lining?! That's not cool. That's for like fancy pony coats. Minato's a cool pony, he'll get a cool coat.

[20% cooler? Well, Rainbow knows what she means, at least.]

[usedpartycannon]

It needs to billow in the wind or something. DRAMATICALLY.

[sailorlaughter]

Oh oh oh! So what you gotta do is pay lots and lots of attention, and see if he needs anything or wants anything! Like all YEAR but since you're just starting now maybe for the next couple weeks? And then you remember the things that they don't remember they want so don't put on their lists, and then you GET IT FOR THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY WANTED IT!

[elementofloyalty]

[Rainbow takes a moment to let all of that wash over her and sink in, before shaking her head.] That's why I'm hoping one of his friends would have an idea. They might have heard something I didn't!

[sailorlaughter]

I don't really hang out with him all that much, sorry. But I can start following him if you want!

[elementofloyalty]

Naw, I know how busy you gotta be figuring out gifts for, like, everypony ever. [Rainbow makes a quiet note to keep tabs on Pinkie this season and make sure the newpony influx didn't overwhelm her.]

[sailorlaughter]

I know, right? There's like SO many more people than before - even more than last year!

[At least for the moment, she sounds super pumped about this.]

[elementofloyalty]

[Sure, at the moment. But wait till a week from the day when the pressure is mounting and she doesn't know the PERFECT GIFT FOR EVERYPONY... yeah, Rainbow is gonna keep an eye on Pinkie Pie.]

...Whatcha gettin' me?

[mostloyalpony]

(Cue the sudden appearance of this Rainbow, eyeing the scroll -and her other self- with a grin of her own.)

Why not a superfantasticspectacularamazingawesome present? Something he mentioned once that he'd never think you'd remember but never really forgot?

[elementofloyalty]

Yeah, except he never mentioned anything like that! [That she remembers or processed as important at the time.] But if he ever mentioned it to somepony else, I hope they'll tell me.

[mostloyalpony]

Yeah...it is a problem if nopony else knows, but who would know better than me? And in this case, when I say me I totally mean you!

(Rainbow's way of inspiring herself. The whole 'don't give up' thing Twilight would say, but without a speech.)

[elementofloyalty]

But I don't know, that's why I've gotta find out!

[Inspirational missiles fizzled, no damage detected to target.]

He needs the best present EVER.

[mostloyalpony]

(Reload secondary round, aiming at target.)

Ooh, ooh! What about food? Did he mention his favorite foods? You could totally bake him something...or get somepony else to help you bake it!

(She'd suggest Pinkie, but...wouldn't she eat it instead?)

[elementofloyalty]

Hey that's not a bad idea. I could back him something awesome. [That trimester of Home Ec would finally come in handy!] Perfect! Thanks, me!

[samplemygoods]

[The difference between someone missing an old favorite from back home and that someone's fillyfriend looking for a super-special gift? Timing and desperation. The capitalist in Bon Bon comes through, clear as day.]

A little bird told me that your coltfriend likes a mare with melons.

[...Bon Bon, Lyra might need to explain the problem with that statement to you.]

[elementofloyalty]

[Somehow, despite all the time she's spent around humans, Rainbow Dash has missed that particular euphemism. Thankfully, because she's not exactly in the latter half of the alphabet when she's in a human form.]

Melons, huh? That could work. It's not SUPER-awesome, but it would make a good second present...

[samplemygoods]

I dunno...

[Bon Bon pulls a two and a half pound bag of melon candy out from under her counter. A carefully calculated portion - enough to sate a craving and share with a special somepony, but not so much as to make her victimcustomer truly sick of it.]

I just had this flown in from Japony. 'S pretty special around here...

[elementofloyalty]

...Well, THAT was convenient. [Rainbow giggles a little, not exactly upset that Bon Bon had ulterior motives for her suggestion.]

Imported though, huh? Well, I did want to give him the best....

[samplemygoods]

Convenient for me more than you. He asked about it a few months ago, right before Nightmare Night. I told him I had to special order the stock, but I figured I would grab some just to be safe, particularly since Kyouko is very particular about her Pocky.

So, yeah. He'll like it, I guarantee.

[But then the business face comes out.]

It may cost you, though, miss Dash~.

[elementofloyalty]

How about I advertise for you? I'll carry a big streamer thing while I do my deliveries!