A date is made!
Chapter 7: A Date is Made!
Sheriff Silverstar stared critically at the mirror in front of him, examining every inch of his coarse reflection. "My mustache is uneven," he commented grimly.
"Silverstar, it looks the same as always," Braeburn sighed as he waited impatiently for Silverstar to finish grooming himself. "It's been three whole minutes. I don't think I've ever seen you put so much time and effort into your appearance."
"I'm a stallion in love, Braeburn. Love is a powerful thing, y'know. You should try it sometime." Silverstar delicately cut off a few hairs from the left-edge of his mustache. He had to make sure he was impeccably groomed.
"I think I'll pass. I just need to buck apples all day and my life is set," Braeburn replied.
"Still a colt." Silverstar took one last satisfied look into the mirror and smiled. "My breath's okay, coat clean, vest pressed, badge spit-shined, and mustache perfect. Well, Braeburn, I'm off to ask that pretty pegasus off on a date."
"I'm gonna be honest and wish you the best of luck, but do you have any odd-jobs for me today? Time is bits, after all."
"I think the Salt Block needs its roof patched."
"Thank you." Braeburn bowed before rushing out the door, but he returned briefly to deliver an important message to Silverstar. "Your mustache is uneven."
"Get out!" Silverstar roared, hurling an empty whiskey bottle at the door. It shattered into a million pieces with a million reflections of Silverstar fussing over his mustache. He wanted to look perfect for when he finally asked out that silly gray mare. A little silliness; don't we all need that? He brushed his moustache a few more times, scrutinizing every follicle and cursing Braeburn's name the entire time.
"Breakfast is ready!" Derpy announced as loud as she could as she set on the table a mountain of waffles, basted in syrup and butter. "Carrot! Dinky! Come and get some while it's still warm!"
Dinky stumbled into the room. Her mother would never let her sleep in when there was a full day ahead for them. "Carrot Top is arguing with the outhouse again," she yawned as she plopped herself in a chair. "I'll have seven."
Derpy handed her a plate with two waffles. "Poor Carrot Top. We've been here for months and she still doesn't know how to use the bathroom."
"Yes, that's entirely the problem," Dinky sighed as she bit down on a waffle.
"Manners, Dinky," Derpy doted, wiping Dinky's syrup stained mouth. "Mature fillies always stay clean when eating."
"I was going to clean up, but you interrupted me!"
Carrot Top appeared, agitated and annoyed. "I can't wait for our stay here to be over. The first thing I'm going to do when we get back to Ponyville is take a long hot bath, after I use a real toilet!"
"No toilet talk at the dinner table," Derpy scolded her. "Now sit down and eat your breakfast."
Carrot Top sighed and pulled herself out a chair. Dinky laughed at her from across the table.
"You got scolded by mom," Dinky laughed, spewing Syrup all over Carrot Top.
Carrot Top wiped her face. "Mature fillies don't talk with their mouths full..."
A knock came from the door, and Derpy twitched in its direction. "I've got it!" She bounded up to the door, light on her hooves, and opened it to welcome in Silverstar. "Morning, Chief! Er, isn’t today my day off? Oh, do you have a top secret mission for me? Whatever it is, Officer Doo is on the case!" She puffed out her chest and saluted him.
"N-no, it's nothing like that." Silverstar, now face-to-face with the mare he had been working up the courage to ask for over a month, was finding it hard to remain straight-minded. "I've actually come on business outside of the workplace."
"Huh? I don't get'cha."
"Miss Doo, I don't suppose... you would let me take you on a date sometime?"
Carrot Top, who had been listening passively, nearly fell into her plate of waffles. "D-date!?"
Derpy didn't say anything at first. Her eyes had shot wide-open and her mouth hung just the slightest bit open. "A-a date!?" she said loudly. She shook her head and looked back at Silverstar with a wide and jubilant smile. "I would love to go on a date with you!"
"What!" Carrot Top and Dinky yelled at the same time, spitting more crumbs all over each other.
"How about tomorrow!" Derpy suggested, taking Silverstar by complete surprise. "Evening sounds good, right? That way, it's a dinner date! I know this great place! You'll just love it! I know I do."
Silverstar stared at Derpy like a deer in headlights. It was the most confusing simile he had ever heard, but he knew that's where he was now. He readjusted his hat, and beamed back at Derpy from behind his moustache. "Th-that sounds great!" Happiness poured out from his words as he stared into Derpy's sparkling and bright eyes. He almost jumped and clicked his back hooves midair. "I-I'll see you tomorrow!"
"See you then!" Derpy grinned back happily. She watched Silverstar as he ambled off slowly, swaying from side to side. She closed the door and eased back to the dining table. She took three waffles and dug in, oblivious to two pairs of stunned eyes glued on her.
"Derpy! Do you know what you just did!?" Carrot Top finally yelled, breaking the silence. "Silverstar!"
"Yeah?"
"He showed up?"
"I know."
"And asked you out!"
"Uh-huh!"
"And you accepted!"
"I can't wait!" Derpy exclaimed, taking a sloppy and messy bite into her stack. "It's been such a long time since I hit the town on a date! You think I should wear anything? Or go natural? He's kinda formal, always wearing a vest and all."
"Do you understand what you just did!?" Carrot Top stressed the last word, trying to drill into Derpy's incomprehensible stream of consciousness. "Do you?"
"Do you?" Derpy asked back with her mouth full. A piece of half-chewed waffle landed in Carrot Top's mane.
"I asked you first!"
"Oh it's just for some fun," Derpy laughed, waving Carrot Top away. "Besides, I'm a grown mare: I can date whoever I want!"
"I'm just thinking that this is a bad idea, Derpy."
"And what's that supposed to mean, 'bad idea'?"
The room went quiet for a moment. A fair amount of time passed before Carrot Top opened her mouth again as she stared uncomfortably at Derpy. "I just don't think this is going to end well based on what happened the last time you went dating."
"It went fine!" Derpy sprayed more crumbs all over Carrot Top's face.
"That's not how I remember it: I remember you crying all night long. I just don't think you're ready to date." Carrot Top braced for impact mentally. Her body stayed perfectly still in the face of more waffles.
Derpy wiped her mouth and stood up, knocking her chair over in the process. "Well I think I am, Ms. ‘I can't tell Braeburn I have a crush on him’. Why in all of Equestria should I take dating advice from somepony who's never been on a date once? Why, I do believe you are jealous."
"You're really going there?" Carrot Top stood, sliding her chair away. "Maybe because I didn't throw my life away, Ms. ‘pregnant before she even graduated and became a mailmare in the suburbs’."
"I did not throw my life away!" Derpy's voice rocked the entire hovel. "And don't you ever say that again!"
A knock came from the door, interrupting the pair. Derpy flew over to answer it again, and found Braeburn on the other side. "Yes!?" she barked irately.
Braeburn balked at the strange sight before him. Never in all the time he knew her had he seen Derpy so angry. "I-I'm here to guide Carrot Top to the plant fields where she does all her crazy experiments. Er, Miss Doo, are you alright?"
"I'm just fine!" she yelled back, grabbing Braeburn around his shoulders. "C'mon, you're gonna help me pick a dress for my date!"
"What? Miss Doo, what's going on? Can I get some help here! Miss Top? Big Doo? H-help!" His pleadings and screams faded into nothing as Derpy dragged him off in the opposite direction of the markets. He was sure his day was going to get progressively worse.
Back in the hovel, Carrot Top's face had turned red with rage. "Well fine," she hissed to no one in particular as she took the dishes to the sink. "Just fine! Dinky, bring me your dishes!" She waited, but nothing happened. "Dinky?" She turned around, and found Dinky's seat empty. "Oh, Celestia...” Her head fell into the icy cold sink. She had to clean all the food off her face somehow.
"I'll show her," Derpy grumbled to herself as she continued to drag Braeburn through Appleloosa, now en route to a clothing store.
"Pardon me for asking, but you'll show her what?" Braeburn interrupted her, his rump completely numb and filled with gravel.
"I'll just show her, okay?" Derpy dragged Braeburn into a dusty little store with a single green mare for a cashier. "So, what kind of thing does Silverstar like?"
"Why are you asking me this?"
"Because, well, It's been a long time since I've been on a date," Derpy sighed, drifting to the floor like a leaf. "What was it? Ten years ago... oh my Celestia!" She shot back right back into the air with enough force to put a hole in the ceiling.
"W-what is it?" Braeburn whinnied in worry. "Is somethin' wrong, Miss Doo?"
"How old am I!?" She dropped back to the floor with a loud thud. "I-I mean, it's been awhile since I've actually thought about it."
"Oh, is that all?" Braeburn sighed in relief. "Don't get me all worked up like that. It's not healthy."
"Are you going to help me!?" Derpy yelled at him, knocking him back.
"S-sure, fine. Though, I don't think I can be of much help to you. Silverstar doesn't share that kind of private information with me..." He felt the blood rush to his face. "That's a private kind of information."
"Then just give me an opinion," Derpy sighed as she started to change into a blue dress she grabbed off of a shelf. She was halfway into it before stopping with a sigh. "This is kind of small for me."
"Dinky!" Carrot Top yelled out. She felt silly; yelling out the filly's name in a two room hovel. There was only one place she would go; the tiny room she shared with her mother. Carrot Top hoped that maybe Dinky would respond to her call and come to her. Instead, Carrot Top slowly turned the creaky door knob. She found Dinky curled up on the bed. "There you are."
Dinky didn't respond. She stayed in bed.
"Did we scare you?" Carrot Top asked sheepishly. "You don't need to worry, about me and your mother. I'm sure in a couple days we'll be back to eating together and laughing. We've had fights before."
"Did I really waste mom's life?"
Carrot Top had never felt the urge to force her head against the nearest wall manifest so strongly within her. "Dinky, I said a lot of things that aren't true back there. Sometimes, well, when adults get in a fight they do that. They say things they don't mean..."
"Why?"
Carrot Top mentally groaned. "Well, we both kind of got caught up in the heat of the moment. I said one thing, then she said one thing, than I said some things, then she said some things, etcetera... you get it, right?"
"Not really? It seems really immature."
"Yes, Dinky," Carrot Top sighed, "it's very immature."
"So how do I look now?" Derpy wore a gaudy bright pink dress filled with ruffles, folds and laces. "I think I look like a pretty princess in this thing." She tried to strut around the empty store with only the cashier and Braeburn as her audience, but she stepped on a fold and tripped. She landed right on her nose.
"M-Miss Doo!? Are you alright?" Braeburn rushed to Derpy's side to help her up, but she pushed him away.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Derpy sighed. "You act like you've never seen a pegasus crash before, or get electrocuted by her own cloud."
"Cloud? Er, Miss Doo, are you alright?"
"I said I'm fine, so tell me how I look!" She tried to do a spin, but tripped on another fold and heard a terrible ripping sound. "Uh-oh."
"That will be fifty bits!" the cashier barked at her.
"I-I understand! I'll pay for it!" Derpy reached into her wings, looking for her bit-purse, but found nothing but pegasus down. "I-I must have forgotten my purse back at home..."
"Are you trying to fleece me?!" the cashier roared at Derpy, frightening her behind Braeburn.
"Peachy Sweet, it's nothing like that. Miss Doo can just be a lil' forgetful, but she's honest!"
"She's not leaving this store until I have my fifty bits," Peachy Sweet grumbled back.
"Alright, fine, I get'cha," Braeburn groaned as he pulled out his wallet from his hat. He emptied fifty bits onto the counter, pleasing the thrifty pony. "You happy now?"
"I'm very happy." Peachy Sweet emptied the bits into her register and shoved a receipt into Braeburn's chest. "Be sure to come back, maybe even get yourself fitted for something, Braeburn," she said in a breathy voice.
"I don't usually wear clothes though," Braeburn replied obviously. He took the receipt and lead Derpy out of the store. "I'm sorry, Miss Doo, but I'm really gonna need the money back for this frou-frou dress."
"No problem! I know I have the bits in my room, I just forgot to bring them..." She went quiet, eyes cast downward and her hoofsteps clunky and disorganized. She almost fell over the dress again and didn't even have the luxury to fly in an earth-pony dress. She hoped this morning wouldn't get worse.
Carrot Top stared at her reflection in the window. She would have sworn she was staring at a rain-dampened stray dog if she knew it wasn't herself in the reflection. Appleloosa was ill-equipped to save her mane from an assault of syrup, but that wasn't the only thing on her mind. "What am I going to say to her?" She heard the door opening. Who else could it be but Derpy? She turned to face her, and fell to the floor, laughing. "W-what are you wearing!" she yowled through her giggling fits. "You look ridiculous!"
"I look better than you," Derpy shot back. "You look like something a cat hacked up."
Carrot Top's nerve was hit. "Well, unlike someponies, I actually try to look presentable at most occasions. Not all of us just roll out of bed and are fine with a rat's nest."
"At least I have somepony to look good for."
Carrot Top almost tackled Derpy. She had her forehooves stretched out at her, ready to pounce, waiting for just one more reason to attack the most annoying pony in all of Equestria.
"Are you two okay?" came Braeburn's voice. He instantly shut up when they both stared back at him with feral fury.
"Come on, Braeburn," Derpy gruffly replied as she dragged Braeburn into her room. "I need to pay you back for the dress you bought me."
"No doubt because you forgot your purse again," Carrot Top shot back curtly. She was very satisfied with Derpy's muffled screams of anger. "I guess I was right, like always."
"Carrot, weren't you going to apologize?" Dinky asked from behind the dining room table.
Carrot Top's shoulders fell. "Just, give us time, Dinky. Don't worry, we'll be back to normal as soon as she stops being so infuriating."
Braeburn left Derpy's room, leaving her inside, and gestured to Carrot Top. "Can I lead you to your work fields now?"
"Yes, let's go," Carrot Top huffed, grabbing her bags and stomping out of the house, leaving the colt hovel for Derpy to stew over everything she said that was wrong, she believed, and Braeburn trotted after her, wondering who was leading who.
Dinky watched the two of them leave, worried. "Everything will be alright," she mumbled to herself. She turned to her and her mother's room, peeking through the crack of the door to where her mother laid, crestfallen, in her bed. "Mom?" she called out to her.
"I'm fine," Derpy called back. "Mommy is just tired now and is going to take a little nap. She needs to prepare for her big date tomorrow without Carrot Top breathing down her personal life."
"Oh, okay," Dinky sighed. She scoured the house for a quick book to read just to take her mind off the turn of events. She found one of Carrot Top's science books and tried reading it, but her mind was too distracted.
In the evening, Silverstar stared out to the setting sun. "Celestia sure knows how to put on a show," he whispered to himself, sipping on a cup of lemonade. He could see Braeburn approaching in the distance, and he had never looked so tired in his life. "Well, had a long day?"
"Long nothin'," Braeburn cried out as he collapsed to the ground. "All day, Carrot Top just kept talking to me, complaining about Miss Doo. I think I blanked out after a while."
"Well, there's your first mistake," Silverstar laughed. "When mares get like that, there's nothing you can do. Trying to listen to all that would drive most stallions to death. Just grin and nod your head a lot, that should work."
"Now that's just rude, not listening to a pony trying to talk to you."
"Kid, she wasn't talking to you, she was talking at you, about a pony that I thought she would be closer than anyone with. Did something happen?" He was worried now.
Braeburn tried sighed and turned on his back. "I think you're asking Miss Doo out might have caused some sort of rift to show up between the two."
"I didn't mean for that to happen!" Silverstar stood up, worried and moustache twitching. "I should go check on them, maybe try and clear things up."
"When I left them, Miss Top and Miss Doo had locked themselves up in their rooms. You ain’t getting through that iron-clad defense."
"Braeburn, do you ever try to do anything other than work?"
"What else is there to do?"
"How about love and a family? Your proud apple heritage isn't going anywhere if you don't—"
"Now hold on just a cotton-pickin' minute!" Braeburn shouted as loud as he could. "My family is in no danger of going anywhere yet. So, stop trying to insinuate somethin'."
"Insinuate? Nice new word, but you're not doing anyone favors trying to do all the work yourself and locking your sister up. You gotta learn to live sometime, kid."
"I'm living right now, for my family, to keep our orchard running as best I can, and doin' a darn good job at it, so think you can stay out of my personal life long enough to do something with your own? You do have a date tomorrow."
"Why do you think I'm not drinking," Silverstar happily replied. "Who needs the sauce when you've got a date with a pretty mare tomorrow?"
"Just wait till you see her dress."
"Wait, dress?" Silverstar gasped. "Shoot, didn't take her for the type to dress up for the occasion. Now I need to rent a tux."
"Try Peachy Sweet's."
"Not like there's anywhere else to go. Dang mare holds a monopoly in this town."
The next day, Carrot Top and Derpy did not talk to each other all day. When Derpy woke up, first as always, she prepared enough breakfast for herself and Dinky. She left her daughter's plate on the table before going out for some flying. In the sky, no one could bother her but herself.
When Carrot Top woke up, second as usual, she prepared herself a quick bowl of oatmeal. She had absentmindedly left the stove cooking for too long and all her work came up burnt and inedible. She didn't try again, rationalizing that she probably needed to skip a meal anyway. When Braeburn showed up to lead her to the fields like he was sure he had to, Carrot Top lead him there instead, quietly.
When Dinky woke up, last typically, she found her cold breakfast sitting alone at a colt table. Very rarely could she eat breakfast without her mother fussing over her for some made-up reason, but for once she wished she was there. It would have been a sign to her that everything was as normal. She ate the cold meal, alone, and by the time she finished Derpy had returned from the skies, covered in sweat and heaving for breath. "Are you okay, mom?"
"I-I'm fine, Dinky!" Derpy gasped. "Just, sometimes, you just gotta work the wings. You'll understand when you can fly."
"Mom, I'm a unicorn. I can't fly."
"Oh, I-I must have forgotten." Derpy collapsed to the floor. "I just forget things every now and then, I guess. Boy, do I smell bad, not exactly date worthy. I should go make some hot water, huh? Nopony would want to be within ten hooves of me, huh?"
"I'll go get some," Dinky answered her as she maneuvered around her mother's frame to the doorway.
"Aw, that's so nice of you. My little filly is growing up, taking care of mommy and all. Mommy... is always in need of somepony to take care of her after all, Carrot Top or otherwise."
"I'll be back, mom." And Dinky zipped out the door, as fast as she could, intent on returning as fast as she could with water for boiling.
Derpy groaned as she picked herself up and walked slowly to her shared room where her dress for the evening was waiting for some tender loving care. She located the broken seams along the outrageously ruffly skirt. "How do I fix this now?" She stared at the rip, then at her hooves. "Something just isn't right here..." She heard the door open, and Dinky's water weighted hooves stepping into the hovel. "My little filly..."
The evening had come, and Derpy, mane pressed and fur cleaned of sediments, stood proudly with her ridiculous pink dress with duct tape along the ripped seams of the skirt.
"Very fetching, I had no idea tape was in," Carrot Top scoffed half-heartedly. "By the way, I can't watch Dinky tonight since I have extra work to do, but I told Braeburn you would pay for his babysitting services."
"And I will," Derpy shot back. "I'll pay him more than I pay you."
"You don't pay me at all," Carrot Top pointed out, satisfied with more steaming growls coming from Derpy. "Weren't you the one that told me stress ruins your complexion? Your date is going to be here soon. You want to look ready for the act, right?"
"What act?!" Derpy yelled back, but then came a knock from the door. Derpy opened it and was greeted by a well-dressed and moustache steamed Silverstar with a tired looking Braeburn behind him. "Hello, Silverstar." Derpy curtseyed clumsily. "Good evening, Braeburn."
"Good Evening, Derpy," Silverstar bowed. "You look... precious?"
"Like a princess," Derpy shot back to Carrot Top. "Now then, Mr. Silverstar, as we were."
"We were what?"
"I don't know. I just hear fancy ponies say it..."
Braeburn cleared his throat as she trotted past Derpy. "You don't have to worry about Dinky, Miss Doo. I can take good care of her."
"I know you can, unlike some irresponsible ponies." She didn't even bother to look at Carrot Top's infuriated face. "Let's go, Silver."
"Silver?" Before he could inquire further, Derpy grabbed Silverstar around a hoof and dragged him off.
Braeburn rubbed his temples. Even if he wasn't directly involved, he could feel a headache coming on. "W-well, before you go, Miss Top—"
Carrot Top slammed the door behind her as she disappeared into Appleloosa.
"Well then," he scratched the back of his neck, "I guess it's just you and me, Big Doo."
"Delightful," Dinky sighed as she returned to her book. "Did you know that too much rainfall could lower the PH value of your soils and could lead to toxic crops?"
"Does Miss Top know about that?" Braeburn panicked.
"I think so. She's the one that highlighted it in this book." She set the book down, revealing a colorful spiral of notes, highlights, and formulas. "I guess Carrot Top really put everything into her studies in dirt."
Braeburn took a seat next to Dinky, glancing into Carrot Top's book and choking up. "I guess it takes a lot of brains to do her job." He began stroking Dinky's mane. "I'm surprised, Big Doo. Not many colts and fillies like it when their moms start dating again..."
"I'm almost a mare. I'm too mature to worry about things like that."
"That's good to hear—"
"I'm already dealing with my crumbling family. My sister is in another town, Carrot and mom hate each other and now I might have to deal with moustache trying to become my new dad, but I'm mature enough to handle it! I'm a mare!" She was trying to hide the tears pouring out. Mature mares don't cry, she believed. Adults are always strong and able to handle anything.
Braeburn passed a handkerchief over to Dinky. "No shame in crying, even for a mature pony." He watched Dinky quietly take the handkerchief, burying her face into it as if trying to disappear from the world. When a knock came from the door, Braeburn stood up to answer it. "Lil' Strongheart!" Braeburn felt his heart stop for a moment.
"Hm, Braeburn? What are you doing here?" Little Strongheart peaked into the house trying to track down its typical inhabitants. "Where are Derpy and Carrot Top?"
"T-they went out. Silverstar took Miss Doo out on a date and Miss Top is out working."
"Silverstar and Derpy?" Little Strongheart gazed into space for a moment, trying to visualize the two going out but coming up with blanks, until he remembered one of Silverstar's questions from a while ago. "Oh, I guess that explains it."
"Explains what?"
"Nothing," Little Strongheart laughed as she strode past him. "So, you're babysitting Dinky tonight, I take it?" She looked around for Dinky, and found her face held against the handkerchief. "Dinky, is something wrong?"
Braeburn sighed and took a deep breath. "It's a long story, Lil' Strongheart." He tried his best to ignore the memory of Little Strongheart's confession.
Derpy hadn't said anything to Silverstar since they left the hovel, and she knew she had to say something soon. "Uh, nice weather!" She knew she was capable of much better ice-breakers.
"It's always a kind of comfortable dry around here," Silverstar replied dimly. "It's especially nice on a carriage."
"I love chariots!" Derpy giggled as she bounced up and down. Just like that, everything seemed back on track. She was going to have a fun night with Silverstar and the nagging thoughts of Carrot Top’s bitter face weren’t going to ruin it for her. "Lead the way."
"Of course, ma'am." Silverstar tipped his hat and took the lead, taking her to the edge of town where a carriage drawn by some well-paid ponies awaited them. He opened the door and bowed. "After you."
"Such a gentecolt," Derpy cooed as she jumped into the carriage. Silverstar followed, disappearing inside after her, and unbeknownst to either of them was a yellow mare with an orange-top mane.
"Drats," Carrot Top sighed to herself as she watched the carriage take off.
Inside the chariot, Silverstar was entertaining Derpy with one of the odder adventures in his life of chasing a diamond dog jewel thief. "I followed her halfway across the frontier, tackled her into submission, and found out she was a he in a dress, and that was just my first week on the job."
Derpy had to wipe a few tears of laughter from her cheeks. The somewhat-grizzly looking pony she found seemed to have an endless supply of ridiculousness in his life. "I think I got one that can top that. Back in Ponyville, I once had to deliver a dress to a stallion. Should have seen the look on his face."
"I guess even a quiet little place like Ponyville can have its share of crazy."
"Is that before or after Discord decided to make my home his capital of chaos?" She smiled wryly, knowing she had won the most-home-interesting town title.
"I bow before your suburban superiority," Silverstar laughed as he opened the window. "Care to take a look?"
"Sure," Derpy giggled as she stared outside. All she could see was a lot of rocks and emptiness. "I think I'm missing something. I don't see anything."
"That's kinda the point," Silverstar told her as he gazed out into the seemingly infinite horizon. "Maybe it's just me, but maybe it's just being able to see nothing but the edge of the world fills me with a nice sense of peace. What gives you that feeling, Derpy?"
"Well, when I get worked up, nothing feels better than flying as fast as I can, completely tiring myself out, and passing out on the floor. That feeling is really nice." Under her dress, her wing fluttered a little, wanting to burst out and do just as she said. "I guess it's a pegasus thing."
"Just tiring yourself out, yeah, I can get that," Silverstar leaned back on his seat. "When I finally get a chance to sit down after chasing a bandit halfway across town, bagging him and throwing him behind bars. Yeah, that's definitely a good feeling."
"I see, so that's the problem," Little Strongheart sighed after hearing the whole story from Braeburn. She turned to Dinky and gave her a sincere smile. "You know, Dinky, where I live our homes have thin walls so when somebuffalos begin fighting, everybuffalo can hear it."
"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Dinky sighed.
"And, all the time, when there is argument, there is reconciliation. You cannot have one without the other. It's a cycle. Derpy and Carrot Top will eventually apologize to one another, I promise." She gave Dinky a quick hug. "Just give them a little time." Dinky went quiet, and her tears subsided.
"Thank you," Dinky squeaked.
"You're... pretty good with foals, Strongheart," Braeburn commented.
"Hardly, I'm just reenacting what other buffalo would do for me when I was smaller. I honestly don't know how I would be good with a calf of my own."
"Well... you're doing a good job so far."
Little Strongheart looked down, and found she was cradling a sleeping Dinky. "I don't know if this is indicative of anything," she laughed as she carefully carried Dinky to her room on her back. "This will make watching her pretty easy though." She turned back to Braeburn, her smile almost lighting up the hovel. "Since it's just us two tonight, sort of, why don't we spend some time together?"
"As friends!" Braeburn blurted out subconsciously. "I mean, we're great friends, and friends hang out, so let's hang out."
Little Strongheart giggled at him, smiling contently. "Yeah, like friends." She hurried over the hovel's kitchen.
"What are you doing?"
"Friends eat together, right? Let's try making something."
Carrot Top sat against the welcoming gate of Appleloosa. She expected the carriage would return to the front at some point, she just didn't know when and it was approaching an hour. "What the hay can they see out there for such a long time?" she groaned. "It's just a whole lot of nothing." Her ears perked up when she heard the grinding of the wheels and the clatter of the pullers hoofsteps. She jumped into the nearest shadows, eyes glued on the carriage.
The door of the carriage opened, and Silverstar stepped out first, holding the door open for Derpy, who tripped over her ridiculously large skirt and landed muzzle first into the dirt. "Darn the thing!" she gasped as she pulled herself out of her little impression. "Truth be told, I only got this thing for our date."
"Truth be told," Silverstar beamed back, "I only got this this suit because I thought you were the type who got dressed up for dates."
"Oh no! I like going just as myself." She bit down on the neck of her dress and pried it off, giggling to herself as it piled on top of itself into a ridiculous mess of ruffles. "Oh, that's better," she sighed as she stretched her wings upward. "So, where to next?"
"Well, I do remember you mentioning a nice place to eat."
"Oh yeah! Gosh, I hope they’re still open! Oh, I'm sure we can make it if I fly fast enough." Derpy began searching the world around her. "We're gonna need a wagon!"
"A wagon?" Silverstar, though confused, turned his head in every direction to try and locate the particular item. "Found one—"
Derpy butted him into the wagon and tied some rope around it. "Hold on to your flanks!" she called out jubilantly as she kicked off the ground and brought the impromptu chariot along with her. She was flying towards her hometown of Ponyville.
Carrot Top rubbed her eyes, making sure she hadn't just hallucinated the event. "Oh, that little idiot," she groaned.
Silverstar was fighting his panic reflexes as he watched the scenery zoom past him from a height he was not very comfortable with. "D-Derpy, are you sure this is safe? I mean, how are you able to pull this thing? It must be twice your size!"
"I have no idea!" Derpy laughed out as she felt the sky pass through her being, and in the distance she could see Ponyville appearing over the horizon. "We're here!"
"We're where!?"
"Ponyville!" She dropped off into a nosedive, squinting her eyes against the rush of air, and pulled up at the last moment to settle gently onto a patch of dirt. "My hometown, where you can grab the best treats at a place called Sugarcube Corner. I can pick up something for my daughter too."
"W-well then, lead the way." Silverstar was beside himself by the turn of events, smiling awkwardly behind his moustache. Were all pegasi like this? he wondered. He followed Derpy to the most peculiar store; it looked like it was made of gingerbread.
"Mrs. Cake! Mr. Cake! It's Derpy!" she called out giddily, eyes the display of confections.
A stout blue mare with a large pink manedo stepped out from the back room. "Derpy? Oh, are you visiting again already?"
"Nope, I'm here on a date," she stated proudly, gesturing to Silverstar. "I'll take a blueberry muffin."
Silverstar scrutinized the display and his eyes turned into little black dots. "I'll have... that," he said, pointing to a rather colorful parfait of fruits and caramel.
"Coming up," Mrs. Cake giggled as she served the two. Neither she nor Derpy were expecting such a stoic looking pony to order something so sweet. "That will be seven bits."
"I've got that." Silverstar placed the bits on the counter and Mrs. Cake graciously took them. He and Derpy retired to a table in the back and Silverstar ate his parfait delicately, making sure not to get and whipped cream on his moustache. "What?" he asked.
"I never expected you to order that," Derpy replied, nibbling gingerly on her muffin. "I guess there is more to you than meets the eyes."
"There's more to anypony than what you initially see. Before this date, all I knew about you Derpy was that you were always cheerful, and I liked that about you." He delicately ate the strawberry in his parfait. "But, talking with you in the carriage, I learned that even you need to unwind from all that sometime, tiring yourself out and all."
"I guess I do..." Derpy finished her muffin.
"You gotta take a leap if you want to learn more about somepony, especially if you want to be with somepony," he said knowingly. "I'm really happy you went out with me tonight, Derpy." He closed his eyes and held his hoof against Derpy's. "I think I really like you now."
"Huh?" Derpy replied.
Silverstar felt all the breath leave his body. "I'm saying I like you. That... I would like it if I could be your special somepony and, in return, you could be... mine."
"Oh!" Derpy tumbled back, falling out of her chair. "U-uh! Oh, as in like me like me."
"What's gotten into you, Derpy?"
Derpy felt a cold sweat break out behind her ears. "I-I'm sorry, Silverstar, but I thought this was all for fun. A-and I had a ton of fun, but, you see, I'm not really looking for a special somepony."
"I see," Silverstar replied solemnly. They didn't talk for the rest of the night.
"I'm not so sure this is edible," Braeburn commented over the burnt and smelly mess. "Little Strongheart, this can't be safe for ponies or buffalos to eat."
"Yeah, I guess we messed up pretty bad on this... thing." She asked her ancestors for forgiveness for ruining perfectly good food and tossed the abomination out of the hovel. "Perhaps we should have gone out for something to eat after all."
"I think all the places are closed now," Braeburn lamented. "Well, I've always got apples at my place."
"Should we head there and pick some up?" Little Strongheart suggested hopefully.
"N-no, that's not necessary," Braeburn panicked. "I mean, I can go a night without eating, and I'm probably just going to end up at Silverstar's later. We usually meet up in the evenings."
"I guess we'll need Carrot Top or Derpy if we want to eat anything halfway decent. Though, I bet the mothers at my camp wouldn't mind teaching me something. Ever tried buffalo food? It may seem simple at first sight compared to some of your pony foods, but it sure packs a wallop."
"I could do that," Braeburn replied, feeling uncomfortable. "We can invite Miss Top and Miss Doo along, make a friend's night of it."
"I guess," Little Strongheart replied crestfallen.
A knock came from the door, and Braeburn rushed over to answer it. "Derpy, you're back from your date?"
"Yep!" Derpy replied happily. "I'm sure tired though. Is Dinky asleep?"
"Yeah, Big Doo is asleep," Braeburn answered her. Something about Derpy seemed off to him, but he couldn't place a hoof on it.
"I promise I'll pay you first thing tomorrow morning, but right now I really need to hit the hay. So, er, if you two don't mind?"
"Oh, no problem, I'll get out of your mane right away." Braeburn led Little Strongheart out the front door, closing it quietly behind him.
"Guess I wasn't the only one who enjoyed themselves tonight." She sat on the couch and curled up into a little gray ball. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid," she chanted to herself. "I guess I'm at the age where I can't date for fun anymore." She felt familiar warmth set itself next to her.
"Had fun this evening?" Carrot Top asked her.
"Yeah, it was fun, going out, being treated nicely, and even going to Sugarcube, but I guess Silverstar wanted a little more."
"I could have told you that," Carrot Top sighed. "You’re an adult now, Derpy. You've got to act like one."
"I just thought it would be for fun. He didn't seem like the type who would be into romance with that ridiculous moustache."
"There's more to ponies than just their appearance."
"Now he's going to fire me! And I'll be out of a job! And what will I do with Dinky! I put her through so much just because of our fight! And I'm sorry! Because you were right! Like you always are!" She was bawling, burying her face in Carrot Top's shoulder naturally. "I'm just a big stupid pony!"
"You're not stupid," Carrot Top teared up, "and I was jealous. I couldn't stand that, after all this time I've tried to get Braeburn's attention, you managed to go and grab another stallion's attention without even trying." She held Derpy close to herself. "And now I feel terrible because you feel terrible and I wanted that to happen and now it did and it's terrible!"
"I'm sorry I said such mean things!"
"I'm sorry I said such terrible things!"
The two collapsed onto the floor, lying next to each other and more tired than they had felt in a long time.
"Kid, you better have a good reason for trying to keep me away from my whiskey." Silverstar irritated that Braeburn stood between him and oblivion, was ready to buck him into tomorrow if that's how much strength it would take to move him.
"Silverstar, weren't you the one who told me to face events head on rather than down 'em?" Braeburn shot back, afraid that he would meet the wrong end of Silverstar's buck. "So, Derpy may have shot you down. Drinkin' this stuff won't fix it."
Silverstar exhaled, deflating to the floor. "You got a point."
Braeburn sighed and joined Silverstar on the floor. "You know, just cause she shot you down now, doesn't mean you don't have a shot in the future with her, right?"
"It’s weird hearing that from you, kid," Silverstar huffed. "You could be right though, could be wrong too." Silverstar couldn't see into the future, but he wouldn't mind one with a wall-eyed pegasus.
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You almost missed this month's chapter. One day away!
Good chapter, Dinky's precious as always. I also liked how Silverstar's character fleshed out a bit more this chapter.
And everypony goes unrequited in love.
ahhhh the i can relate with big doo so much
oh....so much
Derpy
sliverstar 
i can dig that if it comes true 
This chapter felt like it came out of nowhere. still a fun read for sure 
I guess that's life for you. Just cant tell where its going till your there. Each chapter makes me want to read the next that much more. Keep up the fine work.
It seems that Derpy as some issues to work out with herself, before she can start with silverstar.
as a side note, wow carrot top. That was a low blow.
Someone quick! Give everypony and buffalo a hug....ALL OF THEM! Cept peachy she's just...peachy
I JUST WANT MOAR
I'm so sorry and sad for Dinky. To hear such words must be a horrible thing.
678800
Gold!
Derpy felt a cold sweat break out behind her ears. "I-I'm sorry, Silverstar, but I thought this was all for fun. A-and I had a ton of fun, but, you see, I'm not really looking for a special somepony."
Yes, that is much better! Using the age-old "alcohol misunderstanding" was uncreative, but this certainly made up for it. The arguing between Carrot Top and Derpy seemed life-like, and Dinky reaction to the fighting, especially when she thought "Adults are always strong and able to handle anything." I felt so bad for her. You wrote it very well. I also had lots of sympathy for Derpy.
When Carrot Top and Derpy made up, I felt like crying. Derpy seemingly impromptu apology was much like her and the way they collapsed was very emotional.
It's been pretty good! I still crack up at the "mature filly" conversations.
747380
It gets really annoying writing these fics and the pony fandom has repurposed that word when, in the show, they do clop the floor to clap.
Well now that was pleasently heart warming.
"Silverstar stared at Derpy like a deer in headlights. It was the most confusing metaphore" its a simile silly.
819135
CORRECTED RAAAAAAAA
I am so tired right now...
822303 im sorry if i made you mad
Nice
Dammit! You got me crying at every chapter! Good work *sniff*
Oh man that's probably every child's question that they felt like they were responsible for their parents life gone bad but in reality it's not really their fault
Basically in a situation if you say something horrible to me I say something horrible to you and usually that happens when you're so angry with each other
Aww poor dinky so much things happening to her
Wait a minute what is she doing there don't tell me she's spying on them
Trust me a lot of craziness happen in that small town it's just another regular day for Ponyville
Dang it Derpy 😕
Well then this was a pretty emotional chapter here so the day just started out pretty normal for Carrot Top Derpy and Dinky until Sheriff Silver Star show up and asking Derpy to go on a date with him which she did but apparently Carrot Top did not take it too well and thinking that Derpy is not ready for a date which Derpy was also upset what she said and both of them having heated arguments and Braeburn got caught up in the situation but after a long day and having Derpy buying the dress that she didn't mean to but she did meanwhile Carrot Top was a little fuming but then dinky was very upset about this whole situation and it felt like it was her fault which Carrot Top felt horrible saying that that she explains that everything will be better once they cool down night came around and Silver Star and Derpy went out for a date while Carrot Top was also out as well and Braeburn babysitting dinky and little strong heart visiting as well and it looks like Silver Star and Derpy's date went pretty well until the end when Derby is not ready for this commitment and she thought she can date for fun but you couldn't and Carrot Top was there to confirmed her and both of them apologize for each other's action and Silver Star felt bad about this but he still haven't given up on Derpy yet