"Really dad, I don't want to force you."- Timber's voice was shaky, proving the earth pony's excitement.
"Yes son, you are ready, but please visit soon."- Hammer Logwood, Timber's father, assured him.
"OK dad, I will miss you."- said Timber to his dad, and turning to his brother Splinter -"Now you behave with dad while I'm gone"- he said.
"Will you leave forever?"- asked the colt.
"No silly, I'll go a few months and come back, I promise."- answered the older brother.
Then, all the stallions hugged and Timber checked his saddlebags, said goodbye to his dad and brother and boarded the train headed for Ponyville. While the train ride was mainly uneventful, it proved perfect for the stallion to reflect on his life. In truth, he had wanted to leave Canterlot for a while now, but decided to stay after his mom, Clear Skies, died from illness. After a year taking care of his father and looking out for his younger brother, he decided to ask the question, and surprisingly, his dad said yes. Timber had wanted to go to Ponyville because he enjoyed the relative peacefulness of the town compared to the huge city of Canterlot. Besides, there was no carpenter in the town, so he had no competition for work. After going there twice before to buy a house/workshop and prepare things, he said goodbye to his family and friends and left his hometown.
Timber was not sure how much time had passed, as he fell asleep in the trip, but when he woke up the train had reached his destination. he gathered his belongings and left the train and the station, finding himself at the marketplace. Since it was the middle afternoon, there was still relative activity. Just when he was about to enter his house, he was approached by a pink pony with a puffy pink mane that was surprisingly familiar, as Timber had seen her before, he just wasn't sure when.
"Hello there, I'm Pinkie Pie and I suppose that you aren't from here."- she said with a big smile.
Yep, he had definitely seen her before, but still wasn't sure when.
"Hi, my name is Timber Logwood and my friends call me Timber. I just moved here from Canterlot today."- he said, smiling back.
"Oh, so you are the pony that I knew that was coming here today."- she said, her smile becoming bigger and somewhat creepy.
"Um, how did you know, I didn't tell anyone?"- he asked her, intrigued.
"My pinkie sense, dummy."- she answered him like it was the most obvious thing in the world -"I came to invite you to a welcoming party I made for you."- she offered him a paper invite.
"Uh, sure, where and when is it?"- he asked, intrigued and surprised as she had not only guessed correctly that he was coming, but also making a party for him.
"It says so in the invitation."- she said -"So I have to go, see you there."- after that she left.
The paper he received said to go to a place called the Sugarcube Corner at 7 o clock, which gave him a few hours to get ready. Timber continued on to his house and entered. It wasn't very big, but had a room for him, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room that doubled as his workshop and store. Knowing that he had nothing else to do and also knowing that the party was his perfect opportunity to meet new ponies, he went and took a bath and then ate the last meal he brought from home.
"I've got to buy food, thankfully I had brought the supplies already."- he said, looking at his stuff.
Effectively, he had brought some clothes and a few personal items, but little else, and it had really paid off listening to the advice of his best friend, who told him to take his carpenter supplies beforehand. The only thing that he hadn't brought was timber, which he would have to buy. After that he dozed off in the couch.
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Timber knocked on the door with increasing nervousness, as he wasn't sure he had come to the right spot, and he had already knocked at 4 other places. Surprisingly, not one pony had been rude to him and all understood his situation, one even giving him directions. That action was alien to him, as in Canterlot that never happened. Timber's initial dread died when Pinkie opened the door with a big smile.
"You made it, come in."- she said, beckoning him inside.
There were a decent number of ponies in the establishment, and in the back there was a DJ mare with headphones, some ponies were dancing, others were in the refreshments table, and the others were talking to one another. Pinkie directed him to a table were 6 ponies and a small dragon were sitting. 5 of the ponies immediately stood out, as with Pinkie he finally recognized them. They were Princess Twilight Sparkle, an alicorn; Rarity, a unicorn; Applejack, who along with Pinkie was an earth pony; and the pegasi, Rainbow Dash and the most beautiful mare he had ever seen, Fluttershy. He had seen them before because they were close to Princess Celestia and had gone to Canterlot before.
"Girls, this is Timber Logwood, he came here today from Canterlot and is the reason for this party."- Pinkie said, pointing at Timber.
After all the introductions happened he sat down with them. The 6 mares he recognized were not alone, as they also introduced him to Spike the dragon and Starlight Glimmer, another unicorn. Just them, Rarity excused herself from the table and asked the stallion to follow her.
"Did Fluttershy Impress you?"- she asked with a grin.
"Yes, she is pretty and cute."- he answered blushing.
"Don't be nervous, she's already nervous enough for the whole town."- she joked -"Anyway, you seem like a nice guy and you are surely better than the other stallion that likes her."-
"Can I ask who that is?"- he asked with curiosity.
"Perfect, you have good manners, anyway, he is a stallion with a black coat called Thunderlane, who is around here somewhere."- she said, nudging you.
"Oh but if somepony is already interested I will not interrupt"- he answered.
"No please do. All of the girls would prefer you over that pegasus."- she exlclaimed -"I'm rooting for you, lovercolt."-
"Well ok, if you say so."- Timber said with hope.
Rarity and Timber returned to the table then the music changed to a slow tune, and couples poured the dance floor. Spike grabbed the mare that Timber spoke to and went to dance with her. Other stallions came and asked the mares to dance, until only Fluttershy and Timber remained at the table.
"Would you like to dance with me."- he asked, offering his hoof to her.
"Uh sure, if you really want to."- she answered, taking his hoof and going with him to the dance floor.
While they were dancing, they didn't notice the pleaded looks that Fluttershy received from her friends, but also missed the very angry and jealous look from a certain pegasus...