//------------------------------// // The Finale? // Story: Something More? // by thewaffler //------------------------------// A/N: Sorry for the long wait and for Grammar Hounds the spelling of doughnut and donut are both grammatically correct as ‘donut’ is the shortened version of the word. If you see inconsistencies with the name Pony Joe that’s do to me fixing the series retcon of the name to Doughnut Joe. The sun was just beginning to rise over the landscape of Equestria and Twilight made sure to get up early today. Last night she thought about Joe's offer to treat her and her two wards to breakfast, she was more than happy to spend more time with Joe. Twilight had actually managed to wake up before her young assistant this morning, she first trotted over to Spike’s room and poked her head through the doorway after opening it a crack. "Spike, it’s time to wake up." She told her assistant, knowing just the right volume to wake him up without being too loud. Spike’s head arose from his bed, "Huh, Breakfast? What did I sleep in again?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up more. Twilight let out a light giggle, “No, Joe said he would treat us to breakfast this morning, and I thought it would be nice to let you relax for one morning.” Spike hopped up out of bed and walked over to Twilight, still stretching, “Alright, sounds good.” She quickly patted Spike on the head, teasing him as a mother would, “Wake up your girlfriend and she can come too.” Spike’s purple scales became crimson and he was too nervous to say anything back. He just nodded and half-jogged off to go to Scootaloo’s room. Ponyville in its early hours of the dawn was a sight to be appreciated by anyone with an eye. Its peaceful atmosphere of a simple country town was calming to say the least. The stores and carts were just starting to be set up; ready to make today’s bit. The Flower Triplets were taking their anxiety medication, less something different walks into town and gives them a heart attack. Sweeps was cleaning the town's cobble stones, always the nocturnal pony; he made sure the streets stayed clean while everyone was asleep. Aside from the merchants getting ready and custodial work being done, Ponyville was void of life. As the three of them walked through the town early in the morning, Spike questioned why they were up so early to which Twilight responded because Joe wanted get us our food before the diner opened and avoid the rush. After ten minutes of walking they made it to Doughnut Joe's. The lights were on but the sign in the door said: Closed. They waited for a few minutes and out walked Joe placing newspapers in the rack by the door. "Good Mornin' Twilight, Spike and uh…uh ..." Joe paused trying to remember the pegasus's name as Spike had introduced her."...Scootaloo?" He received a nod of approval from the filly. There was an awkward twenty second pause. "Oh, where’re ma manners? Please come in." Joe said hastily. Twilight grabbed a paper with an interesting headline: Appleloosa’s New Mayor Wins by landslide: Braeburn Apple. She continued reading the story about how Braeburn head of the local Apple farm and Appaloosa tourism board won the election. Just as she read the beginning of the article the diner's corner television set to the Canterlot News Network was talking about the very same story. "...and in political news the growing frontier settlement of Appleloosa just elected its third mayor, Mr. Braeburn Apple. Here with us in the field is Glitchy Hooves." The cycloptic newspony was checking his ear piece behind him were large crowds of ponies, buffalos, balloons and confetti. Everything seemed situated near a large podium. "Thank you, Gale. It's political pandemonium here, the celebration is huge and hopes are high for the recently elected Mayor Braeburn. In just a few moments we've been told that he will be making a public acceptance speech and he w--" The doors behind the podium opened and Braeburn wearing his iconic akubra hat stepped out along with two other ponies and a buffalo cow. Glitchy's camera-colt zoomed in on the newly elected mayor. The amber earth pony cleared his throat and smiled. "I'm proud to be elected this here mayor of our AAAPPLELOOOOSA!!! I'd like to take a moment to say thank to all the folk that made this possible. First I'd like to thank y'all for votin’ for me, next I like to thank my family for their support and last but not least I'd like to thank my supportive wife Little Strongheart, WHOO!!! Babe we did it!!!" The orange cow blushed and facehooved at the same time at the excited new mayor whom despite his status was still the same hillbilly that everyone had come to love and respect. Braeburn continued to thank everything and everyone in what was sure to become the longest thank you speech of all time. As they were busy watching the news, sitting at the front counter, Joe to the back room to check on his inventory for a moment and get their breakfast. "Hey uh… Twi? Why are you so happy to be here?" Scootaloo noticed how Twilight seemed to be at the moment. She was sitting down happily on a stool with her hooves politely on the counter. "Well, in Canterlot I used to go to Joe's to grab a bite to eat, and burn the midnight oil." She replied, thinking of the happy memories. "What does oil have to do with anything?" Scootaloo asked, clueless. "She means study." Spike answered for Twilight. "Oh..." "I was practically raised there." Spike suddenly piped up. "Spike, that's not tr..." Twilight recalled the amount of time she brought Spike with her to Joe's diner in Canterlot even when his dad owned the restaurant. Then she remembered that Spike's first words were: extra sprinkles."Okay, you may have a point Spike." Spike turned to his girlfriend and started to explain why he loved Joe’s so much, telling her about all the times he spent in his younger childhood in his eatery. Twilight wasn’t paying attention to either of them; she had her hooves propped up on the counter, supporting her head as she awaited Joe to come back. Joe was in the back, making sure he made them a special breakfast, he loaded a large platter with donuts in an arranged circle, and in the center he made a heart framed with doughnut wholes with a ‘T’ in the center. He felt shaky and hoped Twilight would see it, he picked up the platter and attempted to carry it to the front. He almost dropped it after a few steps so he took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “Okay Joe, ya got this, just like any other mare back at ho-…” He stopped himself, and felt bad. Twilight wasn’t like any mares back home, he actually really liked her. Her hair, her voice, and her nerdy little idiosyncrasies she had always made him smile. He took one last deep breath and steadied himself as he trotted back into the view of the others. He saw them all patiently waiting happily. Joe set down the platter in front of all three of them, and he waited to see Twilight’s reaction. Her eyes were glued to only him and she did a little awkward wave. Joe smiled and he looked down at the platter, to signal her to check it, but he saw both Spike and Scootaloo already attacking the platter of doughnuts and ruined his love message. A few moments later Scootaloo looked up from the meal at a clock that hung on the other side of the counter, near where Joe was standing, a mouth full of donuts. “Mmph mph!” Spike swallowed his mouth full of doughnuts, “What?” Scootaloo forced hers down, “It’s time to go to school, and I’ll be late! Ugh… Cherilee is going to give me detention again.” “No you won’t, I know a shortcut.” Spike jumped off his stool and waited for her. She jumped off her stool and landed at Spike’s side, “Thanks Spike I-“ Spike was nuzzling her, forcing her face to turn five shades of red. She stood there frozen. “Payback is fun.” Spike said quickly before walking forward after getting revenge for making him snort soot. Scootaloo stood frozen for a moment longer, but then quickly galloped after Spike, “H-hey! Wait for me!” There was that brief awkward moment of silence as Spike and Scootaloo left the diner. Joe was the first to speak. "Errr...anyway I got about twenty minutes before this place officially opens up, so why don't we continue where we left off yesterday. Ya mentioned somethin' about Spike being able ta cook." "Oh yes, Spike's a terrific chef, why do you ask?" "well, if the morning rush is anything like back in Canterlot, I gonna need ta hire a second cook." The two make more small talk, Joe mentions the time in when he was confused for Con Mane when he went to visit his parents back in Manehattan and they continue to talk until the clock chimed nine signaling it was time for the diner to open and as Joe looks toward the front door and sees a line forming outside. "Well, m'lady this is where we must part." Joe says in his cheesiest voice and smirk. Twilight laughed and ruffled up his mane. "Bye Joe, I need to head down to the train station to pick up a new book order. I'll make sure to give Spike your message." Later Spike got Joe's message and was back at the diner. "Hey, Spike Twilight said you are quit the cook and I need to hire some ponies to help me run the diner. I need reliable employees, but I lack knowledge of any available locals I can trust to get the job done. My point is would ya like a part-time job?" "We'll it'd be nice to have something to do while Scoot's and my friends are at school. Plus some spending money would be nice too, so okay. " "Great anyway ya wouldn't happen ta know anyone else interested in a job? Like I said I need others ta help run things. " Spike tapped his claw against the counter trying to think of ponies he knew and one name stuck out: Truffles. The slate gray colt he met at the Copper Kettle cooking competition a few years back and since then the two had formed a friendly rivalry. "I think I know somepony that fits that desciption. His name is Truffles and he's a great cook." Spike would never admit it, but Truffles was better in some ways. "What about those friends of yers?" Spike knew Applebloom did not receive her families cooking skills and her dishes ranged from burnt to charcoal. Sweetie Bell, if what Rarity had told him was to be believed could burn juice. His Scootaloo had no interest in cooking. Last there was Snips and Snails, which he started to have a day dream over what those two could do to Joe's diner if left alone for more than ten minutes. (Enter Spike's daydream sequence) It was quiet in the dinner the lunch rush had come and gone, leaving a pair of blue and yellow unicorn colts by themselves. "Hey Snails look at this book I found the other day in a locked trunk of my attic." The two looked at the brown wrinkly cover. "Gosh Snips it looks really old. What do you think it is?" "I think it says...um...Nominecrocon. Must be a cook book!" Snips exclaimed as the of them fired off a single brain cell thinking that they could get a raise if they make something super delicious. "Snip, I think I found something called: Chothulu." "Hmmm, chocolate? Perfect! Let's read what it says." The two began to read aloud from the ancient text. "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn." "I think that sounded like a whole bunch of gibberish." Snails looked outside. "Hey Snips." "Yeah?" "Is is scheduled to rain blood?" Then from the darkest cloud a winged figure apea-- "Spike!!!" "Huh? What?" "I was asking you why not any of yer friends?" "Oh, yeah. They aren't into cooking, sorry." The two spent the next fifth teen minutes going over Spike's responsibilities as well as basic safety requirements for food preparation. The young dragon just took in everything and was lucky that it wasn't anything more than basic common sense. "So, I'll see ya bright and early tomorrow, Spike." On Twilight's end of the spectrum. Twilight had left the diner looking very calm and collected, but on the inside she was feeling the same kind of love sickness that would affect a filly with her first crush. She bit her lip and knew that she had to see one mare in town, however since Rainbow Dash was unavailable for relationship advice she had to settle for Rarity. Of course that would have to wait till after she picked up that book delivery. Twenty-three minutes and three cargo crates later, the lavender colored mare opened the door Carousel Boutique. Rarity heard the chime of the front door and trotted into the front to greet a possible new customer with her store's slogan when she realized it was Twilight. "Oh, Twilight how can I help you? Here for another gift for your special somepony." She emphasized the last word with an arched eye brow and a smirk. The normally composed bookworm blushed as she finally gave in to friend's needling. "I...need advice." Twilight said doing her best impression of Fluttershy. The white mare squeed in delight at someone had finally come to her for help. "Why but of course, I'd be delighted to help you, darling." "Thank you Rarity. It's just that I've started talking to him yesterday at his welcoming party; one part of me says, 'I'm going too fast and that I need to think this through logically' and another part of me says, 'I'm going too slow.' I don't know what to do and books, my beloved books can't help me with this." Twilight said in a very rushed manner on the verge of hyperventilating. "If you pardon me for saying this, but it doesn't feel rushed at all; you mentioned that you had known him since you both were foals." Twilight remembered when she was first meet Joe. (Flashback) Twilight must of been around four years old when her father: Night Light first took her to that little doughnut shop in Canterlot named Splash and Dash Donuts. It was kind of a father/daughter outing as Shining was out with his friends. She could remember the smells of bitter coffee and fresh pastries coming out of the fryers. Then there was owner was a massive tan unicorn with a coffee mug for his cutie mark. Needless to say the little filly was terrified of the stallion and hid behind her father's hooves. Then she noticed a much smaller version of the same stallion, but with green eyes and without his cutie mark. He was putting donuts into boxes for another customer. As he jumped down from the step stool he noticed the wide-eyed purple filly and while she was still hidden behind the forelegs of her father the colt offered her a glazed doughnut with extra sprinkles. "Would ya like dwonuth?" The colt said with his last word ending in a lisp. Hesitantly she grabbed the fried sticky pastry and with one test bite to make sure it was safe, she almost inhaled it on the second bite causing both stallions in the room to laugh as well as the colt and the blissfully unaware Twilight... (End Flashback) "Um...Twilight, darling?" The librarian broke out of her day dream. "Oh, sorry Rarity. I was just thinking about the time I first meet Joey." All the fashionista could do was smirk. "I don't think you have to question yourself on whether or not you're going too fast. I will say that in your case there is no reward without taking a risk." For as simple as Rarity's advice was she had to admit that it did make a lot of sense. Doughnut Joe wasn't a new face and before she came to Ponyville other than her brother and Spike, the tan unicorn was one of her only friends. Twilight gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks Rarity." "Anytime, but if you ever need to make use of one of my ensemble do not hesitate to stop by the Boutique." Twilight walked out the door and thanked Rarity once more before heading back to the library. Later, that day Joe made up his mind and trotted to the Ponyville library just as the sun was setting and knocked on the door. 'Fortune favors the bold.' "Hey Twi, I was wonderin' if you'd like to go grab a bite ta eat tomorrow night, maybe see a movie afterwards?" Joe felt hesitant as he had under no pretenses asked her out again. Twilight looked at the doughnut marked stallion trying to read his expression before asking her own question hoping that she was wrong. "You mean as friends right?" Doughnut Joe sighed. "No, not as friends. Something more...the truth is I like you a lot and I wanted ta ask you on a date for the longest time." Joe braced himself for impact. "yes." "Huh?" The normally bold and outspoken unicorn found himself confused and at a lose of words that would have made Big Mac seem talkative. "I said, yes Joey. I would like to go out with you tonight. What time do you want to pick me up?" Twilight had taken the advice Rarity had given her and that is you want something don't be afraid to just go for it. 'Not that Joe was a thing, but rather a...oh I'm monologuing to myself. I need to stop, but there are so many variables and I ne--' Joe interrupted her train of thought. "Um, Twilight I was saying is six o'clock, good? That way we can catch an early dinner and then we can see what's playing and decide where ta go from there." The Next Day. Spike walked Scootaloo to school. Instead of heading back to the library the young dragon took off towards Donut's Joe's Diner for his first day of work. He was humming Workin' For A Livin' as he made his way through town. After about ten or so minutes he clad in his paper hat and apron was in the swing of things has he tackled the breakfast rush with such ease making his employer double take at the drake's quickness and organization. The years of Twilight's OCD behavior and timed cooking competitions had forged his mind into something stronger than steel. No order was too much for him. "Hay bacon, three fried eggs, and two sides of hash browns!" "Egg white omelet, no cheese and a covered in salsa verde!" "Sixteen imaginary cupcakes and a bowl of coleslaw!" Spike would chime in every so often with the ringing of a bell and two words. "ORDER UP!" By the time the breakfast rush had basically died down the kitchen looked like the sight of ancient and grizzly battlefield as egg shells, grease, paper wrappers and assorted food debris littered the small area. While Spike was cleaning up Joe was trying to get the overstuffed cash register to close. "Why...can't...Equestria use paper...ugh...money like the Griffin Empire....gah...*click*... whew, finally." The stallion happy that he was able to get the damn thing to click shut after several minutes of pushing and banging the cash tray to stay shut. Joe went back into the kitchen to discuss some business with his new employee. However, when the donut marked stallion got there, he was once again shocked as the entire cooking area that less than fifteen minutes ago looked like a parasprite invasion now looked even cleaner than when Joe built the diner. "Aye Spike, ya still there? I got something I need ta talk to ya about." "I'm in the walk in freezer; I'll be right out." The little dragon emerged covered in cooking grease set on fire. To say Joe was confused would have been an understatement. "Uhhh..." "What? Oh this?" Spike pointed to the smoldering lumps of cooking grease burning on his scales. "I'm cold blooded and that freezer would be the end of me, so I set myself on fire so I could do my job, neat huh?" He used his long tongue and licked the flaming vegetable shortening off causing him to spin like a top for a few seconds. "First, I'll give ya points for thinkin' outside the box. Second, that's wicked nasty. Third, I have somethings I'd like ta discuss with ya." "Alrighty, what did you need?" "I kinda need ya ta come in tonight and work from five until closing." "Um, sure." Spike looked somewhat disappointed and Joe knew the look from back in his own younger years when his dad made him come into work on Friday nights. "Tell ya what, since there's no one else workin' here, I'll give ya time and a half." With those last words Spike's face perked back up. The young drake with renewed spirits and the promise of more bits gave his boss a mock salute. "You can count on me." "Since it's pretty much dead around here till the dinner rush, go and take the afternoon off and be back here at 4:30." Doughnut Joe ruffled Spike's head spines and sent him on his way. The dragon took off his apron and paper hat and walked out of the diner. Joe sighed. "It's easier to keep a good employee happy than it is to train a bad one." Joe said to himself as he went upstairs to get ready for his date. Several Hours Later. Joe stood outside the library in a dress shirt and blazer with his mane combed back and knocked on the door. Twilight opened the second story window. "Be down in just a few minutes." After she closed the window the sounds of banging, glass shattering as well as symphony of other odd sounds could be heard leaving Joe dumbfounded. The purple mare finally emerged from her home fifteen minutes later wearing something she borrowed from her fashionable friend. "Sorry, about the wait." Twilight replied in a a sheepish tone. "Don't worry abo--" Joe took in the sight of his date and was at a loss of words. "er...wow." That's all the light tan stallion could say as in his mind he turned into that stereotypical howling diamond dog from those Tex Aviary cartoons he used to watch as a foal. Twilight couldn't help but giggle at Joe's display as he finally broke out of his trance. "Shall we be on our way Miss Sparkle?" He took out the flower from his jacket and placed it behind her ear trying to recover any charm points he may have lost for his early actions. At Joe's Diner, Spike is cleaning up the store at night, after he agreed to work an extra shift. The diner itself was relatively dead as it was almost closing time as chairs were overturned and placed on the tables and the floored were swept clean from the earlier dinner crowd. Just as Spike began to reflect today’s events the door he heard the door open. 'Crap.' Spike thought as he feared it might be a late night patron and started to mentally chastise himself for not switching the "open" sign to "closed." He turned his head to see who had walked into the vacant restaurant. "Sorry, we're clo--" The drake was met with two familiar faces and a third not so familiar face. "Snips, and Snails and uh..." "Oh, this is Rumble and he's hangin' out with us tonight." Spike put his apron on the hook behind him as he continued to wipe down the counters. "Alright, where are you guys goin' tonight?" "Not just us, but you as well." Snips countered Spike's question. "We heard from a reliable source that you get off work in a few minutes." "Uh Snips, I thought we just looked at the closing time chart outside." "That's beside the point, so Spike wanna do something awesome and dangerous." Spike put the rag away and stepped out from where he was working. 'Scootaloo said she was having a sleep over with the rest of the CMC's and whatever they're planning couldn't be worse than the Ursa Minor incident.' "Awww, what the hell? I'm in!!!" He clinched his claws into a fist and brohoofed the other three colts. They left the dinner as soon as Spike locked up the back and front doors. After about twelve minutes of following his friends Spike was curious what adventure they had planned for tonight. He was about to question where exactly they were going, but they stopped in front of a small house letting him now that they had reached their destination. "We're here." Whispered Snips to the other three guys. "Yeah, but what exactly are we doin' here?" "We're going on a sock raid." The short blue unicorn said as his other partners in crime looked a tad nervous. "Once we climb the window via this rope. Snails where's the rope?" "Oh, it right here." Snails levitated a length of rope from his saddle bags. Spike was actually dumbfounded because in all the time he had known the two colts this was as close to a coherent plan they have ever had the brain power to form. 'Still, why not have Rumble fly in and unlock the front door?' They actually made it inside without any issues and as the four of them rummaged through the dresser drawers they suddenly heard the lights flicker on and saw the silhouette of a familiar pony in the door way. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME!?” "Uh oh, she's home early." Snails said slowly. "Shit, you MORONS didn't say this was Mayor Mare's house!" Spike half shouted as he attempted to whisper. Rumble, whom had been going with the flow up until now turned to the other three. "RUN!!!" Snips, snails, Spike and Rumble bolted for the open window which now seemed further than it was when they first started his stupid quest. The grey colt flew out the window with minimal effort. As the other three closed in on their goal, Snips tripped on a hair brush on the floor. Snails turned to Spike as they ran toward the window. "Should we help him, aye?" "Are you kidding? It's every dra...err guy for himself." The two jumped out the window thankful for the azalea bushes that cushioned their fall. The two of them proceeded to run down for another two blocks and hid behind a corner. Out of breath the purple dragon tried to recollect his thoughts. "I think we’re...*pant* safe no--" Rumble appeared out of nowhere and caused Spike and Snails to scream like frightened fillies as not even Snails knew his voice could go that high. Once everything was settled Rumble turned to his other partners in crime. "Ya think Snips will rat us out?" "Nah, we did a Pinkie promise before we picked you up, aye." One cue Pinkie materialized out of a nearby drainage pipe in the alley. "Foreveeeeer." She said stretching out that last syllable. The three of them shrugged. "Anyway, since this whole adventure thing sucked, let's go get some pizzas and go to my house and we can play my brother's Cross-Station." Rumble suggested and that was exactly what they did for the rest of the night. While that going on, the cutie mark crusaders were having a slumber party in their clubhouse. "...and like I was saying, it's weird that Rainbow is hardly ever in Ponyville lately. When I asked her she said it was family related and flew towards Canterlot." The orange filly shrugged her shoulders. Applebloom changed the subject. "Oh, did ya see the look on Diamond Tiara's face when Truffles told her off? It was really somethin’." (Flashback to earlier that day) It was lunch time at Ponyville Elementary School and a certain pink earth pony and her silver coated lackey were harassing the other foals and this time they were bothering a husky grey colt. Silver Spoon was repeating the insults her obnoxious friend said to the colt. "Like, you're just a fat loser and the only thing that separates you from those blank flanks is a fork and knife...how do you even get a cutie mark for eating anyway?" The two of them laughed at their own jokes. Truffles was a relatively calm colt, he recently moved to Ponyville from the Equestrian providence of Balegium to live with his father Horte Cuisine. The annoying fillies in front of him chose today to bully him, but the fat jokes meant nothing to him. Sure he had buttons but they weren't pushing them and eventually they realized it too, so they gave up and moved on to someone else...that was a mistake. "Urgh, whatever tubby. Hey Silver let's go, I feel fatter just by being around him." The two fillies left and made their way towards the tiny pinto colt playing with Dinky Whooves. It wasn't a pretty sight as two resident brats started their game of insults by attacking Dinky's wall-eyed mother and Pipsqueak’s height and blotchy coat. All the earlier jabs didn't get to him, but when the two school terrors started attacking his friends well, 'now it was time to get angry.' The rest of the foals on the lunch benches watched Truffles get up and like a mighty stone golem made his way towards the offending fillies. "Leave them alone." The last word tented with a slight accent. "Well, well if isn't the chubby cherub from Prance come to save the day." They had just pushed another button. "It's Balegium for the thousandth time, chienne." His father would be very cross over the vulgarity. "Leave them alone, now." He said once more but this time slightly raising his voice. They ignored him and continued to verbally abuse Pip and Dinky mostly because they ran out of fat jokes and didn't know any cultural stereotypes about his previous home. "I said stop it! You two aren't anything special, unless special ed. counts." The little grey colt paused so that that the rest of foals could take in his words. The two fillies in front of him just stood there dumbstruck as they tried to use as a comeback. "Y-yeah, we'll um...ah...you're --" Diamond was interrupted by Truffles. "You're a proof the money can't buy a personality. You called my cutie mark useless, when yours is a Celestia damned accessory! Your name really does suit you, because like a low grade gem you're covered in flaws." The normally defiant filly just shrank lower and lower. He turned his attention to Silver Spoon. "Attendez, I haven't even started on you, because in many ways you're actually worse. Diamond is a jerk, but at least she's an original 'jerk'." He used air quotes to make his point. "I bet you haven't ever had an original thought of your own, since...well ever." The colt ended his verbal assault on the two snobs. As soon as they left the area the lunch area cheered him on and he helped Pip and Dinky to their hooves giving both his best friends a brohoof and a hug respectively. (End of flashback) Applebloom was stuck in a dreamy trance as she recalled his verbal flank kickin' of the two stuck up bullies and his reasons for doing it in the first place. "Applebloom, Applebloom!" The yellow filly didn't respond and a mischievous Sweetie Belle got an idea as she called Scootaloo and whispered her plan. "I like it." Scootaloo giggled at the prank. Sweetie Belle covered her ears and their resident pegasus cleared her throat. The tree house was assaulted by a high pitch scream in A-sharp. "AHHHHH!!!" Applebloom screamed as she was broken from her thoughts by the deafening roar of her pegasus friend and once the other two were satisfied with her reaction they broke out laughing. Applebloom glared at her friends. "Very funny." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "We thought it was. You were practically drooling while thinking about Truffles." Sweetie smirked as heat spread to the face of the yellow filly. Scootaloo got up an took off one of the curtains from the windows in an attempt to mimic Bloom's bow. "Oh, Truffles start speakin' fancy ta me." The orange filly cooed as she tried to do an impression of her earth pony friend. Sweetie Belle was watching all this while she munched on a bag a popcorn she brought with her for the sleepover. Once Scootaloo and Sweetie had their fun, they both met with a set of pillows to face by Applebloom. The clubhouse descended into a free for all battle of laughing fillies and some lighthearted revenge. As for Twilight's and Joe's Date. Twilight and Joe were seated at Rojo Del Pan. It was a one story cream colored restaurant with a terra cotta roof, outside patio seating and out front nestled in some rocks and cacti was an old wagon wheel that bore its name. Joe's choice in restaurant surprised her mostly because she didn't even know Ponyville had a place like this. "I've never had Cubban food before Joe." "Yeah, ya don't usually find places that like this outside the Griffin Empire or major cities in Equestria let alone the kinda that cater to pony diets. They had a few places like this in Manehattan and I figured ya might want ta try something new." The waiter came by to take their orders. Joe opted for the squash paella where as for his recommendation Twilight ordered a mixed flower creole. During the wait and throughout their dinner to which Twilight really enjoyed and proclaimed "that when I'm buried to line the casket with the creole sauce." Joe laughed at the comment and truth be told it felt great for Twilight to cut loose and enjoy herself in the company of one of her oldest friends. They made light conversation and talked about what had been going on in each others respective lives. Joe told her about how his parents were getting remarried for the nineteenth time in twenty-five years. Twilight told him the story about how she almost destroyed the town because of her own obsessive behavior. Both got a good laugh from each others tales. "....then you and my brother told me about the bi-pedal monster that made pony bones into a fat free desert and I was so scared I slept in my parents’ room for a week." "How were we supposta know ya'd buy into an old pony story?" Joe scratched his chin. "I guess it didn't help that when you were finally asleep that night we jumped out of the closet yelling we are the Jell-O harvesters." The two broke out laughing at the prank Shinning and Joe played on her as a filly. That's pretty much how the rest of their dinner played out until they realized it was almost time for their movie. (About Two Hours Later) After the movie they were talking about how great it was and they are walking back to the library. It was almost midnight when the unicorn pair left the theater. The two had gone to a showing of Displaced in Explanation which was a romantic comedy about a washed up actor and a young married mare. Oddly enough Joe actually was just as adamant about the film as Twilight. "I wonder what Bill Mulery whispered into her ear?" "I bet it was just right." They both squeed at the thought and in the process Joe may have lost several stallion cards right then and there. They both continued to talk about it as they walked back to the library. When they arrived at their destination, Joe had finished telling her about the time someone tried to rob his diner. "...and then I used my Brookmane Rage and flung the thug into the Milkshake machine." Twilight laughed at the absurdity of the story. The two looked were at the door and at each other not really sure what do or say next. "Um, thank you Joey I had a lovely time tonight..." Twilight wasn't sure what to do next since she decided against reading The Egghead's Guide to Dating Childhood Friends. Joe went to give Twilight a peck on the cheek and say good night to her, but just as he moved forward she turned her head causing him to miss his target and plant one her lips. He was going to pull back and apologize but he was shocked when Twilight leaned into him deepening the kiss. Eventually the two of them had to come up for air as they parted their heads both blushing madly and blurting out sentence fragments. "That was...Uh...I mean...um wonderful." "I love you Twilight Sparkle." Joe said in a quick rushed manner and worried that things may be moving too fast. The Purple mare then erased any fears he had with her next words. ""I love you too...Joey" She said with a smirk. They both were worried that they were moving too fast, but then they realized if they were perfect strangers then yes, but they knew each other since they were foals and built up a solid foundation of friendship. Twilight opened the door and turned back to her doughnut marked companion. "Hey would you like to come inside for some coffee?" Joe simply nodded and trotted inside the library. As the new couple made their way to the kitchen, they both realized that an old friendship could become Something More. Of course little did they know the about the upcoming excitement that awaited them as the streets were covered in flyers in no part thanks to a certain pink mare that read: Dash's Dad is a Scary Looking Alien, but Welcome Him Anyway Because he's Not Gonna Hurt You Party, Tomorrow at 5PM at Sugar Cube Corner. That is a story for another time. The End Some things I need to get out of the way: Rojo Del Pan is based off a real Cuban restaurant named La Carreta about 30 minutes from where I live. One in Miami and another near Hollywood. I am writing a chapter that explains what happened to Rainbow Dash as well as a sequel story that takes place 5 and 10 years later. Special thanks goes to user: WinterTwister. Thanks for waiting, 6.5k was a lot to edit and I'm back.