//------------------------------// // Twiburnt // Story: Hearts and Hooves Day // by PonyTom //------------------------------// The library was full of commotion as a certain lavender mare was preparing herself for yet another blind date, all the while, her assistant dragon was standing on a ladder, setting books in their proper places. "Gotta get myself nice and ready, nice and prepared!" Spike sighed. "Why are you worrying so much, anyway? It's just a blind date, isn't it?" Twilight did not pause her activity as she delivered her response. "Yes, Spike! But the last one I realized somepony I'd seen around town near constantly was a confusing, crazy pony who I couldn't make heads or tails of! I'm honestly surprised Rarity would associate with him long enough to ask him to take part in this whole ordeal!" Spike quirked his brow. "Time Turner? I think he's cool!" Twilight rolled her eyes. "You would, Spike. That pony is so confusing you'd think he was from another planet or something..." Spike gave a grin, not stopping the task at hand. "Yeah, well, from the sounds of it your dates aren’t going too well, huh? Guess that means I can pretty much consider my two week vacation in the bag?" Twilight finally stopped to turn to face her longtime friend/assistant. "Hold on a second! I'm not through yet! I've still got a little time left, and with Rarity's help, I'm sure I can get a great date for Hearts and Hooves day! And when that happens, you'll be serving us dinner speaking with a Prench accent!" Spike waved his claws around. "Ooo, so scared..." He stopped the mockery with a good laugh, leaving Twilight fuming indignantly, her cheeks burning red as she finished her preparations. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be out getting swept off my hooves!" She trotted to the door. "Good day!" "Twilight, I---" "I SAID GOOD DAY!" The door slammed shut. Spike shrugged and returned to his duties. --------------------------------------------------------------------- "A picnic is perfect for you, dear!" Twilight sighed, looking around as she lay down on the picnic blanket that had been laid out in the grass. She had brought a picnic basket with a few odds and ends meals that she (and Spike) could whip up. "So, who is it this time?" Rarity looked about, almost seeming like she didn't even acknowledge her friend. "Now now dear, if I told you it'd spoil the surprise..." Suddenly, a hoof tapped on Rarity's shoulder. She turned around to see none other than Applooza's own Braeburn, who grinned big at her. "Well howdy, Miss Rarity! I'm here for our date!" Rarity grinned nervously. "Wha--no! Nono, I was calling you here for a blind date with my friend, Twilight!" Braeburn turned to look at Twilight, who simply smiled and waved; she did well to hide her indignity and disappointment. "Oh! Hello there, Miss Sparkle! Sorry, it's been a while since Ah've been on the dating scene, so fergive me for bein' a bit silly there!" Twilight waved her hoof. "Oh, it's alright, if we threw everypony in prison who got confused in a dating scenario, Ponyville would be empty." Deep down, however, she couldn't help but tell herself 'well, I'd be free.' And alone. Twilight shuddered a bit, taking a breath. Rarity clopped her hooves together. "Right! Well, I'll be off then! You two have a nice picnic, walk around, do whatever you want! Just remember, if you need me, I'll be at the lake nearby!" With that, the marshmallow mare took her leave, leaving Twilight alone with the nutty Apploosian stallion. He gave a big grin. "So! How are ya, Miss Sparkle? How've ya been since we last met?" Twilight shrugged. "Well, I've been alright I guess... saved the country a few times... you?" Braeburn shrugged. "Well, I been good. Recently had to break up with mah last relationship, was kinda a big deal... cousin Applejack finally convinced me to get back on th' scene, told me 'bout Rarity's datin' plan, an' here I am." Twilight quirked a brow. "Wait, you were in a relationship? With who?" She felt kind of bad after saying it, of course; she wasn't certain he was entirely over it yet, and was afraid she may have poked at a fresh wound. "I mean, ah, sorry, I--" He shrugged. "Aint nothin' to worry about, filly, it was a while ago. I'm over it now. And it was Little Strongheart, for your information." Twilight's jaw dropped. "Wait, you were dating a Buffalo?" Bless his heart, Braeburn just laughed at that comment. "Yeah, we got that reaction a bit at first! 'Specially me from my family; some Apples don't rightly care for our kin to marry anypony that aint an Earth Pony, so it was an extra slap in th' face when some of 'em heard Ah was datin' a buffalo!" Twilight grimaced a bit at that statement; she didn't know why. "So... you broke up because of that?" Braeburn shook his head. "Wha? No! It was a mutual affair..." Twilight bit her lip, curiosity aching at her. Braeburn looked at her and chuckled, giving an understanding smile and a roll of his eyes. "Well, y'see, Ah think it all started when we started talkin' about family. She an' Ah both wanted to start our own family at some point... n' then somepony explained to us that Ponies and Buffalos can't have children." Twilight quirked a brow. "Uh... yeah... their genetics are just too different... I thought that was common knowledge?" Braeburn shrugged. "Well, Ah think we sorta knew, but never really thought of it. It did hit us after th' conversation t' ask if it could happen, n' we had a long, hard talk... realized that we just weren't right for one another, and that it was best we see other ponies or buffalo, respectively." Twilight smirked a bit. "So, you want to have a family someday, huh?" Braeburn laughed, a tinge of red adorning his cheeks. "Well, not TOO soon, so don't go thinkin' me th' kinda stallion t' try t' do somethin'... foalish... but, ah, onto other subjects! Ah'm certain th' last thing y'all wanna do is talk family at a date!" Twilight gave a nod and opened her basket, levitating out some bread, a few slices of cheese and lettuce, some tomatoes, and some dandelions and hay for good measure. Braeburn opened a basket he himself had brought, pulling out an apple pie, some apple fritters, and a bottle of champagne. Twilight stared at the bottle, blinking. "Uhh... isn't that a bit much for a simple date?" Braeburn blinked and looked at the champagne. "Huh? Really? I thought it was some kinda romantic gesture?" Twilight giggled a little. "Oh, well, I only drink on special occasions... fortunately, I brought something." She levitated one more thing from her basket; a bottle of soda. Braeburn shrugged. "Right! Well, Ah still got this on hoof fer if'n a special occasion comes up, then!" He set the champagne bottle back in his basket. Twilight couldn't help but think that was intended as a gesture towards Rarity, who likely would have swooned that the pony thought to bring it. Not so much because it was a drink, but because it was champagne - it could have been none-alcoholic and tasted like feet and she'd probably have loved it. It was just then she realized she had never tasted champagne before. No, no, don't want to do anything stupid just to sate your curiosity... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After eating their meal, the two ponies decided to go on a walk. "So, what're some things y'all like to do, Miss Sparkle?" Twilight shrugged a bit. "Well, I'm a scholar... I like to read, I like to study, and I like to experiment." Braeburn shrugged. "Aint none-a my concern what y'all do b'hind closed doors." Twilight opened her mouth to speak, before stopping in her tracks, confusion overtaking her features like an overlord with an army of goblins with a love for carnage. "Wait, what?" Braeburn shrugged. "Salright, long as yer responsible with it n' all." Twilight tried to wrap her head around what was being said. "Wh... I mean doing experiments! Like with beakers and lab equipment! I have a laboratory under my house!" Braeburn stopped and furrowed a brow at Twilight. "... Miss, Ah know we don't know each other too well, but Ah think ya not only wanna keep that on the down low, but y'all might wanna go to a doctor b'fore yer addiction gets a hold of you..." Twilight’s jaw hung open in disbelief. "Ah knew a pony once, had one of them there laboratories. It starts out all in good fun, but next thing ya know yer sellin' the stuff an' ya get hooked yerself an' th' next thing I know, he's got sunken eyes, he's always scratchin' himself, an' he's offerin' immoral services fer his next hit." Twilight balked a bit. "I mean a SCIENTIFIC laboratory! I'm a scientist! Well, not a degree holding scientist, but I have scientific endeavors!" Braeburn blinked a few times. "... well, what religion y'all worship aint no hassle either, long as ya don't try to convince me that we're all possessed by aliens n' all..." Twilight stared deadpan at the farmpony. "On second thought, it's such a beautiful day, I'd hate for that champagne to go to waste. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sho... sho then I shaysh to him... I shays... Dishcord! You *hic* .... ugh... you SHUCK!" Braeburn looked dumbfounded at Twilight. "Wow... they wasn't kiddin' when they said Canterlot unicorns couldn't hold their alcohol..." he muttered to himself. Twilight giggled a bit. "Nope! ... Hehehe, I shound like Big Mac! Nope! Eeyup! Eeeeeyup!" The lavender mare burst into a fit of giggles. Braeburn bit his lip a bit. "Miss Sparkle, Ah don't mean t' be invasive, but aint this against yer religion or somethin'? An' you already got th' one addiction problem, Ah'd hate to think Ah'm, exacerbatin' yer sitiation..." Twilight let out another giggle. "Ah'm... *hic* ... Ah'm only addicted t' one thing... booksh! Booksh everywhere! Far ash the eye can *hic* shee..." She stared at the glass and took another sip. "Prinshesh Sheleshtia shaysh I read too mu-*hic* ... much... n' shaysh ah hash to make friendsh... ah... hehe... ah shound jusht lahke Applejack!" Twilight burst into yet another fit of giggles. Braeburn sighed and rolled his eyes a bit in empathy for the unicorn. "Well, Ah better get y'all home b'fore ya get in trouble fer bein' drunk in public..." Braeburn helped Twilight to her hooves and grabbed both their baskets after setting everything away. Then, making sure she had him to lean on, he began to lead her home. Twilight slurred on. "Hay... hay... if... if you get confushed when I shaid I wash a shientisht... n'... I ekshperimented... how do you know what egha... eshasht..... eggshmashterbated means?" Braeburn couldn't help but grin a bit. "Well, Ah'll be honest, Ah was teasin' with th' scientist thing." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darkness. Everything was darkness. Until there was light. Wait... light... Horrible, evil, VILE light. "Uggh.... Celestia... turn the sun off..." "Oh, nice to see you're awake Darling." Twilight's head hurt too much to be surprised. She forced an eye open to see Rarity sitting next to her. "I see you had fun on your date with Braeburn?" Twilight's lips moved, forming soundless words, then her eyes widened and she bolted up, cheeks burning. "Wha--WHAT!? Nnnnothing happened did it!? I didn't do anything stupid did I!?" Rarity rolled her eyes. "Relax, darling. He brought you home like a perfect Gentlecolt... well, first he found me so he could find out where you lived, but you get the point." Rarity sighed. "Not the best way to present oneself on a date..." Twilight groaned. "He probably doesn't want to see me again does he?" Rarity shrugged. "Well... I wouldn't know. But shortly after leaving, he met up with Pinkie Pie. They've been traveling together since, so I'd say if you had intentions of pursuing him, you MAY have competition." Twilight groaned. Truth be told, she didn't feel a particular connection to Braeburn, and the only reason she could think to fight Pinkie for him would be to not be lonely. No, she could have the stallion if she wanted him; Twilight would not risk destroying that situation if she wasn't even sure she even liked the colt. "Ugh... wait... how long have I been out?" Rarity shrugged. "Only about five hours. I came by to check on you, quite fortunate for both of us I was here, otherwise you may have had a panic attack." Twilight sighed a bit. "Yeah.... thanks..." Rarity stood. "Now, let me go downstairs and get you some coffee..." The white coated mare made her way towards the door. She stopped and turned around to face Twilight. "Oh! Twilight... innocent enough question... how do you feel about mares?" Twilight groaned loudly. "Can we talk about dabbling in mare/mare relationships when my head doesn't feel like it's being split open..?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TO BE CONTINUED...