//------------------------------//
// New Towns and Old Friends 
// Story: Something More? 
// by thewaffler 
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The next day...well technically 5 hours later.

Joe had woken up and was ready to leave his home which was situated over his diner. There wasn't much left to do, he had a pegasus moving company coming by to move his possessions into his new home in Ponyville. His only task left in Canterlot was to see that his younger brother was ready for today's opening. He walked downstairs to see that Latte was waiting for him in the main area of the restaurant.  

Joe was one of three children and out his other siblings he was the closest with his baby brother Latte. Even through his parent's divorce he and Latte were thick as thieves and that's the main reason Joe asked the twenty year old copper coated Unicorn to become the manager of The Original Donut Joe's. 

"Yo, Joe I was wonderin when ya were gonna wake up, what's a matta you getting too old?" Latte spoke with a hint of sarcasm to his voice. 

"Who are ya callin old, I'm only twenty-seven." Joe said and he messed up Latte's combed and prissy mane. 

"Ay! Why'd you that for?!"

"It won't matta anyway, cuz you'll be so stressed out by the end of the day, you'll be pullin your mane out."

"I've run the store before Joey."

"Yes, but not that like this. Today you'll be gettin a million questions and most of them will be: where's Pony Joe, where is the bathroom and Can I get extra sprinkles?"

Latte looked his brother in the eye and gave him a mock salute, pull a turned over chair from a table and jumped on the table. 

"I can do this Joe, this Latte's time to shine and show this town the best Celestia damn cup of coffee ever seen by mere mortals!!!" Latte with fire in eyes yelled in a boastful and semi-patriotic voice that would make Captain Equestria hang his head in shame. 

Normally, Joe would have rolled his eyes but he had to admit two things. One was that his brother's special gift was coffee brewing. He could take the most worthless beans and turn them into liquid gold. Joe was great at making doughnuts but the one thing Latte had Joe beat by a mile was his brewing skills. The other thing Joe had to admit was that Latte's passion and love for his skills meant to Joe that there nopony else he could see running his diner more competently or keeping the quality he had established from slipping than Latte. Joe was proud of little Latte even with his strange outburst and cocky attitude. 

"Anyway Latte get down from there. I need to grab my saddlebags and get goin', but before I do come give ya big brother a hug." 

Joe Pulled Latte into a bone crushing bear hug. "Joe...ahg...can't...breath...crushin......spine." He let go and went up stairs to get ready. 





30 minutes later.

Joe left and before leaving he wished his brother luck and was on his way to Ponyville. In his bags were a bag of day old doughnut holes, a copy of Cantelot Rock magazine, a small satchel of fifteen bits, a wallet, a bottle of water and a banket 'just in case there's an accident with movers like the time they were bringing my cousin's piano and anvil collection from Fillydelphia and the accidentally dropped some of the items.' 

'It is beautiful day. The path to Ponyville was about fifty or so miles from the Canterlot and but it doesn't feel quite that long and that was due to the bends in the road and the lush scenery that adorned the path. Ponyville itself was a odd little town located near two large forest from what I'm told. One forest was known as the Everfree and it was mysterious, provocative and deadly. The things nightmares are made of with its deadly creatures and tales of it holdin a small little hamlet from which there is no escape. On the exact opposite end of the spectrum there was the White Tail Woods and it was a beautiful tree laden paradise with its acres and acres of oaks, pines and birch trees, there were hills, mountains and untold riches waiting to be found.' Joe thought to himself as he walked towards his destination. 





Back in Ponyville 

Twilight had fallen asleep under the dining room table last night when she was checking to see if the spell that had backfired yesterday had done as kind of damage to their home. Slowly she was waking up; she could smell breakfast and hear the some of the idle conversation. She spoke awake when she heard Spike make his breakfast announcement. 

"Twilight! Breakfast is re-"

THUMP

Twilght banged her horn against the table and winced in pain. 'at least with this pain I guess I won't be needing my morning coffee.'

"Ow." 

She saw Scootaloo looking under the table at her as she rubbed her horn.

"Twilight?" Scootaloo said in a surprised tone. 

Twilight crawled out from under the table, still in slight pain. "Ow... Good morning."

Spike was confused. "Did you sleep under the table?"

She gave a sheepish grin of embarrassment. "I was inspecting all of the items in the house looking for...oddities, but I guess I fell asleep while checking under the table."

"Oddities?" Spike said as he sat down next to Scootaloo.

"Oh, nothing to worry about."

They ate their breakfast and Twilight had excused herself.

"I'm going to go buy a gift for Joe Bean, I'll see you two at the party, bye!" Twilight trotted off to exit the library. 


Once outside Twilight thought to herself. 'Now, what do I get him, it's been months since we saw last saw each other. Even then we really didn't have time to catch up.' 

Just then an idea popped into head, but first she needed to head down to the Carousel Boutique and she hoped Rarity could pull it off. 





Over at the Boutique

Twilight opened the door to Rarity's boutique and the bell chimed.

Rarity was across the room, working on a manikin; she turned around with her eyes closed past her designer glasses, muzzle in the air to give her a regal appearance and began to recite her greeting. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magnifi-" She opened her eyes to look at the pony that just walked in. "Oh hello Twilight, what can I help you with today?"

Twilight trotted up to her good friend. "I was wondering if you could make an apron for me, its for a friend that’s coming to Ponyville."

Rarity lowered her glasses with a hoof. "A friend you say?"

"Mhm, a friend from Canterlot." Twilight replied

Rarity gasped but returned with a devious looking smile. "A friend you say?" This time putting emphasis on friend, as if implying something more.

"You already asked that..."

Rarity used her magic to begin to gather fabric across the room. "So who’s the lucky stallion?" She asked as she trotted over to her work desk.

"Joe bean." Twilight replied bluntly, but then recoiled, flushed, as she realized what she had answered to. "No! It's not like that Rarity, he’s a friend."

Rarity, now focusing on her work, only giggled. "Yes Twilight, of course." She started snipping away at the fabric, now with an apron in progress. "Is there any specific thing you would like on the apron? A heart perhaps?"

Twilight's blood rushed to her face again, and she tried to hide it as Rarity looked over at her. "N-no... just embroidered wording that reads 'Pony Joe' and beneath it saying 'Donut Joe's Diner' in loki cola font and done up in the team colors of the Manehattan Money Colt's baseball team, please."

Rarity giggled again as she saw Twilight's reaction. "Okay, Twilight, come back in a few hours and I shall have it done. In the meantime feel free to come in if you wish to have any advice." She winked at Twilight.

Twilight smiled gratefully at her friend. "Thank you so much Rarity I-... Advice?"

Rarity became lost in her work, now blocking out anything outside of thoughts or sounds that wasn't her work.

Twilight sighed in defeat as she trotted outside of the boutique. 





It was past Three o'clock when Joe made his way into town. He spotted an apple cart with an oddly familiar looking mare running the stand. He needed to find Sugar Cube Corner and speak to the Cakes and Pinkie about tonight's party, so he figured why not ask the apple vendor? 

"Hello Miss, can ya tell me where Sugar Cube Corner is?"

"Howdy Stranger, Ah sure as shoot can. It's about two blocks and then ya make a right. Ya can miss it; it looks like a gingerbread house." 

"Thank ya miss." Joe paused for a second. "Say ya look familiar, ya ever visit my diner in Canterlot."

"Ya know, ah was thinkin the same thing when yaw approached me. Ah remember goin' to a doughnut shop after the Gala went bust. Oh, ah know who ya are, yaw is that doughnut shop owner, right?"

"Joseph Bean or as everypony else calls me 'Doughnut Joe' nice to meet ya miss...” Joe stopped with his hoof out reached as a gesture of good will. 

"...Applejack Apple, but just Applejack will do, sugercube. Say, you're the one they are haven a party fer at that new diner on the other side of town.” Applejack said and then she proceeded to shake Joe's outstretched hoof with a lot of force before letting go.

"Yes I am and do please stop by tonight. Anyway I gotta be goin' Applejack. It was nice meetin ya and I'll see ya at the party later." 

Joe then trotted off to find Sugar Cube Corner. As he walked through the town he took in the sights. He fell in love with its rustic appeal, the sounds of a lay back way of life, the greeting of friendly town's folk. The odd he noticed was everypony seemed to me humming a Pony Lee Lewis song. This was the polar Opposite of Manehattan, Brookmane and Canterlot. A town like this meant he could even afford to have shorter work hours on the week days. He kept looking around like one of the many tourists that frequented his home towns. 'This is what I wanted, a place where I could get away from all the hustle and bustle of the big city.' Joe thought to himself and without watching where he was going slammed right into the pink door of Sugar Cube Corner. 

"Arghhh..." Joe mumbled as he pried himself off the door and entered the bakery.

He sees two familiar looking earth pony bakers behind the counter. "Hey, Carrot and...uh Pinkie? How are ya doin? Where's Mrs. Cake?"   

Pinkie and Carrot Cake just looked at each other. Pinkie seemed kind of annoyed at the question. 

Carrot sighed and looked at the tan unicorn in front of him.  "Um...Joe, you may want to sit down for this one."

Pinkie brought over a tray of cupcakes as they began to tell relay the events of the last several months.





An hour later Joe and heard a tale of deep rooted reverse spousal abuse, a budding affair, salvation, court drama and love everlasting. 

Carrot grabbed Pinkie's hoof and nuzzled her as he finished retelling their story. "At the end of all the drama, Pinkie really was My Pink Savior."(read My Pink Savation by Wintertwister if you want the back story)

Joe blinked away a few tears that had built up in his eyes. "Wow...I had no idea...Cup could could be so horrible, but I am happy for the two of ya. I'm sorry for bringing down the mood, but are we good for the party later today? I know it was such short notice" 

Pinkie pulled away from Carrrot. "Yep, I got everything ready and invited the whole town."

"Okay that's wonderful, and thanks again Pinkie." 

"Okie dokie loki." Pinkie said as she suddenly ran off somewhere. 

Carrot shook his head and let out a slight chuckle. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to that."

"Well, it was nice catching up Carrot. I think I go explore the town till the party begins."



 

Meanwhile, Twilight was back at the library lying on the couch, steadying an icepack between her horn and forehead. Her horn still ached from this morning's incident, but the ice pack helped generally. She laid there thinking...thinking about the coming hours of being re-united with her long lost friend Joe Bean, but also contemplating her feelings. 'Can I be brave enough to tell him how I feel? After all this time...I've loved him distantly, but I'm scared that he doesn't feel the same.' She began to become lost in thought, but then finding her conscious returning with a question from earlier. 'Why was everypony in town humming Great Balls of Fire?'  

Those were her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep.





After walking around town and getting a general understanding of where everything was Joe had arrived to his new diner/home just as the party was getting started. His Ponyville diner was even grander than his Canterlot diner, yet kept with the rustic appeal of the town. His new place was a three story and constructed with brick and stucco. It has two floors for dining a fireplace on the first floor and a covered patio area for outside dining. The third floor was Joe's new living quarters. 

The party was going very well and just like Pinkie promised it looked like ninety percent of the town had showed up to the restaurant. 'I better remind myself not to get into the catering business, because competing against Sugar Cube Corner would leave me bankrupt' Joe thought as he walked around his diner greeting his guests and setting thing up for the next day.

He had seen a familiar purple dragon and what he could only assume was his date. 

"Hey!" Spike called out to Joe.

"Spike! How are ya?" Pony Joe said happily, putting away the last of some supplies under the counter.

"Great, like it in Ponyville?"

"Yeah, nice and quiet town, beats Canterlot any day, don’t get me wrong I still have my first restaurant but I just needed to expand and leave the hustle and bustle of the big city...Say, where’s Twilight? I haven't seen her in awhile."

Spike shrugged. "I haven't seen her since this morning."

"Alright, hopefully I can talk with her later; I need to finish putting stuff away before more people come in." Doughnut Joe trotted into a room in the back. After a few minutes he came back out and continued to walk around his party and mingle with guests.

Suddenly Applejack spotted him a waved him over. Joe made his way to the orange mare.  

"Pony Joe ah'd like to introduce ya to mah friends. This here is Pinkie."

"Applejack I've known Pinkie for a little over a year." said Joe as he rubbed the back of head. 

"Hiya, Joey, do like the party I set up for you. "

"Yeah, Pinkie it's great."

Applejack looked back to Joe "Anyway this here is Rarity."

"Charmed. I know you, you're the same stallion that--" Rarity was interrupted as a certain purple unicorn mare teleported into the room her muzzle just a few inches away from Joe's, embarrassed she takes a few steps back. 

Joe knew that mare anywhere. "Twilight Sparkle it's great to see you after two years." He greeted her with a smile and a light hug that made her slight blush burn a little warmer.

“Hi, Joe It’s great to see you too. It’s been a long time.” Twilight said to Joe as they faced the rest of her friends.

The others just stared at the two, while Rarity gave Twilight a slight nod which made her face warm up.

Applejack cleared her throat "The next pony here you gotta meet is our good friend Fluttershy."

"Hi, Shy." Joe said as her offered a hoof to her.

"Umm...hello" she said in her softest voice.

"She's on the timid side ain't she?" 

Applejack shook her head. "She'll come around"

"Is that everyone?"

"Nah, Our friend Rainbow Dash was supposed to be here but she said she had to go visit her dad. Oddly enough I saw her flying towards Canterlot after she gave Spike a letter to send to the Princess. It's probably nothin', sugarcube."

The five of them dispersed leave leaving Pony Joe and Twilight alone to talk. 

"Hey, Twilight wanna catch up on old times?" 

Twilight looked at him was a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, but it's kinda noisy in here."

"We can go to my roof patio then and pull up some chairs and chat."

"Sure."

The two of them went up stairs to Joe's roof top. 





Four hours later. 

"...and that's when I offered to let Scootaloo stay with us." Twilight said as she finished retelling the major events since the last time they spoke. Joe told tales of unusually orders and the time Luna teleported into the store after closing and accidentally set fire to three tables. Once the two were done sharing personal anecdotes, they spoke about everything under Celestia's sun. Twilight was surprised when anypony could hold their own in a conversation with her. 

"That was very kind of ya Twilight." Joe said with a hint of admiration. As she spoke it confirmed feelings that building up within Joe. Twilight was everything he wanted in a mare. She was selfless, kind, smart and beautiful. 

They had noticed the party had died down and it was two in the morning. They looked at the clock and laughed. 

"Well...it was nice chatting with you Twi, but I gotta get up at 6am to start making doughnuts. Oh, I know why don’t you, Spike, Scootaloo come in for breakfast my treat."

"I'd like that" Twilight smiled and was ready to leave when she realized she was forgetting something. 

"Joe before I forget, I got you something." She reached into a her saddlebag and produced a navy blue and white pin striped apron with his name and the name of his diner embroidered in loki cola font. Needless to say Joe was taken aback by the gesture.

"It's fantastic Twilight...Thank ya so much." Those were the only words Joe could manage to get out. The next action Twilight took left the stallion dumbfounded. She leaned forward and gave his a peck on the cheek before trotting out the door.





Sorry for the wait.