//------------------------------//
// Chapter Two- Da Mare 
// Story: The Pink and the Fiery 
// by Ice Fire 
//------------------------------//

I slouched back into my seat, satisfied with the huge breakfast omelet that lay half-digested in my stomach.

Sheesh, it tasted so good. I mean, the egg taste blended so greatly with those other ingredients that I didn't even bother to peek at because it was so flipping delicious.

Best of all, it was free.

I was pretty sure that the mare who gave it to me was somehow scared of me. Probably because I burst into her shop and suddenly went crazy. Probably why she said "It's on the house" and scrambled away.

No, no. I am a generous stallion, so I must pay her.

I licked the remains of the omelet that lay on my lips and grabbed the satchel as I approached the counter, with the pink mare scrubbing the contents of her side of the counter with a wet rag. She seemed immersed in her work, becuase when I came near her, she looked up at me and let out a startled shriek.

"Eeee!"

I mentally slapped a hoof on my forehead, but I didn't want to insult her. Instead, I raised an eyebrow. In response, a blush lined her muzzle.

I smiled and took out ten bits to pay for the breakfast given to me.

She nervously put a grin on her face and stood up straight, while I slid the ten bits to her.

"Thanks," I simply said. I wanted to thank her by her own name, but I couldn't find a nametag on her stained apron.

"Uh," I added. The mare knew what I was getting on to, and replied, "Pinkie Pie, and yours?"

"Ice Fire. Ice Fire's my name."

"Oh. Nice name, Ice Fire."

"You too, Pinkie."

Then we just stood there in an awkward moment, which probrably lasted for six minutes. After those six minutes of my life I'll never get back, I decided to break the silence by turning around and exiting the store. However, my plan didn't go as smoothly. As I turned, my elbow knocked into a stack of plates, making it crash onto he floor with an ear-splitting crash.

The mare raised her eyebrows rather than scolding me, and rushed towards the broken plates. I wanted to help, of course. I leaned down and tried to lay my hoof onto the plates to pick them up (remember? I don't have any magic.), but the pink mare beat me there. Our hooves collided in a way-over-awkward moment, and I retracted my hoof as if I were stung by a manticore tail.

We looked up to each other.

For another three minutes.

I should really stop staring at mares...

I broke our eye contact and said, "I'll get it." and took the huge chunks of porcelain towards the counter. She followed with the rest of the pieces, and we dumped them on the counter.

She thanked me and I thanked her back for the breakfast. She took her old rag and continued scrubbing.

I immediately grabbed my satchel and ran away as fast as my hooves could take me, out the door and avoiding ponies as they stared daggers. I didn't look back, but I knew that the mare was confused that I left so early.

Ok, here's what was going on in my mind when i did such a thing like abandoning a new friend. First, I wanted to continue the journey of finding my parents, yada yada questathon. Second, it was too cheesingly awkward. I mean, go back a few lines and you'll find me staring at her.

As stated, awkward!

I dared to look back, but no one seemed to be confused anymore. When I turned around, however, I was met with the image of pink.

Pink fur, to be precise.

The mare- no, Pinkie Pie, basically spawned in front of me. When I finally realized who was the one I crashed into, I withdrew myself and let out a little yelp.

Pinkie towered over me and smiled.

"Hi!"

She held out out a hoof. I slowly placed mine on hers and she pulled me up.

"H-hi. How did you-" I started before she interrupted.

"Oh, I've been known to break the fourth wall, but you probably didn't need to know that."

What?

She continued (really fastly), 

"So,IspawnedinfrontofyoubecauseIseeyou'renewintownandthatmustmeanyouknowlittleaboutCanterlotandsinceyouknowlittleofCanterlot,youmustnothaveanyfriendsso-*gasp*-Itookabreakfrommyjobtobondwithyousolet'sbefriends!"

I put a blank expression on my face.

"C-could you repeat that?"