//------------------------------// // Hard & Fast // Story: On The Rebound // by AdmiralSassMcAwesome //------------------------------// Twilight and Flash hadn’t gotten far from the castle on their date. They had started out with a walk through town, and quickly decided to grab something easy for dinner before heading back to Flash’s quarters. The two were so enraptured by each other that they barely noticed how quickly time was passing. Before they knew it, the clock was striking a quarter past midnight and both Twilight and Flash could nearly count on their hooves the number of hours left till they were expected to report for their respective matutinal duties. With a final embrace and a hearty giggle from Twilight, she parted ways with him, insisting that she couldn’t leave Pinkie alone tonight, much to the dismay of Flash. Twilight’s heart throbbed vivaciously as she soared back to her room, being careful not to disturb the night guard. Upon approaching her door however, she was shocked to hear laughter coming from the other side. Cautiously opening the door, Twilight peered in to see Pinkie Pie lying with her back flat against her mattress with all fours in the air, giggling uncontrollably. “Pinkie?” “Twilight! You’re back!” Pinkie squealed as she bounced happily off the bed and onto all fours before hopping gleefully in circle around her friend. “You’re in a good mood.” Twilight remarked, slightly bewildered. After this morning she hadn’t known what to think of how Pinkie might be feeling. But she certainly had not expected this. Pinkie sighed dreamily as she settled back on her bed, pressing her wild curls into her pillows. “I am.” Twilight stood stock still for a moment, wide eyed. Before shrugging. This was Pinkie Pie after all. “Any particular reason why?” She asked as she settled herself into bed and magically dimmed the lights. As Twilight lay her head against her pillow preparing to listen to a Pinkie discourse, she was shocked when suddenly Pinkie was standing over her. “Oh Twilight! It’s just like Bon Bon said! I feel so good again! I haven’t felt this good in months!” Twilight’s jaw slackened as she could have sworn Pinkie radiated joy. “Bon Bon? What are you talking about, what’s happened?” Pinkie giggled uncontrollably again as she dropped beside her friend and wrapped her forehooves around Twilights neck, nuzzling against her affectionately. “Oh, Twilight! I’m in love!” She sighed again. “In…In love?” Pinkie nodded vehemently. “It happened so quickly, but it was so wonderful.” A dreamy look fell over Pinkie’s eyes. “We’re double dating with you and Flash tomorrow night!” Twilight had to gape for air as Pinkie’s grip tightened on her throat. “H-how exciting…” She finally managed before Pinkie loosened up. “So who’s the lucky stallion?” Pinkie giggled again at this. “Oh silly, Donut Joe of course!” ************** Joe had to keep reminding himself to look at the left side of the room. But it was natural for him to cast his gaze over to the right... And he was doing it again! Back! Joe groaned internally as his eyes made momentary contact with Pinkie. She was in the second row of the class, on the right side, gazing intently at Joe. Any other day, this could have been mistaken for the look of a studious class member, but Joe had heard her stifle a giggle as she walked in this morning, and every time he caught her eye he saw a glimmer in them that made his stomach turn. It wasn’t so much the thought of Pinkie being attracted to him. That part was actually kind of flattering. But Joe wasn’t the dating type. He was far too dedicated to his work. Besides, Pinkie and he were totally, totally different ponies. She was so bouncy and optimistic and crazy. Whereas Joe prided himself on being level headed, serious and… Not bouncy. Every time he saw the hopefulness and growing like in Pinkie Pie’s eyes, it reminded him that at the end of tonight he would have to let her down as easily as possible and then face her for the next two and half weeks as though nothing had happened. The awkward moments ahead seemed to leer at him as Pinkie relentlessly stared him down. Internally, Joe was praying to Celestia and all that was good that he was imagining it. After she’d gone home, he had spent a fair while convincing himself that this was purely a friendly outing she had asked him on. But Pinkie wore her heart on her sleeve and it was pretty obvious, even to a stallion like Joe, with minimal exposure to the opposite sex, that she was falling hard and fast for him. Today they would be spending the entire day on learning how to make the perfect dough. No easy task, particularly when you considered the technique involved in properly kneading it out. It wasn’t long before his students had made a little lump of dough each that they could begin working with. Joe encouraged them to start kneading and he would do a round to offer some advice while viewing their current technique. “It’s not going to fight you back, you can be gentler with it.” “Not too bad.” “Remember, it’s like folding a cloth, not scrunching it.” “Good.” “Very good.” “Uhh…” Joe gulped a little and focused his eyes solely on Pinkie’s hoofwork. “Try working it with a bit more force, you need to push it harder.” Joe stopped for a moment and felt his face grow hot as he heard what he had just said. There was nothing particularly bad about it, he would have said it to any student who was being too light on their hooves. So why had he automatically translated it in that sense… Joe put his head down and began to walk away when… “Hold on!” Joe grimaced. “Yes?” He asked reluctantly, placing his eyes back on her dough, uh, not her dough but… Grr. “You mean, like this?” Pinkie asked innocently as she pressed herself more firmly into the dough, her baking background showing as her skilled hooves moved swiftly under the dough and flipped it into itself with ease before pressing it down again, repeating the process. Each time she approached the point of pressing, he could have sworn she was deliberately lengthening the motion and more noticeably using her whole body to push the dough down. Her little hooves working so deliberately, knowing when to go fast and when to go slow. Joe watched her repeat the process several times before nodding dumbly. “Perfect.” He managed as he walked off, feeling a little like his shirt had shrunk. Goldengrape looked up momentarily from his work, “Chef, are you okay? You're looking a little sweaty.” “I’m fine, keep going.” Had she done that on purpose or am I losing it? Joe thought as he absent-mindedly watched Goldengrape knead. “Good.” He said bluntly as he moved forward, deliberately slowing his pace so he could get a look at Pinkie to see if she was showing any signs of revelling in the response she’d elicited in him. No. She was just doing the same as before. Actually she’s getting a little too hard on that poor lump now. Joe gulped again and brought his eyes back to their job at hoof. If she’d kept going, then that meant she wasn’t doing it on purpose. And that meant there was a chance that she wasn't interested in him that way. ************ As Joe was dressing for the show, he couldn't help recall the display Pinkie had made with that dough. Maybe it was because baking was a passion of his, but the way she had used her hooves was... What else could she do with those? Joe shook his head. What was he thinking about? A student who may or may not be attracted to him was kneading some dough. There was nothing in it. And she was so childish... Man do I need to get out more. He quickly finished with his bow tie and gave his suit jacket a final brush down. We'll see the show, we'll talk for a bit and then if she says anything about it continuing, I'll shut it down, then and there. Joe's eyes widened as he noticed his hooves begin shaking involuntarily. Don't you dare! We can do this. It's not a big deal, other stallions, even mares, let ponies down this way all the time... He looked at himself in the mirror above his dresser. Every pony but me lets ponies down... The face looking back at him became downcast as it considered its inefficiencies as a being. Joe had only ever had one relationship and it had been her who had done the letting down. He sighed. It wasn't going to be easy, but Pinkie needed the truth before she got too involved. He would do it for her sake! ************* "You should have seen the way he got all flustered when I was kneading today." Pinkie laughed as she straightened her hat. "He was so cute when he was flustered." Twilight grinned as she watched her friend do a twirl in her old dress from the gala. The girls had only gotten to wear them once which was ridiculous after all the effort Rarity had put in. It only made sense to recycle them tonight. "It's so good to see you happy again." Twilight remarked as a knock came at their door. "Come in, Flash." Sure enough, Flash Sentry entered wearing a tux, his hair smoothed down. He gave a low whistle as he saw his marefriend in her light blue ball gown which caused Twilight to bashfully strike a curtsy. "You mares certainly are looking lovely this evening." He commented. "You don't look so bad yourself." Twilight murmered as she walked close to him giving him a playful nudge. Pinkie, who was still checking herself over in the mirror, smiled gleefully at the flirtatiousness of her friend. A while ago, such actions caused her to feel slight pangs of jealousy, but not now she was in love. Pinkie couldn't wait for Joe to arrive so she too could practice her coquetry. "We'd better go down and meet Joe." Flash said. Pinkie gasped. "He's here?" "Yeah, I saw him walking up the stairs as I was coming over." Pinkie bit her lip as she felt her heart begin to race at the thought of him waiting in the foyer. Perhaps directly below her! Tonight she would declare her love for him openly and then they could begin their romance. Then it would be Twilight waiting up for Pinkie and Pinkie cancelling outings with her friends because her special somepony was expecting her. "What are we waiting for?" She suddenly squeaked making a b line for the door. ********* "Joe! You made it!" Pinkie squealed as she rushed towards him pulling him into a hug. Joe had been facing the opposite direction to that of Pinkie, so she had quite taken him by storm. "Of course." He finally said as she loosened her grip. His stomach started churning uncomfortably again as his eyes fell upon hers. They had never looked so broad, shiny and positively blue as they did now. Her eyes said it all. He would have to break her heart this evening. After a moment they were joined by a much slower paced Twilight and Flash who both smiled warmly at the baker. "Always good to see you, Joe." Twilight said. "Likewise." Flash nodded as he took Twilights forehoof in his own. Joe looked a little embarrassed suddenly. "Is everything okay?" Twilight asked. "Well, it's just that I don't know, should I... Bow to you, or...?" It was Twilights turn to be embarrassed. "No, please don't. I... I hate it when ponies... Just no." She waved the idea away with an exasperated hoof. "Okey dokey then. I just didn't want to offend anyone." Pinkie had to bite her lip again before she blurted out something about how charmingly kind Joe was. He looked positively handsome in his suit. It was a shame he wasn't a business pony who wore suits all the time. Pinkie wouldn't have minded seeing Joe dressed up more often. "Shall we head off." Flash asked nonchalantly. "Sounds good to me." Joe remarked. Flash and Twilight smiled at him knowingly as they took the lead in heading outside, their forehooves still linked tightly. Joe was preparing to follow them when he was nudged by Pinkie Pie who gave a light cough. "You can hold my hoof if you want." She commented casually holding out a pink, manicured hoof. Joe regarded it as if it might eat him, memories of today's encounter with Pinkies hooves still fresh in his mind. "No thanks, that's okay." He said quickly as he took off after the other two. Pinkie sighed again as Joe left the foyer, "Aw, he's shy! This is going to be so much fun!"