//------------------------------// // Our First Date? // Story: When Balloons Float to the Stars // by Aybee //------------------------------// It was a long time before Pinkie Pie finally came out of the shower, flushed slightly from her rather...steamy activities while in the bath. Thoughts of Twilight wouldn't get out of her head, even though Pinkie still hurt inside from the earlier encounter with the alicorn. Just thinking of the lavender mare made Pinkie all jittery and warm inside, though some places were hotter than others. And whenever Pinkie gets to thinking about Twilight's physical features, her train of though goes into overdrive, chugging down the gutter of sensual thoughts. Pinkie quickly shakes her head as if to clear it, determined not to get distracted from her task of relaxing and trying to wind down from her pain and tears. Perhaps a cupcake would help her get into better spirits. Yes, that should do it. Maybe a tasty chocolate one with purple and pink frosting, and a little candy star on to-Darn it! There she went again, centering her thoughts around the mare and the colors of her fur and mane. With a huff, Pinkie quickly makes her way down the stairs from the living quarters above Sugarcube Corner to the bakery itself, and though her color is still less than brilliant, she does look slightly better as she eyes the cakes within the glass showcase. While she looks, Mrs. Cake trots out and spies the pink mare, a look of both concern and relief washing over her features. "Pinkie, dear! Its good to see you up and about again. Do you want something? Anything is yours, and its on the house. Just not one of our cakes, we need those!" The older mare says jokingly, trying to tease a smile from Pinkie, who obliges and gives her a small smile, giggling lightly at the joke. "Thanks Mrs. Cake, but I think I'll just stick with that chocolate one with the pink frosting on it." Pinkie says in a gentle voice that surprises the older baker into a stunned silence. For a moment, Mrs. Cake does nothing, but she then smiles brightly and scoops said cupcake from the shelf, putting it on a little paper plate with a small fork resting beside it. "Care for some milk, dear?" "No thanks, this should be fine. I'll just go over to the window to eat, thank you." And with that, Pinkie trots over to a window seat, hopping up on one of the seats at a two pony table, eating slowly and calmly, the suddenly rational behavior shocking Mrs. Cake into staring at her while she ate. But then the blue and pink colored baker slipped back into the kitchen to fret like the mother she was over the strangeness of the situation. Pinkie watched the ponies trot by the window, blinking slowly as if she were quite tired. But, in fact, Pinkie was thinking again, and thinking hard. Her thoughts now drifted to when Twilight had first come to Ponyville. It had been a decent enough day, sun shining, birds singing...then all of a sudden, bam! There she was, the most beautiful mare that Pinkie had ever seen. Soft, shimmering violet eyes that were filled with curiosity and hunger for knowledge, silky striped hair that shone in the light. Pinkie had been mesmerized. And then she had realized that she had been staring, and she had gasped and run away, disguising her nerves and embarrassment by telling everypony that it was just because she had never seen her before, and wanted to throw her a welcome to Ponyville party. And every day since then, Pinkie couldn't stop thinking about the newly made princess, trying her best to make her smile by acting silly and goofy. But Pinkie wanted to show Twilight that she wasn't all that shallow, which is why she had been visiting the library more and more often. To read the things Twilight read, to think that her joy came from the knowledge that had been inked into the pages of those books...that is what drove her to read like she had been. That and being near the pony that she had fallen in love with. It hadn't been a love at first sight thing...no, the love came gradually, as more and more of the intellectual mare's personality and quirks were revealed over time. Like how Twilight was obsessed with organization and lists, whereas Pinkie was all over the place, and off the wall. Pinkie felt that somehow, deep inside...Twilight and Pinkie were meant for each other. To balance each other out. Make each other whole. But perhaps they were not, and Twilight was meant for someone more her level. Some humble stallion that enjoys to read and be scheduled and could make Twilight feel like the princess she was. But the very thought of Twilight being with someone other than Pinkie herself, made the pink mare sick to her stomach, and jealous of the imaginary stallion that would eventually snatch her Twilight away. "Ha...my Twilight...silly Pinkie. She's not your Twilight. She will never be. She probably hates your guts, and doesn't want to see you again because you're...you're..." But Pinkie's words were interrupted as the service bell above the door rings loudly in the mostly quiet bakery, a very out of breath Applejack trotting in. "Pinkie! There ya are! Landsakes, Ah've been lookin' everywhere for ya! Come on, ya gotta come see this!" "W-Wait, Applejack, what's going on? What's happening?" "Ah can't explain it and Ah don't rightly mean to. Ya just gotta come see this!" Applejack practically yells with excitement, pulling the fellow earth pony from the table and out the door. As soon as they get outside, the crowd of ponies that had gathered by the library turned to look at the pink mare with a collective gasp, the sea of multicolored equines splitting apart to allow the two Elements of Harmony pass. At the front door of the library, Fluttershy stands in place, not allowing a single soul pass, despite the nervous look in her eyes. As she spots Applejack and Pinkie Pie, she smiles sweetly and pushes her muzzle against Applejack's neck in a loving nuzzle. The farmer blushes lightly but returns the tender gesture before looking at Pinkie purposefully and nodding at the door. "Go on in. Don't ya worry, we'll get these hoofdraggers outta the way for a while." Applejack says to Pinkie, right before puffing out her chest and yelling out to the gathered crowd. "NOW GET ALONG, YA HEAR? THIS AIN'T BUSINESS FOR Y'ALLS EYES AND EARS. GO ON, GIT!" The bellowing voice of the blonde mare startles the large group into dispersing, though not without a few curses and dark looks. Fluttershy doesn't look at all surprised at the loud voice, which makes Pinkie smile to herself. If Fluttershy was comfortable with Applejack's loud voice, then they must really be in love. There's not much in the world that won't scare Fluttershy, and if you can't scare her, you mean more to her than anypony could fathom. Applejack smiles at Pinkie before looking to Fluttershy, tossing her head to motion their departure. Pinkie returns the gentle grin before taking a deep breath; her heart was pounding in her ears and chest, anticipation and all out nerves making her knees shake. She slowly opens the door to the library, only to be greeted by one of the strangest sights she had ever seen. It was a party, which wasn't all that strange, but...it wasn't a Pinkie Pie party. Which made it very strange indeed. Pink streamers and purple balloons dance about the ceiling, and there are bits and pieces of torn newspaper for confetti on the floor. Instead of a large table full of snacks, there is a small end table with a hoofmade cake sitting dead center. Curious at the oddity of someone throwing a party without telling her, she looks around with wide eyes before trotting over to the cake, tilting her head at the loopy frosting words. Pinkie immediately recognized the penmanship of the letters, just as she knew that it had taken an effortless burst of magenta magic to scrawl them out. But that wasn't the thing that shocked her. No, what made her eyes widen and her heart stop, was the words that the writing spelled out. Can this be our first date?