Pinning the Heart

by Random_User

Chapter 12

The smell of Satin’s cookies baking tantalized my nose and prompted my stomach to growl.

“Hang on for a second,” I told it. “We’ll see if we can sneak up there and grab a cookie as soon as I get this pinned.”

As if by summoned by my stomach’s rumblings, a cookie, surrounded by the glow of magic, floated into my view and landed on the edge of my worktable.

“Sounds like I got here at the right time,” Satin said. “I heard your stomach on the stairs.”

“It’s been torture, smelling the cookies but not being able to get to one.” Mindful of crumbs, I took a step back from the table and levitated the cookie to me. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. I haven’t seen anypony this excited for my baking in a while.”

I took a bite of the cookie. I hummed in appreciation, smiled, and let my ears fall in contentment as the flavors of chocolate and mint mingled with the sweet cake-like texture in my mouth.

Satin laughed. “It’s not that good.”

“I beg to differ,” I said, after swallowing the bite. “It’s still warm too, which makes it perfect.”

“I’m glad you like it, but I think you’re exaggerating.”

“Not a chance. Your cookies are superb.” I hummed again in bliss as I took another bite.

“You goofy thing.” Satin looked toward my worktable. “How is it going?”

“I’m about where I need to be, but if I get any more orders it will be wild for the next bit.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“If you bring me a cookie now and then I’ll be able to make it,” I said and popped the last of the cookie in my mouth.

Satin booped me on the nose. “I’ll bring you one more. You don’t want the miles we did this morning to go to waste.”

“I ran those miles off so I wouldn’t have to worry about my waist.”

“That was horrible.” Satin turned her head, as the oven’s timer went off. “I better get back up there. We don’t want the cookies to burn.”

“That would be a tragedy. Keep in mind, though, if any get singed, I’d be happy to dispose of them for you.”

Satin snorted. “If you behave, I’ll bring you another cookie in a few minutes,” Satin said, as she went up the stairs.

The store’s front bell chimed.

“Sounds like I won’t even have the chance to be bad,” I said to myself.

I stepped into the storefront and greeted my visitor, “How can I help?”

The customer, a pegasus stallion, turned to me. “Hello, Pin.”

“Stormbreaker! I haven’t seen you since the Equestria Games. What are you doing here?” I walked up to him and shook his hoof. “It’s good to see you!”

“Good to see you too. I will be attending a wedding soon, and your suits were highly recommended.”

“Let me get my things and we’ll get you measured.” I stepped behind the store counter and gathered what I would need. “If you don’t mind sharing, who recommended me?”

“Thunderlane said you were the best tailor in Ponyville.” Stormbreaker moved closer to one suit on display and scrutinized it.

“I think he’s pulling your tail. I’m the only tailor in Ponyville.”

Stormbreaker turned to face me. “What about that lovely mare he’s dating?” She’s in the fashion business, if I remember right.”

“She is. Rarity could outdo me, I’ll admit. I’m lucky she focuses on dresses and not stallionswear.”

“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.”

Something in his tone and posture made me think he was toying with me, but his words seemed to be sincere.

“I like this style,” Stormbreaker said, nodding toward the suit he had been examining.

“That’s one of our new patterns,” I informed him while making my way from behind the counter.

Stormbreaker gave me a quizzical look. “I thought this was your shop.”

“It is, but somepony has been working with me for a while. I’ve started to think of things as ‘ours’.”

He grinned and stood so I could measure him. “Thunderlane said that you had fallen hooves over tail for somepony. I take it she’s the one who’s been helping you here.”

“She is.”

“Is she the one, for you?”

“I think it’s too early to tell if she is, or wants to be ‘the one,’ but if things work out...” I found I could not finish my sentence, as all a parade of negative thoughts and nagging ‘what ifs’ went through my mind.

Stormbreaker chuckled. “Thunderlane was right. You’ve got it real bad and you’re worrying about things way too much.”

I snorted. “That’s enough about me. Are you still working two jobs?”

“Yep and still loving both.” He raised his nose and took an appreciative sniff. “Speaking of working two jobs, are you running a bakery too?”

I chuckled and took down his measurements. “I’m not. My sister is visiting. She’s making cookies for friends of ours.”

“Your sister’s visiting?”

Again, his tone and expression hinted he was up to something.

“Doesn’t she live in Canterlot,” he asked, “and run an air ship building company?”

I looked up from my notes to him.

Stormbreaker grinned and held up a hoof indicating a height shorter than he stood. “She’s about this tall, has a soft blue mane, a gray coat, and blue eyes.”

“I never told you about-”

“Storm?!” Satin said from the door to the workroom.

I turned to face her.

Satin did not even glance at me, but stared at Stormbreaker. “What are you doing here so soon?” Satin asked him.

I snapped my head back to Stormbreaker. “You’re ‘Storm’?!” I tried to say something, but I sputtered and could not form any of the thoughts or questions I had into proper speech.

“I’m sorry. I think I broke something in your brother,” Stormbreaker said. “Not telling him right off was supposed to be a joke.”

“It’s my fault, if you broke something,” Satin told him. She trotted around me to get to Stormbreaker and give him a hug. “I referred to you as ‘Storm’ and not your full name, when I was telling him about you.”

Stormbreaker hugged Satin back and nuzzled her mane. “I could tell something was up when he didn’t respond to me saying I needed a suit for a wedding.” He gave her a kiss and touched his nose to hers. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” Satin assured him.

Stormbreaker let her go, took a half step back, and lowered his head. “How are you doing, little one?” he asked Satin’s belly. “Are you giving your mother too much trouble?”

Satin smiled at Stormbreaker with affection and reported, “Not much at all.”

“That’s good to hear.” He kissed Satin’s stomach. “You keep behaving and growing,” he told Satin’s navel. “We’re looking forward to meeting you, so keep up the pace.”

Satin giggled. “Storm, while I am looking forward to seeing our foal, I don’t think you have to start coaching quite yet.”

He looked up at her with a warm smile. “You both still have a way to go. Since I can’t do too much else to help for either of you, I will be cheering for you both every step of the way.”

Satin leaned down and kissed Stormbreaker’s forehead. “I love you, you wonderful stallion.”

For a second I felt I was intruding in an intimate family moment.

Satin looked at me and grinned. “Are you doing okay?”

“I think I can speak in coherent sentences again,” I informed her.

“You knew about our little one coming, right?” Stormbreaker asked.

“I did.”

“He pieced it together before I could tell him,” Satin said.

“He did?” Stormbreaker looked at me with surprise. “But Satin isn’t showing yet.”

“I had help,” I admitted. “Rarity said things that hinted Satin needed to be treated with care at the train station. When we got home, Satin turned down my offers to get her wine or coffee. I knew then something had to be going on. When I put the two together, along with her coming so soon after I invited her, I figured things out.”

Stormbreaker grinned. “So you stitched things together.”

Satin gave Strombreaker a light shove on his shoulder. “Behave.”

“How in Equestria did you two fall for each other?” I asked.

“We-” Stormbreaker paused, as Satin held up a hoof.

“Let’s keep him in suspense,” Satin suggested. “There are going to some ponies coming tonight, if all goes well, that will want to hear the story too.”

Stormbreaker shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind telling the story again.”

“If you told me, before you told everypony tonight they wouldn’t be happy with either of us,” I warned him, “the girls in particular.”

“The girls?” Stormbreaker asked, with one of his ears angling out.

“Berry’s girls,” Satin explained. “Berry and her family adopted Pin as one of their own. The girls adore him.”

“Oh, the girls.” Storm breaker gave her a hopeful look. “If they’re coming over, I take it you’ve talked with them and it went halfway well.”

Satin nodded. “We bumped into each other yesterday. I did my best to apologize, and they and their dad accepted.” She seemed to shrink in on herself. “I still haven’t talked to Berry or her folks.”

Stormbreaker nuzzled her cheek. “I’m proud of you. You knew this would not be easy and you’ve made headway even before you could prepare something.”

“Thanks, but they aren’t going to easy to apologize to.”

“You have your cookies,” I reminded her.

“You have me too,” Stormbreaker said. He posed regally. “I can play the part of pretty preening pegasus and be a distraction during any tough moments.”

I grunted a laugh. “Yep, there’s no doubt you and Thunderlane are related.”

The store’s door opened and its bell chimed.

“Mister Pin!”

Dinky rushed through the story towards us. After making her way around a display, she almost slid into me in her hurry.

“I’m so sorry!” Dinky said her ears pinned back. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you and a customer.”

“We’re not customers,” Satin told her. “I’m Pin’s sister, Satin Stitching, and this is my fiancé Stormbreaker.”

“Oh,” Dinky said, looking a touch relieved. “I’m still sorry that I interrupted.”

“Satin, Stormbreaker, this is Dinky Hooves,” I told them. “She’s Time Turner’s and Muffin’s daughter.”

“And she’s adorable,” Satin said. She smiled at Dinky. “We’ve seen each other a couple of times, when you were littler, but I bet you don’t remember. You’ve grown up to be a lovely filly.”

Dinky blushed and ducked her head. “Thank you.”

“What’s the big news you were going to deliver?” Stormbreaker asked.

Dinky’s ears snapped back up and her enthusiastic energy returned. “Pinch got the job! She found out this morning. She’s at the castle right now getting instructions about what she and Spike will be doing.”

I grinned. “That’s great!”

Dinky nodded. “She wanted me to tell you she got it and will tell you all about what she will be doing later.”

The store’s door opened again. “Pin, your sign says you’re open,” Muffins said, as she stepped in.

“I am.”

“It’s the weekend,” she pointed out.

“Oh.” I smacked my forehead with a hoof. “That’s right. I got in my morning routine, since I’m have to do some catch up, and flipped the sign to open without thinking about it.”

“I’ve got it.” Muffins flipped the sign to ‘closed’, joined us, and hugged Dinky from behind. “Did you tell him?”

Dinky looked up at Muffins and grinned. “I did.”

Muffins smiled at Satin. “It’s good to see you. I’m glad you’re okay. I rarely get to deliver express mail from Canterlot on back-to-back days to the same pony. I was worried something was wrong.”

“I’m fine,” Satin assured. “Now I’m out of Canterlot I can even relax.”

“Hello, Muffins.” Stormbreaker said. “I don’t think I’ve seen you since the Equestria Games either.”

Muffins blinked as if she were just seeing Stormbreaker. “Storm, it’s good to see you! What are you doing here?”

“I’m following my fiancé around to make sure she’s not doing too much.”

“Fiancé?!” Muffins looked to Satin and her wings snapped open in excitement.

Storm made a motion with a wing towards Satin and bowed as if he were introducing royalty. “Satin and I are engaged and are expecting.”

“That’s wonderful news!” Muffins kissed the top of Dinky’s head, let her go, and then moved to hug Storm. “You better take good care of her and the little one.”

“I’ll do my best.” Stormbreaker hugged Muffins back. “She doesn’t slow down much, though.”

“You can keep up,” Muffins told him. She let go of Stormbreaker and hugged Satin. “Congratulations. Stormbreaker is a wonderful stallion and you’ll both be wonderful parents.”

“Thank you,” Satin said, returning Muffins’ hug.

“Keep in mind, if he does ever give you trouble, all you have to do is tell me,” Muffins half kidded. “I’ll straighten him out for you. And if I can’t, I’ll tell his parents about whatever is going on and they will.”

“I don’t think I have to worry about a thing,” Satin said, “but I’ll remember that.” She looked to Dinky and smiled. “What are you thinking, Dinky? I don’t think you’ve moved since Muffins let you go.”

“He’s the Equestria Games gold medalist ice archer, isn’t he?” Dinky asked.

“He is,” Satin said.

A light blush came to Dinky’s cheeks. “Mister Stormbreaker, can I get your autograph?”

Stormbreaker gave Dinky a grin. “Sure.”

Dinky’s expression changed as if she had thought of something unpleasant. “Oh, drat.”

Stormbreaker tilted his head at her. “What’s wrong?”

Dinky ears feel and she looked to the floor. “I don’t have anything for you to sign.”

I chuckled. “I can fix that. Give me a moment.”

As I went behind the counter, Dinky asked me, “You competed in the Equestria games too, didn’t you?”

“I don’t talk about that too much,” I said.

“Why not?” Dinky asked.

“I had to turn traitor to get on a team, according to some ponies.” I put a piece of paper, and inkwell, and a quill on the counter. “I had lived here long enough I could have competed for Ponyville, but the roster was full. I lucked out and got invited by the Canterlot team to join them. Since it was the place where I was born, the rules allowed me get on their roster instead.”

“You’re that good?” Dinky asked.

I shook my head. “Even back in school and when I was on our archery team, I was adequate and not much else. Despite me telling the team I hadn’t touched a bow in months, they said they would take me if I could pass the qualifiers. Their inviting me showed how desperate they were, not how skilled I am.”

“Pin’s being modest,” Satin told Dinky. “One year he was co-captain on his school’s archery team.”

Dinky tilted her head at me. “But you trained here with the Ponyville team.”

“Rainbow found out about me getting invited and pulled me into the Ponyville training regime. When I tried to turn her ‘invitation’ down, she told me, ‘No way are you going all the way to Canterlot and embarrassing Ponyville by not being in shape for the games. They’ll think living in Ponyville makes you go soft or something.’ ”

“That sounds like her,” Muffins said. “She’s always talking about how great Ponyville and its weather team is, whenever we have wild weather preparation meetings in Cloudsdale.”

“Don’t’ spread this around, if it gets back to Rainbow I’d be in deep trouble, but I think she had me train with everypony else because she knew that I wouldn’t have been able to make it to Canterlot to train while running my business.”

“Rainbow did a great job getting everypony ready,” Stormbreaker said, as he wrote a quick note and signed the paper. “Ponyville came out nowhere and took the whole thing. You didn’t do half bad yourself, Pin. Getting bronze is nothing to be sneezed at.” He gave the signed paper to Dinky. “Here you go.”

“Thank you!” Dinky took the autograph as if it would shatter at the wrong touch.

Stormbreaker leaned close to Dinky and stage whispered, “Do you think I could get your mom’s autograph?”

Dinky looked confused. “Mom’s?”

Stormbreaker nodded. “It’s not every day you get to meet an Equestria Games relay flier medalist and overall medal count champion. Your mom’s cool.”

Dinky gave Stormbreaker a bright smile. “Yeah, Mom’s pretty awesome.” She looked to Muffins. “Mom?”

Muffins, blushing, nodded. “I’d be glad to.”

I put another piece of paper on the counter. “Here you go.”

Muffins wrote a little note and signed the page. She offered the page to Stormbreaker. “I never asked; do you know what your foal will be?”

“We’re letting it be a surprise.” Stormbreaker took the page from Muffins. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Muffins moved to stand beside Dinky and patted her on the back. “We better get going. We’ve got more errands to run.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Dinky told Satin and Stormbreaker.

In the distance, the oven’s bell chimed.

“If you can wait a couple of minutes, I’ll bring you both a cookie,” Satin said and trotted into the back of the shop.

“We can wait,” Muffins said. “Take your time and don’t burn yourself.”

Stormbreaker looked to me. “Do you mind if I follow her?”

“Of course not, feel at home.”

“Thanks. I know she can more than take care of herself but…”

“You’re nesting,” Muffins stated.

“It’s bad too,” Stormbreaker confessed and sighed. “I’m trying to keep it under control, but I slip up now and then. I hope I’m not driving her crazy.”

“I doubt you are,” Muffins assured Stormbreaker, as he went after Satin.

“Nesting?” Dinky asked Muffins.

“Some ponies get protective of our loved ones when we are expecting,” Muffins explained. “It can be worse with the stallions than it is with the mares. It’s called ‘nesting’ with pegasi, but all tribes of ponies have their versions.”

“You should have seen your mother when she was expecting you,” I said. “Your dad and Amethyst were cuddled and fussed over to the point of distraction.”

Dinky giggled. “For a second, I thought Mom meant he would build her a nest or something. Nesting sounds like something Miss Berry or Piña would do.”

“You’re right,” I said. “When Berry was expecting Pinch, she fussed over me, when Barrel wasn’t around for her to focus on, and I’m not even kin!”

“You are kin,” Muffins rebutted. “You are her adopted brother.” She grinned. “Besides, you need fussing over.”

Satin returned to the storefront with two cookies in her magic and Stormbreaker close behind her. “Here you go,” she said and levitated a cookie each to Dinky and Muffins.

“Thank you,” they said in unison, sounding much alike.

Stormbreaker stood by Satin’s side and put a wing over her shoulders. “I’m sorry about my nesting. I hope you don’t feel like I’m hounding your every hoofstep.”

“You’re not being bad at all,” Satin said and kissed his nose. “I’m ‘nesting’ myself. I think that’s one reason we’re here. There’s some part of me that wanted to be where it’s calm, safe, and where I could be surrounded by good ponies.” Her ears fell, and she leaned into him. “I just have to mend some bridges before I can feel comfortable.”

“You should use Nana’s nest to help you relax,” Dinky suggested.

“Nana’s nest?” Stormbreaker asked, looking more than a little confused. “That’s not quite what ‘nesting’ means.”

“I know. Miss Satin or Mister Pin can explain it better than I can.” Dinky said. “Trust me, you and Miss Satin could cuddle great on there.”

“I could do with a little break,” Satin said. “Thanks for the idea, Dinky.”

“You’re welcome,” Dinky said smiling.

Muffins gave Dinky a look, as she led her towards the front of the store. “And here you were saying that Berry and Pinch fussed over ponies.”

“I had to pay her back for the cookie,” Dinky said.

The store’s door shut behind them and Satin hummed a note. “She’s so cute.”

“Ours will be just as cute if not more so,” Stormbreaker told her.

Satin looked to me. “Pin, would you mind if we used Nana’s nest for a bit? Now I’ve thought about it, I could use a break and Storm has to be a little tired flying all the way here.”

“Be my guest,” I told her. “Would you like me to bump you for lunch?”

Satin nodded. “Please.”

“You really have a ‘nest’?” Stormbreaker asked me.

“Sort of, it’s an oversized cloud chair that my grandmother and grandfather made together.”

Stormbreaker’s eyes lit up. “I haven’t seen on one of those in ages.”

Satin took Stormbreaker’s hoof and slid from under his wing. “Come on. I’ll show you where it is.”

I smiled, as she led him to the back of the shop. You got yourself a good one, Sis, I thought to myself. He didn’t do half bad either, and you both seem so happy.

I put away my incomplete notes for Stormbreaker’s order. I looked out the shop’s front window, watched a pair of ponies go by, sighed, and thought of Coco.

*****

I put the last of the sandwiches out on the kitchen table. “There we go.”

I looked toward the back of the apartment and chuckled. “They must be zonked, if my fixing lunch didn’t wake them up,” I said, keeping my voice low on instinct.

Using soft hoofsteps, I made my way to the study and peeked in.

Satin had occupied the center of the cloud chair, tucked up in a contented looking ball with her left cheek resting on the chair’s fabric.

Stormbreaker was spooned around Satin, his chin touching her head between her ears. He had draped his wing across her, giving me the impression he had held her right against himself at some point.

I sneaked to my room and got my camera. After returning to the study, I took a picture while making as little noise as possible.

The shutter of the camera must have been enough for Satin to hear. Her right ear twitched and her eyes opened. Seeing me with my camera, she gave me a drowsy smile. “We get copies,” she whispered.

I nodded and smiled back. “Lunch is ready,” I whispered. “Sleep well?”

“The best I have in a while.” Satin moved as if she would get up, but Stormbreaker’s wing caught her and tucked her against his side.

“Just five more minutes, my Satin doll,” Stormbreaker said to her, sounding more asleep than awake and without opening his eyes. “I haven’t gotten to hold you for almost two weeks.”

“I missed you too.” She gave me a look I understood to mean I should keep quiet. “But we should get up. Lunch is ready. We don’t want to let Pin’s cooking go to waste.”

“While that sounds good, I have something tasty right here.” Stormbreaker kissed Satin’s neck near her shoulder and then nuzzled his way to the base of her ear, up to her ear’s tip, and gave it a nibble.

Satin turned a glorious shade of red. “Storm, my brother is standing right there!”

I snapped off a photo as Stormbreaker opened his eyes and looked towards me, Satin’s ear still held in his mouth.

*****

There was a knock on the back door.

“Coming!” I put my work down and went door. I just got the door open when a filly grabbed me around my barrel.

“Thank you!” Pinch told me as she hugged me tight. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” I fake wheezed. I hugged Pinch back and patted her shoulder. “I didn’t know you could move that fast.”

“You’re lucky you’re bigger than Spike,” Piña said. “Pinch tackled him when she gave him a hug, after he told her she got the messenger position.”

“I was a little excited,” Pinch said.

“How did the meeting with Twilight go?” I asked Pinch and let go of her.

She gave me a squeeze and released me. “It went real well. Twilight gave me a list of things I would need to do starting next week. Being a messenger will be a lot of work, but it will be a lot of fun too.” Pinch looked toward Piña. “Right now Piña is the messenger for Mom.”

“Berry told us to tell you,” Piña changed her voice to mimic Berry’s, “’Pin, dinner your plans for tonight and tomorrow have changed. We are meeting at the Grazing Meadow tonight. We’ll discuss what the plans for dinner tomorrow night are when you get there.’”

“That was uncanny,” I told Piña. “You sounded just like Berry when she was your age.”

Piña smiled. “She is my sister.”

“I take that Satin’s apology went well.”

“After a couple of tries by Aunt Satin it did.” Pinch sighed. “Piña and Mom are similar in a lot of ways, including needing to vent at whoever insults them and their families. After Mom pointed out what an ursa Satin had been, she cooled off and forgave her.”

“Barrel and Stormbreaker helped calm Berry down too,” Piña said.

“Speaking of Mom, if we don’t get going she will fuss at us for being late,” Pinch said.

“Just a second, please.” I stepped outside and locked the back door. “Thank you. Now, let’s trot before we get into trouble.”

“What do you think about Stormbreaker?” Piña asked me over her shoulder.

Pinch’s ears perked, and she turned one towards me.

“I’ve met Stormbreaker a few times, thanks to being involved in ice archery. He’s a solid guy. Has he told you too much about himself?”

Both the fillies shook their heads.

“Then I better not say too much. He and Satin wanted to tell their story to you tonight.”

“Do you think they love each other or is it the foal coming that is connecting them?” Pinch said.

Piña glanced at Pinch as if she questioned the appropriateness of question.

I smiled, recalling the image of them curled up together on Nana’s nest. “They love each other,” I told Pinch. “They both want the foal and each other.”

Pinch looked back over her shoulder at me and smiled. “Great. I’m looking forward to being an aunt. It will be a happier experience if Satin and Stormbreaker love each other deep down.”

“It’s pretty cool, being an aunt,” Piña said and grinned at Pinch. “I could give you some pointers, if you’d like.”

Pinch snorted a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Piña’s ears fell a little. “Haven’t I been a good aunt?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Pinch moved so she and Piña were walking shoulder to shoulder and nuzzled her. “You’re such a great aunt I think of you more like my sister.”

“I’m glad.” Piña nuzzled Pinch back. “Don’t forget, though, I still outrank you.”

I laughed. “You two are a mess.”

“Are the girls stirring things up again?” Barrel asked, as we approached the restaurant and its outdoor tables. He had waited for us just outside the restaurant’s roped off seating.

“Not this time,” I answered, gaining me a look from Pinch and Piña both.

“We’re seated over here,” Barrel said. He pointed toward a table just as Berry, Satin, Stormbreaker, Thunderlane, and Rumble waved at us from their seats.

“Looks like everypony saved you a seat by Rumble, Piña,” Pinch teased.

“Pinch!” Piña hissed through her teeth.

“You’re blushing,” Pinch pointed out in more of a giggle than a whisper. “He’s blushing too. That’s so cute!”

“I didn’t know Rumble and Thunderlane were coming,” I said Pinch, trying to draw attention away from Piña.

“We didn’t either,” Pinch said.

“We ran into them on the way here,” Barrel said, as we got closer. “They hadn’t had dinner, so we invited them along.” He grinned and leaned close to Piña. “Rumble asked us to hold a seat for his ‘training partner,’ just so you know.”

Piña glanced towards Rumble. His eyes met hers and their respective blushes renewed.

“Looks like we will be having dinner and a show,” Barrel said and chuckled.

“Uncle Barrel, please,” Piña begged, “not you too.”

“We’ll behave,” Barrel assured. He gave Pinch look. “Won’t we?”

Pinch nodded, smiling in a less than innocent way. “We can’t say anything for Mom, thought.”

Barrel nodded. “True.” He gave Piña a too wide smile. “You will have her on your other side too.”

“I’m doomed,” Piña sighed.

Barrel led us to the table and took his seat at the end. I pulled out Pinch’s chair for her.

“Thank you, Uncle Pin,” Pinch said, taking her seat.

“You’re welcome.”

Satin bumped her shoulder to mine, after I took my seat. “You’re ever the gentlecolt.”

“I try,” I told her.

With a subtle movement, Thunderlane reached over with a wing and prodded Rumble.

Rumble left his seat and pulled out Piña’s chair for her. Piña had just enough distance to walk around the table so that Rumble’s timing seemed unprompted.

“Thanks,” Piña told Rumble with a bashful smile.

Rumble gave her a return smile and nodded in response.

After they both took their seats, Horte Cuisine approached the table and took our drink orders.

Pinch nodded towards the other end of the table where Thunderlane and Stormbreaker sat. “They look like twin brothers instead of cousins. They even have the same manecut.”

“The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree,” I said.

Pinch giggled. “Apple Bloom doesn’t like it when somepony says that.”

I asked her, “Why not?”

Pinch grinned, “Apple Bloom says it’s because the Apple’s don’t like some implications of that saying.”

I could not help but snort.

Thunderlane held up a wing, getting everypony’s attention. “Now we’re all here, spill it.” He pointed his wing towards Stormbreaker. “How in the world did a stallion like you end up with a mare like her?”

Stormbreaker gave Thunderlane a less than amused look. “What do you mean ‘a stallion like you’?”

Thunderlane made rough, circular gestures at Stormbreaker with both his hooves. “You’re you. I don’t know how to say it.” With a bow of his head, he then a made a graceful motion with a hoof towards Satin. “She’s Canterlot nobility.”

“Thank you, but I am not Canterlot nobility,” Satin said with a grin, “I work too much to be true Canterlot nobility.”

“Too true,” Thunderlane conceded. “Now I think about it, maybe you should be the one to tell how you two met. Stormbreaker’s been known to exaggerate his stories.”

Satin shrugged. “There’s not much to tell. After my last visit here, I was encouraged to get out more and do the things I like to do with ponies I enjoyed being around, even if whatever it was seemed foalish. I thought it over, remembered how much fun I had helping ponies when I was in school, and got involved in the tutoring program at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. He and I bumped into each other there, while I was tutoring a group of fillies on the campus grounds.”

Horte Cuisine returned with our drinks and took our orders, causing a pause in the conversation.

After Horte Cuisine left us, everypony stared at Satin and waited for her continue.

Satin, with a smirk remained silent and took a sip of her tea.

“And?” Berry said making a motion for her to go on.

“And that pretty well sums up what happened,” Satin answered, her smirk growing.

Stormbreaker stared a Satin as his feathers raised in a slow motion fluffing.

Piña giggled, leaned close to Rumble and asked, “Can your feathers do that?”

Rumble, after biting back a laugh, told her, “I’m not sure.”

“Satin,” Stormbreaker said in a too sweet tone. “Is that all you’re going to tell them?”

Satin looked up at him and gave him an innocent look. “Are there any details you think I should add?”

“I think ‘confess to’ would be more appropriate,” he said.

“I have no idea what you’re suggesting,” Satin said, still feigning innocence and ignorance. “Well, I could add that you asked me out to dinner first. That was sweet of you.”

Stormbreaker’s nose crinkled. “You’re trying to ruffle my feathers aren’t you?”

Satin smiled. “Judging by how you’re puffed up like a down pillow, I’d say it’s working.” She motioned for him to lean closer. She kissed his nose when he did. “I think you should tell things from your perspective. You’re a better narrator.”

Stormbreaker touched his nose to Satin’s, and his feathers fell back into place. “You could have just asked.”

“This was more fun.” Satin grinned at him, her nose still touching Stormbreaker’s. “Keep in mind; I get to call you on any embellishments.”

Stormbreaker grinned back at her. “I’ll try to stick to the truth as best I can.”

“This should be good,” Thunderlane muttered.

Stormbreaker sat up and cleared his throat. “To give a little background, besides working at the weather factory as a storm specialist, I am a part time ice archery instructor at Celestia’s school in Canterlot. Our range there is in a spot close to where there is a nice part of the grounds where students will lie out and study on every so often.”

Stormbreaker paused and looked at Satin as if expecting input.

She nodded. “So far you’re doing well.”

Stormbreaker continued: “During an afternoon lesson I noticed that a few of the colts in the class I was teaching were getting distracted by a group that settled down not too far from us. I looked where their eyes kept going, trying to find out what they found so interesting, and saw a lovely mare with a small group of students laying on a blanket and working through some spells they were reading out of a textbook.”

“Good old teenage hormones,” Barrel said with a chuckle.

“In their defense, Satin is a powerful distraction,” Stormbreaker said.

Satin arched an eyebrow. “How do you know they were looking at me?”

Stormbreaker put a wingtip under his chin. “You’re right. I don’t know if you were the one distracting them or not.” He used the same wing tip to tap Satin’s nose. “You distracted me the rest of the lesson. That I know.”

Piña and Pinch giggled as Satin blushed.

“I’m sure she and her students sneaked a few glances your team’s way,” Berry said.

“Once or twice,” Satin admitted. She bumped shoulders with Stormbreaker. “Keep going.”

“At the end of our practice session, I decided to address our pretty distractions,” Stormbreaker told us. “When I got to where they were, Satin asked me if anything was wrong. I’ll admit I froze for a second, when she looked up at me. From where we had been, I could tell she was pretty. Closer up, I could appreciate she was beautiful.”

“You’re laying it on thick,” Thunderlane teased.

“While I’m flattered, I think I agree with your cousin,” Satin said smiling at Stormbreaker.

“I’m just telling what happened and what I thought,” Stormbreaker assured.

Stormbreaker returned to addressing us: “After we introduced ourselves to each other, I asked Satin if she would consider moving her tutoring location for the student’s safety. She told me she and her students were ‘perfectly safe’ in their spot. I told her it wasn’t her and her students I was worried about but me and mine getting hurt taking our eyes off what we were doing to look at nature’s outdoor beauties, and she laughed.”

“I couldn’t help it,” Satin said. “He blushed when he confessed what was going on like he was a colt. The way he said it and his openness about being distracted tickled me too.”

“I did try to phrase it politely,” Stormbreaker mock grumbled.

“It was almost poetic,” Satin praised.

“When she didn’t agree to the idea right away, I took a chance and offered to take her to dinner to make up for the inconvenience,” Stormbreaker told us. “Satin said she was agreeable, on the condition I bring her students some snacks for their next meeting since they would have to move their spot too. We shook hooves on those terms and we had dinner the next evening.”

“That’s so sweet!” Pinch said a little too loud. She covered her mouth with her hooves and slid down in her chair as ponies from other tables glanced in her direction.

Stormbreaker snorted. “It wasn’t sweet. It was a set up. When she and her students had their next meeting their ‘new spot’ was the same distance away but on the other side of the archer’s stations.”

I looked at Satin and mock scolded, “Sis, that’s not quite what you agreed to.”

Satin held her nose up in the air. “I beg to differ. I held up my end of the bargain and then some.” She looked toward Stormbreaker and asked, “Didn’t I?”

“Technically, yes you did.” Stormbreaker returned to addressing the table: “At the end of our even more distracted practice session, I headed over to deliver the promised snacks and speak with Satin again. Five of my students who wanted to listen in what I was going to say to ‘the new tutor you’re dating’ followed me. Thanks to them, I now know it takes less than a week for rumors about part-time instructors and tutors going out on a date to make it through the school.”

“They were so cute,” Satin told us. “It looked like they were following their big brother expecting something interesting.”

“Some big brother I turned out to be,” Stormbreaker said acting as if he were ashamed of himself.

“The fillies enjoyed it,” Satin teased.

“But the poor colts, I led them into a trap. Before I could say anything, Satin invited me and my students to join her and her students on the blankets they had laid out and share the snacks I brought and the cookies Satin provided.”

I chuckled before I could stop myself.

Stormbreaker looked in my direction with a raised eyebrow. “I take you’ve got an idea of what happened.”

I nodded. “You all agreed, settled down with them, you and the colts relaxed too much, and then the braiding of manes and tails stared,” I guessed.

“That’s right; she sprung the trap on us.” Stormbreaker dropped his head and ears in mock mourning. “It was nine on four. The poor colts and I never had a chance.”

Satin gave a polite cough. “I recall somepony looking dashing with a running braid and even saying so himself when shown a hoof mirror.”

“Do you have pictures?” Piña asked with her ears perked.

“She does,” Stormbreaker said. “She came prepared that day.”

Satin smiled. “I have photos of him and the colts and I have permission to share them all.”

Piña giggled and tapped her hooves together. “Did you bring them?”

Satin nodded. “I planned on showing them to Pin and your folks.”

“The blackmail potential could be staggering,” Rumble kidded.

Satin hugged Stormbreaker with a foreleg. “After seeing how he took everything that afternoon in stride I knew Stormbreaker was somepony special.”

Berry giggled. “Pinch, you heard the mare. He’s taken.”

Pinch blushed crimson. “Mom! I was imagining what he and the colts looked like.”

“I don’t know,” Barrel said through a fit of laughing. “You were looking at him hard there for a moment.”

“You’re right, she does have a thing for older colts,” Rumble whispered to Piña.

Piña nodded. “I told you.”

Pinch drew herself up and made a point of ignoring them. “Aunt Satin, could you show me how to braid somepony’s mane and tail like they do in Canterlot? I only know one basic braid.”

Satin’s eyes flashed with eagerness. “I would be glad to.”

“We can’t use Piña, though,” Pinch said. “She doesn’t like braids.” Giving her aunt a look, she added, “She won’t sit still long enough for them, anyway.”

“My mane and I like to be free,” Piña joked shaking her head enough to wave her mane.

Satin smiled in a feline manner and looked towards Thunderlane. “Then we’ll need another pony to work with.”

“I have a short tail like Stormbreaker’s!” Thunderlane said. “If you are planning on showing her tail braiding, I wouldn’t be a good candidate!”

Satin’s gaze went to Rumble.

For a second, Rumble’s eyes widened. His ears fell, and he looked towards the tabletop. “I uh… I can’t.” He fidgeted. “I mean, I shouldn’t.”

“Why not?” Satin asked in a comforting tone. “You have a nice mane and your tail is a little short, but it will work better than your brother’s or Stormbreakers.”

“He’s Piña’s, so it’s hooves off for me is what he means,” Pinch said.

“Oh, you’re dating my niece?” Satin asked.

“We’re not dating, we’re training,” Piña insisted, blushing. “He’s helping me get ready for the next Sisterhoove’s Social.”

“Would you let Piña braid your mane and tail then?” Satin asked Rumble. “I don’t want to leave her out, if she wants to learn too.”

Rumble looked toward Piña. When Piña looked at him with hopeful eyes, he nodded.

“Thank you!” Piña said and hugged Rumble.

“It’s got to be something cool like a competition braid, though,” Rumble said blushing to his ear tips.

“We can do that,” Satin assured. “Since Piña’ is in too that means we still need a candidate for Pinch.” Satin looked towards Barrel. “Short mane and tail too, so he won’t do.”

Barrel muttered something that sounded like, “Thank Celestia.”

“Before you get any ideas, no braids for me,” Berry said holding her hooves up in a warding motion. “I’m with Piña. I’ve tried braids a couple of times and they’re too uncomfortable.”

“Why can’t she braid your mane and tail?” Rumble asked Satin. “They’re pretty and the right length. I bet they would look great braided.”

Rumble’s comments gained him looks from both Stormbreaker and Piña. Stormbreaker seemed amused. Piña appeared to be a touch jealous.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Rumble defended himself, looking back and forth between Piña and Stormbreaker.

Satin, fighting a smile, answered, “I can’t teach her if I’m the one she’s braiding.”

Everypony turned towards me.

“I think we have a winner,” Thunderlane said. “All who agree raise their hooves.” He raised his hoof, starting the voting.

Everypony else at our table raised a hoof.

“I don’t know whether to be flattered or not,” I muttered.

I turned to Pinch, who looked up at me with puppy eyes.

“You two can braid my mane and tail,” I told her.

“Thank you!” Pinch leaned in her chair and gave me a hug.

“You’re welcome,” I said and patted her back with a hoof

“You and Rumble with both get an extra cookie tomorrow for helping us,” Satin promised.

“I think they might need two each,” Stormbreaker said.

Satin looked towards Stormbreaker. “Why two?”

Stormbreaker met eyes with Satin and smiled in a way that gave me the impression I was in trouble. “Pin needs to use up the rest of the roll of film in his camera. They’ll deserve the cookies for posing for Pinch’s and Piña’s pictures.”

“We get pictures too?!” Pinch’s ears perked up and her tail swished back and forth through the hole in the back of her chair.

“You do,” Satin told her. She then looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “Right Pin?”

I should have known I would pay for taking that second picture, I berated myself. I turned to Pinch and nodded. “If you would like photos, I wouldn’t mind.”

Pinch beamed up at me. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” I put a hoof on my chest, put my nose in the air, and struck a pose. “You have to get my good side, though.”

Pinch giggled. “I’ll do my best.”

“You all right with pictures too, Rumble?” Satin asked him.

“I don’t know,” Rumble said. He turned toward Piña, who gave him a pleading look.

“The Wonderbolts and I have to do all kinds of shoots for our promotions and some of them get us out of our comfort zones,” Thunderlane told Rumble. “Consider this good practice for when you make it.”

Rumble seemed to consign himself to his fate. “As long as they don’t end up in the Foal Free Press, I guess I’m okay with it.”

I looked towards Satin and Stormbreaker, who were both giving me smug grins, and gave them a conceding half bow.

“There’s another story there, if I had to bet,” Berry said.

“Oh, there is,” Satin said.

Comments

[Captain_Stallion]

I can't wait till Coco gets back, and I'm sure she'll want a copy of Pin with brades.

[TasermonsPartner]

Ah, still filled with enough family-friend sweetness to give ya cavities! (It's okay though, Minuette is a good dentist, I hear! 😉)

Seriously though, it's a good reveal for Satin's fiancée, and, as I said, good sweety cuteness. You did another good job of intertwining everypony and establishing connections. Now associates will become tight family, that's nice. I do kinda wish we saw Satin making up with the rest of the Berry family, but it was probably much like she did with Pinch and Pina, except more grown-up words (...maybe. The foals have surprisingly grown-up vocabularies to begin with.)

Huh, Pin as an archer? That's a twist I didn't see coming. Also, I can see how Stormbreaker would be a good teacher at basics of archery, but I wonder if technique is just abit different considering he uses his wings and the foals at Celestia's school use magic?

Also, Pin still hasn't been informed of the events that challenged his far Coco? Shame on you Rarity; the biggest gossip in in Ponyville and you were front and center of it all and still haven't even blabbed to Pin yet! Get going girl! Your Pegasus boy-toy and his younger brother are out having a meal with him right now; it's a perfect excuse to intervene!😉

[Random_User]

9687611
She will get that and much more. She is coming back next chapter. Things will get hectic and wild from that point on.

[Random_User]

9688631
I try to play within the bounds of the show as much as I can. While doing my research on Pin's appearances, I was surprised to note he was listed as participating in the Equestria Games as an ice archer. I double checked the episode, and there he was. I had to do a little dancing around to come up for a reason he was on the Canterlot team rather than Ponyville's but it worked out.

The gossip is going to fly soon. The next chapter is going to be a doozy, if I can pull it off.

[Captain_Stallion]

9688653
Very good most folks could do with a little excitement in their lives...

[Yoshifan30]

Stormbreaker nodded. “It’s not every day you get to meet an Equestria Games relay flier medalist and overall medal count champion. Your mom’s cool.”

I did remember during the rainbow fall qualified she did compete but she was only for a replacement for rainbow when she got "injured" but then when we saw her in the equestrate game she did join in which that's pretty awesome and of course she's also my favorite background character

[Yoshifan30]

Wow that was a pretty nice surprise there so Royal pin prepares finishing up the cooking there was somebody at the door and this Pony is named it Stormbreaker and it turns out he was one of the athletes from the equestria games and he knows how Royal pin and it's also another surprise that he was the mysterious man that Satin mention even though without the name and they've been going out with each other for a long time and apparently they have a long story to tell but he wants to wait until everybody is that the restaurant and once evening came around everybody was there Pina and pinch we're pretty excited that Satin has a special some pony and it looks like they're not the only one Thunderline and Rumble was there so once everybody was there they explained how they first met each other and how they became a thing it was a pretty funny and cute story they told and I must admit everybody took it pretty well there was some cute moment between Pina and rumble I wonder what else they're going to do next