Chapter 7
“Muffins asked me to tell you good morning,” I relayed to Coco.
“She’s so sweet.” Coco stood beside me at my work desk as I went through the mail. “Anything interesting come in?”
“Bills, invoices, sales fliers, and… oh crab apples.” I held up an envelope and dropped my head. “I knew it was coming.”
Coco tilted her head, as she looked at the letter, making her more adorable than usual. “Whoever wrote you has pretty hoofwriting.”
“That would be Mom.” Using a pair of shears as an impromptu letter opener I unsealed the envelope and pulled out the letter. I scanned the first lines and sighed. “They will be here in two days. If you want to leave early for your trip, I wouldn’t blame you.”
Coco gave me a disbelieving look. “They can’t be that bad.”
“They aren’t, but they know how to push my buttons and there’s a good chance they will make a game of trying to find out how to push yours.” I snorted, after reading to the bottom of the first page. I held the letter’s second page out to Coco. “She asked me to stop reading and for me to give the second page to you.”
After giving me a curious look, Coco took the sheet of paper. I watched as her eyes went back and forth across the page and her expression turned to one of concerned curiosity.
She looked up from the letter, and stated, “She seems to know a lot about me.”
“Mom’s specialty is finding potential business relationships and tie-ins. She can find information on just about any business or pony.”
“That’s impressive and intimidating,” Coco said and returned to reading. A second later, her ears snapped back, her cheeks flushed, and she folded the letter with a quick motion.
I braced myself and asked, “Do I want to know?”
Coco would not look me in eye. “She wants to discuss the possibility of us becoming more than business associates to ‘heighten the chances that Insight and I will have at least one grandfoal’.”
I winced and gave Coco an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. Mom’s sense of what is appropriate is off.”
Coco gave me an amused smile. “She also says if we have progressed beyond business matters already she hopes that ‘my son is performing well during any intimate acts’ and offers to send books and potions to ‘optimize the experience’ if not.”
“Oh Celestia and Luna above, Mom.” I closed my eyes and put my forehead down on the worktable. “I’m sorry. I should have read the rest of the letter before giving it to you.”
“I could write back and tell her we haven’t gotten to that part of our relationship yet,” she suggested in a tone that sounded half serious.
Keeping my head on the worktable, I looked up at Coco. “That would make things worse, knowing her. Besides, she and Dad will be here in two days and they’d miss the letter.”
“Then I’ll have to give my report to her face to face.” Coco gave me a teasing smile. “She’ll be disappointed that I can’t even get a kiss out of you.”
I lifted my head, put a hoof to my chest, and acted slighted. “I must protest! I have kissed you.”
Giving me an unamused look, Coco touched her nose with a hoof. “Giving me a kiss on the nose does not count!”
“I didn’t realize that. The kiss you gave me on the nose did for me.” I tapped my chin. “I wonder if there is a guide to which kisses count and which don’t that I can study.”
“It’s different for each pony.” Coco closed her eyes and raised her chin. “You can choose a spot to kiss and I’ll tell you if it counts or not.”
“There are so many possibilities it’s hard to settle on one.” Hearing the shop’s front doorbell ring, I paused. “I think I heard somepony came in.”
“Then you’re going to have to make your choice before they ring the bell for service,” she insisted.
“You shouldn‘t rush such a decision, but I guess it can’t be helped this time. Would you do me a favor and tilt your head a little more to the right?” Keeping her eyes closed, she tilted her head.
“Just what are you planning?” she asked, with a playful smile.
“This.” I shifted my position and kissed the tip of her elevated left ear. “I cannot tell you how delectabe your ears look or how adorable you look when you tilt your head like that.”
Coco flicked her ear, tickling my lips with its softness, and cracked an eye open. “That is not what I meant, but you’re sweet.” She closed her eye again. “You had me going there for a second. When you said I my ears looked ‘delectable’ I thought you were going to-”
“Do something like this?” I caught her ear with my mouth and gave it a tender nibble.
“That was it!” Her blush contrasted well against her pale creme coat. “It’s not a kiss, but it counts for me.”
“Spit her ear out this instant!” somepony ordered from the doorway to the storefront.
I froze, Coco’s ear still held in my lips.
“I knew there had to be a flaw in you somewhere,” Berry said. She closed the distance between us using quick steps and gave my nose a light swat. “Release,” she ordered as if I were a misbehaving dog, “you horrible ear nibbler!”
“Berry!” Coco protested. “Don’t scold him. I’m trying to get him not to be so shy.”
Berry gave a snort. “You’ve got a long-term project there.”
“I haven’t gotten a true kiss out of him, but he’s already doing much better.” Coco blushed and admitted, “Besides, I like being nibbled.”
Berry’s eyebrows rose. “Not just your ears?”
Coco bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
My ears snapped up.
“You are a nibbler!” Berry said, acting aghast at my involuntary reaction. “And here I took you for a proper stallion.”
“I try to be. But Coco and mint is too much to resist.”
“Don’t use puns. That’s my shtick.” Berry gave me a confused look and asked, “Mint?”
“Her shampoo smells like mint,” I explained.
Berry gave me an inquisitive look. “I want to know how you, who won’t kiss her, ended up nibbling her ear.”
“She hinted that’s what she thought I would do, after I gave her a kiss to the tip of her ear. It was too tempting, and I went for it.” I looked at Coco and said, “If she wants nibbles I’ll be glad to deliver them whenever and wherever she directs.” I grinned as Coco blushed.
Berry laughed. “It seems she’s being a good bad influence.”
There was a knock on the back door.
“I’ll get it.” After making my way across the room, I opened the back door. “Hello, Thunderlane.”
Thunderlane looked around as if he was worried about being watched. “Is this a good time for me to pick up my suit?”
“Now would be great.” I made room and waved him in. “You okay?”
“I’m trying to keep a low profile,” said, as he stepped in. “Rainbow is beyond peeved with me.”
I closed the door behind him. “What did you do this time?”
“It’s what I didn’t do. She wanted me to ask a mare to the shindig, and I turned her suggestion down.”
“Ah, she wouldn’t take that well.”
“She didn’t. She promised the mare a date with a Wonderbolt, and she was sure I would agree.”
“What about Soarin? You said he was unattached.”
“He was.” Thunderlane paused and smiled when he looked at Berry. “Berry! I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Berry smiled back at him. “Hello Lane, how have you been?”
Thunderlane shrugged. “You know me, I manage a little trouble now and then, but I’m working most of the time.”
Berry gave him a searching look. “I don’t get a hug, and you turned down a date? What’s going on?”
Thunderlane chuckled. “You’re right, I’ve been berry bad.”
“Oh, please, don’t get her started with the puns,” I begged. “She’s already given me a warning for using them.”
Thunderlane gave Berry a hug, which she returned. “How are Pina and Pinch?”
“They’re doing fine. How’s Rumble?”
Thunderlane sighed. “He’s working too hard for a colt his age.”
“Takes after someone I know, mister weather pony and Wonderbolt.” Berry poked Thunderlane in the chest with a hoof. “What is this about you turning down a date?”
“It’s on the classified side, but I had already chosen someone to take to an event that will be held before too long.”
“Hmmm,” Berry said. “I planed to set up an appointment for Barrel with our friends here because we got a berry nice order and catering contract for an event that hasn’t been announced yet.” She leaned close to him and whispered something I could not make out.
Thunderlane nodded. “That would be the one.”
“Who are you going to ask?”
Thunderlane looked like a nervous colt as he told Berry, “Rarity.”
Berry grinned. “So you’re making the move. You better work fast, though. She will be on the top of a lot of bachelor’s lists of mares to ask.”
“I’m heading over to her boutique as soon as I can.” Thunderlane gave Berry a vulnerable look. “You don’t think she’s out of my league do you?”
Berry snorted. “Mister super athlete, nice guy, and stallion that saved her by plucking her out of the air, I think you’ve got this.” She patted his shoulder. “Be the handsome, witty guy you are and everything will be just fine.”
“Be sure to stop by Rose’s first,” Coco said. “Ask her about making a bouquet that sends the right message.”
“I will,” Thunderlane said. “Thanks.”
“Speaking of getting ponies together…” Thunderlane moved closer and gave me an elbow. “If you need tips about luring this guy in, let me know. He can be a tough nut to crack, but I know tricks that could help.”
“She’s lured him in already,” Berry told him.
Thunderlane’s ears went up and he smiled. “That’s great!”
Berry gave him a conspiring look. “She is having an issue with him though. Maybe you could help? I’m berry determined in making sure this blend works out.”
My eyes widened as I realized I was about to have Berry and Thunderlane team up, with me as their target. They had known me since I was a colt, and I worried what kinds leverage they could apply.
Coco said to Berry and Thunderlane, “This is a question for both of you: how do I get him to give me a kiss?”
Berry gave me an exasperated look as she said to Coco, “Let me guess, he’s following his nibbler nature and working the edges.”
Coco nodded. “One on the nose, after our first official dinner date, and one on the ear just now,” Coco reported.
“I know the answer to this one!” Thunderlane said, holding up a hoof. He stopped and gave me a look. “You’re a nibbler?”
“Just a little,” I told him.
Thunderlane shook his head and then asked Coco, “Have you noticed Pin has a tendency to follow orders, especially when given by mares?”
Coco giggled. “I found that out the other day, thanks to Berry.”
Thunderlane’s eyebrows almost met his mane.
“Sorry Lane, it‘s not that exciting,” Berry said. “I asked for our group to halt, the other night, and he did along with Pina and Pinch.”
“Underwhelming, but in character for Pin.” Thunderlane looked back to Coco. “You’ve noticed that he likes to pamper others too, I’m sure.”
Coco nodded.
“Use those characteristics in combination and you’ve got him.” Thunderlane tapped the side of his head with a hoof. “It’s true that stallions don’t take hints. There are two reasons for that. First, I’ll admit, we miss even blatant ones. Second, we hesitate because we’re aware that what we see might be a hint or might not. If the stallion is a respectful and shy one, like Workaholic here, he won’t respond because he doesn’t want to come across as a jerk.”
Coco gave me a scheming look. “He kissed my ear when I asked him for a kiss, so the theory seems sound.”
Thunderlane chuckled. “He’s also a tease. Give him precise instructions or he’ll turn things into a game.”
“I can’t argue with any of that.” I retrieved Thunderlane’s suit bag, with his suit inside. “Here you go.”
“Try it on,” Berry said. “You’ll want to look your best when you ask her.”
Thunderlane looked at the suit bag for a long second.
“Lane, don’t get cold hooves now,” Berry said.
“It’s kind of hard not to.” Thunderlane looked up from bag. “She’s an Element, she’s famous, she’s-”
Berry covered his mouth with a hoof. “If Pina or Pinch brings home a colt of your caliber, when they’re older, I’ll be thrilled.”
Thunderlane’s ears fell in humility, and he gave her an appreciative smile. “Ank uo,” he said, Berry’s hoof still on his mouth.
Berry gave Thunderlane a hug and an assuring pat on the back. “I’m telling you, you’ve got this.”
“Fitting rooms are out front,” I reminded him.
“I’ll be right back,” Thunderlane said and went to the storefront.
“He’s so nervous,” Coco said.
“Underneath his bravado and flashy attitude, there is a good stallion,” Berry said. “If Rarity doesn’t recognize that, it’s her loss.”
“I hope he’s ready with a backup plan,” I said.
Both Berry and Coco game me near identical, scathing looks.
“Don’t get me wrong,” I told them, holding up my front hooves. “I’m with you, but Rarity will have others hoping to take her that might have moved first.”
“That’s reasonable,” Berry said. “If not Rarity, who would you suggest?”
I thought for a moment. “Apple Bloom mentioned that Applejack was available the other day.”
Berry tilted her head for a second in thought, which I noted did not have the same effect on me as when Coco did it, and then nodded. “I could see that working too.”
We turned our attention to Thunderlane, as he rejoined us.
“You look sharp!” Berry said.
“Thank you.” Thunderlane did a slow turnaround to allow us to see the suit from all angles. “Do you think this is enough to catch her eye?”
“Sure!” Coco said.
“It looks good, but bet me check the fit.” I walked around Thunderlane, inspecting various points on him to make sure the suit rested on him as it should. “It settles on you well. Anything feel off?”
“Nope,” he responded. “It feels great.”
“Extend your wings, please. I need to make sure the jacket’s not binding your wings.”
Thunderlane glanced at Berry and Coco. “I can move my wings just fine. I tested it.”
“Aww,” Berry said in exaggerated disappointment. “We don’t get a plumage display?”
Thunderlane blushed. “Not today.”
“Saving it for Rarity?” Berry teased.
“Something like that. Pin, I left my bag in the fitting room. Could you watch it for me?”
“Sure, but why?” I asked.
“I’m going now, before I talk myself out of it,” Thunderlane said and walked towards the door. “I’ll be back.”
“Hold it.” Berry ordered.
Thunderlane raised an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder, still moving to the back door. “That may work on him, but not me. Spitfire has you beat, Berry.”
“You have to pay him!” Berry said.
“He has my bag. He can hold it as collateral until I get back.”
“Good luck!” Coco cheered.
Thunderlane paused in stepping out the door. “Thanks, I’m going to need it.”
“No you’re not,” I told him. “Stop by Rose’s, like Coco said, and you’re good.”
“Better pay her, though, or your name will be mud,” Berry teased. “And good luck.”
“Thanks guys,” he said and went out the door, closing it behind him.
“He didn’t think things through,” Berry said. “If he didn’t want attention, he shouldn’t have gone out there wearing a suit.”
“He’s so nervous I don’t think it even crossed his mind,” I told her. “I think he’s worse now than the first time he found out he would be a substitute for one of the Wonderbolts for a show.”
“I don’t understand what is bothering him so much,” Coco said. “Rarity is one of the nicest, most approachable ponies there is.”
“It’s a sign he likes her and is not just being his typical flirty self. Rumble and Sweetie being friends is weighing on his mind too, I’m sure.” I smiled at her. “I’m sure he’s facing what I did with you too. It terrified me that the mare I adored and thought so much of might turn me down and I would ruin our friendship by gambling for something more.”
Berry gave an odd snort and chortle combination.
“I’m serious,” I told Berry, as Coco gave her a glance.
“That’s what’s tickling me. There was no chance that would happen.”
Berry grinned. “If you had been there during our mare’s night, you wouldn’t have been nervous at all.”
Coco’s eyes widened. “Berry, we agreed, what happens during mare’s nights is privileged to us mares.”
The shop’s clock struck the first chime of twelve.
“It’s been fun, but I’ve got to go,” Berry said. “Barrel’s watching the shop alone, and the it’s been berry busy. Would three tomorrow work?”
It took a moment for me to realize that her question had been directed to me. I nodded and to. “That would be fine.”
“Then he’ll be there.” Berry winked at Coco. “Now I’m leaving, maybe you can ply what Thunderlane said to try on the guy who is too shy.” As she left the workroom, Berry told Coco, “Keep in mind, I’ll want a full report on how the experiment went, so don’t go too far with him, this time, unless you want to share every sordid detail later.”
“Berry!” Coco protested.
“Be good to her, or you’ll answer to me, Pin!” Berry called from the storefront.
The store’s front door opened and closed before I could form a response.
Shaking my head, I smiled and snorted. “She’s in a full-fledged Berry mood today.”
“She’s a hoot,” Coco said.
I glanced at the workroom’s clock to check myself. “It’s about time for lunch. I was thinking about making a fresh salad. I got the veggies from Golden Harvest this morning, so I’m sure it will taste great. Would you like some?”
Coco smiled and shook her head. “That sounds great, but today is my day to be at Rarity’s during the afternoon. Remember?”
My ears fell with disappointment, but I caught them before they could fold back all the way. “I forgot.” I offered, “I could pack you a salad to take with you.”
She smiled and told me, “Pin, hold still.”
I did as she asked, and she bumped her nose to mine. She did not draw back that far and told me, “You’re sweet, but you don’t have to do that.” She smiled, looking satisfied. “The first test is showing positive results.”
I chuckled. “I’m sure Berry and Lane will be glad to hear that.” I got caught by her eyes. I looked into them and told her, “I know I don’t have to make you a salad, but I would like to.”
“So you want to make me a salad and have me eat it in front of a jealous Rarity,” Coco teased. "Is that what you're aiming for?"
I smiled. “I’d be glad to make her a salad too. Though, you’ll be the motivation for it. Not that I wouldn’t share my food with her, but making the salad for her would make her happy, which would make you happy, which would make me happy.”
“Me being happy is important to you?”
I nodded, not breaking eye contact and just missing her nose with mine. “Very much so.”
She smiled in a way that, close as she was and with us sharing breath, made my heart go faster.
Ceasing the moment, I kissed her. It was not a fiery kiss, but a tender one I hoped that would not be too forward and could convey my affection for her.
To my delight and relief she returned the kiss.
Ending the kiss, I touched my nose to hers.
The store’s entry bell rang, and I gave a light sigh. “I didn’t flip the sign, did I?”
“Neither of us did.”
“Would you like to wait for the salads, or do you need to go?”
“I’ll wait.” Coco touched her forehead to mine, just below my horn, and rested her nose on mine. “Good things are worth waiting for.”
The counter’s bell for service rang.
*****
The shop’s door opened and a voice I recognized called my name at almost the same instant.
I stood up from behind the counter. “Lane, you okay?”
Thunderlane peeked from behind a display, his ears held high, and grinned in a way that made the primal herbivore part of my brain tell me to run. I did not get the chance to heed my hind-mind’s advice. I made an unstallion-like noise as Thunderlane launched himself over the counter and tackled me to the floor in an exuberant hug.
“She said yes!” he declared.
“I gathered that.” I patted him on the shoulder. “We told you it would go fine.”
“She loved the flowers too!”
“Rose is the best at what she does, and I’m sure you picked the right message to send.”
“I think I did.” Still standing over me, Thunderlane did a happy victory prance. “We’re having dinner next week!”
“Congratulations.”
His grin vanished as he looked down at me. “You’re doomed.”
I blinked up at him. “What?”
“I came to warn you. I was still at Rarity’s, when Coco showed up with the salads. They looked good.”
“Thank you, but please let me up and focus on why I’m doomed.”
Thunderlane glanced down at the rest of me as if realizing that I was on the floor. “Sorry about that.” He helped me to my hooves. “I got a little excited there.”
I gave his shoulder a congratulatory thump. “You should be. Rarity is a wonderful mare.”
“I have a conflict of interest now between you and Rarity, but I’m still going to warn you.” Thunderlane put a hoof on my shoulder. “Rarity knows about your kiss with Coco.”
I winced. “That could be bad.”
“That wouldn’t have been so bad alone, but she knows about the nibble too.”
“Scratch my previous statement. You’re right, I’m doomed. Coco and I will be gossip material for weeks.”
He nodded. “Sweetie Belle knows too. She was visiting Rarity, when I went over. She got to see me ask Rarity out and heard Coco explaining to Rarity why she was smiling so much.”
“Oh horse apples,” I said, my ears folding back. “That will go over about like Gummy getting in the punch bowl at a party. Rarity won’t like that it was mentioned in front of Sweetie and Sweetie is sure to spread gossip as much as Rarity will.”
Thunderlane shrugged. “Sweetie was so fixated on me and Rarity going to the event and having dinner plans I don’t think it sunk in with her.”
I felt relief at his words. “That’s good.”
“Rarity wasn’t happy that Sweetie heard about it at all, though, and drew attention to it. She told Sweetie, ‘Such behavior, before being affianced to the mare, is not becoming of a proper stallion,’ so it might stick in her head.”
My relief vanished. “That’s bad.”
“Thunderlane grinned. “It could have been worse. For a second, when I first saw Coco at the boutique, I thought you two had a very active lunch break.”
“She was still smiling?” I grinned at the thought.
Thunderlane paused for a second and then chuckled. “Dude, you’ve got it really bad. What I said didn’t even register did it?” He gave me a lecherous wink. “Or did you two play ‘threading the needle’ or whatever you clothes horses call it after all?”
I snorted in irritation. “We didn’t.”
“Whatever you two did, it made Coco so happy that Rarity noticed so you may not be in all that hot of water. I can tell Rarity adores Coco, so there’s a chance if what you did was okay with Coco it will be looked over by Rarity.” Thunderlane eased around the counter. “Still, she’ll want all the juicy details, I’m sure.”
I gave Thunderlane his coat bag, which I had put on the shop’s back counter. “Here you go.” I suspected something, because of the look on Thunderlane’s face and his widening grin as he paid me for the alterations and I gave him his change.
“I better go,” Thunderlane said. “Ponies to see, weather to manage, dinners to arrange and all that.”
As Thunderlane took slow steps backwards, with a grin that was far too wide, a thought occurred. “Wait a minute. She’s not as shy as I am, but I can’t imagine Coco mentioning the ear nibble to Rarity.”
“She didn’t.” Thunderlane spun away from the counter and got into a sprinters stance. “It was me!”
“You traitor!” I called after him. I could not help laughing as he bolted out the door.
*****
I flipped the store’s sign to ‘closed’ and locked the front door. I said to myself, “There will be a knock on the door right abo-” I did not finish my sentence before there was a knock on the back door.
“Coming!” I called. I trotted to the shop’s back door and opened it. I had to look down to see who had knocked. “Hello! I wasn’t expecting you.”
“You were expecting Coco and Rarity weren’t you?” Sweetie Belle asked. Her voice holding a slight strain with the effort of holding the basket I had given Coco to carry the salads in the air with her magic.
“To be honest, I was. That doesn’t mean I’m not glad to see you.”
“Rarity asked us to drop this off before we crusaded again,” Scootaloo said, nodding to the basket that Sweetie Belle was keeping aloft in her magic.
“Thank you very much. She didn’t have to send it back this quick.” I took the basket from Sweetie Belle. “How’s the magic training going? It looks like you’re not having as much trouble as you were.”
Sweetie Belle took a relieved breath before answering, “Much better, thanks to what Miss Coco showed me.”
“Twilight’s been happy with how much she’s improved,” Apple Bloom said. Her ears fell and she grumbled to herself, “I wish I could say the same about my potion makin’.”
“So what if you didn’t make a miniature cloud for me to sculpt,” Scootaloo encouraged Apple Bloom. “You filling the library with bubbles was great!”
“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed. “You made the day of those foals from the elementary school.”
Scootaloo got a grin that reminded me of Rainbow Dash’s when she was up to mischief, and patted Apple Bloom’s back. “Ask yourself this: how many ponies can say they started a bubble popping contest in a royal library and even had one of the princesses join in?”
Apple Bloom’s frown evaporated and she giggled. “Not too many.”
Sweetie Belle fidgeted, seeming hesitant about something.
“Go on, Sweetie,” Apple Bloom coaxed.
“Thank you, Mister Pin,” Sweetie Belle said.
“You’re welcome, but I’m not sure what I did.”
“You helped Thunderlane get ready to ask Rarity out. He said you got his suit ready and that you and Coco gave him advice to get him ready for when he came over to see Rarity.”
“I was glad I could help him. I think they might have a shot at something, if they work at it together.”
Sweetie Belle nodded and smiled. “I haven’t seen Rarity this happy in a while. She’s been fussing about not having a coltfriend a lot.” She struck a dramatic pose and mimicked Rarity’s voice: “If things do not change soon, I am destined to be one of the many mares who yearn for love their whole lives and never find it.” Sweetie Belle shifted into another dramatic pose and continued, “I am getting to the age that soon nopony will look upon my wilting beauty.”
I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing. “You’ve got her down.”
“That was all because she found one gray hair in her brush that morning,” Sweetie Belle said with exasperation.
“I wish my sister was more interested in getting a special somepony,” Apple Bloom huffed. “Even Rainbow Dash got a special somepony before her!”
“Hey!” Scootaloo protested. “Rainbow deserves somepony too.”
I could not keep my eyebrows from rising at the news. “Who’s her special somepony?”
Scootaloo puffed up with pride. “Soarin, from the Wonderbolts! He’s great! He’s even been training with Rainbow and me.”
“I thought Sis could lure Soarin in with apple pies, after thinkin’ about what she told me about how he panicked when he almost lost one of our pies at the Gala, but Scoot’s told me Rainbow got to him first,” Apple Bloom fumed. “To add insult to injury, Rainbow was going to get another of the Wonderbolts to take her, but that fell through too!”
Things clicked together in my head and I did my best to keep a straight face. That explains why Rainbow was so mad at Thunderlane, I thought to myself. She was setting him up with Applejack.
“We were supposed to help all of our siblings get special someponies,” Sweetie Belle seemed to remind Apple Bloom. “Look at it this way, now we only have Applejack to focus on, since we helped Big Mac.”
Apple Bloom sighed. “We’re fifty-fifty with him, though. We helped him with Sugar Belle, but we poisoned him and Miss Cheerilee the first time we tried to help him find a special somepony.”
“Look on the bright side,” Scootaloo teased. “You helped us get the potion right that time.”
Apple Bloom gave Scootaloo a less than amused look. “I’m goin’ to ignore that.” She pointed a hoof at me. “I thought this one might work if we could somehow get him tickets to the ball, but Coco got him first.”
“I don’t know how I feel about being ‘this one’.” I tilted my head, as what she said sunk in. “What ball?”
Apple Bloom’s ears pinned back and she winced. “Oops.”
“Apple Bloom, you’re going to get us into trouble!” Sweetie Belle scolded.
I made a ‘timeout’ gesture. “Don’t be mad at her. I already knew something big was being planned, but not the specifics. This won’t go any further than us, I promise.”
“You Pinkie promise?” Scootaloo asked.
“I Pinkie promise.” I went through the motions of making a Pinkie promise and recited the words to seal it. “Berry said she had gotten a big order and Thunderlane mentioned that the Wonderbolts had been asked to perform for an upcoming event in Ponyville, so a ball coming up explains both.”
“Rarity said they are about ready to send out the invitations, but there are a few things Twilight wants to double check on,” Sweetie Belle said. “We have to hurry, if we want to get Applejack’s date on the invitation list.”
“We have to find her a date first,” Apple Bloom grumbled.
“Do you have any ideas?” Scootaloo asked me.
I rubbed the back of my head with a hoof. “I’ll admit, I don’t know Applejack that well. She’s always stuck to Sweet Apple Acre’s, even when we were little.”
“She’s still stuck on the farm,” Apple Bloom said. “My sister will be the only Element there without a date besides Twilight!”
“Pinkie and Fluttershy have dates?” I asked.
“Pinkie is dating Creme Brulee,” Sweetie Belle informed me. “They met while he was making deliveries to Sugar Cube Corner. Fluttershy and Discord have been going out for a while now, but they’ve kept it quiet.”
“I didn’t know about either of those developments,” I confessed. “Then again, I haven’t gotten out of the shop much in a while.” I suggested to Apple Bloom, “You could try think of anypony that helps around the farm, makes deliveries, or has some kind of overlapping interest with Applejack she seems happy to see when they come around.”
Apple Bloom pondered things for a moment. “I’ll think about that one. I’ll talk to Big Mac again too. Maybe he’ll have an idea.”
“What about asking Granny Smith?” I offered.
Apple Bloom shuddered. “Not unless I really need help.”
“It’s a long shot, but Pinkie collects a lot of information on ponies too.”
“Nope!” all three fillies said at the same time.
“Can’t say I blame you for that reaction. It was a thought though.”
“I might go to her to avoid going to Granny Smith, but she would be the second to last pony I would go to for somethin’ like this,” Apple Bloom said.
“Who else could you reach out to?” I asked. “Can you think about anypony with experience in this kind of thing who knows Applejack?”
There was a quiet hooffull of seconds and then Scootaloo jumped into the air. “We need to find Spike! We can get help for Twilight too, if this works!”
“Whoa, hold your horses!” Apple Bloom told her. “What are you goin’ on about?”
“Twilight’s Princess Cadance’s sister in law, right? Candance knows Twilight and Applejack and is an expert in love!”
Apple Bloom grinned. “I like where you’re goin’ with this.” She looked to Sweetie Belle. “Do you think Spike is at the castle? I’m sure he can get a letter to her.”
Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I don’t know, but that’s the place I would start.”
“Let’s do this!” Scootaloo cheered. “With Princess Cadance on our side we can’t fail!”
“We’ve got to find Spike and get that message sent first,” Apple Bloom said. “Come on girls! We’ve got a dragon to rustle up!”
The trio ran off towards the castle. “Thanks for the help!” Apple Bloom called back, over her shoulder. “We’ll let you know how things turn out!”
I waved and grinned. “I’m looking forward to it!”
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Is Royal Pin an OC?
9436663
Royal Pin is a background pony. He has been on the show several times, but has never had a speaking part that I know of. He also competes in the Equestria Games, which with be a minor plot point coming up soon.
Background ponies are fun to work with. They give a rough sketch to start with, so you are not having to make a pony from a complete blank, and since there is so little known about them you can take them in almost any direction. Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon are perfect examples of background characters that have become famous in their own right due to what authors have done with them.
Wow, this story just turned into a ship-fest fic! Seems like everypony is gonna be paired up.
Rarity and Thunderlane? Huh, don't think I've seen that pairing before.
Pinkie and Crème Brulee? Also one I don't think I've seen before. Most people pair her with Cheese Sandwich, but I guess this could work.
...Isn't anypony interested in Spike? Or he is he considered too young in this fic?
So, I thought Pin grew up in Canterlot, but here he states that he knew Thunderlane and Applejack as foals? Also, I get that his mother's talent is finding out about ponies, but how did she initially find out that her son was even dating Coco? They've only been "dating" for a few days, and their only real "date" wasn't so much a romantic gesture, as it was a get-together with friends. Who spilled the beans to Pin's parents?
9437579
Not everypony is going to be paired up. We have about reached critical mass with all the ships. Spike will have a part to play, but it will not be a romantic pairing. Pinkie and Creme Brulee being together is a nod to another of my stories, written a while ago, that had them paired up before Cheese Sandwich showed up on the show. Rarity and Thunderlane are not often shipped together, but there are a couple of good stories out there that pull it off.
Pin grew up part time in Canterlot, while going to a boarding school, and part time in Ponyville. His grandparents were the main care providers, when Pin was not in school, so he got to know ponies in Ponyville. Filthy Rich spills the beans about them dating, earlier in the story, to Pin's parents. Thank you for pointing out that it seems like their first 'date' was the gathering they had at Pin's apartment. I will go back and make it clearer that some time has passed and they have gone on a couple of dates since that gathering.
Thank you for the comment and the interest in the story. I am glad you are enjoying it.
Cute chapter.
*sound of hand, face and desk meeting simultaneously at Mach 9.5*
Oh no...
Oh my Coco 😳
Yes shipping fuel 😍
Yeah the love poison 😥
What Pinkie Pie is going out with the look a like big mac 😳
Why do I have a feeling something's going to go wrong
Well then there was so many unexpected turns so far Royal pin parents are coming over to meet with him and Coco and even talking about the future she's those folks really move fast and whoever thought their kiss turned out to be a nibble oh my but then Berry Punch came in as well follow up by Thunder Lane which apparently he was happy that Rarity said yes that she will go with him that's awesome and even talk about their love life and everything and I do like the interaction between royal and thunder Lane but after that the Cutie Mark Crusaders came along and apparently there was a ball coming which it was supposed to be a secret but they wanted to see if they can get Applejack and Twilight a date and they're going to call for Cadence Something tells me this is going to go crazy isn't it