Sweet Apple Summer: A Braeburn and Pinkie Pie story

"Come on." said Pinkie Pie as she dragged the stallion along behind her. "It's up the stairs on the fourth tier of the bakery."

Pinkie's room... Pinkie's bedroom... Braeburn's thoughts were muddled and chaotic as they jumbled around in his mind. Which one should Ah call it? Would 'bedroom' sound too intimate?

Pinkie Pie stopped just as they approached the fourth tier of the bakery, into the area where the ceiling opened up through means of a small cord attached to a rectangular door, like the entrance to an attic into her circular, cupcake shaped room. "Why did you get so quite all of the sudden?" She asked as she fished around in the dark for the draw cord.

"Just anticipating all the crazy things ah might see in your bedroo— er... room, Miss Pinkie." Braeburn chuckled awkwardly as he thought of the possibility of a plethora of military ordnance scattered about her room in place of the usual teddy bears or plush toys a normal girl would most likely have.

"Found it!" The pink mare cheered before pulling hard on the cord which sent a collapsible ladder unfolding downward at a dangerous speed. It struck the unsuspecting stallion in the face and sent him reeling backwards. Fortunately, he was able to grab onto the railing of the stairs and catch himself before he was knocked completely off his hooves and sent tumbling down the spiral staircase.

"By the way," Pinkie Pie pointed out. "There are some fold-up stairs that come down when I pull this cord. Just thought I'd give you the heads up."

Braeburn smiled as he rubbed the new bruise on his face. "Ah'll keep note of that, Miss PInkie." He then thought back to the time when Pinkie had accidentally tackled him and smashed his head against the well. He involuntarily rubbed the back of his head and felt the solid lump that had formed when he had made impact and cracked the cobblestone. It was quite clear that if Braeburn was going to spend time with this mare, he'd have to endure some lumps and bruises. Was it worth it?

A light suddenly clicked on from above him. Pinkie Pie had obviously found the switch that lit her room. Her smiling face suddenly popped up in the roof's opening like a jack in the box. Braeburn was instantly enamored by the mares bright blue eyes that glinted off the light like beautiful sapphire flames.

Totally worth it...

"Are you just going to keep staring at me, or are you coming up?" Pinkie Pie asked with a sideways glance that instantly snapped Braeburn back to reality. He took hold of the wobbly staircase and climbed upward into the attic-like opening.

He popped his head up through the overhead entrance and scanned his surroundings. Pinkie Pie's bed lay at one end of the room which had a very thick, purple quilt laying over it. Upon it lay a sleeping gummy who was curled into a green, scaly ball as he snored softly. He opened one of his purple eyes which met Braeburn's for only a brief moment before opening it's mouth wide with a disinterested yawn and falling back asleep.

Braeburn continued to look around at his surroundings and saw nothing that was really out of the ordinary. He ascended through the entrance and beheld this circular, spacious room in which he stood. A sweet scent pervaded the air that slightly tickled the stallions sinuses for a moment, but he couldn't quite place a name on it; it smelled sweet and spicy, but the scent was all together unfamiliar. One of the things that did impress Braeburn was the projector screen that stretched from the ceiling, down to the floor on Pinkie Pie's wall, opposite of the side of room where her bed was. Next to the screen lay a box which contained stacks of thrity five millimeter film reels, most likely movies for her projector screen; it wasn't often you'd find anyone with their own home theater system. Watching a movie in the comfort of your home? Without having to go to a theater? Braeburn thought to himself. Utter madness!

He then looked up and took note of the white, star-shaped stickers that were placed all over her bedroom ceiling. He scratched his chin quizzically for a moment before the lights suddenly shut off on him.

"I see you're checking out my stickers." Pinkie giggled in the darkness.

The star-shaped stickers glowed faintly in the twilight of her room just as the real stars did in the night sky. "That's impressive, Pinkie Pie."

Braeburn jumped when he heard Pinkie Pie make a sudden high pitched sound. The lights suddenly flicked on, revealing Pinkie Pie looking at him with a giddy smile.

"Something wrong?"

Pinkie shook her head slowly. "No," she replied. "That's just the first time you used my actual name without referring to me as 'miss,' or 'm'am."

"That really makes you that happy?"

Pinkie Pie closed the distance between her and the stallion with three bounding leaps before coming to an instant stop. She smiled warmly, which made Braeburn struggle to keep from shuddering as that grin of hers continued to send his affections for her soaring. "That makes me very happy." She stated, seemingly oblivious to how hot and bothered her smile was making her new friend. "I really would prefer it if you'd just drop the formalities and call me by my name."

"If that is your wish, Miss P— er, Pinkie Pie."

The pink mare snortled with a hoof over her mouth. "You're silly when you're nervous."

That struck a nerve with the golden stallion as he had just realized how nervous he really was. Was he really so nervous to the point where he was actually showing it? He had a reputation back in his town for having nerves of steel, but he had to admit as he looked at Pinkie Pie, knowing that the time would soon come where he would have to admit his feelings for her: he was absolutely nervous. Practically quivering with anxiety.

"So, why are you so nervous?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Did you think I brought you up here to knock you out with a drugged cupcake, so I can drag you to a hidden cellar and restrain you to a table to torture you at my leisure, or something?" Pinkie Pie snortled again. "That's silly. You're silly!"

Braeburn's eyes widened in surprise at the pink mare's sudden macabre outburst. He cleared his throat before turning the subject away from creepy-town. "So, uh, you said something about showing me something cool?"

Pinkie pie suddenly gasped. "That's right!" The pink mare sauntered over to her bed, reached under it, and retrieved that rocket launcher Braeburn had so adored envisioning her with. "Come with me." She then strapped the device over her back and skipped to a pair of glass double doors behind a thick, pink curtain.

His curiosity roused, Braeburn followed her to the doors, feeling a breeze from the cool night air as he drew closer, and closer before finally pushing aside the curtain and meeting Pinkie Pie's happy gaze as he stepped on the outside deck. He looked over at Pinkie who bit down on her lower lip as her eyes narrowed in concentration while she fiddled about with her rocket launcher.

He looked out beyond the deck and admired the lamp-lit streets of Ponyville. He looked beyond it's borders and saw a section of sweet apple acres, as well. He couldn't help but feel a sudden twinge of envy for Pinkie Pie who had access to such a magnificent view at night.  He quickly pushed those feelings out of mind as soon as he looked back at Pinkie Pie, who still seemed to be occupied with what ever she was doing with her launcher.

You provide a view more beautiful than any landscape, He thought with an affectionate smile.

"Got it!"

Braeburn jumped at Pinkie Pie's sudden cry of triumph.

"What did ya get, exactly?"

Pinkie Pie didn't answer. She knelt down on one knee, placed the large barrel of her launcher over the railing, and fired a shell without giving warning.

Braeburn watched as the projectile left a trail of smoke in it's wake before it burst into a magnificent display of dancing sparks and fire that lit up the night sky with a loud boom.

"I made that shell just for you," Pinkie commented with a cute smirk as she set her forelegs on the railing and rested her head on her hooves. "You seemed so excited by that rocket i fired for you the other day - I just had to make something spectacular for you! They look even better at nighttime, don't you think?"

Braeburn watched with his mouth agape and his eyes wide as saucers. He slowly removed his hat and placed it over his chest as he marveled at the display in front of him.

This... This is love... This is love that Ah'm feeling... He took a few shallow breaths.

"You don't have to act that impressed just for my benefit." Pinkie Pie giggled modestly.

Braeburn turned to look at Pinkie Pie, then immediately turned to the explosion in the sky. His wide, disbelieving eyes narrowed into his laid-back smile.

No more being nervous. If she says no, she says no. The world will keep turning. He took a deep, cleansing breath and let the muscles in his body relax. He closed his eyes and pointed his muzzle to the sky as he thought of the right words to use. He wished his cousin didn't point out to him that he had never told a mare he liked them before, that they always seemed to be the ones throwing themselves at him. His lack of experience didn't do well for his confidence. He once again, pushed his nervous feelings out of him, and just spoke naturally. He would simply word whatever came to mind.

"Miss Pinkie?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Ah don't suppose - you got somepony you're seein' at the moment?"

"I'm seeing you right now, silly!"

Braeburn chuckled at that; that was adorable.

"Ah mean..." Braeburn rubbed the back of his head shyly. "Do you have a special somepony? Somepony you're currently with, or maybe have your eyes set on?"

Braeburn looked to Pinkie Pie to gauge her reaction.

Pinkie Pie's smile slowly dimmed as her eyes darted around awkwardly. "N-no... No one like that..."

Braeburn was alarmed at Pinkie Pie's sudden change in demeanor. Her happy, care free expression was suddenly dimmed with - anxiety? Fear? Depression? He couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"I.. I have a lot of friends, though!" She suddenly blurted. "Everypony in town is a good friend of mine! Berry Punch, June Bug, Derpy, Colgate, Pokey Pierce, Carrot Top, Rose, Vinyl Scratch, Cherilee," Her voice became faster and more insistent with each name down her list until she finally finished with "and lets not forget my five best friends in the world!"

"Did Ah say somethin' to upset you?" Braeburn asked, alarmed and concerned.

"Of course not, silly," Pinkie Pie answered, doing her best to feign her usual happy, energetic personality with an obviously forced smile on her face.

"Pinkie... Whatever Ah said... Ah'm sorry..."

"You didn't do anything," Pinkie responded, no longer bothering to go on with her happy-go-lucky facade. Braeburn watched as her eyes were now expressionless, devoid of all emotion, as if she was deep in thought while looking out at the sky.

"What did you think of the fireworks?"

"Pinkie, please don't change the subject. Ah know Ah must'a said somethin' to upset you."

"When you asked me..."  Pinkie Pie laughed humorlessly and made a dismissive gesture with her hoof. "Nah, I'm okay." She forced another smile for the stallion's benefit.

"When Ah asked you if you had anyone you liked?" Braeburn guessed.

Pinkie's eyes darted around again. "Hey, you wanna go back down to the party? I'll bet there's some leftovers. I'm getting kinda hungry."

Braeburn, knowing he must have done something wrong, knowing what ever he did, he just blew his chance with her, sighed in defeat. "Sure."

With a solemn and heavy heart, he turned from the ledge of the balcony and started toward the exit. And the world... will keep turning...

Pinkie Pie suddenly reached toward him with a hoof. "Wait!"

Braeburn's ear twitched before he looked back at her. This time it was him who was forcing a smile. "Yes, Miss Pinkie?"

Pinkie pie had a hoof over her head as if she was suffering from a migraine. "Can you keep a secret?"

"A secret?"

"Yeah," responded Pinkie Pie with a weak smile. "Let's make a deal: I'll tell you a secret, then, as collateral, so I know you'll keep it between us, you have to tell me one of your secrets."

Braeburn looked at his saddle bag at his side that contained the gift he had brought for her, then smiled. "Sounds fair."

"Lets go inside," suggested Pinkie Pie after looking down at the streets below suspiciously. She then turned around and followed Braeburn inside, shutting the glass door and drawing the curtain behind her.

Pinkie Pie walked slowly to her bed and sat down on it's edge. Gummy, sensing that his mother was upset, stirred from his sleep and crawled into her lap, and it was there he snuggled his head against her. Pinkie Pie smiled slightly as she gently stroked her pet's scaly back.

Braeburn thought about sitting on her bed next to her, but quickly thought better of it, and just sat across from her on the floor. She just sat, looking down at her baby alligator for a good long while before she spoke while Braeburn waited patiently with, what he hoped, was a comforting smile.

"I'm sorry I got a little weird on you so suddenly..."

"Ah really do apologize, Miss Pinkie, but you can tell me all day and night that it wasn't something Ah said, but you and I both know that's not true."

Pinkie Pie smiled. "Call me Pinkie Pie."

"Sorry, Miss P— er Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie Pie laughed. "I know that you think you did something wrong, but you didn't. And... That's why I'm telling you - what I'm about to tell you. I would feel bad if I thought you went home kicking yourself over assumptions. The reason why I don't share this story often is because it upsets me, and looking back on it, it's kind of stupid that it bothers me so much."

"Pinkie Pie, I ain't gonna laugh at you, and no matter what it is, it's not going to make me think any different of you."

"Promise?"

Braeburn went through an array of strange, foreign gestures with his hooves before looking at Pinkie Pie with a silly grin.

"What's all that mean?"

Braeburn smiled even wider "Ah just crossed mah heart with your secret it in it, cut mah chest open, removed my heart, sealed it in a lead box, dug a hole, buried it, built a mansion over the hole, saw that somebody realized the floor boards looked strange where the hole was under the floor boards, then blew up the house along with the box containing my heart which contained your secret along with whom ever thought there may be a chance that those floor boards looked different and may contain a secret."

Pinkie Pie stared at Braeburn for a moment before her mouth turned upward in a tight-lipped smile as if she were trying to hold it back before bursting into a sudden fit of laughter. When the laughter died, she wiped the tear from her eye. She looked back at Braeburn, who was still beaming that silly grin before he once again made that 'blowing up the house' gesture with his hooves as if to emphasise that he would take her secret to the grave with him. Pinkie Pie laughed again.

"I wont be able to tell you if you keep making me laugh!"

"Just thought Ah'd loosen you up with a little giggle."

"You did," Pinkie Pie panted. "Thank you so much for that."

As happy and appreciative the pink mare seemed to be, her smile seemed to slowly diminish again. "All jokes aside..."

Braeburn, knowing it was time to be serious now, wiped the stupid grin from his face, and went back to that attentive smile of his.

Pinkie took a slow and deep breath. "I was a really awkward-looking kid..."

"Is that it?"

"No, it's not. Well - it's part of it..."

"Whenever you're ready, Pinkie. Take all the time you need." Braeburn said sincerely, hoping he didn't just sound as if he was being sarcastic.

"I was a little pudgy... I had acne... braces that made me sound like I had a lisp...My mane was even more unruly back then than it is now," Pinkie Pie then looked up at Braeburn as if she was expecting him to reply to her next statement. "And believe it or not, I was a bit of a spazz."

"...R-really..?" Braeburn replied, trying with all his might to not sound sarcastic.

"Hard to believe, I know."

Braeburn was beginning to wonder if Pinkie Pie was the one who was being sarcastic.

"Well... During hearts and hooves day at school, I had finally worked up the nerve to tell this boy that I really liked, that, well - I liked him."

Pinkie Pie suddenly choked. "This is really silly that I'm still so hung up about this..."

"Ah'm guessing he didn't feel the same way?"

Pinkie hid her face under her forelegs. "If it was just that, it would have been fine."

Braeburn slowly reached out to give Pinkie a hug, but before he could even touch her, she threw herself into him and buried her face into his chest. He then slowly brought her back to the bed, set her down, and continued to hold onto her as he sat next to her.

"He pushed me down..."

Braeburn's eyes widened in surprise.

"He said I was fat." She looked up at him with a veil of tears over her eyes. "I know that girls get weird about being called fat, and I know boys think it's stupid when we do that, but he just said it with such a cruel pleasure on his face. This was the boy that I liked saying this to me!"

Braeburn gave her a caring smile before lowering his head close to hers and whispered softly "and then what happened?"

"He said—" she sniffled. "He said I was more sow than filly, then his friends joined in, then some of the girls even joined in. The boys took to referring to me as a pig, but the girls preferred to call me a cow."

Braeburn could feel a tear of his own rolling down his cheek as he felt her grip on him becoming tighter. "Where was the teacher?"

"She didn't stop it; even she thought some of the things they were calling me were funny! I was upset, but I figured that there was always a better tomorrow. But after that day, it just wouldn't stop. Through that freak chain reaction on hearts and hooves day, all the other kids in the class room designated me to be their source of entertainment. I was the butt of everyone's jokes. I was the one they'd snicker at as I passed them by on the playground. I was always a bit of a loner in school before that; it was almost as if I was invisible. I would have happily gone with that if I could have gone back to it, but I quickly went from being invisible, to not being able to be left alone, no matter how hard I tried to go unnoticed."

"Then what happened?" Braeburn whispered again.

"I got older." She replied laconically. "I stayed the same weight as I grew. The braces eventually came off. My acne cleared up... They just left me alone after that."

Braeburn could now feel her grip loosening from around him.

"To give you a belated answer to your question, Braeburn, no."

He cocked his head sideways in confusion.

Pinkie Pie sighed. "I don't have a special somepony. I have never in my life had one. And I don't plan on ever having one." She then looked back at Braeburn accusingly.

"I know you think it's stupid! Don't deny it! To be so upset about something that happened so long ago! I don't blame you for thinking it's stupid! Heck, even I think it's stupid!"

Braeburn smiled, got down from the bed, removed his saddle bag, then began ruffling through it as Pinkie Pie continued her rant.

"I'm in my early twenties... I've never had anyone to call a very special somepony... But I guess when you're—" She sniffed as she whipped her eyes with her leg. "More sow than filly," her voice cracked. "It's rather hard to find someone who can stomach being around you. But, don't feel sorry for me. That's not what I want. I'm very happy. I have a good life, a good job, lots of friends..."

She turned around to see Braeburn standing there with a smile on his face and a jar in hoof. She looked at him dumbly for a moment.

"Miss Pinkie, Ah came to this here party with one intention tonight: to admit to you my feelings. Ah know this may seem like a strange gift to be a symbol of mah affection, but Ah figured something that Ah went out and got myself instead of something store bought would be better."

Pinkie Pie stepped back. "You're just saying that to make me feel better..."

"No," Braeburn chuckled. "Ah'm not. Look at the sincerity on my face before you call me a liar."

Pinkie looked away defiantly. "Please, stop it, Braeburn. I'm not a child. Don't just tell me something I want to hear to make me feel better..." Pinkie Pie's eyes widened as if she had just made a mistake. "I mean - something you think I want to hear."

"Pinkie Pie... Why would Ah have brought you a gift - a token of mah affection for you - if ah wasn't sincere?"

"Braeburn... Please, stop," Pinkie pleaded.

"You really think Ah'm so cruel that ah'd do this to you after the story you just told me?"

"I don't think you're being cruel," Pinkie answered somberly. "I think you're trying to be nice. But if you think about it, it is kinda cruel..."

"Why in the world do you think Ah wouldn't like you?"

Pinkie looked Braeburn over for a moment before walking to her dresser mirror on the other side of the room. She looked into her reflection with disgust before she mumbled something unintelligible.

"Didn't catch that."

Pinkie Pie sighed impatiently. "I said 'because, look at you.'"

Braeburn, taking what she had just said as literal as possible, looked down at himself with a flummoxed expression on his face.

"and..." Pinkie Pie looked back into the mirror. "Look at me..."

Pinkie Pie looked down at her dresser in frustration when she heard Braeburn chuckle.

"Ah am looking at you. Ah can't not look at you when you're around."

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie growled in agreement. "Because I'm so—"

"Beautiful."

Pinkie Pie had finally decided that she had had enough. She turned around, walked right up to Braeburn, and sat with a look on her face that was so serious, it was kinda cute.

"What do I gotta do to show you how serious Ah am?" Braeburn asked.

The next words on Pinkie Pie's lips were so sudden, so without emotion, the blushing stallion couldn't believe she had just said it.

"Nuzzle me!" She demanded with a harrumph and a twist of her head with her eyes closed in a haughty expression.

"You want me to give you a nuzzle?" Braeburn asked in disbelief, not knowing if she was serious. "We ain't even been on a date yet, and as a gentlecolt, I'm a firm believer that—"

"I thought so." Pinkie interrupted conclusively, knowing that not even Braeburn would take his fib so far as to steal her first nuzzle from her so disingenuously, which made it all the more alarming to her when she opened her eyes, looked at him, and nearly jumped when his face was only an inch from hers.

"Miss Pinkie."

"C-call me P-pinkie pi—"

Braeburn moved in, then slowly and gently caressed the tip of his muzzle against hers affectionately. When he moved back, she stared at him blankly, her heart pounding, her legs shaking, her face hot and red like blazing coals.

"You were saying?" Braeburn asked, grinning all the while.

"Call me what ever you want..."

Pokey Pierce jerked back to consciousness before wiping the drool from his mouth and neck. The first thing he checked was his watch. "Alright, everypony. It's getting late!" He shouted over the music so the last few remaining party guests could hear him. "Most of you have to be at work in the morning, and I for one have a busy night ahead of me after I help Pinkie Pie clean this place up, so if you don't mind..." The unicorn looked among the remaining party guests, but could not find that pink mare among them. "Where's Pinkie Pie?"

"You didn't see?" rang out a masculine voice. Pokey Pierce turned his head to see Apple Jack standing next to an inebriated Berry Punch. On the other side of her stood a tall, wiry-looking stallion he recognized, but couldn't place a name with his face.

"Didn't see what?" Asked Pokey Pierce.

The stallion and Apple Jack looked at each other and shared a brief chuckle. Apple Jack then sat next to Pokey Pierce and informed him that the last time Pinkie was seen, she was dragging Braeburn behind her to her room.

"What?! Braeburn dragged her away to her room?!" Pokey Pierce was suddenly fuming with ire.

Apple Jack face-hoofed. "No, sugarcube, listen to ponies when they speak. "She was dragging him."

Apple Jack jumped with a start when Pokey Pierce suddenly slammed his hoof hard on the table. "This will not do! You just let that animal whisk her away as she kicked and screamed for help?!"

The chestnut-maned stallion was now the one to face-hoof. "SHE was dragging HIM!"

"And they bofe seemed pretty conshenchual about it," Berry Punch added with a loud hiccup. "Lucky girl!"

Apple Jack leaned over the table. "Caramel? Sugarcube? Can ya make sure she gets home safe?"

Caramel nodded in agreement before placing a concerned hoof on Berry Punch's back. "C'mon, lets get you home."

"I want another cupcake!" she protested.

"We'll get you a cupcake, but then I'm taking you home."

"Nopony sees anything wrong with all this?!" Pokey Pierce blurted.

"Wrong with what, sugarcube?" Apple Jack asked.

"That lascivious, conniving, deviant stallion! Your cousin, whom, by the way, Pinkie Pie went through so much effort for, forcing himself on poor Pinkie Pie. This will not stand! I will not stand for this!" The infuriated unicorn shot up from his seat and stomped toward the spiral staircase. Apple Jack immediately jumped in his way and barred his path.

"Now, hold on a second, sugarcube! Ah will not let you talk about mah cousin that way, and Ah done told you, Pinkie was the one who took him upstairs! Braeburn is a gentlecolt! He knows how to treat a lady, so quite your worrying!"

"How can you be sure?" Pokey Pierce sneered,

"Because, Ah know mah cousin! He would never hurt her - specially not in what ever sick way you're thinkin'! I'll bet you anything he's already admitted his feelings to her in the sweetest way imaginable, and, who knows? Maybe Pinkie likes him too?"

Hearing this, Pokey Pierce's expression became even more enraged than ever. "He's not good enough for her!" he said in a strange, high pitched squeal which made Apple Jack giggle.

"You're just oozin' with manliness, ain't ya?" the blonde mare laughed.

"I don't have time for this. Move!"

"Nope."

"You think I wont hit a girl?!"

Apple Jack grabbed Pokey Pierce by his horn, then pulled his face close to hers before narrowing her eyes dangerously. "You think AH wont...? Sugarcube?"

Pokey Pierce, looking slightly intimidated, pulled his horn free from her grip. "You know what, Miss Apple Jack?"

Apple Jack, keeping her eyes narrowed, tilted her head slightly.

"I'm sorry. You're right."

Apple Jack's eyes rounded in surprise as her aggressive posture relaxed. "Oh, uh, well. Ah'm sorry, too. Y'all can understand me defending mah family, and all. It's just that Braeburn really likes her, and Ah want him to be happy. Ah want Pinkie Pie to be happy, too; Ah love them both very much."

"That's sweet." Pokey Pierce smiled."Hey, wanna see something cool?"

"What's that?" Apple Jack asked with genuine interest.

"Keep your eye on the birdy." Pokey Pierce said with an innocent smile as his horn began to resonate with energy.

Apple Jack stared at the tip of his horn. "Huh? This another one of your magic tricks?"

Pokey Pierce suddenly loosed a gout of blinding light from his horn, incapacitating Apple Jack as she fell backwards rubbing her eyes.

"Pokey, you dirty rat! When Ah get mah hooves on you!"

Pokey Pierce didn't care to stick around and listen to her threats. He scaled the stairs as fast as he could, his hoofs clopping hard on the metal as he bared his teeth in anger.

Pinkie Pie and Braeburn sat side-by-side on her balcony as she nestled her and rubbed her muzzle gently on the side of Braeburn's neck. "So, you wanna do something tomorrow night?" She sighed.

Braeburn's smile gleamed off the moonlight with his leg over her. "Sounds good. The night after sounds nice, too. Maybe we can catch movie?"

Pinkie Pie hummed contently. "I have some movies, and a home theater system. You can just come up here if we decide to see a movie." She rubbed her snout against the side of his neck again.

"It's a date," Braeburn concluded as he attempted to control his shuddering. "We should probably get down stairs. Ah gotta work tomorrow, and mah cousin is probably wonderin' where Ah ran off to."

"No," Pinkie ordered playfully before wrapping her forelegs tightly around her stallion.

Braeburn laughed. He turned his head toward her, and they nuzzled again.

Their brief moment of affection was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Pinkie's glass door flying open behind them.

The couple both looked at Pokey Pierce who stood their huffing angrily with an accusing scowl.

Pinkie Pie didn't even so much as try to hide her annoyance with the interruption. "Have you ever heard of knocking?"

Pokey Pierce ignored her protests as he frowned at the stallion who had her in his in his forefronts. "Unhoof her, you... you... Molester!"