Yes, you may be surprised to read this but Pinkie had gotten pregnant. She’d had a bit too much hard cider at a party one night and found herself drunkenly attracted to a tall and very handsome unicorn stallion who kept eyeing her from the other side of the room.
Although weaving a bit she, in her typically bubbly and bouncy fashion, shambled drunkenly across the room to greet him and he was delighted when she’d introduced herself.
Utterly charmed by Pinkie’s manic, joyous and bubbly nature he instantly fell under her spell. She, in turn, found herself completely swept away by his good looks, his charm and his fun and gentle nature.
One thing led to another and soon they found themselves staggering drunkenly toward an empty upstairs bedroom. That was the only time Pinkie had been with that stallion.
Unfortunately the day came when she needed to inform him that she was now pregnant by him. She’d searched high and low but never found him again and it seemed to her that he’d simply disappeared off the face of the planet.
But, then, it wasn’t surprising Pinkie never found him again since all she had to go on was drunken memories plus she couldn’t remember his name.
She was depressed by the thought of being a single parent but, as was so typical of Pinkie, that lasted all of five minutes as she found herself happily embracing the idea of being a mother, single or not.
It wasn’t long before Pinkie began experiencing morning sickness and not much longer afterwards that she saw her tummy slowly swell. She smiled and was pleased by the thought of new life growing inside her.
As was typical in small towns and especially of Ponyville, all of her friends were shocked and surprised at first when she told them of her pending motherhood. But that changed almost instantly when they saw how happy she was about it. Their attitude changed to one of warm, loving support as they embraced Pinkie’s future parenthood with as much joy, enthusiasm and delight as she had and, of all of them, Maud was the happiest for Pinkie, although a stranger would never have figured that from looking at Maud.
In due course Pinkie gave birth to beautiful twin unicorn daughters who, for all extents and purposes, looked like their mom except that their coats were a soft cream, their thick and curly manes and tails a strawberry blonde striped with gold and their eyes a bright, clear, translucent green just like their father’s.
All of her dear friends were happily in attendance to witness the beautiful event of their birth. Pinkie named them Moon and Marshmallow. Maud surprised everyone when she actually smiled while holding the newborns for the first time.
It seemed like no time at all as the years flew quickly by and Pinkie diligently and lovingly raised her daughters, watched them grow into fine, happy and beautiful fillies.
Eventually, the fillies earned their cutie marks; Marshmallow’s sharp business sense and quick mind for deal making earned her a cutie mark of two bit symbols and Moon’s were two cupcakes because she had a real talent and love for baking just like her mother.
***
“Moon, honey, can you run down to the basement and bring up another big sack of flour?”, huffed Pinkie Pie as she carried a huge tray of cupcakes out from the kitchen, set the tray on a rack in the glass fronted display case out in the cafe.
“Sure, mom,” smiled Moon as she stepped into the kitchen and down the stairs at the back of the room. Pinkie brushed a flour dusted strand of hair from her face as she tiredly shuffled back into the kitchen.
It wasn’t surprising that a now middle-aged Pinkie looked tired since her six day work week usually started at four in the morning and often didn’t end until ten at night. But, in spite of her weariness, she was no less happy, no less bubbly or joyous than she’d ever been, it was just a little more subdued than it had been in past years.
She watched her daughter walk across the kitchen and felt herself swell with pride. She knew and had been told by everypony that she’d done a wonderful job raising her foals and, no, it hadn’t been perfect or easy.
She’d experienced her share of pain and grief with her little foals as they were growing up, as any mother who’d raised not just one but two high-spirited, rambunctious, often stubborn and very independent foals would. But there had been the times of joy, of accomplishment for her foals as well. She smiled to herself knowing that raising those two had been the finest accomplishment of her life.
So, she worked with her daughters six days a week in what was now Pinkie Pie’s Sugarcube Corner And Party Supply Emporium.
Retiring to a quiet home in the country, the Cakes had sold Sugarcube Corner to Pinkie, leaving her as the sole owner of the bakery. This had worked out perfectly for all of them as Pinkie had always loved the Cake family, loved working with them and living in the spare room at that bakery and had often dreamed of having a bakery of her own someday. So, ultimately, her dream had come true.
Shortly after buying the shop Pinkie had expanded the customer service area, having a large and complete party supply shop built next to the cafe/counter area.
Marshmallow, who was much more like her mother than Moon was, happily worked the Emporium, displaying as much manic, joyous enthusiasm for it as her mother had shown for party planning years before. The quieter, more subdued and studious Moon preferred to do the hard work of baking in the kitchen since that’s what she enjoyed most.
Pinkie returned from the kitchen a moment later pushing a large shelved rack, its shelves filled with trays of different kinds of muffins. She took the trays and began putting them on the top shelves of the display case nearest the register. Pinkie had learned from the Cakes many years before that putting the muffins on those racks always made them sell faster.
She looked up, smiled, when she heard the tinkle of the little bell over the door, saw the thin, frail form of Alvin Clodhoof enter.
“Good morning, Alvin!” Pinkie smiled brightly. Her smile faded a little, “up all night, again?” She glanced up at the clock; 5:35.
“Morning, Miss Pie,” he smiled weakly through bucked teeth, pushing his thick spectacles up on his nose, “and yeah. I had a school project I needed to finish”
“Well, I hope you got it done in time,” said Pinkie, her bright smile returning, “So, what can I get you?” she asked, wiping her forehooves on an apron while stepping up to the register.
Alvin stood in front of the display case tapping his chin as he pondered his choice.
“I’ll have two of the blueberry cream cheese muffins and a medium sized coffee,” he said, licking his lips in anticipation. He loved Pinkie’s blueberry cream cheese muffins, knew she made the best in all of Equestria.
“Good choice!” Pinkie bubbled as she got two of the muffins out of the case, set them on a paper plate then poured Alvin’s coffee, set them both on the counter next to the register.
“That’ll be six bits, honey,” she smiled. Alvin reached into a pocket, a mildly alarmed then worried expression on his face.
“Aw, dangit!”, he scowled at his own forgetfulness, “I forgot my wallet!”
“Oh, don’t worry about it,” smiled Pinkie with a dismissive wave of her forehoof. “Just bring it next time you come in” she smiled before heading back into the kitchen.
Coffee and muffins in hoof, Alvin took a seat at one of the cafe tables and, opening his saddle bag, took out a large volume entitled ‘Advanced Electrical Engineering: Practical Robotics’ along with a parchment pad and a pencil, setting them on the table. He opened the book to a dog-eared page and began intently reading as he absently nibbled at his muffin.
“Hey, Alvin,” came a soft, sweet and gentle voice from behind the counter. Startled from his studies, Alvin’s head shot up and he turned to see Moon, her elbows resting on the glass, her face nestled in her forehooves, smiling at him.
“Oh! Um... Hi! Good morning!” blurted Alvin, grinning nervously, “good mufflers... er... Mufflings... Muffins! Muffins!” he stuttered before blushing a bright red before retreating back into his book, embarrassed.
To say Alvin Clodhoof was shy with girls was an understatement of epic, biblical proportions. He had been known to swoon and faint just from a girl saying hi to him and his shyness was more severe when he was in Moon’s presence. He was lucky to be able to speak without stuttering horribly or blurting out something incredibly dorky and stupid.
Moon Pie. Sweet, adorable, wonderful beautiful Moon Pie! To say that Alvin had a crush on her was again an understatement of a magnitude which could only be measured with a computer!
He took a deep breath, tried to calm himself.
‘Hey, chill! It’s just Moon!’ he thought frantically as his mind raced, ‘you go to school with her every day! You see her in study hall!’
His forehoof trembling, he reached for his coffee. He clumsily knocked it over, the contents spilling over his parchments, his book and the table, dribbling over the sides and onto the floor.
Alvin leapt to his hooves with a yelp, more embarrassed than ever.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It was an accident! I’m sorry!” he blurted as he frantically raced to a nearby napkin holder, grabbed a large hoof full, raced back to his table, squatted down and began mopping up the mess on the floor, coffee still dribbling from the table into his mane.
A moment later Moon, cleaning rag in hoof, stepped over to the table. She picked up and wiped off his book, doing her best to dry the pages as she moved the now soaked parchment sheets to the counter. Returning, she cleaned up the table, throwing the now empty paper coffee cup away.
She squatted nex to Alvin and began helping him to mop the floor.
“I... I... I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean...” he stuttered even more nervously.
“Calm down, Alvin, it’s all right. I know it was an accident,” Moon said sweetly as she mopped the floor in circular motions. Just then Alvin’s hoof touched hers. They paused for the briefest instant.
Panicked, Alvin bleated with a sound like a goat choking, leapt to his hooves and raced out the door. Moon just looked after him confused as she finished cleaning up his mess.
“I heard noise. Was there a problem out here,” Pinkie asked Moon as she stepped from the kitchen with more trays of baked goods.
“No, mom,” Moon giggled, amused now, “It was just Alvin. He had another accident”
“That boy’s a walking train wreck,” giggled Pinkie, equally amused, “but he has a crush on you. Maybe one of these days he’ll get up the nerve to ask you out to a movie or something?”
Moon said nothing but returned to her task, frowned. ‘I sure hope so!’ she thought as she finished and headed back into the kitchen.
***
As Moon walked from the bakery toward Ponyville High she thought about Alvin. Sure, he was astoundingly shy but he’d never done anything at school to make her think badly of him.
Alvin was, undoubtedly, the smartest colt in school, consistantly pulling the highest grades with seemingly no effort on his part. It was something that Moon not only liked but admired about him.
Then she thought about the time when he’d gone to the captain of the high school flight team, Star Chaser, and offered to help him cram for an upcoming math test. Star had to pass that test or else he’d be pulled from the flight team. Alvin’s offer surprised everyone, especially considering how much Star and his friends had so mercilessly teased and picked on Alvin before he made that offer.
Still, Alvin was one of those colts who felt a real loyalty to Ponyville High, took pride in the victories of the flight team. Alvin also knew that the championships were coming up and, without their captain, they’d surely lose. Alvin didn’t want to see that happen so he’d told the Star in no uncertain terms that he would help him pass the test so he could stay on the team because he didn’t want to see the school lose. Star was surprised when, asking what was the catch, Alvin flatly informed him there was none, he just didn't want to see Ponyville lose their year-long winning streak.
Needless to say, the Star was surprised by this but respected Alvin after that. As a result neither he nor any of his friends picked on Alvin, anymore and they even made Alvin an unofficial team mascot. He had even been given his own Ponyville Paladins team jersey.
Memories of things like that and other selfless acts that he'd done in the two years he’d been attending Ponyville High warmed Moon's heart and she decided that she would find a way to get him to relax around her so she could get to know him better. Much better!
***
“Alvin! Hey, Alvin!” shouted Moon when she saw him on the large lawn in front of Ponyville High School. He turned, blushed and became instantly nervous when he realized who was calling to him.
“You left this in the bakery,” she smiled so sweetlyh as she stepped up to him, hoofing him the semi-ruined book he’d left behind on his mad dash out the door.
“Um... Thanks,” he squeaked, his voice cracking, as he took the book with shaking forehooves.
Inwardly, Alvin felt disgusted with himself. Why was he feeling so scared - No! Terrified - Around Moon? She was sweet, she always treated him nice and, at least, she didn’t pick on him like some of the other fillies did.
“Hey, um... I was wondering,” he squeaked, his voice trembling, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
“Yes?” smiled Moon hopefully.
“Well, would you... I mean... Wouldn’t you... What I'm trying to say is, um... Would you remind me to bring six bits to your mom in case I forget?”, he blurted out. Dangit! He just couldn’t bring himself to ask her out!
“Um, yeah, I can do that,” frowned Moon, disappointed. She’d hoped he would ask her out. Then she began to suspect he might be too shy to ever do that so she considered her options. ‘Forget it!’ she thought, ‘just go for it!’
“Um, Alvin?” she asked, coyly sweet, “would you like to meet me after school? You know... Maybe hang out? Maybe have a soda or something, together?”
Alvin’s jaw dropped. His eyes grew big as platters as he paled, grew weak in the knees. His forehooves shook. He fainted!
Startled, Moon reached out to grab weaving, swooning Alvin by the shoulders to keep him from falling but missed. He plopped face-first into the grass. Crouching down next to him Moon began gently patting him on the cheek to bring him back to consciousness.
“Alvin? Alvin?” she asked.
“Huh? What?” he moaned.
“Are you okay?” she asked, worried.
Alvin looked up at her beautiful but very worried face, smiled ecstatically and fainted again when he realized she’d really asked to go out with him.
“Alvin!”, Moon whined, frustrated, tapping his face again, “Come on! If you keep passing out like this you’re going to be late for class”
His eyes snapped open! He jumped to his hooves, started to run for the front doors, paused, ran back to her and quickly kissed Moon on the cheek before running into the school happily shouting, “She asked me out! She asked me out! Woo hoo! She asked me out!”
Moon shook her head and smiled.
***
Alvin felt like he was floating on a cloud, felt like he was in heaven as he happily carried Moon’s books and walked her home after school that day, a pleased Moon hugging his arm as they walked.
Although still nervous, he had calmed down enough to where he could actually talk to her without stuttering too much or sound stupid or dorky.
“So, how’s your project for the science fair going?” she asked as they casually ambled along. Alvin happily launched into an explanation of the robot he was building, being careful to not get too technical or geeky with Moon for fear that it would bore her.
“It’s almost done,” he said, pleased that she was showing interest in it, “I just have to finish interfacing the balance gyros to the motion co-ordination unit so it doesn’t fall over when it walks”
“That’s a real problem,” she said, “so did you fix it using a Whitherman interface module on the bus or did you interface it directly to the actuation servos?”
Alvin stopped, his jaw dropped as he stared at her. “How do you know about that stuff?” he asked, both surprised and delighted that she actually knew what he was talking about.
“I’m in the same science class as you, silly!” she giggled, “I pay attention to these things”
Alvin blinked, shook his head, astonished. It dawned on him that she was also some kind of genius.
“So, how come you’ve never done a science project?” he asked.
“Did you forget where I work?” she teased, smiling, “when do I ever have time for something like that?”
That’s when it began to dawn on Alvin just why this beautiful filly liked him. Obviously she was at least as smart as him if she could follow along in a conversation concerning the complex and sometimes baffling concept of robotics! He felt his already strong like of her bloom into a real admiration.
“Well?” she asked, “how’d you do it?”
Alvin smiled, continued to stare for a moment, his mouth opening and closing in surprise.
“You’re so cute when you’re like this!” she giggled, hugging his arm. Alvin was ecstatic. Then he paused as a thought hit him; how’d she know what he was like? Had she been watching him from a distance, even as he’d done with her? She wasn’t as shy as him, obviously, but had she also been a bit too shy to approach him directly? He wondered.
“What is it?”, she asked, seeing his expression as he silently pondered his question.
“Oh, um, nothing, nothing,” he shrugged, “just thinking about something”
“You’re surprised, aren’t you? I mean about me knowing that kind of stuff" she said, intuiting his question.
“Um, yeah!” he smiled, “I mean, I guess I just didn’t expect you to be so...” His words trailed off.
“Smart?”, she winked at him
“Well, yeah!”, he said, then blurted, “I mean, you’re so pretty! You’re, like, one of the prettiest fillies at school! I guess I just... Well... I’m sounding really stupid, huh?”
Moon gave him a look then giggled, hugged his arm again as they continued walking. “I’m a little offended by your obvious assumption that pretty girls can't be smart but I’ll forgive you this time,” she smiled, teasing him as he blushed at his own idiotic ignorance.
“Oh, here’s your house,” she smiled, pausing in front of a large yellow two-story home, it’s front lawn decorated with beds of many flowers. Moon’s expression changed to excited curiosity. “Hey, since we’re here why don’t you show me this robot you’re working on?”
“You really want to see it?” he asked, surprised.
“Well, yeah!” She laughed softly. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to”
Delighted, Alvin happily took her inside and down to his equipment strewn basement and excitedly began showing her the work he’d been doing on the robot.
***
“It’s eleven thirty on a school night!” scowled an annoyed Pinkie Pie to a startled Moon and Alvin as they now nervously, sheepishly approached Pinkie who was standing outside the bakery, her forehooves crossed.
“I, um, I was helping Alvin with his school project,” said Moon nervously, her eyes darting in dread at what her mother might do next.
“Oh, is that right?”, frowned Pinkie, arching an eyebrow first Moon and then at Alvin, “so, you weren’t doing... Anything else? Hmm?” Pinkie said this last with emphasis, suggesting she suspected they might be fooling around.
“That’s exactly what we were doing, Miss Pie. Honest!” said Alvin. He was just as frightened by Pinkie’s scowl as Moon was. Then he smiled brightly, glancing at Moon, “She was a huge help, too! She helped me fix a problem and my robot’s working great now!”
"Yeah, mom! That's exactly what we were doing! The whole evening! Mrs Clodhoof was there, she saw us!" said Moon, offended by her mother's uncharactaristic distrust.
“Oh! Okay, then! That’s fine!” said a now happily smiling Pinkie as she turned and stepped back into the bakery, leaving the door open for Moon.
“Wow!”, said a surprised Alvin to Moon, “that mood change was lightning fast!”
“Yeah, my mom’s kind'a schizo that way,” chuckled Moon as she stepped up close to him, wrapped her arms around him, smiling.
“Hey, I had a ton of fun with you and I hate saying goodnight but, you know... I better get inside before my mom goes through another of her lightning fast mood changes” she said, gazing into his eyes. She then gently kissed him on the cheek. Alvin smiled, looked like he might swoon but recovered quickly.
“Yeah, I had a ton of fun with you, too. You’re awesome!” he smiled, “good night”
Moon blushed, smiled, before letting him go and dancing toward the bakery door. “See you at school tomorrow,” she cooed sweetly with a wave before stepping inside, gently closing the door behind her. Alvin just stood there touching his cheek where she’d kissed him. He was totally entranced!
***
Since the following day was a Friday, Alvin and Moon, who were now instantly inseparable, made plans for that night.
They decided that those plans would include taking in a movie at the Ponyville theater followed by a bite at the Hayburger Shack.
Alvin happily dipped into his savings, money he’d made doing odd jobs around town and which he normally reserved for purchasing parts and equipment for his projects in order to take Moon on this, their first real date.
The movie was okay - not that Alvin and Moon were paying any attention to it - much preferring to spend their time snuggling and getting lost in each other, instead.
They even waited until the credits had run fully to the end and the lights had come up before they left. After that they headed for the Hayburger Shack.
And, so, there they were enjoying both their burgers and each others company when the biggest member of the High School flight team, Rocky Bronco, swaggered in.
Rocky was not only the biggest player on the team but he was known at school and around town to be a bit of a bully with a nasty mean streak. He also had a huge crush on Moon.
Typically arrogant, Rocky sauntered up to Moon and Alvin’s table, rested his hands on it and, leaning close to her, gave Moon a particularly lecherous sneer.
“Hey, baby! What’s a beautiful filly like you doing in a dump like this?” he leered, then he contemptuously looked at Alvin. “And what are you doing with a wimpy little dweeb like this when you could be with a real stud like me?"
“Ew! Get away from me!”, Moon grimaced, holding her forehooves up in front of her and making a face like her nose had just been assaulted by some vile stench.
“Aw, come on, baby! I’m not that bad once you get to know me!”, he sniggered, leaning closer to her.
“You’re a pig!”, snapped Moon, angrily, “leave me alone!”
“T-the lady s-s-said get away from her!”, said Alvin, rising to his hooves to face Rocky, Alvin’s face a mixture of fear and anger.
“Get out of here, twirp!”, growled Rocky, disgusted, as he reached out one of his ham sized forehooves pushing a startled, squeaking Alvin to the floor.
Rocky then grabbed Moon by the shoulders and began trying to force a kiss on her. She screamed and angrily slapped at him trying to fight him off.
“Ew! Get away! Get away! You're such a vile pig! Help! Help!” shouted disgusted and terrified Moon.
Seeing Moon trying to fight Rocky off, something snapped in Alvin. Rising to his hooves, his forehooves balling into fists, he roared as he leaped on Rocky in an adrenaline fueled rage, tackling the large jock to the ground.
Shouting in Rocky's face at the affront and assault on Moon, Alvin pinned Rocky’s arms between his legs with a strength he didn’t know he had and began hammering the now screaming Rocky, pummeling him while roaring in fury.
“She! Said! Leave! Her! Alone!” he screamed, punctuating each word with a vicious punch to Rocky’s now bleeding face.
Horrified, everypony’s eyes were now locked on Alvin, some of them rising to their hooves.
A moment later the captain of the flight team, Star Chaser, who'd been hanging out with his friends in the parking lot when he'd heard the fight start, ran in through the front door followed by two other team members.
It took three colts to tear the now mindlessly furious, screaming and punching Alvin away and keep him off of a now badly battered Rocky.
“Take it easy little buddy! Calm down!”, said a frantic Star as he held Alvin by the shoulders, trying to calm him down. “What happened? Why’d you jump Rocky like that?”
“He... He attacked... my girl!”, roared Alvin past Star, spitting the words at Rocky in angry, breathless gasps.
At that same moment a bloody and bruised Rocky angrily rose from the floor, stepped toward Alvin.
“I’m gonna whoop your scrawny nerd geek butt!”, he roared.
Letting go of a still angry Alvin, Star spun on Rocky, grabbed him by the shoulders and started pushing him toward the door.
“Give it up, Rocky! Let it go! You started this and you lost! Now get out of here!”, Star growled as a still frightened Moon jumped from her seat and ran up to Alvin, grabbing his arm.
“Wait till I get you at school on Monday, twirp!” roared rocky, throwing his finger out accusingly at Alvin who stood his ground and glared back at him.
“If you don’t leave right now I’m dropping you from the team, Bronco!”, barked Star, startling Rocky.
“This ain’t over, geek!”, growled Rocky as he half walked, was half dragged out of the Hayburger Shack by a couple of his team mates.
Star turned back to Alvin, who was finally starting to calm down. “Don’t worry about what Rocky just said,” he smiled reassuringly, “I’ll take care of Rocky. He won’t bother you or your girlfriend anymore.”
Star then winked and smiled admiringly at Alvin, giving him a hearty pat on the arm. “Your date's really pretty! You did good getting Moon Pie to go out with you, bud!”, smiled Star, glancing at Moon then back at Alvin before turning and stepping back outside to deal with Rocky.
Just then everypony in the Hayburger Shack rose to their hooves, rose from their booths and tables and began cheering and applauding as they gathered around a now proudly smiling Alvin and Moon.
Even the old cook, who normally wasn’t impressed by much of anything, smiled at Alvin from behind his counter.
For Alvin this was the finest moment of his life and he relished every second of it.
Just then Moon took Alvin’s face in her forehooves and, turning him toward her, gave him a long kiss right there in front of everypony! Alvin blushed a deep red and almost fainted!
“My hero. You saved me!” she cooed, her eyes sparkling and dancing. Alvin was ecstatic!
“It’s the least I’d do for you,” he sighed back at her. In that moment Moon believed that Alvin meant what he'd said with all his heart and, with a delighted squeal, hugged him tightly. In that moment Moon fell completely and madly in love with Alvin. He realized that he already was in love with her.
***
Moon, thrilled and delighted and smiling in pure joy and pride, hung tightly to Alvin’s arm as they walked back toward Moon’s bakery home.
“You were so awesome!” she crowed with excited enthusiasm, “I can’t believe you did that! I thought you were going to kill Rocky!”
“Hey, like I said, anything for you, Moon,” he smiled sweetly at her.
Shortly they were standing in front of Sugarcube Corner, a mildly sad expression on Moon’s face.
“I really don’t want to say good night to you,” she sighed, gazing into his eyes.
“Yeah, I don’t, either,” he said, equally sad to leave her.
Taking Moon in his arms, Alvin pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her sweetly and passionately for a good five minutes!
Just as they stopped the door to the bakery opened and Pinkie Pie stuck her head out, a sly and knowing grin on her face.
“Why’re you two sillies standing out there on the sidewalk?” she asked, then, “Your date doesn’t have to end right now if you don’t want it to. Come on in and have some treats!” she said with an inviting wave of her forehoof.
A moment later Alvin and Moon were happily sharing a cafe table as a delighted Pinkie Pie brought them some treats and glasses of milk. A moment later, Pinkie stepped back behind the counter, picked up the phone.
“What’s your number?” she smiled at Alvin, “I think it’d be a good idea if I called your mom so she doesn't worry, let her know where you are and that you'll be a little late getting home”
Beaming brightly, Alvin recited his number back to Pinkie Pie who punched in each number as he told her.
Settling their elbows on the table, Alvin and Moon settled their chins in their hooves and gazed at each other, sighing contentedly.
For them it was the happiest night of their lives.
