Dart Struck - Love in Equestria(Hearts and Hooves themed:Open - See OOC first please)

[moonshineTheleocat]

((QUICK NOTE! Inkbrand the action is an attempt. Your choice to ignore it or not.))

 

Java’s mind quickly dissolved from it’s strange haze. His blurred vision started to clear up, and give light to the first thing he could see. While the stallion’s pupils dilated back to their normal… and proper diameter, his vision revealed Inkbrand’s muzzle in his face with a leer. The stallion, still groggy and confused about what was going on, allowed his eyes to roll away to get a bit more information about his current situation. The soft grass that was at the fair was easily visible from the corner of his eyes. So he could tell he was lying down.

 

“Why am I on the ground…” he thought to himself.

 

A quick graze over his teeth, revealed… an iron taste. Blood? The stallion’s eyes narrowed as he slowly looked up to the possible culprit, once again noticing that grin. The stallions eyes narrowed further once realized he was having some problems with trying to sit up. And more importantly, breathing. A quick flick of the eyes confirmed his suspicions, and one by one the pony began to piece all the evidence together.

 

The Tattoo cladded stallion had accosted him. The tattooed cladded stallion had him pinned down. And now he was BUCKING TAUNTING HIM?! DARING TO PUT HIS HOOVES ON HIM AFTER WHAT EVER CAUSED THE PONY TO BLACK OUT!? Truly the stallion found this absolutely unacceptable! Low! And the stallion had quite an outstanding level of tolerance for all types of ponies! But this? This was absolutely too far! The pride bestowed into him by his family demands Java to put the imprudent buck in his place.

 

Rage began to trickle through the engineer’s veins. His body was tensing up, ready to show this asinine little mule above him that he’s more than ready for a round two. And in fact, ever since he lost a bet with a certain prince over a game of cars, AND a nightmare in the Crystal Empire he’d been picking up his skills quite a few notches.

 

But his mind worked diligently to try and calm him down. Rationalize even! Buying Inkbrand a few precious seconds to back away from the pony as fire filled his eyes. Though there were a few thoughts that managed to calm him down. A gentle little voice whispered one interesting question.

 

“But what did he mean by ‘nice try’? He obviously wouldn’t say that if nothing happened, right?”

 

That little voice took the stallion by surprise and his gaze turned thoughtfully to the sky.

 

“Well...” he hummed back to that little voice in his mind. What little memory he had left was simply what he said to Pressy… and the fact that Pressy was right next to him. Maybe he was a little to quick to think about fighting. Maybe he should just talk? Yeah… that seems like something perfectly logical to do right?

Well, when his eyes turned back to the stallion, he didn’t see a stallion that seemed to be ignoring him. No… he saw the buck apparently keeping tabs with him. Nervously? Java raised a brow at this and sighed, giving his head a small confused shake.

A hoof moved to open up his waist-coat while his gaze shifted to Pressy, doing his best to give her a calm smile. “Uhm! I… honestly have no idea what happened,” he informed his company. His tone was a mix of emotions. And now with a hoof pulling a thin metalic rope from the depths of his pocket he continued. “But please forgive me for a moment! I need to have a small chat with a certain buck! I’ll catch up in a few! Promise!”

 

From there he gave the mare a smile once more, and flicked the coil into the air. The stallions wrist then rolled to give it a twirl. The hook on the end opened up with the motion, right before the stallion launched it after Inkbrand. The grappling hook snaked it’s way through the air after the tattoo cladded stallion to latch onto him. If it was successful, Inkbrand would find it wrapping tightly around his body and slammed it’s hooks down onto the excess cable. A sharp sounding snap later, and the cable went taught, causing the hook to close and lock it’s position.

 

A moment later, Java gave the cable a hard tug by quickling lurching his body backwards to roll the stallion over, and allow his grapple hook’s mechanism to quickly real the stallion in. Likely dragging him in the dirt, and maybe kicking and screaming a variety of profanities… knowing the volatile nature of the gray stallion.

 

Once Inkbrand was near the stallion, the cable loosen up and release the stallion. It snapped widly into the air with a hiss and disappeared under Java’s strange waist coat.

“Oh hi there! Did you mean that leash,” The stallion hummed with a hint of agitation. The engineer’s eyes rolled over the other’s body for a moment. His head then tilted as he continued, “Sorry I didn’t approach you like a normal buck. You look like you would kick me in the face the moment I approached you. And I am not having that again.”

 

Java’s hoof soon rose up and stamped down on the ground. That common lilting in his voice had traded away for his natural baritone, with grinding gears of boiling rage. The only thing keeping the stallion from raising his voice, or yelling was his resolve to stay calm… and think this out rationally.

 

“Which comes to the topic! What in the HAY is your malfunction? I get it that you don’t like me. Hate me for some reason. And if it’s something that I have done in the past, I’m sorry! I’d try to make it up to ya, if I could - or new -what- I did. But now here I am, trying to have fun with a friend I hadn’t seen in years one moment. Just minding my own business. Fixing to..." The stallion trailed off. His eyes flicked wistfully to Pressy for a mere moment. Then he sighed, shaking the thought away and continued, " Then the very next moment I find myself tasting my own blood, and you with your hoof in my throat! Care to explain to me WHY you felt the need to put your hooves on me? Assault me?”

[Hawkeye12]

Dusty stood there awkwardly as the stallion paused for a moment. Was he staring at her? Well, of course he was, what else could he be looking at? More importantly, why? And was it a good or a bad thing? Whatever the reason, his look wasn't making the mare's blush go away any time soon. It was probably obvious to him now that she had a crush, though she was supposed to be going for the straightforward approach, right? 

 

Luckily though, the weird moment passed as the stallion quickly turned away, saying his name was Lightout in answer to her earlier question. The name fit, as he was working on fireworks, after all. But since he wasn't looking at her at the moment, Dusty took the opportunity to stare at him instead. He was so cute...

 

But then he asked for her name. Oh right, she hasn't said that yet. "Dusty!" she said, quickly snapping back to attention. "Er...Dusty Skies, but everyone just calls me Dusty," never in her life had the mare had thought of being awkward around someone, but this love must have been doing it to her. Weird.

 

And then, something stranger happened. He had actually agreed to go get some food with her? To be honest, Dusty had regretted asking that before, it just slipped out. But hey, if he had agreed, then she must be getting somewhere! "Well... okay!" she said to him while mentally celebrating. Maybe she had a chance with this stallion after all. 

 

...wait a second. What now? Dusty hadn't expected to get this far. She turned and scanned the fair.

 

"So...uh, where do you want to go? It's up to you, ba-" 

 

Dang, and her blush was just starting to fade too! Dusty quickly stopped herself. She couldn't call him baby. Not yet. She was only just starting to get somewhere, after all. She shot a quick glance at Lightout, hoping he hadn't noticed.

[ShadowWalking18]

Glimmer watched with wide eyes as she saw the darts strike true. Again she marveled at how well they worked.

 

Money well spent. Razor would thank her later for taking his wallet to help buy these.

 

When she saw the stallion she accidentally darted begin to look at the tattooed stallion with love, she felt herself blush slightly. She giggled as she watched the stallion move in for a kiss...

 

...and gasped in shock as the tattooed one whacked him upside the noggin with an uppercut.

 

"What? Well that was rude. Lula did you see that?" Glimmer whispered in shock, picking up her pet and parting some leaves for the armadillo to see. She then set Lula down and glared at the stallion.

 

That was just uncalled for. Well, sure maybe he didn't like stallions like that. And maybe the other stallion might have come off as too forward in her opinion, but that didn't call for hitting him. He probably hurt his feelings, not counting his jaw and teeth. This stallion needed some lessons in manners.

 

Glimmer then looked at her dart gun and smirked, 'And I know just the way.'

 

She snuck her way about a bit, getting in good position. Now, perhaps this wasn't the best way to teach the stallion manners. But if he was going to behave like that on Hearts and HOoves day, he had another thing coming.

 

Glimmer was gonna make him help spread the love. For the rest of the day, she was gonna be sure this stallion in particular was darted the whole day if she could.

 

Taking a steady aim, Glimmer loaded up a dart and fired it right into Inkbrands flank. The dart struck true, unleashing its spell. But instead of waiting, Glimmer launched another dart. This stallion was just rude enough she might have to use two.

 

But then a third shot. A forth. Then fifth, and sixth. Perhaps a bit much, but seeing someone hit another on a day of love and kindness was just gonna bring out the evil in her.

 

She giggled maliciously as she decided that now would be a good time to get a snack. Sneaking out of the bushes, she left Lula beside her dart gun and darts in a sneaky hiding place no pony would find them but her. After dusting herself off, fixing her dress and bow and making her self look presentable she then noticed that one pony had doughnuts! Glimmer felt her eyes widen as she quickly giggled and skipped over to the doughnut pony.

 

"Excuse me sir, can I have a heart shaped doughnut? Two if possible?"  Glimmer asked the doughnut pony, looking up at him with her big bright amethyst eyes. She gave him her best cute look, knowing how some ponies just went all to pieces, and were amazingly easier to get stuff from, when directed with such cuteness.

 

---------------

 

Razor groaned as he walked down the streets of Ponyville. He couldn't stand hearts and hooves day, cause he saw all the couples and always ended up remembering his own single status. It irked him to no end, always having to say "No" he didn't have a special somepony or griffon on this day.

 

"And being gynophobic doesn't help." He mumbled to himself.

 

Somewhere in town his sister Glimmer was about. She had begged him to take her to this festival, and while he had to trust her now to be able to handle herself alone. He still felt secure if he was close by.

 

And all this sort of holiday, he would have to be very vigilant. Who knows what kind of sleazy, heart robbing, two timing, no good slime ball colts would try to make a move on his delicate, innocent and pure little sister. Like slobbering mutts in heat, that's what the colts in these towns were. He snarled at one colt as he passed by with a balloon, and sent the child running of crying in fear.

 

'Gotta be vigilant.' He thought with a nod.

 

The aroma of coffe grew stronger and Razor stopped and saw a group of ponies about. A lot of them unrecognizable, but one or two he did recall.

 

"Hey, Presteza!" Razor called as he walked over, giving a slight wave of his talon. There was also some tattooed pony who was very familiar. Razor felt sure he had run into the guy before, during a love perfume fiasco with a couple of con artists. Razor still hadn't forgiven those two.

 

"I ever see those Flip and Flap brothers again, I'll make chasing them with a club look like nothing."  He muttered, chuckling evilly.

 

It was as he got closer that he also noticed his sister was there.

 

"Ah, Glimmer. There you are." Razor said to the little griffonness.

 

Glimmer turned and saw her brother and cheered, rushing into him for a hug.

 

"Razor! You came out after all." Glimmer cheered, wrapping her talons tight around her brother and squeezing for all she was worth. An audible purr coming from her in glee.

[RainbowFoxxy]

 

“nHehey, Joe! Good ta see ya down here!”

 

Joe turned and gave a little nod and smile towards Javasun.

 

"Well, if it isn't one of my best customers! Hey Java! The usual it is! I brought this along just in case I ran into you." He used his magic to levitate what could have been the biggest coffee mug one had ever seen. He filled it with steaming black coffee and sent it towards the brown stallion. "Here ya go! Black, no sugar, no cream. This'll give you more than your fair share of the java shakes."

 

The pretty cream colored unicorn spoke up next.  "I dun' know if ya remember me, Joe, but I was at yer Donut shop when Peachy Keen was doin' those portraits o' ponies!"

 

Joe gave himself a *facehoof* and smiled. "Oh wow! Yep, I remember you Presteza! That day was so busy I still can't believe how many ponies we had in the shop!" As she referred to her new look, the unicorn nodded. "Yes, you have changed your style. I like the jacket, it suits you nicely."

 

"Can ya add five sugar packs to my mocha please?"

 

A lot of his customers ordered strange mixes, but Joe was happy to meet their needs. it seemed his idea to bring the coffee cart to Ponyville was a good choice.

 

"Excuse me sir, can I have a heart shaped doughnut? Two if possible?"

 

"Of course! I've got two right here" The unicorn turned towards his newest customer, the donuts levitating towards the waiting griffoness.

 

"Ah, Glimmer. There you are."

 

Another griffon had come by. Joe wondered if perhaps he would like some coffee. The friendly unicorn trotted over to the pair and nodded a greeting. He had a question too.

 

"Hi! I'm Joe! I hope you both like the donuts. I was wondering...do the ponies around here seem to be acting strange or is it just me?" It just seemed like a lot of odd goings on were taking place between the various ponies that had been near the cart.

[Zealot]

Alright, so, her name was Dusty Skies. Well, at least he could stop calling her 'brown pegasus'. Still, he figured that her name matched her messy appearance if it didn't match her demeanour. She seemed shy and nervous, but the question the alchemist had on his mind was 'why?' What could possibly make her so nervous? Ok, some ponies didn't like the loud bang of a firework. That was fair enough, they were very loud after all. Though he'd never heard of anypony with an outright phobia of them. Better question, if she did have a phobia, why was she talking to him? He discarded that theory, it wasn't going anywhere.

 

What other explanations were there? Something on his face? He was intimidating? She was inherently shy? There was something scary behind him? Lightout rattled through the many possibilities but none of them seemed very likely. But then there was that word she nearly said when she asked where they should go. 'Bay' what words did know that started with 'Bay'. Could it be possible that she had nearly called him bait? Was he to be participating in some sort of prank? Or was he walking into a trap? As he looked around with a thoughtful expression for something to eat his head started buzzing with questions. Still, he decided it would be best to play along until he knew more. 

 

Lightout spotted a doughnut wagon had set up shop in the square near him. The alchemist was quite fond of quick food but he felt he needed something a little more substantial. He hadn't realised how hungry he was. In fact, now that he thought about it, did he have breakfast? Or had he been too eager to get this done and get out of Ponyville. Besides, there looked to be some sort of fight starting, and he definitely didn't want to get involved in that. "Err, well, I need something to eat. Let's find a cafe. Have you eaten? I'm sure the cafes are doing some sort of hearts and hooves day special or whatever."

 

The unicorn walked towards the fairgrounds and the market to hopefully find somewhere to sit down and eat. Still, as he walked he decided to interrogate Dusty. "So, I'm setting up a firework display. What are you doing on hearts and hooves day, Dusty? Hanging around the fair and going out with your special somepony later? Or are you here on business like me? If you don't mind me asking of course." His attention was divided between the pegasus mare and looking for somewhere to stop.

[Pretzelparty]

 

"Nice try," Inkbrand sneered, leaning in close to lowly hiss the words into JavaSun's face - though perhaps not as closely as he normally would on any other given day. "but you should know by now you're never getting a piece of this action. Just try it again, you son of a diamond dog."

 

"Keep your colt on his leash," he shot in Presteza's general direction, backing further away from JavaSun and back towards the relative safety of Sugar Star and Pyro Blaze. 

 

Presteza cringed as she saw that doozy of an uppercut land on Java's chin. Inkbrand was clearly a powerhouse if he was able to send java flying like that and landing on his back. Strangely, Presteza didn't seem too worried about that attack on Java. There were two reasons as to why she wasn't particularly upset over this. One, she was a bit miffed that the stallion had just so suddenly ditched her to flirt with an admittedly cute tattoo artist, two, She knew from experience and witnessing it for herself that Java was an incredibly durable pony. She let herself calm down a moment before she tried to approach Java, but then Inkbrand put his hoof down on her coltfriend's throat. Just as she got over to try and help the coffee scented stallion up and give the grey tattoo artist a piece of her mind, he gave her some choice words of his own that gave her pause. When she heard him trying to tell her to control her coltfriend she just stared at him and then looked to java as he got back up...

 

A hoof moved to open up his waist-coat while his gaze shifted to Pressy, doing his best to give her a calm smile. “Uhm! I… honestly have no idea what happened,” he informed his company. His tone was a mix of emotions. And now with a hoof pulling a thin metalic rope from the depths of his pocket he continued. “But please forgive me for a moment! I need to have a small chat with a certain buck! I’ll catch up in a few! Promise!”

 

“Oh hi there! Did you mean that leash,” The stallion hummed with a hint of agitation. The engineer’s eyes rolled over the other’s body for a moment. His head then tilted as he continued, “Sorry I didn’t approach you like a normal buck. You look like you would kick me in the face the moment I approached you. And I am not having that again.”

 

“Which comes to the topic! What in the HAY is your malfunction? I get it that you don’t like me. Hate me for some reason. And if it’s something that I have done in the past, I’m sorry! I’d try to make it up to ya, if I could - or new -what- I did. But now here I am, trying to have fun with a friend I hadn’t seen in years one moment. Just minding my own business. Fixing to..." The stallion trailed off. His eyes flicked wistfully to Pressy for a mere moment. Then he sighed, shaking the thought away and continued, " Then the very next moment I find myself tasting my own blood, and you with your hoof in my throat! Care to explain to me WHY you felt the need to put your hooves on me? Assault me?”

 

The painter arched an eyebrow at him and looked at him flatly, "Uh-huh... well ya just sorta up and ditched me ta try and kiss Inkbrand, a testy tattoo artist" The mare gave the aforementioned stallion a sharp look with a mocking smile on her lips before she looked back to her coltfriend. She intended to dust him off and tidy him up (well as much as she could with his normally slightly shabby appearance) But once he'd gotten up he went right back over to the very stallion who'd sent him reeling a moment ago. Thankfully, it wasn't to continue his advances, but instead to try and understand what had happened and why. She could see him getting a bit angry as the events began to cause some anger to boil over.

 

EVen with that little joke he'd made about that leash remark wasn't helpign the situation and even Presteza was a tad angry at the grey stallion. "Well like I said java, You tried ta kiss him and Inkbrand doesn't ... have the same type of... tastes as you do. " The painterpush nudged her friend a bit back from Inkbrand but then looked back at the blue maned earth pony. "However," She began with a slight look of anger that she was trying to clearly control, "... You could have just gotten off the bench. Granted none of us here would be able to have seen that very impressive uppercut, but really given what Java does he can stand worse as I've seen. Putting your hoof on his throat -was- too much. Whatever you two's history with each other is... Unless my friend has genuinely tried to kill you, I don't think he deserved that."

 

"Hey, Presteza!" Razor called as he walked over, giving a slight wave of his talon. There was also some tattooed pony who was very familiar. Razor felt sure he had run into the guy before, during a love perfume fiasco with a couple of con artists. Razor still hadn't forgiven those two.

 

"I ever see those Flip and Flap brothers again, I'll make chasing them with a club look like nothing."  He muttered, chuckling evilly.

 

Her ears perked a moment and turned toward the familiar voice of Razor, A griffin she'd wound up flirting with during the Flim-Flam Love perfume Fiasco. As she remembered her clumsy friend telling her that she'd been pursuing him in a love poison based trance, Pressy's expression turned from agitation to embarassment as her cheeks flushed. The blush on her face faded when she realized that Razor wasn't going to go into details of that event. "Hiya razor, Nice ta see ya again!" The painter tried to ease the tension of her two male friends by introducing the griffin, "Razor, I'm sure you remember Inkbrand, The pony beside me who smells of coffee is my friend Javasun."

 

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain on her flank. Like she'd been stung by a bee, The mare's eyes widened as she realized that that was the very description of the pain java had described before he was suddenly randomly lovestruck! She had at least a millisecond of clarity before the voice of the mare that Inkbrand had been becomign friends with had come over to try and assist in the dispelling of the agression. When she gave the painter a look of concern, Pressy's eyes instinctually darting to the first voice she'd heard (in this case, Sugar star asking if he was still interested in the kissing booth.) The cream colored pony's only thought in her normal mindset was "Oh bullo--" ... or at least it was a thought that was at least half finished before the dart's power kicked in. 

 

The painter's disposition suddenly changed from that of slightly miffed but eager to calm everyone down, to an almost pedatorial gaze in Sugar star's direction. "Oh... I'm sure he'd rather spend time making up with my old friend here... We can't have bad blood on a day all about love can we?" The unicorn's eyes slowly lidded themselves halfway as she approached the golden pegasus with a seductive smile on her lips. The painter circled around the pony from the R.E.A and chuckled softly, "Miss, 'ave ya ever considered modeling?" The heiress moved closer to the innocent young mare and lifted up a hoof and gently nudged her chin around so as to get a look at sugar from various angles. 

 

Pressy's face moved closer and closer to Sugar's, the pegasus could feel the unicorn's breath rustling the fur on her face ever-so-slightly. "I've an eye for beauty, being an artist...and I daresay you are the most lovely thing I've ever seen... so care to find a nice place for me to admire in way only a fellow mare can, away from the uncouth gazes of these stallions?" The more the silver maned pony spoke the more lilting and almost lyrical her words became, "What do you say?" 

[Zeig]

 

No, not really.

What Inkbrand really wanted to do was smash his hoof into JavaSun's face, so far in there that the surrounding ponies wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the brown pony's face and the dirt on their hooves. After what had almost just happened, kissing was about the furthest thing from Inkbrand's mind.

Bucking seriously. What was it about himself that prompted JavaSun to constantly ruin his day whenever they got within fifty yards of each other? It was more than just a personality clash - from touching him up at the cafe, to inviting him over just to challenge him to a 'gentlecolts' fight, to laughing with blood on his face in the privacy of his home while standing in broad daylight here acting completely normal…all of it. Maybe that was what irked him so much, the - the fakeness. The flip-flopping. Crazy, laughing his head off one minute, to a blushing, stuttering completely sane-as-rot normal the next. All of it, every bit, just an act to fit the whatever moment needed fitting.

Which, Inkbrand supposed in the dark recesses of his mind, just meant the scientist was as normal as they came. A crazy pony couldn't act crazy, after all.

"Yeah, let's go," the tattoo-clad stallion muttered darkly under his breath, with a toss of his head to steer Sugar Star and Pyro in the direction of Sugar Cube Corner. Trust Java bucking Sun to cast a dark storm cloud over Hearts and Hooves Day, of all days. Inkbrand would have resolved not to let the brown Earth Pony get under his skin anymore than he already had, but he'd done the exact, same, bucking, thing at the Diamond Willow Cafe, and the scientist still managed to find a way. Buck - kissing booth with a pretty Pegasus and somewhat-unwanted-tag-a-long Unicorn was just what he needed.

And that was all Inkbrand had time to decide before a vaguely winding shape suddenly made itself a lot clearer as it snagged him around all four of his legs, sending him toppling face first into the dirt.

"Son of a rot eating half-baked Taurtarus in a hand basket bat out of - !" Inkbrand near screamed, knowing instinctively who was using the fancy gadget to drag him face first through the dirt. The tattoo-clad stallion hardly registered the cable loosening around him as he came to a stop, immediately clambering to his hooves and whirling to face the other stallion, eyes filled to the brim with anger at the tirade the other Earth Pony unleashed on him.

"My malfunction!" the grey stallion snarled, getting straight into the other's face. "My malfunction? Finally figured out I can't stand the sight of you, huh? Bucking brilliant. Funny, you didn't seem too intent on minding your own business or your own filly while you were busy trying to swap saliva with me!" A fight, he could handle no problem - but this, bucking son of a Diamond Dog acting like he was an innocent little stallion standing up against Big Bad Bully Inkbrand was just too much. "Maybe next time you try planting your lips on mine, you'll be smart enough to figure out 'why I hate you'."

And just to add a little more frosting to this bucking cake of Taurtarus, Presteza suddenly spoke up, though in his defense. Finally, at least some other pony could see through JavaSun's bucking game instead of giggling it off like some huge joke. Though, that changed just as quickly as the Unicorn suddenly turned on him, a lecture spilling from her snout with the same condescending, arrogant tone that he remembered from Winter Wrap-Up, and it was near enough to get Inkbrand to pull out his mane.

'Oh thank you Miss Presteza, you're absolutely right Miss Presteza, I was so wrong, thank you for once again trying to shove your bucking opinions on acceptable behavior down my throat.'

The fact that Presteza seemed to think he would care what some Unicorn - one he knew only by acquaintanceship - thought of him, along with her patronizing words that made her sound like she was lecturing a small colt for sticking his hoof in the cookie jar, literally flabbergasted Inkbrand, to the point where he almost didn't feel that first soft pinch on his flank. "No, you don't know," the grey stallion hissed, turning his head away to avoid doing something stupid, like head-butting the conceited cream-colored Unicorn and subsequently getting clobbered to death by her coltfriend, "and honestly, I could give a flying buck what you think about - yowch!"

That one he felt, causing Inkbrand to whirl around toward his flank, where he caught a glimpse of - something - before it was gone again, as if it had never been. An insect? Buck, that'd strung. The grey stallion shook his head slightly, ready to turn back to Presteza and give her a bucking piece of his mind, for once - and again! Another two stings in rapid succession, causing the tattoo stallion to jump nearly a foot in the air this time, one hoof flying to his left flank. "Buck," he hissed out, once again seeing no insects in the immediate area, "where did all these bugs come from? I'm bucking trying to teach these sons of - of…"

…Huh.

Who the buck was that?

Inkbrand tried - he really did try - to cling to the vestiges of fury hanging onto him, knew there was a reason he was suppose to be angry. But it was very hard to do as the beautiful creature passed by slowly, almost as if in slow motion, and Inkbrand couldn't help but stare, hardly hearing Presteza's introductions nor the newcomer's voice. His entire world boiled down to the cutest bucking existence in the whole universe.

"Look at you," Inkbrand half-exclaimed, half-cooed as he pushed past the griffon and Presteza, near stampeding up to the smaller griffon. "Buck, you're cute. Just what I needed to take my mind of bucking JavaSun and his marefriend from Tautarus, right?" It took no effort at all to sweep the small creature into his forelegs, and the grey stallion didn't even care if her red cape became slight askew, fixing it quickly without a second thought as he pressed his own snout to its small button nose.

Buck, she really was a cutie. Chime was going to love having a new playmate in the apartment, especially one that seemed particularly sturdy.
 

 

 

 

[Elderflower]

If things kept going the way they were, Sugar would be in serious trouble. All of her blood was rushing to her cheeks every time her face reddened and soon enough it would be fatal. Just what was Pyro getting on with? The colt - he - what?

“W-w-w-w-what?” she stammered rather eloquently, cheeks red and eyes darting nervously about. “K-kissing booth?”

My, but she was beginning to sound like a broken record. She took a few steps back. Kissing booth? Beautiful mare? Wasn’t he coming on just a bit...strong? He just met her and he was a kid and she most certainly was not. She had no idea what to say. She couldn’t just crush the kid on Hearts and Hooves day, especially not after vowing to cheer him up! But she wasn’t about to kiss him either. Goodness no!

Inkbrand joined them for their escape from that Java character while she was puzzling over how to let Pyro down easily, and just as Sugar was about to plead for his help with the biggest puppy eyes she could muster something shot through the air and grabbed him. That something tugged and dropped the tattooed stallion to the dirt unceremoniously, and when the specialist whirled about on her hooves to find out just what happened her face darkened into a businesslike scowl. At the drop of a dime the timid, blushing mare had become the soldier once more. Her expression twisted with distaste and Sugar closed the distance between herself and the two stallions.

“I’m pulling rank here,” she said darkly, “I may be off duty but I’m still part of the Royal Equestrian Army. It wasn’t right for Inky - for Inkbrand to get rough with you, but considering your bad blood and the fact that you just about tried to eat him alive with a sloppy, nasty kiss I can’t say I’m surprised. But then dragging him through the dirt like that when he tried to step away from the conflict? When you could have asked anypony here what had just happened? Use your head, Java. Stand before this goes too far. ”

Sugar Star was not impressed. This earth pony showed no respect for others. Assaulting Inkbrand like that in front of his own marefriend and then making use of that darned gadget? What a disgusting display! If only this were one of her comics she would feel perfectly fine dumping hot coffee over his head! But this wasn’t happening in a comic...it was happening in real life.So instead she tried to appeal to Presteza.

“Maybe it’s best if we all go our separate w- what? M-m-modeling?”

Aaaaand there went the soldier again, chased away by the reddening of her cheeks. What was with these ponies today? The specialist blinked and tried taking a few steps back, but Presteza had snatched her face in her hoof. And then - what in the hay was she going on about!? She was getting really really really really really forward really quickly. Sugar Star let out a little, “Eep!” and, unable to help herself, snapped open her wings and leapt up into the air.

Flapping, she looked around at the scene. Inkbrand seemed to be doting over an armadillo in a cape, Pyro and Presteza were looking at her with madness in their eyes, and while Java had calmed down and ceased acting on his...urges towards Inky he was still giving her a weird vibe. There was only one way she could deal with all of this: stress eating.

Touching down lightly on the ground by Pony Joe, she grabbed his hoof, emptied a little bag of bits into it, and then began cramming tasty, sugary, soul-soothing donuts into her mouth.

“What in the hay is going on here?!” she cried after she had swallowed her third, “Everypony is going totally bonkers!”

[moonshineTheleocat]

Among the many strange things that Java may have done. There were perfectly reasonable explanations! Why, when the Java supposedly felt the buck up, he was simply employed as a pretend butler at a restraint, and was only tying a napkin around the Sir's neck. As is tradition. His laughing while bloody faced, wasn't an act. But the stallion enjoying a good time, reminding him of younger days when he boxed back in school, and rough housed with his family. And for his flip-flopping? That's... just Java being the socially awkward buck he probably is.

 

“WHAT,” The stallion roared in outrage. His lips quickly curled into a snarl as he rose his head up higher and brought his chin down to look the other buck in the eye. The stallion couldn't believe what he was hearing.

 

“I don't even recall making a bucking move on you! I don't even have a physical attraction to you! How you can sit there and believe that you're all that is beyond me!” The stallion growled. Though... his rage soon subsided when his frined interjected, and only confirmed the stallion's story.

 

Java looked... lost at the moment. His snarl was gone, and replaced with a confused jaw gape, and a raised brow. He remained like this for a moment, before breaking the pose away to pull his face away from Inkbrand. He went silent for a moment, mumbling to himself.

“I... did?” The stallion hummed with a curious note. His eyes flicked over the two for a mere moment. Then his gaze drifted away. “Maybe... maybe I actually should go get professional help then...” the stallion mumbled with a near disturbed tone. Maybe he was genuinely going crazy? Sure... he had his quirks. He was a bit flighty for a scientist some times. And his methods were odd. But he never thought any of that possibly meant he was legitimately daft.

 

His world began spinning as he questioned... more things about life than any stallion ever should. Was he legitimately insane? Maybe back then when he went ballistic as a colt, he actually legitimately snapped? Maybe... maybe he only imagined all those other foals being mean to him? Were they actually trying to be his friend? Or... were they voices? Voices in his head? The stallion's eyes quickly adopted a look of worry. “No no. Not insane! Perfectly normal! Perfectly normal...” He muttered to himself. His eyes shifted upwards... spotting butterflies dancing around him. Colorful wings dainty fluttering and gracefully gliding each one in the wind. Each one of them danced around him... mocking him. Were they? Oh such a slippery slope of madness the stallion has fallen pray to!

“No! Perfectly sane,” Java snapped to himself mentally, before quickly turning around to look at the approaching griffon that Pressy had pointed out. The stallion made a visible twith as his brain suddenly became a maelstrom of emotions.

His attention snapped back to reality, when... an REA had approached him. Apparently... he assaulted the stallion first? Wow... he really was losing it. And he had tried to eat him!? The stallion looked devastated for a moment. Selective hearing had ommited the fact that there was even a kiss involved in the first place. Use his head... yeah... sure.... that could likely get him into trouble again. "Sorry... I don't even remember doing anything that lead up to this. I just... blacked out and here he was with his hoof in my throat, and I'm tasting blood. The only reason I drug him, was so I could talk to him. I thought about approaching him... but he's... touchy. I figured he'd just kick me in the face if I got near." Maybe he should just go check in at a nut house or something.... wait. Did pressy try to introduce him to someone? His gaze turned around to notice
 

 

“Oh... oh yeah! I remember you! Razor, from the Ironclaw family,” The Engineer hummed. His head was still swimming, but at least there was a break in the winds, thus no longer threatening to throw the stallion into hysteria.

 

“You and your sister showed up one day to that restaurant I worked at temporarily for fun. There was a mare I worked with that had a fancy for you,” Java's lips curled into a knowing grin, “and I can safely say that you thought she was fairly cute. Tried talking her into getting to know you. But... she had some weird belief that she wasn't supposed to date customers.”

 

The stallion's smile then traded for something sincerely sympathetic. The stallion's eyes didn't show any hint of jokes. He was being honest about his sympathy and what went down, “Tough break, yah?”

 

Letting the silence continue a bit longer. Though awkwardly... with Java's eyes slowly shifting down to Inkbrand.... cuddling the ever living mess out of a spontaneously appearing and heroic looking armadillo (maybe it was the cape.) Where such a display would be charming with any other pony... with Inkbrand it was only disturbing given his previously displayed nature. Then back to Razor with a hoof extended, “Voronoi Fractal! Of the Nova house in Fetloch, just call me JavaSun though. Less of a mouthful to say, and definitely more efficient to the tongue!”

 

 

Once introductions were out of the way, Then Java noticed something was missing. The engineer slowly turned around, with his hoof balled up and hovering in the air over Inkbrands head. Once the tattoo cladded stallion was out of view, his hoof fell to give the buck a hard bonk on the head. Though it was a mild retribution for the hoof in his throat, and insulting his mare... that was not what was missing.

 

No... it was the mare herself! And did Java find her! First he was surprised by the incredible display! The mare of his dreams was getting fresh with another mare! And with quite the pick up line too! His muzzle slowly grew into a flat smile. His bottom lip pressed tightly to his upper lip.His hoof unconsciously pointing to the two in the distance, as he absorbed the beautiful sight. He was no gentle pony, and he might have a thing for stallions... but like all perverted stallions who do have a taste for mares... he couldn't help but to enjoy the sight some how.

 

But that was only short lived. A bliss that only lasted for a mere second till a switch in the foolish stallion's brain flicked. That was his mare. And she so suddenly chose another. And it wasn't him!

 

Hey, didn't Java have a heart? Why yes he did... it's lying on the ground, shattered into dust. The duct tape holding it together from the first time the mare chose another couldn't repair it this time.
 

The stallion's expression was solemn. A long frown, and half lidded eyes. The stallion's ears flicked back. His raised hoof trembling lightly as it lowered down to the ground.

 

 

The stallion felt his eyes grow itchy. The first signs of a tear. It started to well... and immediately disappeared. The stallion was quick to pull it back, desperate to show that he was a proper stallion! A stallion who wouldn't dare to cry! Or at least in public. He swallowed his emotions, sealing it off in his gut. But... such things don't surrender so easily. That sorrowful emotion quickly welled it's way up his throat, and delivered a mighty uppercut to the stallion's brain.

 

Java silently rose to his shaky hooves. “You can do this....” he thought to himself. “Just... one hoof... in front of the other.” But... it didn't quite go that way. Once his right fore hoof met the grass... his legs gave out, dropping the stallion down to the grit with a splat.

 

He just layed there, staring endlessly at the scene. His chin in the grass, and tail still.

 

“Joe...” he mumbled meakly with a sniff. “Three of those heart things... please.”

[PyroBlaze]

"Yeah, let's go you beautiful thing. Leave them to their devices, we can have all the fun we need together." Pyro said as Inkbrand was dragged off by that other stallion. Honestly he only had eyes for one pony at the moment, and she unfortunately seemed very put off by his advances. "Look, I know there's a bit of an age difference, but does that really matter? I'm practically a stallion, and you seem to be a young mare, it can't be that big a gap, so let's go have some fun together."

 

And now she was walking over to the stallions, chastising them for their actions. He followed after behind her, a lovestruck look on his face as he stared at Sugar's flank until stopping next to her. Very close to her, in fact. He looked away from her for a moment when he heard another voice directed at the mare beside him, causing him to look at the source. Another mare? Making a move on Sugar? Now that was something that darkened Pyro's expression a bit, his eyes narrowing at the mare's advances. He stomped up to give this mare a piece of his mind when Sugar left, immediately bringing his attention back to her as he looked up at her floating there in the air. 

 

"Like a guardian angel." He breathed, a smile finding it's way back onto his face as he sat down, watching her hover there with a loving expression directed at her. Soon enough she landed beside the vendor and began eating the pastries available. He walked over with a smile, cocking his head to the side at her question.

 

"What are you talking about, Sugar? It's just love. It is Hearts and Hooves day after all." He said with a smile as he watched her, eventually moving forward again and stopping close to her. "Go ahead and treat yourself, Sugar, I can pay for the food." He said quietly to her as he watched her eat.

 

--------------------

 

Flora Bloom liked Hearts and Hooves day. It was nice seeing so many happy ponies about in love. She usually also got plenty of orders for flowers around this time, but the florist had decided to take this year off and visit the Ponyville celebration. So far it was turning out to be a good decision. She hummed lightly to herself as she trotted down the street happily. She was shy, but nopony was talking to her or watching her, and the overall air of love and happiness was making things nice for her.

 

Eventually, she stopped as she came upon a strange scene. Inkbrand seemed to be cuddling an armadillo in a cape, and there was a colt and a mare going after another mare. She wasn't sure what was going on, so she slowly approached, standing out of the way in the group as she looked around shyly, not wanting to interrupt any of the conversations.

[Hawkeye12]

Dusty stood there awkwardly. Had he not noticed? Phew, that was a close one. Though she couldn't help but wonder what Lightout was thinking about. Was it her? Or maybe.... just maybe... she was starting to win him over? Dusty smiled a little at the thought. Yes, he was going to be hers, eventually. Whatever she was doing, it was working.

 

However, the mare snapped out of her thoughts yet again when he spoke. Oh right, they were going out to get some food. The closest place here was a doughnut stand nearby, but there seemed to be some sort of commotion going on there. Not to mention the fact that Dusty never really realised how hungry she was. She hadn't really eaten much today besides the chocolates. Or had she? Now that she thought about it, her memories before the pegasus laid eyes on him were pretty fuzzy. Besides, nopony would let hunger get in the way of love.

 

Lightout then mentioned going to a cafe, and Dusty nodded. "Y-yeah, a cafe sounds nice. Definitely more quiet than this place," she said, glancing over to whatever was happening by the doughnut stand. Not only would she rather not get involved with that, but spending some time alone with Lightout sounded... well, awesome. She smiled a little.

 

Dusty had realised she was fazing out again. She really needed to stop doing that. She trotted up to walk next to Lightout, who was looking around for someplace to eat. He then asked her what she was doing today, on Hearts and Hooves Day. Wait, what was she doing? 

 

"Huh?" she blurted out, trying to gather her thoughts. What was with her? "Oh, right. I'm not doing much today, just hanging around the fair. I'll probably see the fireworks tonight too. I live in Manehatten actually, but I decided to take a trip down to Ponyville, since it's a nice place. And for special somepony..." she chuckled a little. "Well, I don't have one...yet." she glanced over at the stallion yet again. 

[Blueblood]

Into the midst of this plebian pandemonium stepped the august, and quite unexpected, figure of Prince Blueblood.  August, because he never went anywhere without looking his best; today he was dressed in a sharp suit of midnight blue with a gleaming shirtfront.  Unexpected, because he had vocally sworn on multiple occasions that wild horses could not drag him to this Faust-forsaken town again!  Given that his two previous visits had involved a changeling invasion and a disastrous workday at Sweet Apple Acres, respectively, this was partially understandable.

 

Well, he'd kept his word, insofar as he'd traveled here on his own volition instead of at the behest of feral equines.  The Prince had come because he had the same doctor as Java, and that eminent medical professional had expressed concern, since it had been six months since the coffee-colored pony has showed up in his office, and so much can happen to a pony skirting the edge of sanity in that amount of time.

With Voronoi's parents in Fet Loch, and Presteza with Java, that left Blueblood as the pony who knew him best in Canterlot.  Thus, he was the one sent to check up on him.  

 

*I get that you want to relax... but here, of all places in Equestria?*  Ponyville was not a relaxing place.  It might be described as exciting, dangerous, or a civil lunatic asylum, but it was the last place the Prince would recommend anypony shaken by a caribou invasion to visit.  And he would never, ever take a date here.

 

Not that it had ever been an issue for him for the past... who knows how many Hearts and Hooves days.  Of course, like most stallions of his level of attractiveness, he received tons of mail and gifts this time of year, but past experience had given him a low opinion of the sort of mares who threw themselves at Princes.  Not that it justified most his behavior when he met them, as his aunt had lately taken pains to inform him, but it did explain why Blueblood had no other plans today.

 

 

It didn't take long for Blueblood to find Java; one only had to follow the smell of coffee, and unsurprisingly it led to donuts as well.  Sighing over the plebian tastes of his acquaintance/rival/friend, the Prince trotted up with a tired tone in his voice, "Oh, there you are.  Doctor Psy was wondering-"

No one would describe the Prince as quick on the uptake, and it took a moment for the obvious fact to dawn upon him.  "Hold on, weren't you here with Lady Presteza?"  He looked around for the painter mare, and quickly found her... putting the moves on a mare that was now headed towards them.  "Oh."  Slow he may be, but it didn't take long to read the story from this picture-book.

 

Never the best in emotional situations, he coughed and looked away... at a rough-looking tattooed stallion gushing over an armadillo.  And then there were griffons, just because.  The pony selling these round chunks of fried dough looked as bewildered as the Prince.  Normally, the royal appetite forbade acknowledging such, but Blueblood was just plain relieved that he wasn't the only sane pony left here.  "Strange?"  He answered, with a hollow laugh.  "I've never seen them acting normally."

[ShadowWalking18]

 

 

"Excuse me sir, can I have a heart shaped doughnut? Two if possible?"

 

"Of course! I've got two right here" The unicorn turned towards his newest customer, the donuts levitating towards the waiting griffoness.

 

"Ah, Glimmer. There you are."

 

Another griffon had come by. Joe wondered if perhaps he would like some coffee. The friendly unicorn trotted over to the pair and nodded a greeting. He had a question too.

 

"Hi! I'm Joe! I hope you both like the donuts. I was wondering...do the ponies around here seem to be acting strange or is it just me?" It just seemed like a lot of odd goings on were taking place between the various ponies that had been near the cart.

 

Glimmer quickly took the offered sweets, giving Joe a happy smile, "Thank you sir." She said, and pulled out a small red purse and removed the needed bits for the donuts. She took a bite of the first heart shaped confectionary and gave a purr in delight at the sugar sweetness.

 

Razor on the other hand sighed in defeat. Whenever his sister got sweets, it gave her more energy then usual. He didn't know if ponies knew, but a young griffon could be a rather energetic creature. Giving them more, and well....it always led to bad things for everyone else.

 

'I just know she is gonna get some sort of crazy idea in her head soon now.'  He thought. He sighed again, oh well. He was use to it frankly.

 

He turned to the pony who gave his sister the sweets, and noticed a pot of coffee on the cart.

 

Thank Celestia!

 

"Hey, can I get the biggest cup you got of that coffee. Black. No sugar or cream." He said, pulling out some bits from his wallet and handing them to Joe.

 

As Razor waited for his coffee, he listened to Joe's words and looked around.

 

"Hmmm....now that you mention it...." He said starting.

 

Things did seem a bit....off. Strangly, Razor couldn't help but feel a slight familiar feeling come up. Like...he should recognize a warning in the air. But he couldn't place why. And after all....

 

"Maybe...but this is Ponyville after all. This town is all sorts of weird." He said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her ears perked a moment and turned toward the familiar voice of Razor, A griffin she'd wound up flirting with during the Flim-Flam Love perfume Fiasco. As she remembered her clumsy friend telling her that she'd been pursuing him in a love poison based trance, Pressy's expression turned from agitation to embarassment as her cheeks flushed. The blush on her face faded when she realized that Razor wasn't going to go into details of that event. "Hiya razor, Nice ta see ya again!" The painter tried to ease the tension of her two male friends by introducing the griffin, "Razor, I'm sure you remember Inkbrand, The pony beside me who smells of coffee is my friend Javasun."

 

 

 

Razor couldn't help but look away slightly when Presteza greeted him. A blush coming to his face. Though most of his memories were still a bit fuzzy from the whole incident, he could still remember the.....ferocity...that she had in persuing him. Not to mention his own madness in persuit of a mare.

 

All in all, not only had he been scared nearly to death, he had completely embarrassed himself infront of others. That would haunt him for years he was sure.

 

"Uh....nice to see you again too." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

 

Presteza then pointed to a few other ponies. Both he recognized, if slightly.

 

"Hmmm, Oh yeah...I remember that guy," Razor said referring to Inkbrand, "I mean...not a lot. Given....things. But a little.

 

As for Java, "Oh yeah, know him too. I met him uh...once I think. At a café with uh....interesting employees." He said, remembering an event in his past.

 

As he went to say more, Razor then saw Presteza rush towards...A MARE!?! The way Presteza talked to and looked at the mare, showed that she was infatuatied in the extreme.

 

Razor felt an immense blush rush to his face, as he felt his concentration sharpen on the scene. And, embarrassingly enough, his wings shot out straight and stuck out.

 

He then quickly looked away, hoping to bring down his blush. He really hoped that coffee got ready....soon. NOW!

 

 

"Look at you," Inkbrand half-exclaimed, half-cooed as he pushed past the griffon and Presteza, near stampeding up to the smaller griffon. "Buck, you're cute. Just what I needed to take my mind of bucking JavaSun and his marefriend from Tautarus, right?" It took no effort at all to sweep the small creature into his forelegs, and the grey stallion didn't even care if her red cape became slight askew, fixing it quickly without a second thought as he pressed his own snout to its small button nose.

Buck, she really was a cutie. Chime was going to love having a new playmate in the apartment, especially one that seemed particularly sturdy.

 

 

 

Glimmer ate her doughnuts with calm, as she watched the conversation between her brother and the mare Presteza. Hmmm, they seemed to know each other quiet well. Glimmer wondered why, and what their relationship was.

 

'Hmmm, I wonder if...huh?' She thought, until she saw Presteza rush over to make advance on a mare. Glimmer blinked in shock a moment, then realized she must have missed with one of her darts previously.

 

'Oh pony feathers. I shouldn't have fired so many.' She thought. Next time she would take special care to stick to one dart.

 

After all, she only had so many. But now she was out of targets. Glimmer pouted until she felt a slight nudge on her leg. Looking down, she saw Lula nuzzling at her leg.

 

"Lula? I thought I told you to guard the uh...thing." She whispered, looking around to make sure no pony heard her. Looks like they didn't.

 

Lula the armadillo continued to nuzzle her, licking up crumbs of the doughnut. Glimmer giggled and offered her pet a piece.

 

"Well, I guess its okay." She said, giggling as she fed her pet.

 

Suddenly though, the same stallion she had darted several times appeared before her.

 

"Huh?" Glimmer said, looking at the stallion as he approached, saying she was cute and just what he needed.

 

'Wh-what?'  She thought, feeling her face heat up. She knew she was cute, but she didn't think she was ready to be dating somepony older then her yet. She fidgeted slightly, straightening her dress as she tried to find the right words...until suddenly Lula was scooped up into the stallions arms.

 

"Huh?" Glimmer said, as she watched her pet get snuggled by the stallion. Herself, completely ignored.

 

Glimmer blinked, then immediately growled in irritation.

 

'HOW DARE HE PLAY WITH THE INNOCENT HEART OF A YOUNG MAIDEN!!!' She thought with rage, her vision going red. Worse, how dare he try to steal HER pet.

 

"Hey, Lula is mine.  Miss Fluttershy gave her to me." She said, trying to grab her pet away from Inkbrand.

 

Lula merely stared with vacant eyes into Inkbrands, her little nose wiggling a bit as she was nuzzled by the stallion. Her tiny paws wiggled a bit, before she rolled up into a full ball.

 

Glimmer growled inwardly and looked toward where she had hid her dart gun and darts. She would show this malcontent not to play with a  maidens heart! Once she got back Lula though, and if not it would just be another reason to give him a right good darting again!

 

 

 

 

“Oh... oh yeah! I remember you! Razor, from the Ironclaw family,” The Engineer hummed. His head was still swimming, but at least there was a break in the winds, thus no longer threatening to throw the stallion into hysteria.

 

“You and your sister showed up one day to that restaurant I worked at temporarily for fun. There was a mare I worked with that had a fancy for you,” Java's lips curled into a knowing grin, “and I can safely say that you thought she was fairly cute. Tried talking her into getting to know you. But... she had some weird belief that she wasn't supposed to date customers.”

 

The stallion's smile then traded for something sincerely sympathetic. The stallion's eyes didn't show any hint of jokes. He was being honest about his sympathy and what went down, “Tough break, yah?”

 

Letting the silence continue a bit longer. Though awkwardly... with Java's eyes slowly shifting down to Inkbrand.... cuddling the ever living mess out of a spontaneously appearing and heroic looking armadillo (maybe it was the cape.) Where such a display would be charming with any other pony... with Inkbrand it was only disturbing given his previously displayed nature. Then back to Razor with a hoof extended, “Voronoi Fractal! Of the Nova house in Fetloch, just call me JavaSun though. Less of a mouthful to say, and definitely more efficient to the tongue!”

 

 

Razor felt his attention snap from the sky, to his sister when he heard Inkbrand approach. For a moment, he thought for sure the stallion was trying to flirt with his younger sister! Razor felt an immediate desire to end the stallions existence...until he scooped up Lula, his sisters pet.

 

"Huh?"  He said, watching confused for a moment before looking away and snickering.

 

Well, at least he wasn't after his sister. Though he felt sure he would have to help get Lula back for Glimmer. And by the way she was approaching the stallion he felt sure she would ask him for help.

 

'Still...something seems off.'  Razor thought, until he was approached by somepony.

 

Turning, Razor saw it was Java.

 

"Ah, yeah its me. And I remember you from the café as well." Razor said with a nod.

 

He blushed slightly when he brought up the maid pony, "Uh...eheheh....I...uh...yeah well..Uh...I doubt she was...serious I mean....that was...it wasn't...well...uh Hey want coffee?" He ended quickly after stammering.

 

Best not to talk about that with his sister around. Besides, talking about if a mare liked him or not was...embarrassing.

 

"Uh...heh, yeah uh...shame it didn't....work. heh." He said.

 

He listened as Java gave his name, "I wondered what your name was. Yeah, I think Javasun is a lot easier then that. Hmmm, can't say I have heard much of the Nova house."

 

When Razor noticed Java pointing suddenly, he looked and felt his wings go stiff again as he pointed toward Presteza and the mare. He looked away again, feeling his face go hot once more. But then he noticed Java go down, literally.

 

"Uh...you okay man?" Razor asked, looking at Java confused.

 

Razor was going to ask more when a mare suddenly appeared. Razor felt his heart stop at her suddenly ariel descent and jumped back some a bit, placing a claw to his heart as he eased his breathing.

 

Too close. Way to close.

[Zealot]

The hearts and hooves day fair itself was a massed conglomeration of activities for foals, couples activities and other such sickening and cliche romantic necessities. Walking past that without even a glance, Lightout narrowed down on a small cafe opposite what appeared to be the kissing booths and walked on over. It seemed bizzare to him that ponies would want to eat looking over at other ponies kissing. That was beyond him. Of course, it could all just be some weird accident or a misplacement on the festival organiser's part. Either way, Lightout gritted his teeth at the thought. Romantic couples were never fun to watch, even if he didn't care too much about love.

 

Still, the stallion had to wonder about Dusty's response to his questioning. If she didn't have a special somepony what in Equestria was she doing here. Lightout was only here because he had a job to do, and his fireworks display was hardly something to travel far to watch. Or at least, that's what he thought at least. It gave him something to do before he had to get back to Canterlot. And safety. So yes, Lightout was quite concerned at the response. Clearly he was hiding something, that nervousness definitely meant she was up to something. Then there was the fact that she was from Manehatten. The alchemist had always thought that city to be dangerous, and the nasty ponies from there would undoubtedly cause trouble. It seemed he was narrowing down on something. Maybe he would find out what she was up to after a bite to eat.

 

"Just hanging out, fair enough," Lightout commented carefully. The unicorn led the way through the cafe, assuming Dusty was following and to a table. The place wasn't crowded but it was busy. That was good. Plenty of witnesses. She couldn't try anything here, whatever it was she was doing. "I don't have a special somepony either, so you're in amiable company. To be honest, I'm just here to work on the display before I head home to Canterlot. I don't overly like Hearts and Hooves day, but I make a lot of money in the build up to it. Love potions are always in high demand." Though he stops to clarify that statement. "I'm an alchemist, so I make potions. As well as fireworks. What do you do?" he probed, taking a look at the menu. Though he sighed when he realised the cafe is indeed selling Hearts and Hooves day specials.

[Hawkeye12]

Dusty followed right behind Lightout as he seemed to spot a little cafe at the fair. Sure, it was by a kissing booth which was kinda weird, but at least they were away from the mass crowds at the centre of the fair. The cafe itself was a little more busy than she thought, but oh well. It was probably as close as she could get to spending some time with him alone. Oh, how wonderful would that be! The pegasus smiled at the thought as the two walked into the cafe, settling down at a table.

 

The mare somewhat listened as Lightout began to talk of his work. Wait, he didn't like Hearts and Hooves day? Who doesn't like Hearts and Hooves day? If it wasn't for a day like this, Dusty wouldn't be finding herself falling for the greatest stallion there ever was! Dusty was about to protest to this statement, but Lightout continued speaking. Something about how he works with fireworks and po- did he say love potions? A smile crept onto Dusty's face at the thought of such potion "accidentally" falling into his drink. That would definitely make him fall for her, if all else failed. Then they could live happily ever after, right?

 

The thought was going into Dusty's head over and over again as she picked up menu, just as Lightout was. But as the unicorn picked up the menu, Dusty couldn't help but take another glance at him. That messy, yet not too messy mane...those eyes.... strong, but not extremely buff... sweet Celestia, he was just perfect! 

 

It took her a moment to realise that Lightout was still talking, asking what she did. "O-oh, I'm just a weather pony," she said, quickly glancing back to her menu though not reading it at all. "I do a lot of stunts in my spare time though. Ponies say that I'd make a pretty good Wonderbolt, but I dunno." she then stole yet another glance at him, getting off topic. "So.... love potions, huh? How do they work, exactly?"

[Zeig]

 

So enamored was he with the adorable, armor-shelled roll of cute in his hooves, that it took Inkbrand a rather long moment to realize there was a very shrill and annoying sound piercing his ears. It took him another moment to realize it was coming from something fluffy and puffy somewhere from the vicinity of his legs.

And more importantly, it was reaching its grubby little claws upwards to try and grab his armadillo.

"Lula?" the grey stallion sneered, before eyeing the armadillo contemplatively. Inkbrand rose up onto his hind legs to better inspect the small creature, and more importantly, keep her out of the small griffon's grasp. "Lula," he repeated, more firmly this time, deciding he liked the way the armadillo's name rolled off his lips. It seemed to fit her, right down to the cape that fluttered proudly in the breeze, even when the small creature rolled up into a bucking adorable roll. Bucking Tautarus, he could almost see it now - Chime rolling and chasing the armadillo ball around the apartment, red cape getting caught onto various things and causing a mess and he wouldn't even mind it.

But that would have to wait, seeing how a very annoying griffon was currently being very annoying, and not minding her own bucking business like a good little foal. Griffonlet? Whatever.

"Shush, big ponies are talking here," Inkbrand admonished, lowering himself back down to tuck the curled up armadillo under one foreleg. "And big ponies say - Flo!" the grey stallion interpreted himself, near charging at the Earth Pony and coming to a stop not a hairs-breadth away from her snout. He hadn't even noticed the green mare standing nearby, but could he be blamed, really?

"Flo look, isn't she great?" he exclaimed, producing the rolled up armadillo with relish for the green mare to go…well, green with envy. After all, seeing as she worked in a garden all day, surely Flora Bloom was the type of mare to be enamored with small critters and the like. Just as Sugar Star probably was too, because…well, sugar. Sweets and fillies and flowers and woodland critters all went together, didn't they? Buck, it was getting hard to think.

Though, not hard enough for Inkbrand to belatedly realize the danger he'd just put Lula in, and he hastily tucked the armadillo back into his embrace, a scowl falling over his face. "You can't have her though, so don't get any ideas, sweetheart," the tattoo-clad Earth Pony growled, body turned protectively to shield the armadillo from Flora's view. First the griffon, now Flo. Buck, everypony was out to get Chime's new playmate, bucking vultures!
 

 

 

 

[Elderflower]

 

Sugar Star had just begun to relax the teensiest bit, her belly full of sugary sweets, when Pyro came at her again. Oh dear...his boldness seemed to be multiplying with every word he spoke. Perhaps he just needed a solid answer...but...she had given her word to cheer him up! She wanted to help him make this Hearts and Hooves Day a happy one! So...oh dear, what sort of pickle had she gone and gotten herself into? She couldn’t lie to him, but she couldn’t just flat-out reject him either...could she? And then there was what he said about love! This was not love. Not at all! And she should know: she read more comics about love than anypony ever. Real love was sweet and gentle and warm. Not...whatever was happening here today.

Sugar pouted grumpily, looking from Inkbrand snuggling a little gryphlet’s pet armadillo to the crestfallen Java to his marefriend who had dropped him off without so much as blinking. “This isn’t love,” she mumbled grumpily, “It’s rotten. It’s making everypony unhappy. I’m sorry, Pyro, but I don’t want to be a part of this madness...I can’t be your special somepony. I’m too old for you, and besides...I miss the Pyro Blaze I first met when I came here earlier today…”

Shaking her head apologetically, Sugar stepped past the colt and made her way to Java. The hurt written all over his expression was breaking her heart, and even if she was seriously unimpressed by his actions earlier she still couldn’t help feeling compelled to offer him a kind gesture. She took the last two donuts she had paid for and plunked down next to him, offering one of them to the stallion while she plopped the last one in her mouth and swallowed.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, offering him a small, apologetic smile, “Today’s a rotten mess, isn’t it?”

Before she could get a response from him, however, a very familiar figure swept into the scene. Sugar Star immediately went tense and just about jumped to her feet, saluting the approaching Prince Blueblood. He said something to the coffee-scented stallion, so the specialist waited before she spoke, not wanting to interrupt him. Surprisingly, her reaction to the Prince oozed military. For a mare obsessed with silly romance comics, one would expect her to blush like mad and fantasize about unlikely love stories. Sugar, though, was more professional than even she gave herself credit for. Protecting the royal family was part of her job description, and she took her job very seriously. She could only see the Prince as a figure she was tasked with keeping safe and well, so seeing him as a stallion was very much out of the question.

“Your majesty,” she said stiffly as soon as it was appropriate, taking her hoof down from her salute and bowing her head respectfully, “Specialist Sugar Star of the Royal Equestrian Army at your service! You are unaccompanied today, on Hearts and Hooves Day? It might be...unwise for you to go unprotected. Things have gotten a little out of hoof here, and being who you are, well...It might be unwise…”

The specialist cast a grumpy, sidelong glance towards the lovesick crowd before continuing, “A lot of these ponies have fallen off their rockers. I may be out of uniform but I’m still ready to serve - should you wish for protection, please just say the word.”

[PyroBlaze]

Pyro watched Sugar as she ate, smiling slightly. That smile faded, then disappeared entirely as Sugar spoke, saying she didn't return his love. He remained un-moving as she stepped past him, his gaze staring straight ahead for a couple seconds before lowering, his head hanging in sadness. Why? Was he not good enough for her? What was wrong with him? He gave a little sniffle as he sat there, mentally beating himself up.

 

Flora looked around at the group strangely, wondering why they were acting like they were. Inkbrand in particular, who seemed to be very attached to an armadillo. As soon as he caught sight of her though, he rushed over to show off the animal. She almost fell over trying to lean back from his sudden proximity, but she managed to keep her footing. She blinked a bit at his question, looking at the armadillo for a couple seconds. She opened her mouth, only to be interrupted by Inkbrand's sudden change of attitude.

 

"Oh... No, I wouldn't try to take her from you. A-and about your first question... She seems to be a very nice armadillo... I umm... hope you two have a good time together..." She said, blinking again as she wondered why he was acting this way. Was this just another side of him that she hadn't seen? Some kind of love for animals? She glanced around a bit, not sure what else to say. "What's going on around here?" 

[Pretzelparty]

 

 

 

“Maybe it’s best if we all go our separate w- what? M-m-modeling?”

Aaaaand there went the soldier again, chased away by the reddening of her cheeks. What was with these ponies today? The specialist blinked and tried taking a few steps back, but Presteza had snatched her face in her hoof. And then - what in the hay was she going on about!? She was getting really really really really really forward really quickly. Sugar Star let out a little, “Eep!”

Touching down lightly on the ground by Pony Joe, she grabbed his hoof, emptied a little bag of bits into it, and then began cramming tasty, sugary, soul-soothing donuts into her mouth.

“What in the hay is going on here?!” she cried after she had swallowed her third, “Everypony is going totally bonkers!”

 

The mare chuckled softly as she witnessed the pegasus blase off into the air to avoid her. How fun, a challenge... thought the cream colored mare as she gazed almost like a predator ready to pounce on her now somewhat wary prey. She took a moment to rethink her tactics a moment. She couldn't expect her overly forward attempt from earlier to work a second time, however adorable sugar's reaction was, she didn't want to risk losing some a lovely muse as her. That beuatiful blonde mane, her incredible golden coat, those adorable pink eyes; Presteza -had- to have her. Once the target of Pressy's affections had landed she suddenly began to fill her face with those sweet heart shaped pastries, wonderful Sugar had a love of... sugar just like like her admirer did!

 

 

 

 

 “This isn’t love,” she mumbled grumpily, “It’s rotten. It’s making everypony unhappy. I’m sorry, Pyro, but I don’t want to be a part of this madness...I can’t be your special somepony. I’m too old for you, and besides...I miss the Pyro Blaze I first met when I came here earlier today…”

Shaking her head apologetically, Sugar stepped past the colt and made her way to Java. The hurt written all over his expression was breaking her heart, and even if she was seriously unimpressed by his actions earlier she still couldn’t help feeling compelled to offer him a kind gesture. She took the last two donuts she had paid for and plunked down next to him, offering one of them to the stallion while she plopped the last one in her mouth and swallowed.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, offering him a small, apologetic smile, “Today’s a rotten mess, isn’t it?”

“Your majesty,” she said stiffly as soon as it was appropriate, taking her hoof down from her salute and bowing her head respectfully, “Specialist Sugar Star of the Royal Equestrian Army at your service! You are unaccompanied today, on Hearts and Hooves Day? It might be...unwise for you to go unprotected. Things have gotten a little out of hoof here, and being who you are, well...It might be unwise…”

The specialist cast a grumpy, sidelong glance towards the lovesick crowd before continuing, “A lot of these ponies have fallen off their rockers. I may be out of uniform but I’m still ready to serve - should you wish for protection, please just say the word.”

 

Presteza may have been Pyro's competition, but that didn't stop her from feeling sorry for the now heartbroken colt. The painter galloped over and patted him on the back, "Sorry, Pyro." she said in a genuinely concerned tone. "Better luck next time, eh?" While she took a moment to console pyro she felt some of her more cohesive thoughts returning as she watch sugar go over to comfort a vaguely familiar earth pony who seemed even more sad than Pyro himself. SUddenly an equally downtrodden look fell across the mare's face, a pinkish glow that surrounded irises flashed once and then faded as she approached Sugar and java before gently nuzzling against the stallion and taking a bite of the pastry he held in his mouth, giving him a genuienly saddened look before the glow over her irises flared up and she cringed, backpeddling and rubbing at her eyes as the magic once again took hold.

 

Hang on a tic, what was she doing wasting time with this admittedly nice smelling stallion, her love was now over by none other than Prince Blueblood. The mare took a moment and soon approached with a bit more of a calm disposition, tapping sugar's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Miss." She began, "I get a tad passionate when I see such a wonderful potential model in my midst... perhaps we may start over? I'm Presteza." she said outstretching her hoof to the R.E.A office that was off duty.

[moonshineTheleocat]

The stallion remained still, where his heads continued to swim with a confusing mix of emotions. The stallion’s eyes flicked to the Griffon, and sniffed. He tried to get up… but the weight of it all kept him down. Instead, he flicked his cropped tail which swept through the dirt. “Peachy,” he rasped, trying his best to just belt up and soldier on. But that same resolve that had worked for years just… failed him now.

 

And so, he sat there drearily. If Earth pony’s had some sort of magic that was actually worth mentioning, that magic would create a little storm cloud over the stallion’s head. He only looked up when he was first approached by a mare, whom had brought him a donut. The same mare that had accused him for assaulting the stallion.

 

 

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, offering him a small, apologetic smile, “Today’s a rotten mess, isn’t it?”

 

 

 

“I can’t even remember what happened…” he sighed. Normally, he’d look for a logical explination. A reason, or something! But... given everything that was happening now, he was just starting to learn how poorly he handled his own emotions after bottling them up for so long.

 

Java looked to her with a saddened grimace. His eyes felt so itchy now as a more prominent feeling had been popped from the stack of queued emotions. A very familiar feeling. A feeling that didn’t feel so good to have revealed in public, and one that the stallion had worked very diligently not to be seen showing. Like he was going to cry. The stallion fidgeted as he now slowly turned his attention down to the donut, and craned his head forward.

 

His jaws slowly opened wide like a turtle ready to take a bite out of lettuce. His eyes started to twitch as his vision started to glaze over. But he fought it off as long as he could. He kept thinking happy thoughts, wonderful thoughts! Thoughts about a lovely ma-NO, not her! That would only make things worst! But it was too late.

 

By the time his teeth slowly closed down on the donut, the stallion was twitchin. Visibly vibrating like was stifling back a heart wrenching caterwauling capable only by a heart broken kitten lost in a storm. His eyes were like glass as he watched yet another mare sneak into view. This time… it was Pressy. She looked at him with such sad… deep blue eyes. He had practically lost himself in those eyes once more. Staring deeply into the depths of the mare’s soul. His convulsion came to a halt.

 

What exactly was he seeing, the stallion wondered, his head slowly lifted up studying her eyes for the sudden change. His head tilted in confusion when he saw the sudden flicker of magic in her eyes. However, instead of pondering over what he saw for long… he returned to vibrating like a furless pup when he saw her go right back to courting Sugar Star. The sudden shift in emotions hit him like a brick to the face.’

 

Then came a familiar voice. A voice of a friend, a foe, and a rival all at once. The stallion’s head twitchily turned to Prince Blueblood as he made his fantastic appearance in Ponyvile… once more. After getting to know Blueblood, the stallion learned he wasn’t as bad as the rumors claimed to be. In fact, once he got past that spoiled nature of his, he was an alright pony. But this… this was utterly bewildering to the stallion.

 

 

It didn't take long for Blueblood to find Java; one only had to follow the smell of coffee, and unsurprisingly it led to donuts as well.  Sighing over the plebian tastes of his acquaintance/rival/friend, the Prince trotted up with a tired tone in his voice, "Oh, there you are.  Doctor Psy was wondering-"

No one would describe the Prince as quick on the uptake, and it took a moment for the obvious fact to dawn upon him.  "Hold on, weren't you here with Lady Presteza?"  He looked around for the painter mare, and quickly found her... putting the moves on a mare that was now headed towards them.  "Oh."  Slow he may be, but it didn't take long to read the story from this picture-book.

 

 

He… was just here… to tell him that? He came all this way from Canterlot to deliver him a message from a doctor personally? Was this stallion really a friend? Ther were no alterior motives. No form of gains to be had for the prince. He could have had some other pony deliver the message, but he did it himself. That was just enough to strike the final chord to the stallion’s public mental meltdown.

 

The stallion broke out into a sob, and practically pounced onto the prince from where he stood. But not in a lover’s embrace. No… it was a hug. A big… strong hug. The waterworks continued with Java sobbing like a foal into the white buck’s shoulder.

 

When he spoke, his voice cracked with a hint of happiness… but mostly sorrow. A lot of sorrow.

 

“Y-yoU R-r-ReaLLY ar-are a gOOd F-Friend.. A-And.. pony… No-No matter w-What th-they say,” The pony broke his blubbering to sniff loudly, then continue. “B-bout You!”

 

The stallion continued to sob away for what felt like minutes to him. His mind had flushed the sea of flowing emotions, all down the same pipe. He sobbed for his questionable sanity. He sobbed for a lost mare. And he sobbed for a friend who.... wait a minute.

 

The stallion's sobs quickly died down long enough for the stallion to look at the Prince with reddened eyes. His gaze had it's usual curious expression, but the smile was gone. "How... did you know I was in ponyville with...." The stallion trembled and once again connected his muzzle with the stallion's shoulders. Bright side is... he hasn't attempted to clean his nose on the Prince's nice suit.

[Blueblood]

Blueblood, of course, had never before stepped hoof in so plebian a place as a doughnut shop.  Heck, Pony Joe's had been open for years in Canterlot, and the Prince had never even heard of him!  But he could read the social currents of the crowd, and right now, it seemed that every sane pony was collecting against the fried dough seller like flotsam against a beach.

 

It was just a pity that one of those sane ponies was actually a griffon.  Maybe it was the buried prey instincts of equines, but they always gave him the willies.  Didn't matter that Razor was a full head shorter than the stallion, nor that Glimmer was an even smaller bundle of absolutely unthreatening cuteness.  Nope, both of them set him right on edge, and when Razor jumped back from Sugar Star's sudden descent, Blueblood jumped back too, bumping his shoulder right up against the counter.  "Bagh!  Don't do that." 

 

He stopped, suddenly aware of how his outburst made him look, but he buried his embarrassment under a layer of hauteur an inch thick.  Really, as a Royal, and especially as a recently traumatized Royal, surely he was entitled to not have to deal with sudden-

 

 

 

 

“Your majesty,” she said stiffly as soon as it was appropriate, taking her hoof down from her salute and bowing her head respectfully, “Specialist Sugar Star of the Royal Equestrian Army at your service! You are unaccompanied today, on Hearts and Hooves Day? It might be...unwise for you to go unprotected. Things have gotten a little out of hoof here, and being who you are, well...It might be unwise…”

The specialist cast a grumpy, sidelong glance towards the lovesick crowd before continuing, “A lot of these ponies have fallen off their rockers. I may be out of uniform but I’m still ready to serve - should you wish for protection, please just say the word.”

 

 

 

Well now, that was more like it!  Here was at least one sane mare in a sea of the love-crazed that reached spring tide this time every year!  Sugar Star's prompt recognition and offer of protection won her one of the Prince's most charming smiles as he acknowledged her salute.  "Ah, specialist!  Consider the word given; and I am especially glad to see that the Guard, at least, knows how to keep their heads!"  It had to be said, though even Blueblood was too polite to actually say it aloud, that the Guard had not been conspicuous in that respect during several previous crises.  The Prince was already mentally composing a letter of commendation to her superior officer when-

 

WhenJava spoke, his voice cracked with a hint of happiness… but mostly sorrow. A lot of sorrow.

 

“Y-yoU R-r-ReaLLY ar-are a gOOd F-Friend.. A-And.. pony… No-No matter w-What th-they say,” The pony broke his blubbering to sniff loudly, then continue. “B-bout You!”

 

The stallion continued to sob away for what felt like minutes to him. His mind had flushed the sea of flowing emotions, all down the same pipe. He sobbed for his questionable sanity. He sobbed for a lost mare. And he sobbed for a friend who.... wait a minute.

 

The stallion's sobs quickly died down long enough for the stallion to look at the Prince with reddened eyes. His gaze had it's usual curious expression, but the smile was gone. "How... did you know I was in ponyville with...." The stallion trembled and once again connected his muzzle with the stallion's shoulders. Bright side is... he hasn't attempted to clean his nose on the Prince's nice suit.

 

Really, was "personal space" too esoteric a concept for an engineer?  That was twice today that Java had show a flagrant disregard for it, though Blueblood didn't know about the first.  All he knew was that a stallion had just thrown himself upon him.  Given what the unicorn knew about this particular stallion's inclinations, he supposed that this was bound to happen sooner or later, however clear the Prince had made his feelings upon the subject.

 

*That's the price one pays for putting so much stock in good looks.*  With his back to the counter, there was no avoiding Java; and given the crowd around the doughnut stand, extricating himself would prove difficult.  So, he settled for just giving an awkward pat on the other stallion's shoulder.  "Er, yes.  Thank you."  So this was what love did to a pony, was it?  Strip them of all dignity in public, and fill you with misery besides?  Just as the Prince had suspected.  Thank Faust he'd sense enough to stay a bachelor!

 

As for the question, that was easy enough.  "Well, nopony knew where you went, but I figured you'd be with Lady Presteza today, so I asked the Duchess where she went, and-"  

 

 

 

Hang on a tic, what was she doing wasting time with this admittedly nice smelling stallion, her love was now over by none other than Prince Blueblood. The mare took a moment and soon approached with a bit more of a calm disposition, tapping sugar's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Miss." She began, "I get a tad passionate when I see such a wonderful potential model in my midst... perhaps we may start over? I'm Presteza." she said outstretching her hoof to the R.E.A office that was off duty.

 

 

 

Oh, there she was.  Apparently, she was one of the crazy ones.  He wouldn't have thought it of her, but then, one always had to account for the sanity-destroying effects of love.  Eugh.  And she was making overtures on his personal guard?  Oh, this wouldn't do at all, never mind the fact that this was also probably the reason that Java was in serious danger of actually blowing his nose on the Royal Person!

 

"Ahem!  Specialist Sugar Star is currently on duty, and is therefore not available for... modeling."  There.  That should at least buy them some breathing room.  Hopefully, Pressy wouldn't press the issue...

[ShadowWalking18]

Glimmer watched as the stallion went off with her pet, totally brushing her off! Her feathers puffed out as she growled low, talons digging into the ground.

 

'Ggggrrrrrr, I'll show this guy.' She thought, before turning and rushing off back to her hiding placing.

 

Nopony was gonna take Lula from her, and nopony got away with playing with her heart! Finding the blowgun and darts, Glimmer loaded up a dart and with an evil little laugh, took careful aim for Ink's flank.

 

'Hmmm....is it safe to dart him again?' She thought, just for a moment. She really had no idea WHAT would happen after so many dartings......

 

....oh well. She had a pet to save. Poor Lula was practically in a fit, terrified for her life.

 

Glimmer readied her dart, but there were so many ponies moving about she found it hard to get a good shot.

 

With a huff, the dart went flying, but when Inkbrand moved to protect Lula from the mare he showed her too, the dart missed hi completely and instead nailed Sugar.

 

"Pony feathers."Glimmer muttered and prepared another dart, this time nailing Ink right in the flank once more. She chuckled with evil glee. Now Lula would be hers again! She just needed to wait for the right moment to swoop in and rescue her.

 

--------------

 

Razor watched his sister run off, and blinked confused. Wasn't she gonna ask him to get her pet back?

 

'Hmmm...well I guess I should anyway. Though I'm worried what the fledgling is gonna do.' He thought before turning to Ink.

 

"Hey, Ink why don't you just give my sister back her pet now. The random crazy affection was funny, but now....well its kinda getting disturbing." He said, as he held out a talon to take the little armored rodent.

 

Without warning, something flew past his peripheral vision, making Razor jump back in shock.

 

"Whoa! What was that?" He said to himself.

[Zeig]

 

Inkbrand continued to eye Flora Bloom rather suspiciously. She didn't look like a crazed mare ready to snatch Lulua from his hooves and gallop off into the sunset, but nopony could really be trusted these days.

Still, as the green Earth Pony continued to show no inclinations of being a big fat liar, Inkbrand slowly let himself relax, enough to bring the armadillo back out into the open with a wide smile. "Oh you know, just hangin' out," he responded blithely with a vague wave of his hoof towards the large group, even as he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the armadillo. Why wasn't she coming out of her little ball? It was cute as buck all, but he wanted to see her beady little eyes again. "Foals and mares getting dropped like hot potatoes on Hearts and Hooves Day - the usual."

…Honestly, Inkbrand had no idea what was going on with the other ponies he'd left off, and he reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Lula to view them properly. The colt seemed downtrodden again, like somepony had stepped on his favorite puppy, while Sugar Star seemed equally grumped out in front of a rather posh white stallion. That SODD was also hanging around the white stallion - and by hanging around, he meant completely draped over, and Inkbrand couldn't forced back the brief swell of nausea at the sight - while MFT was all up against Sugar Star. Cue another swell and gagging noise.

There may have been some others, but Inkbrand was quickly losing interest in anything other than the tannish ball clutched between his hooves as he turned back around towards Flora Bloom. "Watch yourself Flo," he advised, in a very loud whisper, "these guys'll take the skin off your cutie mark without batting an eyelash. Especially him," he hissed, with a vicious toss of his head towards the griffon from earlier. Inkbrand still didn't know why he felt like smashing a hoof against the griffon's stupid little beak from time to time, but it was probably because the feathered fiend was an armadillo-stealing bug-eyed little creep -

"Son of a half-brained rot eating - !" Inkbrand near-screeched, as yet another sharp bite of pain flashed across his already sore flank. The armadillo flew from his hooves and went harmlessly bouncing a few feet away as Inkbrand flailed about, turning in circles as if he could see what in bucking Equestria kept nabbing him.

Nothing was in his near vicinity however, and the grey stallion let out an aggravated gust of breath, bringing his head back upwards. "Some bucking Hearts and Hooves Day this is turning out to be," he grumped, turning around.

And stopped.

And stared.

And then blinked, realizing that the golden mare was only Sugar Star, who'd been standing there since she'd first tripped into his general area of vision. Except - well buck. Inkbrand shook his head hard, then once again for good measure, even as his golden eyes found their way back onto the Pegasus in some confusion.

Huh.

He hadn't noticed before how…well. Pretty the mare looked. Of course, he'd noted immediately that Sugar Star was attractive, the same way most mares were. But had her coat always been so smooth, her hair always so silken? Inkbrand was ninety-six percent certain that her eyes hadn't been so positively shiny just a short while ago. She had…gone and freshened up in a short amount of time, surely.

Finally aware that his jaw was slightly unhooked, Inkbrand abruptly snapped his mouth closed and forcibly turned back towards Flora Bloom. He was partially successful - his face ended up facing the green mare while his body was semi-turned awkwardly towards the group of ponies. The tattoo-clad stallion visibly fought for a moment longer, and opened his mouth to actually ask Flora Bloom who she had come to the festival with -

"Flo, I'll catch 'ya later," he said instead, and was a few feet away from the mare before he even realized it. An agitated snarl left his lips, more annoyed with himself than anything else. What the buck was wrong with him?

Concerns fell to the wayside however, as Inkbrand suddenly found himself next to Sugar Star. For some reason, the sight of MTF holding out a hoof towards the golden Pegasus sent a spike of deep irritation through the grey stallion, and he inserted himself between the two so smoothly that it almost looked accidental. "I should think so," he said aggressively in response to the white stallion's comment, grateful that some other pony could see beyond MFT's deceptive outside to her manipulative and writhing black inner core. And buck, Sugar Star was REA? Should the thought of a goody-two-shoes bending over backwards to kiss Princess sandals annoy him? "In fact, the two of us were on our way to Sugar Cube before we were…stalled."

This said with another glare towards MTF, even as a lingering thought nagged at the back of his mind. Wasn't there somepony else they'd been about to go off with for a frolic through the fields, or something? Ah well, wasn't that important. As long as he and Sugar Star could get out of this bucking mesh of ponies, he'd be all fine and dandy.

 

 

 

 

 

[Elderflower]

Even though she was managing to keep her expression very businesslike, inside Sugar Star was completely over the moon! The winning smile that the Prince had given her was picking her spirits right back up! Eyes sparkling, she finally ended her salute and put all four hooves back on the ground. Right! Time to work! It felt odd, being so excited about work when she had been looking forward to having Hearts and Hooves day off, but considering how bizarre Hearts and Hooves Day had been in Ponyville so far...Well, work was preferable to this madness.

 

Working for Prince Blueblood might not be ideal (the general opinion of the Prince back in the barracks wasn’t positive, and after hearing the rumours about him Sugar had always been put off by the idea of ever working for him directly), but she had to admit that seeing how easily Java collapsed into sobbing on him was...kind of endearing. A little smile slipped through her flat, professional expression as she watched the two share their moment.

Her brief taste of relief was quickly interrupted, however, when the cream-coloured mare came towards her once more. Sugar snapped to attention and turned to look at Pressy as she approached, catching sight of Pyro Blaze when she did. Oh…

 

Oh no. He looked so completely downtrodden, so devastated...and she had been the cause. She tore her gaze away, reminding herself that she was back on duty now and she had to separate herself from all of the craziness happening. But she couldn’t just ignore or forget Pyro’s heartache. She hardly registered Presteza’s advances this time, because her lip was quivering and tears were stinging her eyes. She tried blinking them away but it just wasn’t working, and they were threatening to spill over any moment.

And they did, though not because of how sad she felt! The reason they finally spilled over was because of a sudden, sharp pain in her flank. The mare let out a little whimper at the unexpected nip of pain and blinked hard, trying to get her thoughts to focus. Why did her head feel so...fuzzy? She heard familiar voices through the fog, and though she knew they were standing right next to her, somehow it sounded as though they were miles away. And then she looked up.

Oh.

 

For the life of her she could not imagine why anypony back in the barracks ever had a bad thing to say about Prince Blueblood. Cowardly, arrogant, pompous? That’s not what she saw right now. What Sugar Star saw was a dashing stallion with a painfully attractive smile who had come all this way to help out a friend. It was just so admirable!

“Right...Sugarcube Corner,” she said halfheartedly in response to the grey stallion who reminded her terribly of Prince Diamond Hooves from Sailor Mare. She never took her gaze off of Prince Blueblood when she spoke, though. After a few long moments of dazzled gawking, Sugar dashed away her tears and slipped past Diamond to let him deal with Presteza, then stood wide-eyed and blushing before the Prince.

 

“I don’t care what anypony back at the barracks says about you,” she said boldly to the Prince, her expression sheepish and terribly, terribly red, “You came all this way to help a friend! You’re not a ninny or a coward or a dunderhead or an arrogant, pompous idiot at all! You’re more than that.”

She looked down at the ground, poking at the dirt timidly with a hoof. Sugar Star had never once confessed her feelings before...but she had seen countless heroines do just that in her favourite comics. So she would take inspiration from them, because she just had to tell Prince Blueblood how she felt!

“P-Prince Blueblood,” she stammered, her cheeks a violent shade of red, “I think you’re really cool! I...I like you a lot...please...please notice me.”

And then she looked straight at him with watery, pink eyes wide with an unexpected surge of love, admiration, and just a hint of self-consciousness and uncertainty.

[PyroBlaze]

Pyro sighed sadly again, tears dripping onto the dirt as he wallowed in unreturned love. What was wrong with him? He barely knew Sugar, but he still had these feelings for her. He... He couldn't give up... No, he had to keep trying! Maybe she was just saying that because she was worried about the age gap! Maybe she was just trying to be professional! Yes! He had to keep trying!

Newly inspired to chase his love, he stood, turning towards Sugar to see her being hit on by Inkbrand. Now he couldn't have that, could he? With his eyes firmly on Sugar, he lifted Inkbrand and Pressy in his magic before tossing them aside, walking up behind Sugar and grabbing her in a loving hug from behind, kissing her cheek. If words weren't going to work, he'd have to be more direct.

"I love you, Sugar Star, why won't you love me back?" He asked, whispering the words into her ear.

---

Flora blinked a bit from Inkbrand's gaze, standing in silence as she watched him a bit worriedly. He didn't seem like himself. Or at least no part of him that she'd seen. She blinked a bit more from Inkbrand's eventual response, looking at the others for a moment.

"Oh... Well, that's nice... I guess..." She said, looking back to him. It wasn't long before he spoke again, warning her about the ponies and griffons in the area.

"I... I'll keep that in mind..." She replied, looking at the griffon that had been signaled out. Really, he didn't look like a bad guy at all, but she figured it would be better to just go with what Inkbrand was saying.

Suddenly he began cursing and dropped the armadillo, causing Flora to recoil a bit in surprise, giving a high-pitched little squeak. She recovered as he began complaining about his day, though that didn't last long.

"R-really? You looked like you were having a good time..." She said, pausing as she saw he was staring at some pegasus mare. She followed his gaze to the mare, who seemed quite popular. Soon enough, Inkbrand bailed to talk with her.

"Bye." She said simply in response, doubting he really heard her. She sat there watching him for a second or two before looking at the male griffin again. After a second or two of debating internally, she walked over to him, stopping plenty far away, though she was close enough to be heard.

"D-do you h-have any idea what's h-happening here? I m-mean... I only know Inkbrand," She said, indicating the stallion with a hoof. "B-but he isn't r-really acting like himself..." She finished, looking back to the griffon. "Oh! I'm Flora Bloom. It's n-nice to m-meet you, sir." She added, having forgotten to introduce herself.