[Appleoosa] The Good Ol Hoedown [open]

[Dunder]

Dunder smiled as she accepted the proposal. He expected no less, but he still needed to act at least a little surprised. Either way, he was going to dance with a mare, and he hadn't danced with a female like this since one of his flight school dances.

"Then, come follow me." He said as he trotted to one of the forming squares that still needed a stallion and a mare. He was beginning to get nervous, before he could dance like an idiot and nopony would care, here if he messed up he would get some ponies annoyed. And he knew he would, he had no idea what he was doing.

After a bit of getting used to the singer's accent, and remembering from when he was required to take that dance class in primary school, he was getting the hang of it. After messing up a few times, of course. Turning one way when he was supposed to turn the other which led to some awkward corrections and some odd looks. Also following the other ponies more than the singer made him follow the mare's instructions a few times. Onece he even accidentally tripped over Candy's hoof, making him almost fall to the ground.

When it was done with the first square dance, he was done with that for a while. When he trotted back over to Candy, he was sweating and looked nervous, "Hey, Candy." He told her. "Sorry about all that... I'm not one for square dancing...." He admitted and smiled nervously.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Candy, the pegasus mare eagerly joined Dunder in trying a square dance.

She listened to the dance calls and did her best to follow them, and so was Dunder.

After a few near misses of her own in the dance, she was finally getting into the swing of it by the time the first set was over.

Dunder looked nervous as they got back together after the dance, so the mare smiled to put him at ease "That was fun! We were all over the place werent' we? At least we werent the only ponies out of practice like that." She widened an eye meanicingly, then closed it with a smirk "At least I didnt have to give you...the STARE... to calm you down."

[brianblackberry]

Braeburn listened rather intently as Caramel regaled him with a list of all the various ponies she had met since moving to Appleloosia, and chuckled softly as she wrapped up. "Well, Gollllee, Caramel, ah reckon y'all have met more ponies in good ol' AAAAAAPPLELOOSIA than Ah have! Ah reckon ah've been spending a bit too much time in the ol' orchard! Ah don't remember any comet, nor anythin' 'bout fancy dressed con ponies selling whatever magical elixirs they had!" Braeburn did remember the bandit - and he wondered whether Miss LaMare ever did travel out into he desert with him for her book research. Rockefilly made him more curious - the white unicorn appeared to be hanging around Appleloosa a lot recently, which seemed strange to Braeburn given how much city ponies generally didn't like the simple life they had out here. "What do y'all think of Mr. Rockefilly? Do y'all think he is alright? Ah reckon it's hard fer me t'tell with these big-city sorts, sometimes."

Braeburn's natural smile grew wider and he even had a slight blush after Caramel Bistrol's changed the subject to him. He took off his black Stetson and held it to his heart, "now that's mighty fine of y'all t'say that, Miss Caramel. It's mah distinct pleasure t'be yer escort to this fine hoedown! y'all are becoming a true AAAAAAPPLELOOSIAN!" Braeburn placed his stetson back on his head. "Would y'all like t'join me fer this final square-dance?"

[Inkwell]

Arrow couldn’t help but watch Braeburn talking to his gal for the evening. Something about the fellow’s enthusiasm, and the way he yelled out he name of his hometown every time he said it, made Arrow snicker. “’e’s got a good point, Boxer,” he says. “We orta be dancin’ the night away like real AAAARRRRP’LOOSANS, don’cha fink?” He elbowed Boxer in the ribs.

Boxer just sighed and bit his lip. “Yeh sure y’ won’ get mad when I trip yeh up?” he asked.

“F’ cryin’ out loud, yes!” Arrow rolled his eyes. “Yeh ent e’er been this scared out on a job afore, an’ yeh’d risk yer life alla time then!”

“Yeah, ‘cause I kin do fightin’ well! This ent fightin’, Arrow!”

Arrow blew a strand of hair out of his face and snorted. “Eh, get on the floor, yeh big foal,” he said, walking on the dance floor. “Don’cha worry, I’ll lead. Yeh just do what I do.”

Boxer nodded and gulped, following Arrow out there, and took a deep breath. He could do this. It was Arrow he was dancing with this time, and they were just about the most think-alike ponies he’d ever seen. If anyone could dance with Boxer and his four left hooves, it would be him. “Ready when you are,” he said.

[Mojo]

(ooc): Time to move this story along

The band played on as Sheriff Silverstar called out the last steps of the dance. The three musical siblings, Haymaker, Hayseed and little Haywire, now wore smiles as they played their instruments. Doc Holly Day was smiling too, happy that everything seemed to be working out for all the ponies at the dance. Finally, the last dance was over.

"That's all the dancin' fer tonight, folks!" the mustached lawpony announced to the crowd. "Wanna thank y'all for comin' out fer it. and thanks our band the Hay Family along with our own Doc Holly Day! Thanks ta everypony that provided food for our buffet tables too! Jist cause the music's done don't mean y'all can't hang around and socialize! Stay here as long as ya like! Jist don't git inta any trouble cause if'n ya do, you'll have to deal with ME! Goodnight all!"

With that being said, Sheriff Silverstar turned and walked over to little Haywire.

"Now little missy, you and I are gonna have a long talk about all the trouble ya caused tonight."

"I was afraid of that," the rust colored filly said as she followed the Sheriff over towards his office.

"I'll go watch over her, sis," Hayseed said to his older sister. "Ya got a feller waitin' on ya over yonder."

"Thanks Hayseed," Haymaker said as she quickly trotted over to Dapper Dan. "Hello again, Dan. I sure missed ya. Care ta take a walk with me?"

As Doc Holly Day put away his accordian, Lousie LaMare walked up to him.

"Hay Doc, where's the Sheriff?" the brown Pegasus mare asked.

"Takin' care of some offical business," the red maned unicorn answered, pointing a hoof at the Sheriff, Haymaker and Hayseen walking off in the distance.

"I hope he's not too harsh with that little filly."

"Don'tcha worry none, Miss LaMare, the Sheriff knows what he's doin'. Now if'n you'll excuse me, I wanna go mingle with our guests." Doc Holly Day said as he walked off the stage and onto the dance floor. Spotting Madam Bistro, the gray furred unicorn walked over to her. "Did ya have a good time, Miss Bistro?"

[Snowshoe]

Dapper Dan thanked the mare he'd been dancing with, and she headed off to see her friends again. He turned to look at the stage and clapped his hooves along with some other ponies in appreciation. The Hay family was quite the talented group.

He smiled as Haymaker walked over, and nodded at her suggestion. "Sure. A walk sounds nice." he said. Contrary to the blazing hot days, Appleloosa usually became pleasantly cool in the evening, which made for some nice walks. He smiled again and started walking toward the main street, away from the covered hoedown area.

"You guys were great on stage." he commented, looking over at Haymaker. "I haven't got a shred of talent for musical instruments, I can just sing." he added, chuckling a little. Even his singing, which was good, really only came into its own when he had three others to accompany him and create that specific barbershop seventh sound. Because he was walking and it was a little harder to do, he used a small blip of magic to adjust the glasses on his nose.

He was happy he'd met Haymaker. No matter what happened, he figured they be rather good friends...or at least, he'd shown her not everypony judges another based on their cutie mark alone.

On a whim he glanced back at the stage, seeing the Sheriff and Haymaker's younger sister walking, with the filly looking rather dejected. "Hope she doesn't get into too much trouble..." he said. "I mean yeah, they were a little disruptive, but no real harm done, in the end." he added, looking back at Haymaker. "Aaanyways..." he said after a moment. He'd be the first to admit he'd never really talked to other mares a whole heck of a lot. He wasn't quite sure what to talk about.

[Dunder]

Dunder smiled and chuckled at Candy, "Yes, good thing we weren't the only ones making ourselves look like idiots." He chuckled. But her second comment was interesting. What was this stare that she was talking about? "So if you're stare is so scary, why don't you use it on me right now?" He said with an innocent shrug.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Madam Caramel Bistro smiled "Well you missed a great show with the comet, and subsequent chase after a piece of it. then again, you might have been busy that night. Would that have been the night you were chasing the ghost lanterns and finding a lost city?" She giggled happily at Braeburn's question about Mr. Rockefilly. "Well, yes. He is quite a different stallion than what I had heard back in Manehattan. Perhaps we are the first to see the real Maximillian. This town is a miracle in what it does to ponies."

She still was unsure yet of sharing her thought that this is the first time Max has seen the real Max too, and she wanted to know that Max. At the least as somepony of like mind...

The Mocha Mare smiled as the Sherrif announced the Final dance, and offered an elbow. "I would be honored!"

The square dance was quite lively, with the two new stallions not taking the lack of fillies as an excuse to sit things out, but romping and stomping through the dance with everypony else.

When the dance ended, She clopped her hooves to the ground in applause and nodded to Arrow and Boxer "Good show you two, hopefully next time we'll have enough ladies around for you two. As busy as Appleoosa is going to get, a fair number of unattached fillies might follow the workers here." She winked.

She turned to Braeburn with a smile, truly in the dark about the next part "And how does a date end at a hoedown, by the way?"

Meanwhile, Candy Catch-em smirked at Dunder. She didnt think it would work on him, but perhaps a bluff?

She turned to face him and giggled "Perhaps a little..." She took on a stern gaze, her eyes glowing a little. She gave it all she had to give him a taste of it. It didnt' seem to have much effect on ponies, but just the threat of it to ponies who had seen her use it on animals was enough to put abusive customers in their place.

Candy stopped after a second or so and gave a playful smirk "Perhaps a kiss would keep me from giving you a full blast, hm?" she finished with giggle. She hoped the bluff would work this time.

[Dunder]

Dunder watched her, a little skeptical about this whole 'stare' thing. Though, he had to admit that she did look rather...very pretty. Her coat and mane were a perfect bled that brought out the color of her big round eyes. Her eyes, especially, looked beautiful in the moonlight. He only stood in front of her, holding the same expression of skepticism and determination.

When she offered a kiss to stop with the stare, he closed his eyes and chuckled. "A kiss? That is it?" He asked before looking back into her eyes for a second. HE lifted up her head with his hoof, leaned in a little, and gave her a soft kiss right on the lips.

[brianblackberry]

Braeburn felt wonderful as he danced the last dance with his lovely date. Despite the unexpected hurdles, the night had gone very well indeed, and he loved to play the part of the dashing and handsome local, showing the newcomer a romantic time, Appleoosian style. He was only disappointed that it had to end - he loved hoedowns, and he so rarely got to bring a date along to one!

As the music trailed off, Braeburn politely beat his hooves against the ground in applause, and then there was quiet, save for the quiet murmur of the other ponies, and the crickets sounding over the desert night ousdie. Braeburn had heard the story about the comet a few times while lingering at the Salt Lick, although until now he wasn't sure if it was real or just another desert tale. Still, it was as least as plausible as ghost lanterns that swallowed ponies and trains whole, and nopony would have believed him if he and his companions hadn't bring back all those ponies. "Y'all will have t'tell me what ya'll found; I sure like to hear how that all really went down instead of the tall tales from drunken miners about that night, y'all know how they can be."

Of course her next question caught Braeburn off guard. Truth was he was inexperienced in these matters, more so then he ever would want to admit. Usually he brought little Apple Pie with him with the hopes that hoedowns would get her out of her shell more, and a hoedown ended with him hefting her sleeping lil' form onto his back and carrying her back to the farm, with quiet little murmurs all the while with the sleepy lil' filly. Now here he was, with the first real date at a hoedown, and despite all his big talk, he wasn't sure what to do. Well, let it never be said an Appleloosian disappointed! Braeburn took off his black dress Stetson and looked right into her eyes, "Well, ah reckon it goes differently every time, but ah'd be right honored if'n y'all allowed me t' escort y'all safely back to yer home, miss Caramel Bistro."

[Mojo]

Haymaker was thrilled to be walking with Dapper Dan. Finally, all of the stress of playing music and dealing with her unruly siblings lifted from her shoulders and she truly felt free, free to spend time with a very handsome stallion!

"It's a beautiful night, ain't it?" the red maned mare asked, looking upward towards the sky as she walked with him. "I heard a comet came through these parts several months ago. I was back home helpin' with the hay harvest at that time though."

The white coated mare wished this night would never end! She loved being with Dapper Dan! Meanwhile, Sheriff Silverstar emerged from his office with Hayseed and a sad looking Haywire following him.

"Sheriff?" Louise LaMare asked, "I hope you weren't too harsh on her. After all, she's just a young foal!"

"I gived'r a punishment that fit the crime, ma'am," the mustached lawpony said sternly.

"I can't believe I have to help clean up all of the Hoedown trash!" Haywire groaned. "It'll take a WEEK to pick up all this trash and sweep the streets!"

"Better not complain, sis," her brother urged. "The Sheriff was ready to toss you into the whos-cow until I spoke up fer ya!"

"Ya got that backwards, ya blockhead!" the rust colored filly shouted, "The Sheriff offered me the work detail BEFORE ya opened yur yap and almost got me AND YOU thrown in jail! Fer the record, making fun of the Sheriff's hat is NEVER a good idear."

"I still think he looks funny in it."

"Shut yur mouth or I'll punch ya harder than Haymaker!" Haywire yelled, making her brother shake in fear before lowering his head. "Anywho, if we git stuck here in Appleoosa for a few days longer, I don't think she's mind. After all, she's really sweet on that Dapper Dan feller. YUCK! I hope I don't have to watch'm KISS! GROSS!"

"Maybe if I git to stay here a few more days, maybe I kin git me a goil!"

"DOUBLE yuck! Grownups are so weird..."

[Snowshoe]

Dapper Dan turned his eyes up to the sky when she mentioned it. Yeah, it was. "Yep. Luna outdid herself tonight." he said with a smile, sending a silent, mental 'thanks' her way, not like she could hear it. He looked over at her when she mentioned the comet though. "No way? I missed it...might have still been when I was getting used to the town, and working around the shop to get it fixed up." he said, shrugging. A pity...he would have loved to see it fly past. The night sky may be the universal symbol for everypony to go to sleep, but he liked looking up at it every now and again...looking into the infinite expanse and wondering just how it could possibly exist.

"That's probably the best part about living this far away from the lights of Canterlot...you can always see the stars, all of them. Well, not all of them, but, you know what I mean." he said with a nervous chuckle, adjusting his glasses with his hoof.

"So...you're from the Nimbusgait Lakes, right? That's out Canterlot way, if my brain's telling me right. What's it like out there?" he asked. He'd never really left Fillydelphia before coming out to the frontier...in fact, most of the Eastern Equestria was a mystery to him.

[Inkwell]

Arrow and Boxer started at half the speed the rest of the dancers moved, taking things slowly so that Boxer wouldn’t stumble over anything. “Like this, mate,” Arrow kept saying. “One, two, free, four. One, two, free, four.” He kept up the rhythmic chant with each bar of music.

“One, two, free, four,” Boxer repeated, a smile slowly spreading on his face as he got into the motions. Soon the two of them were dancing at the same speed as the other ponies, and Boxer finally felt himself start to unwind and enjoy himself. This was actually pretty fun! He could move his legs without having to worry about dodging other ponies and griffons who were trying to hit him!

The dance wound down to a close, and Arrow and Boxer wound up standing next to Caramel Bistro and Braeburn. Bistro had apparently noticed that they didn’t have dates for the evening, which made Arrow smirk. “Oh, thank yeh kindly, ma’am, but I think I’ll let Boxer take all the fillies fer ‘imself.” His gaze wandered over to Braeburn and his fetching hat. It looked great on him, especially with that mane of his.

Boxer bit his lip and took a step back. “W-what’ll I do wiv all them fillies, Arrow?” he asked.

“Ah, use yer ‘magination,” Arrow replied, stepping forward to offer his hoof for Braeburn to shake. “Dun’ believe we’ve met. I’m Straight Arrow an’ this is me bruvver, Shadow Boxer.”

[Boss_Hoss1]

Madam Bistro smiled as Braeburn asked about the comet piece "Certainly! I will tell you all about it next time you come down to my bistro. Its going to take a while so its already too late to tell it tonight. and I would be honored for you to escourt me home"

After she had complimented the two brother gentlecolts, she raised a brow when one of them said he would pass on the fillies and gave a speculative look at Braeburn. Bistro wondered how Braeburn would take this if he had noticed. Either way, Braeburn said she would be escourting her home, which had her very happy. She had not been walked home from a date since Business college.

She smiled to the pair "In any case, I hope you enjoy Appleoosa, you two."

Meanwhile, Candy Catch-em giggled when Dunder seemed surprised at only asking for a kiss, then tipped her chin up for a very nice kiss.

She blushed cutely "Um, yeah. like that, Dunder...."

[brianblackberry]

Braeburn nodded and gave a flirtatious smile, “ah reckon ah'll visit yer fine bistro regularly, Miss Caramel, and we kin trade stories about comets and ghost lanterns, over some of yer fine cookin'!" He placed his Stetson back on his mane and turned to lead his date out.

At that moment an unfamiliar pony stepped forward, Braeburn was glad to shake their hoof. He loved meeting folks who were new to Appleloosa! He seized the hoof in both hands and shook it energetically in the good ol' Apple family manner. "Well, howdy there, Straight Arrow! Ah’m sure glad t' meet y'all and yer friend! Y'all new here to AAAAAAAPPLELOOSA!? We sure do like newcomers to our fair town! Enjoying the hoedown?! It’s one of our favorite past times! So either of you fine stallions meet any lovely dance partners yet? Or ... are you each other’s partners?” He didn’t want to assume anything, after all, “well, either case, be sure to get one final dance off with somepony that catches yer eye afore the night is done!”

[Mojo]

As Haymaker walked with Dapper Dan, listening to every word the handsome stallion said, the lanky red maned mare was becoming more and more intrigued by him.

"Well, my siblings and I live out on a hay farm. It's fairly big and remote. We gotta few neighbors, like the family over the hill from us with that weird colt with the peace sign cutie mark. Wonder whatever happened to him? Anyway, our farm has a whole lotta beautiful trees and flowers on it. Reckon I don't pay as much attention to all that like I should. Too busy thinkin' about all the hay we grow. Hayseed and Haywire is always tellin' me I'm too serious all the time. They say I need ta learn how to relax more, to unwind, to..."

Haymaker stopped talking as she stared deep into Dapper Dan's kind, gentle eyes. She couldn't help but smile shyly. In the distance, her two siblings watched in amazement.

"Looks like our big sister's gittin' couzy with that thar feller," Hayseed whispered to Haywire. "Whatdoya think of that?"

"Bleah," his younger sister groaned, sticking out her tongue for emphasis. "Ponies in love sure act goofy."

"Never y'all mind that," Sheriff Silverstar sternly spoke, walking behind them. "Ya gotta town to clean up, and you kin start by sweepin' the streets!"

"Yeah sis, ya gotta town to clean up!" Hayseed teased.

"Well sir, since yur so fired up about all this, YUR gonna help her!" the mustached lawpony neighed, pointing one hoof to a sanitation wagon. "Yur gonna pull that thar cart whilest your sister fills it with trash."

"HAY! NO FAIR! I wanna second opinion!"

"After that stunt you pulled on Haymaker earlier tonight, yur jist as guilty of mayhem as yur little sister," Doc Holly Day grunted.

"Thar's yur second opinion, now git ta work!" Sheriff Silverstar yelled. "The quicker ya git goin', the faster you'll git the job done."

"But I don't wanna..."

"Quit yur whinin', big brother," Haywire pleaded. "I really could use the help, PLEASE??"

When Haywire gave Hayseed that pouty 'puppy dog eyes' look, all resistance ended.

"On it, sis!" he neighed, rushing over to hitch himself to the wagon as Louise LaMare walked up to the Sheriff.

"Sheriff, you sure about all this?" the Pegasus mare asked.

"Absotively," he answered. "Them two youngin's need ta learn their lesson bout messin' with their older sister."

"Ok, I can see that. What would you like to do next? The night's still young."

"Let me ponder that fer a spell," Sheriff Silverstar said, standing deep in thought.

[Snowshoe]

Dapper Dan listened to her describe the farm, chuckling. "I can imagine it's quite a bit different than out here." He loved Appleoosa, no two ways about that, but he kinda missed the rolling hills outside Fillydelphia.

He looked over at her and smiled. "Yeah, you shouldn't push yourself too hard. Take a bit of time off, go see some new places. Then again, not like I can...uh, can talk..." he trailed off just as awkwardly as she had, their eyes having met.

Well now, this was a strange and rather new situation for Dan, who looked away with his own sheepish smile. "Sorry, I'm, ah, not that great at...well, at talking to mares. I grew up around Dad's barbershop, and he only served colts and stallions," he explained. And he never really got out a whole lot, usually making friends with the sons of the regulars of his father's shop. If he went out, it was to hang out with them, not really to go hunting for mares to hang out with.

There was a bit of an awkward silence as he adjusted his glasses with his hoof. "Sorry, I know I'm kinda boring. Still trying to find places around here and get settled in, even though I've been here for a few months."

[Inkwell]

[colour=#800000]Arrow stared into Braeburn's eyes as the other stallion shook his hoof like a paint mixer. He could see the reflection of his golden irises ringed by Braeburn's green ones. Then he blinked and took notice of Braeburn's whole face again. "An' issa fine pleasure t' get such a warm welcome, mate!" he replied. "There's an 'ole lot we gotta get used t' round 'ere, but I fink yer friendly faces oughta be one a' the beh-er aspects of Aaaap'loosa we seen s'far!"

He glanced away from Braeburn at Madame Bisti and Boxer, if only to keep Braeburn's face from burning into his brain. "Hoedown's pre'y fun, yeah, though I dun' fink we got it quite figured out yet. I'm guessin' we dun' gotta have romantic feelins fer our partners, if Boxer'n I kin dance togevver." He glanced at Boxer again, who just lowered his head like a chastised dog. "Anyway, since the ponies we liked best were arready spoken for..." He made a point to look at Haymaker, standing far away with her family and Dapper Dan, with a smirk, then return his gaze to Braeburn again. "We made do wiv what we 'ad."[/colour]

[colour=#000080]"Plus I got four left 'ooves, I do," Boxer mumbled. "I din't wanna bump inna any more mares."[/colour]

[colour=#800000]"An' so 'e learned the right moves from somebody 'oo's used ta 'is bovine body!" He shoved Boxer in the shoulder, eliciting a chuckle out of the massive stallion. "We wasn't e'en aware we'd 'ave more dances, t' tell yeh th' truth. We thought we jus' did the last'n. I s'pose we could find uvver partners t' dance wiv, but we're a mite p'tic'lar 'bout 'em." Both of them had different reasons why, but Arrow kept mum on them.[/colour]

[brianblackberry]

Braeburn smiled - he could tell the two stallions were down-to-earth types and were just shy. That was alright, surely there would be more hoedowns for the pair in the future. "Well, we have these hoedowns pretty regularly here in good ol' AAAAPPLELOOSA!!!" He placed his forearm around Straight Arrow's shoulders, "ah'm sure a stallion like y'all won't have any trouble findin' a date for the next hoedown. Or, hey, just take 'em to any of our fun events!" Braeburn just had such a fun time at this hoedown with the first real date he'd had in a while - all he wanted to do was spread the happiness. "Surely there must be somepony that caught your eye, just have the courage to talk to them, show 'em you're interested!" Braeburn gave a friendly wink, hoping that his advice might help the maroon pegasus' confidence.

Braeburn trotted back to Caramel, giving her a broad grin. "Now, shall I escort you back to your fine bistro, darlin'?"

[Dunder]

Dunder chuckled, his heart thundering and his legs shaking from the nervousness of the kiss. This was one of the few times he'd kissed a mare, and one of the few times it was a pony he actually didn't know too well. She was very pretty, though, and well built. He took a deep breath, "Yeah...." He said and swallowed. "That was.. nice." He said sheepishly.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Madam Caramel Bistro smiled as she watched Braeburn give Straight Arrow encouragement for future hoedown dances.

She had a suspicion who Straight arrow had in mind to ask but said nothing. Instead, she offered her hoof to Braeburn.

"I would be delighted to have you escort me home, kind sir."

meanwhile, elsewhere in the dance area.

Candy Catch-em extended a wingtip to hopefully mesh with Dunders, while she still blushed cutely "Thank you for the dance, and the kiss. Care to try the Cloudsdale Hop dance while we can?"

[Mojo]

"Yur not a bit borin', Dan," Haymaker said softly as she looked deeply into the handsome stallion's eyes. "I could listen to ya all night long!"

The red maned mare was so happy to be with Dapper Dan she wore a beaming smile on her face.

"Yur a fine dancer, I really had a great time tonight," she said, so nervous she didn't know whether she was rambling or not. One block away Haywire scooped up more trash along the street and tossed it into the wagon her brother Hayseed was pulling.

"Can't BELIEVE all this garbage layin' around!" the blank flank filly complained. "Why can't ponies be more neater?"

"Ain't that thar the pie pan YOU threw away while ya was bein' chased by the Sheriff?" Hayseed laughed.

"Don't remind me," Haywire grumbled while she threw it into the wagon.

"Hay! Do ya think I could git me a girl tonight, sis?"

"Not if yur smellin' like rotten apples and trash!" the blonde filly laughed.

"Git to work, you two," Doc Holly Day said as he stood behind them.

"Yes sir," Hayseed and Haywire said in unison.

"Well Sheriff, what do you want to do next?" Louise LaMare asked.

"How about a stroll over to the apple orchard?" Sheriff Silverstar asked.

"Sounds good to me," the Pegasus mare said as the two walked down the street together.

[Snowshoe]

Dapper Dan couldn't help but blush a little and laugh. "Well, thanks," he said when she said he wasn't boring, still trying to hold eye contact with her. It wasn't something he did often, but was finding it a little easier here.

"And thanks, I'm having a great time, too. And you are definitely a better dancer than I am, that's for sure," he said with a laugh. He was quiet for a bit, just standing there looking back at the young mare, then smiled and chuckled a bit.

"Sorry, I'm terrible at talking to folks," he apologized. After a moment, something did hit him, something he was curious about.

"So, Haymaker...how does a beautiful young mare like you get a boxing glove as a cutie mark, when you're also quite good at dancing and playing the fiddle?" he was curious, and not being judgmental about her talent. To each their own, of course.

[Inkwell]

[colour=#800000]Arrow couldn't help but grin from ear to ear when Braeburn touched him. "Weeeeell, since yeh asked so nicely..."[/colour]

[colour=#800000]Boxer cleared his throat and knocked his hoof into one of Arrow's forelegs. Arrow blinked and folded his ears. "Wot I mean is, I ent normally shy 'bout romance 'n such, but like I said, heheh, this particular pony is already taken." He chuckled and patted Braeburn on the shoulder. "But I'm sure I'll find another pretty face 'round 'ere 'n no time. You two 'ave fun, an' we'll sort ourselves out."[/colour]

[colour=#800000]He kept his eyes locked on Braeburn as the happy couple walked off, until Boxer waved his hoof in front of his face. "Ey, geroff, mate. I wasn't 'bout to do anythin' untoward. I said I was a changed stallion an' I meant it."[/colour]

[colour=#000080]Boxer finally smiled and nodded. "Jes' makin' sure."[/colour]

[colour=#800000]Arrow spotted Haymaker and Dapper Dan talking in the distance and smiled. "But jes' cause I ain't chasin' tail today don't mean you get off so easy! You go up 'n talk to 'er!"[/colour]

[colour=#000080]Boxer gulped. "What? Boxer, she's wit that gent there! 'ow's this any different from you an' that stallion?"[/colour]

[colour=#800000]"Because 'e was clearly puttin' the moves on that filly. It wouldn'a worked out. She, onna other 'oof, might not be inneres'ed in 'im as any more 'n a friend. An' e'en if she is, that dun' mean you kent be a friend to 'er.''[/colour]

[colour=#000080]The two of them looked at each other for a few moments, until Boxer sighed and nodded. "Fine, I'll talk to 'er," he said. He walked over to Haymaker and Dapper Dan, standing beside them and holding his breath. "H-hello," he said to the two of them. "Yeh like the hoedown so far?"[/colour]

[brianblackberry]

Braeburn smiled in anticipation of hearing Straight Arrow reveal what filly he had his eye on, but the shy pegasus resorted to that old excuse. That was alright, Braeburn didn't want to be too pushy with someone he'd just met - he was just hoping to be encouraging, [colour=#daa520]"Well, sorry t'hear the apple of your eye is currently with somepony, but there still plenty of available ponies out thar' for ya. It was still great to meet y'all!"[/colour] Braeburn gave the two brothers each a hoofshake and smiled brightly before turning back to his date for the evening. [colour=#daa520]"Thankee fer allowin' me th' privilege of escorting y'all home."[/colour]

As Braeburn escorted Caramel Bistrol back towards her place, he gave one last look-see towards the town square. It appeared most ponies had smiles on their faces, and plenty of ponies seemed paired off - once again, a success! In fact, the only pony that seemed to be grumbling was the little red filly picking up bits of trash in the street as they walked by, and Braeburn gave her mane a quick and friendly rubbing.

Arriving at the Bistro, Braeburn removed his black dress Steston and smiled warmly,[colour=#daa520] "it was a wonderful pleasure and privilege to have been your date tonight, Miss Caramel Bistro, and ah hope y'all had a great time at your first AAAAAAPPLELOOSIAN hoedown!"[/colour] With that, Braeburn leaned forward and gave his date a soft kiss on the cheek.