Pinkie Pie was a quiet and forlorn filly, that was until last week. It was Monday morning at Ponyville Elementary School, and the pink pony walked in a changed filly.

Her pink hair was no longer straight, it was now very curly and poofed up in a springy fashion. She was carrying a set of balloons in to class with her, along with treats to celebrate her cute-ceañera. On her flank was her new cutie mark, a set of three balloons all with bright colors. Her greatest of new features, that seemed to take everyone by surprise, was her radiant smile.

"Pinkie," her teacher Mrs. Sharpener exclaimed. "You look wonderful with your new cutie mark. I see you brought cupcakes to share with the class."

"Yeah, parties are made to be shared!" Pinkie said happily as she reached for the plate of cupcakes she was carrying on her back and placed them on the teacher's desk.

“How did you get your cutie mark Pinkie?” One of the little fillies asked her.

“Yeah, what happened to your hair.” A little green colt asked.

"Well last Saturday I was working on the rock farm, when I heard this giant boom and saw this beautiful rainbow streak across the sky." Pinkie said excitedly.

POP

Pinkie stopped and turned around just in time to see the green remains of one of the balloons she was holding wither to the floor. Standing next to it with a proud look on his face was one of her classmates Pokey Pierce.

"But," Pinkie said with a hurt look. "Why? I wanted to have fun with everyone!"

"This is fun!" Pokey said with a mean glance and reached his horn up to pop another balloon.

Pinkie erupted in to a fountain of tears and wails as Pokey pushed his horn deeper in to the red balloon he was about to pop.

Mrs. Sharpener, grabbed Pokey by the mane on his neck just as the second balloon popped.

"Pokey, you are going to sit in the corner and think about how you hurt Pinkie's feelings during her cute-ceañera." She scolded at Pokey.

Pinkie continued to cry. Eventually her teacher came up to her with a box of tissues and started wiping her eyes.

"He's a big meanie!" Pinkie wailed to her. "I hate him! I wish he never went to this school!"

“There there, Pinkie,” Her teacher said to her. “I think it would be wise to stay away from Pokey and just leave him alone.”

Pokey stood in his graduation cap and gown.

"Finally done with school," He said to himself.

The graduates were all standing in a line waiting to get their diploma as the principal read off their names.

"Cherry Berry... Golden Harvest... Pinkamina Dianna Pie-"

"Pinkamina!?" Pokey said in a half taunting and half surprised voice before Pinkie stepped on the stage.

He and Pinkie Pie never liked each other ever since their cute-ceañera many years back. Pinkie mostly ignored Pokey and avoided talking to him. Most of the things that Pinkie did do was plan parties and gatherings. Pokey for obvious reasons was never invited to her parties. Pokey, in turn, took Pinkie's actions as personal and chose to avoid her as well.

Pinkie waked across the stage, received her diploma and walked off the opposite side.

"Pokey Pierce," the principal read off his name, snapping Pokey back to the ceremony at hand.

Pokey walked across the stage all thoughts about Pinkie and funny names completely abandoned.

"Congratulations," an administrator said to him as he handed Pokey his diploma.

"Thank you," Pokey said back with pride.

Pokey shook hooves with the stallion and walked across the stage with a look of accomplishment on his face.

"Hey Pokey," Pinkie said up to Pokey as he stepped down from the stage. "Congratulations!"

Pinkie held out her hoof to him, Pokey was still caught in the euphoria of the ceremony and reached his hoof out to hers without a second thought.

Pokey was hit by a sudden jolt of electricity.

"Gotcha!" Pinkie Pie squealed with delight, holding up a joke buzzer in her hoof.

“Hey," Pokey said holding his sore arm. "That was mean!"

"No it's not, it's fun!" Pinkie said with a slight smirk.

Pokey glared at Pinkie as the pink filly pranced away.

Pinkie bounced up and down in the decorated library.

"Now everypony be quiet when she comes in and then we'll turn on the light and all shout surprise." Pinkie called out to all the ponies gathered in the room.

Pinkie looked around and saw all the faces around her. A white mane and blue horn in the crowd grabbed Pinkie's eye.

"Pokey," Pinkie said in a low voice through gritted teeth.

Pinkie quickly made her way through the crowd of ponies to the blue horn that stuck out like a beacon.

"Pokey!" Pinkie said again to the blue pony in a loud stern voice.

"Oh, hi Pinkie." Pokey dead panned.

"Pokey!" Pinkie's curly mane immediately straightened and drooped down eerily over her face. "You're not gonna ruin this party for our new neighbor."

"Pinkie?" Pokey asked looking at her with an almost horrified look. "Are you feeling okay?

A few ponies around them also looked at Pinkie with expressions of concern.

"NO. POPPING. BALLOONS. GOT. IT?" Pinkie said prodding her hoof in to Pokey's chest on every word.

"Okay," Pokey said in a small voice, his face turning white.

"She coming!" A blue winged pegasus with a rainbow colored mane shouted from one of the upper windows.

Pinkie's mane poofed back up to its natural curl.

"She's here! She's here!" Pinkie bounced up and down with an instantaneous, bipolar change of character. "Shhhhhh! Quiet everypony, turn off the lights!"

The lights were shut off and the room became silent.

The front door opened and a Purple unicorn with a baby dragon riding on her back walked in.

"Sorry Spike,” The unicorn said to the dragon. “But I have to convince the Princess that Nightmare Moon is coming and we're running out of time. I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends all the time. Now where's the light?”

The lights clicked on.

"SURPRISE!" Everypony shouted.

The purple pony gave a sigh and Pinkie Pie immediately jumped up to her and started talking to her at a mile a minute.

Caramel, a brown colored earth pony, walked up to Pokey who was still standing flabbergasted in the corner.

"Hey Pokey," Caramel said to him. "What's with Pinkie? I've never seen her act that way before."

"I don't know," Pokey responded. "I was told to come here by Mr. and Mrs Cake, they said everyone was invited. I guess Pinkie didn't invite me and was mad I came."

"I wouldn't call that being mad, I'd call it more like going crazy."

"Yeah," Pokey said realizing he was still sweating.

"I know you two have a history of never really liking each other, but I never seen Pinkie give the death glare to anypony. She must have it in for you."

Pokey wasn't listening, he was distracted by a sudden outburst from the new purple unicorn. The unicorn's face had suddenly turned bright red before she dashed up stairs with water streaming out of her eyes.

"What's got her worked all up?" Pokey asked Caramel. "Pinkie didn't upset another pony, did she?"

Caramel tapped Pokey on the shoulder and pointed to Pinkie at the snack table, who was pouring hot sauce on to a cupcake.

Pinkie shoved the whole cupcake in her mouth and looked up at her friends who were staring at her with disgusted looks on their faces.

"What?" Pinkie asked with a mouth full of hot sauced cupcake. "It's good!"

Pinkie then looked around at everyone at the party and shouted, "Quit being tarty, let's start this party!"

"YAY!" All the ponies shouted back to her.

The music started up and everyone started dancing and having a good time.

Pokey felt his nerves settle, Pinkie was no longer looking crazy and was in to the full swing of the party. He decide to stay at a table in the corner and enjoy some food and drink, resisting the urge to pop any balloons, and most importantly not cross paths with Pinkie.

A few hours ticked away and Pokey honestly started enjoying himself. He discovered that though he was technically at a Pinkie party, there were many more ponies there that he could socialize with, while Pinkie was quite occupied with the other things there to take notice of him again. Pokey could honestly get used to parties like this, though he would feel a lot more comfortable if Pinkie wasn't there.

"Hi," a voice said to Pokey out of nowhere.

Pokey turned around and saw a lampshade with scaly purple legs looking back at him. That is, he was sure it was the lampshade just spoke to him, if lampshades were capable of looking and speaking to ponies.

"Uh, hello?" Pokey said confused.

The voice gave a giggle and a clawed hand lifted the lampshade up to show the face of the baby dragon Pokey saw riding the unicorn from earlier.

"I'm Spike," the little dragon said holding a hand out. "What's your name?"

Pokey smiled at the playful dragon.

"Pokey Pierce," he replied shaking the dragon's hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Like wise," Spike said. "I'm kinda glad to see there are other guys around, I was staring to wonder if this town only had girls living in it."

"Hmmm," Pokey thought to himself. "Now that you mention it, there are more mares in town than stallions."

"But it's okay, I'm cool with that." Spike said eyeing a white unicorn that was getting a drink from the punch bowl across the room.

"Uh yeah," Pokey said finding the dragon's infatuation with the mare a little disturbing.

"So what do you do for fun around here?" Spike asked Pokey.

"Well," Pokey said hesitantly looking around. "I personally like popping balloons, it's kinda my specialty."

Pokey turned his body so Spike can get a better look at the safety pin cutie on his flank.

Spike just blinked a couple of times at him. Pokey felt a bit apprehensive at the dragon's stare.

"That's... " Spike started.

Pokey started feeling embarrassed.

"That's," Spike stuttered. "That's awesome!"

Pokey felt a wave of relief cross his face.

"I like doing that at parties too!" Spike continued.

"Really!?" Pokey asked flabbergasted.

"Heck yeah, they don't called me Spike for nothing." The little dragon cheered. "Check this out."

Spike hopped up on the table with the lampshade still on his head. In a impressive spinning motion, Spike flipped his tail up and slashed it across the bunch of balloons that was floating above him.

POP

POP

POP

An orange earth pony standing next to table wearing a cowboy hat gave a jump and acidently spilled punch over the front of herself.

"Oops sorry, Applejack," Spike said handing her a napkin off the table. "Pokey and I were just having a little fun."

Applejack gave a chuckle.

"It's alright Spike, ah know it's all in good fun. You sure gave me a start though." Applejack said taking the napkin Spike was offered her and cleaned herself off.

Pokey started grinning at Spike. Spike grinned back at Pokey.

"Pretty cool, huh Pokey?" Spike said.

"POKEY!!" A voice erupted from the crowd.

Pokey felt like he was just doused with a bucket of ice water. He quickly turned in the direction of where her heard the voice coming from expecting to see a pink mane making a b-line towards him.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU!?" The voice made Pokey jump, Pinkie now miraculously stood behind Pokey in the exact spot he was looking before he turned around.

"NO. POPPING. BALLOONS!" Pinkie's mane was straight again and her body seemed to quake on every word she breathed.

Pokey stood now legitimately horrified at the fuming party pony before him.

"Whoa simmer there, Sally!" Applejack said to Pinkie.

"Yeah calm down, Pinkie Pie. He didn't pop them, I did." The still lampshaded Spike behind her said.

Pinkie turned around to face Spike.

"It was you!?" Her face was perplexed.

"Yeah, Pokey was telling me how he has fun at parties when he pops balloons, I agree with him."

"But that's mean!" Pinkie said sharply, whipping her tail at Pokey.

"Well it can be I guess. But no one here has a problem with it. Like Applejack said, it's all in good fun."

"Come on Pinkie, you're one who loves practical jokes at parties. Popping a balloon is perfect way to startle someone unsuspectin'." Applejack said putting a causal arm over her shoulder. "In fact, you were popping balloons just last month at Fluttershy's birthday party, as ah remember."

"But that was different, I was... I mean... It was only... Pokey is-" Pinkie tried to say.

"But nothing," Applejack said cutting her off with a stern look on her face. "Ah heard the rumors that you and Pokey weren’t on the best of terms and ah always ignored 'em. Ah thought the reason Pokey was never on your party lists was because you forgot or something. But now ah have seen it for myself, the rumors are true, you honestly hate the colt.”

Pinkie gasped at Applejack’s accusation.

“Pinkie Pie,” Applejack continued. “The most accepting and fun loving pony in Ponyville, hates a pony! And all because of what? It's not because of that whole business at your cute-ceañera all those years ago at school is it? For Celestia's sake bury the hatchet already, hon!"

Pinkie blinked a couple times at Applejack, her words had hit home. Pinkie started realizing it herself, her little grudge against Pokey had become out right bigotry towards him over the years.

Pinkie's straight hairs drooped even lower, but rather than making her look crazy it made her look sad. She turned her head back to where Pokey was.

"I'm sorry Pokey," she started, but her apology fell only to empty space.

"Where did he go?" Pinkie asked.

"Wow, he just ran out the door the moment you turned to face Applejack, Pinkie." Spike said amazed looking off at the now open door of the Library. "You must have scared him real bad, Pinkie Pie. I've never seen a stallion run that fast, and I have seen an actual racehorse run to the bathroom."

Applejack gave a chuckle at Spike's joke.

"Oh," Pinkie said sadly, the curl slowly returning to her mane. "I wanted to talk to him."

"Hey cheer up, Pinkie." Applejack said to her. "We'll most likely see Pokey at the Solar Sun Celebration at the town hall. You can mend some fences then. In the mean time, how bout a game of pin the tail on the pony?"

After a pause Pinkie finally looked up with a forced smile and said, "Okay, I'll go set it up."

"That sounds like fun!" Spike cheered. "I'll go up stairs and see if Twilight wants to join us."

Pokey woke up with his head under his pillow. He blinked a couple of times as his mind pieced together the events of the previous night.

The previous night had actually lasted for the time of nearly two complete days. Nightmare Moon, a villainous character who up until now only existed in old pony tales, had escaped her prison in the moon and covered all of Equestria in endless night.

Nightmare Moon might have succeeded in her conquest, but she was beaten by group of ponies. Six mares through overcoming hardships became good friends, discovered the Elements of Harmony, and used them to destroy the evil that was Nightmare Moon and bring back the long lost princess Luna to her sister Celestia.

To Pokey's surprise one of the mares who now carried one of the Elements of Harmony was Pinkie Pie. Pokey wasn't jealous, or angry of it, if anything he was confused. In the very evening Pokey ran for his life from Pinkie Pie, Pinkie became the bearer of the element of laughter.

Pokey's mind rolled over the news all yesterday. At first he wondered if the mare he saw at the Library party wasn’t actually Pinkie Pie, but another pink pony who broke out from the psych ward. His thoughts then raced to questions surrounding his relationship with the now hero of Equestria: if Pinkie did not like him would that mean all the rest of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony not like him as well? What about the princess, or should he say princesses? Was he blacklisted to all parties in Equestria for the rest of his life?

Pokey's mind did not stop with its constant worrying yesterday, until Berry Punch handed him a drink and told him to stop looking all frustrated.

"Ponyville," Berry said. "Heck all of Equestria is celebrating a new era of harmony, Pokey. You should be partying."

Pokey, took her advice, and drowned his restless thoughts in punch and cider for the rest of the night. He had a vague recollection of being lead home by Caramel and retreating to the darkness of his bed.

Pokey walked to in to the kitchen of his measly flat and filled his coffee maker with water. This was not the first time ever had a hangover, he had suffered from worse in the past honestly. This hangover only gave him a mild headache.

The only thing that made this morning that was making his hangover bothersome was the brightly colored balloons that were sharply reflecting the light from his window. Wait! Balloons!?

Bobbing along the ceiling of his kitchen was about two dozen balloons all tied together in a collective strand that was attached to a pink card.

Pokey snatched the card with his mouth, he was not foolish to attempt to use his horn magic. The effect of hangovers and their reaction when using magic was a harsh lesson many unicorns experienced the morning after they came of drinking age.

With the aid of his forehooves Pokey opened up the pink envelope and read the loopy hoofwriting on the note inside.

Dear Pokey,

I am writing you this letter to say I am sorry for how I treated you last night -or whatever you call that long night time Nightmare Moon made. After having a heart to heart talk with my friend Applejack,-you remember Applejack right? The one Spike startled with popping the balloons? Yeah her- So after having a heart to heart with her, I realized that I have been just a down right meanie-meanie-lemon-squeezy with you. I should be more nicer to you, and after realizing that your interest in popping balloons is not being mean but having fun, just like Spike said, I want to make it up to you.

Here are some balloons left over from the party last night, all for you. Please I want you to pop them, its the least I can do for taking away the fun you should have been having then. I also want to say that you are always welcome to any open party at Sugar Cube Corner, and I will be sending you invitations to my parties in the future.

I'm really, really, REEEEEAAAALLLYYY, sorry for being a big meanie,

- Pinkie

P.S: I'm sorry I let myself in to your house. Caramel told me that you a bit too much to drink last night and I didn't think I would wake you if I just ducked in and out. Also Caramel told me on the way home you were upset, saying weird things like the princesses hate you now, and how you were an enemy of the Elements of Harmony. Well that’s just silly and untrue, I think it was the cider talking, But if you are still feeling that way in the morning I can honestly say to you, as an Element of Harmony, that you are not my enemy and the Princesses have no reason to hate you.
Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.

Pokey gave a small smile after he finished the last lines of the card, he and Pinkie were no longer enemies. At least that was what the note said. Pokey looked fondly up at the balloons above him and gave one of them a jab with his horn.

POP

Pokey let out a pained groan, he forgot that he was still coming off a hangover, and the massive sound within close proximity to his ears made his headache get much worse.

Pinkie ran quickly through the saloon doors from the kitchen in Sugar Cube Corner.

“Pumpkin?” She called out in to the empty storefront. “Where did you go?”

It was Pinkie’s third time babysitting the Cake twins. She gotten a good handle on how to care for them, except for a few things.

“No fair! Why is it when I see your parents change you two, you and Pound just lie there a giggle. But when I change you, you think its a good time to practice your magic?”

Pinkie heard the noise of a tiny foal giggle from out the open window. She let out a gasp, this was the first time that any of the two of them dared adventure outside.

Pinkie rushed to the window and poked her face out of it.

“Pumpkin!?” She called outside.

Pinkie saw the market square was empty for a late Sunday afternoon. The only pony Pinkie saw was Pokey Pierce who was trotting towards Sugar Cube Corner, floating in his horn magic was-

“Pumpkin!” Pinkie called again relieved to see her safe.

“Come on little one you should be safe in your home.” Pokey said sweetly to the little filly bobbing in his telekinetic magic.

“Pokey, oh thank you for finding her.” Pinkie said to him. “Just wait a sec, I’ll unlock the door for you.”

“Okay,” Pokey responded as continued to rock Pumpkin playfully. “You’re quite the ambitious little unicorn, Pumpkin. You’re gonna be upset when you get bigger and this spike in your magic disappears.”

Pinkie opened the front door for Pokey, and he carried Pumpkin in to the store with him.

Pokey tried to hand Pumpkin to her, but Pumpkin fussed and reached back to Pokey.

Pinkie let out a little giggle.

“It looks like you have a new friend, Pokey.” Pinkie said to him when he gave a perplexed look.

“Po-po-Pokey?” Pumpkin said holding her little forehooves out to him.

Pokey floated her closer to him, and her tiny arms latched around his neck. Pumpkin gave a little sigh, satisfied to be with him.

Pinkie watched the two and had a sudden idea.

“Hey Pokey?” She asked him.

“Yeah?”

“Are you really busy right now?”

“Not really, why do you ask?”

It had been nearly two years since Pinkie had made amends with Pokey, but he was still a little cautious around her, though he was getting more sociable as time went by.

“Pumpkin seems to be a little calmer around you. Could you help me for just a sec while I finish changing both her diaper and Pound's?” Pinkie asked nicely.

“I don’t see a problem in that I suppose,” Pokey said. He then asked the little filly clutched to him, “What do you think, little unicorn?”

“Uni,” Pumpkin said pointing to Pokey’s horn.

“That’s right,” Pokey said with a smile. “I am a unicorn.”

Pinkie lead Pokey to the babies’ room, while he continued to talk to Pumpkin.

“What is Pound?” Pokey asked Pumpkin, testing the filly’s vocabulary.

“Peggabe,” Pumpkin said back to him.

“Close enough,” Pokey said shrugging to Pinkie.

The three of them entered the bedroom and, to Pinkie Pie’s relief, found Pound was standing in his crib, anticipating the return of his sister with Pinkie. He let out a coo of excitement when he saw his sister with a new pony.

“Okay,” Pinkie said approaching the changing table. “Let’s try this again.”

“Hey, Pinkie?” Pokey asked.

“Yeah?”

“Can I try?”

Pinkie looked at him surprised, with the exception of Mr. Cake, Pinkie had yet met a stallion who was even remotely interested in changing diapers.

“Well,” Pinkie scratched her chin with her hoof. “Okay, you do that and I’ll run defense.”

Pinkie quickly sped to the door, slammed it shut, locked it, and made a dash towards the windows.

Pinkie stopped in mid stride, she stood in awe at Pokey with the babies.

Pokey had both babies in his magic, and was changing them both at once. He had a mechanical precision to his process: old diaper off, wrapped, placed in diaper bin, clean backsides in four passes with the wipe, powder, new diapers on, folded snugly, finish with the small clicks of the safety pins.

The entire time the babies just giggled at the flashing blue colors of Pokey’s magic while he worked.

“Done,” Pokey said proudly. “How did I do?”

Pinkie just stood frozen at the scene she just witnessed.

“Did I forget something?” Pokey asked looking at the two babies gurgling up at him.

“N-no,” Pinkie said breaking out of her awe. “You were perfect, you must have a special talent with kids. I guess that's how you got your cutie mark.”

Pokey looked at Pinkie with surprise and then back at his flank realizing the connection.

“No,” Pokey said. “I mean, that's not how I got my cutie mark.”

“Oh,” Pinkie responded. “How did you get your cutie mark then?”

“Well,” Pokey said hesitantly rubbing his shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s kind of a sensitive topic.”

“Oh, okay.” Pinkie said meekly now feeling even more regretful of alienating Pokey in the past.

“Hey Pinkie, thanks for letting me help with the kids.” Pokey said quickly. “I never knew my magic could be this helpful. Anyways, I got to get going. See you around, okay?”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said walking up to the babies and picking them up in her forehooves. “Say good bye to Pokey, Pumpkin and Pound.”

“Ba ba,” the two babies said.

Pokey showed himself out of the store. Pinkie watched him walk down the street through the window.

“Whoa!” Pinkie said suddenly breaking out in to one of her Pinkie senses. “Left eye flutter, back hooves stiff, nose twitch. That means someone just had a bad memory. Was it... Pokey?”

Pinkie gazed down at the street and saw Pokey slightly hanging his head as he walked.

Pokey laid on the park bench feeling the warm summer wind blow through his fur. He was enjoying the quiet day to himself, just lounging, breathing in the smell of the fresh cut grass.

Pokey felt like he was about to doze off when suddenly a loud noise behind him startled him.

“Surprise!” A high voice shouted out at him. “Happy Birthday!”

BOOM

The voice behind him belonged to Pinkie and the loud noise that followed was the sound of her firing a canon.

Before Pokey could react, thousands of pieces of confetti and streamers flew out of the muzzle of the big gun and over Pokey’s head. A single party hat followed after and landed squarely on his head.

Pinkie rushed up to Pokey, threw a cape over his withers, and started singing.

“I wish you a a happy birthday, hope today is just the best,

Today is for your party, its for you, your not just a guest,

So make this day a happy one, the start of your next year

in making it a better one, filled with achievements and lots of cheer.

Oh, have fun today, call friends today, eat cake today, make today your day today.

Dance around to what music you want, whether it be posh or something folky

Because today is your day, its all for you; Happy Birthday my friend Pokey!“

Pinkie then gave him a big hug. Pokey was speechless.

“Did you like my Birthday song?” Pinkie energetically asked as she pulled away. “Did ya? Did ya? Did ya?”

“Yeah,” Pokey said realizing, he was experiencing his first Pinkie celebration in his honor. “I didn’t think you would do something like this. In fact I didn’t think you knew when my birthday was at all.”

“Oh yes,” Pinkie said giving him a leery eye. “You thought you could hide your birthday from me, the best party pony in Ponyville, did you?”

“Well I wasn’t necessarily hiding it from you-” Pokey started.

“It was tough to figure it out,” Pinkie cut him off. “But I did a little detective work and found out you're not planning on partying tonight. The only thing you had planned to do was go bowling with a few guys, am I right?”

“Well, yeah,” Pokey responded. “I like bowling.”

“And you’ll like it even more, when the whole alley will be full of a bunch of ponies, with streamers, and soda, and even a big cake I baked just for you.”

“You baked me a cake?” Pokey was still shocked Pinkie was doing so much for him.

“Of course, silly,” Pinkie responded gleefully. “You haven't had a real party till you’ve had a Pinkie Pie party. Come on, everypony is waiting for us!”

Pinkie grabbed him by the hoof and rushed off towards the bowling alley.

Pokey walked through the nearly empty bowling alley popping the last of the few balloons. It was the end of a perfect birthday. Pinkie had made good on her word, all of the ponies she invited were at the bowling alley, and everyone had a great time with plenty to eat.

Pokey was helping clean up, doing one of the tasks he loved best, popping the balloons.

Pinkie was sitting on one of the benches watching him, her expression seemed to get brighter the more she saw Pokey having fun with the balloons. Pokey noticed her watching him, he grabbed the last few balloons and brought them over to her.

“Here,” Pokey said giving her a green and a red balloon.

“What are these for?” Pinkie asked looking confused up at the balloons.

“These are to make up for the time when we were young and I popped your balloons during your cute-ceañera.” Pokey said sitting down in the seat next to her.

Pinkie thought back realizing she had nearly forgotten that day. She also realized Pokey had even remembered to give her the same color of balloons he popped.

“Pokey?” Pinkie asked scooting a little closer to him.

“Yes?”

“I know I’ve asked you this before, you didn't feel like sharing at the time, and I am really interested, how did you get your cutie mark?”

“Well...” Pokey sounded uncertain.

Pinkie placed her hoof on top of his and gave him a look of sincerely.

Over the past year, Pinkie had realized that she didn’t want to just make up her past actions to Pokey, or that she wanted Pokey to just like her, she wanted Pokey to trust her.

“Please,” Pinkie said in an honest, non-pleading voice.

"Okay," Pokey sighed, and started his story.

Pokey was a young blank flanked colt, celebrating a birthday at friends house one Saturday. In his excitement during a game of Blind Buck's Bluff, he accidentally ran his horn in to a bunch of balloons and popped one.

The noise was so loud that all the colts in the room gave a shout. Pokey took off the blindfold he was wearing, and rather than seeing the friend who invited him to his party angry or sad with him, he was laughing.

“Do it again, Pokey! Do it again!” The birthday colt cheered to him.

Pokey noticed the other colts joined in asking him to pop more balloons too, forgetting all about their game of Blind Buck's Bluff.

Pokey readied his horn and jabbed at another balloon in the bundle.

POP

The other colts whooped and hollered at the noise and started grabbing other balloons in the room and started popping them. A few of the other unicorns tried popping them using their own horns, but they were disappointed to find their horns were not sharp enough to do it. Only Pokey was able to do it with his horn, others envied him for it, but still encouraged him to keep going.

Later that evening, when his mother picked him up from the party, she pointed out that his cutie mark had appeared. Sure enough on his flank the image of a safety pin had showed up.

The following Monday Pokey walked in to the school building expecting recognition for his cutie mark, but nopony took notice of it.

That very morning Pinkie Pie had walked in with her own cutie mark, a new hair style, some bright balloons, and even treats to celebrate. The entire class, including the teacher, was interested in Pinkie, and not him.

Pokey stood in the back jealous. He wanted to bring in treats too for his cute-ceañera but his mother told him it was improper, and here this little pink filly was getting all the fun and attention.

Pokey walked up to Pinkie who was busy sharing with the others how she got her cutie mark.

"And then I heard this giant boom and saw a beautiful rainbow streak across the sky." Pinkie said excitedly.

Even her story about her cutie mark was better than his.

Pokey felt his envy bubble and so he reached his horn up to a green balloon in the bundle Pinkie was holding and gave it a sharp jab.

POP

Pinkie stopped in the middle of her story and turned around in time to see the green remains of one of the balloons she was holding wither to the floor.

"But," Pinkie said with a hurt look. "Why? I wanted to have fun with everyone!"

"This is fun!" Pokey said with a mean look on his face and reached his horn up to pop another balloon.

Pinkie erupted in to a fountain of tears and wails as Pokey pushed his horn deeper in to the red balloon he was about to pop.

Mrs. Sharpener grabbed Pokey by the mane on his neck as the second balloon popped.

"Pokey, you are going to sit in the corner and think about how you hurt Pinkie's feelings during her cute-ceañera in class." Mrs. Sharpener said as she dragged him to the corner of the room.

Pokey scowled.

"It should have been my cute-ceañera." Pokey mumbled to himself.

"I will not hear any of your grumblings young man," His teacher said to him unaware of what he said. "I will call you back when I think you are ready to be nice to others."

Pokey slouched in the stool facing the corner as he heard the teacher trot up to Pinkie to comfort her.

"He's a big meanie!" Pinkie wailed. "I hate him! I wish he never went to this school!"

"I wished you never came to this school either, you dumb pink pony!" Pokey said through gritted teeth.

Pokey finished his story, during the last part when he talked about popping the balloons, he could not bring himself to look at Pinkie, so he just stared down the empty bowling lane.

Pokey eventually turned to face Pinkie, and saw her looking at him, eyes full of tears, and her lip trembling.

“What-” Pokey started to say, but his voice was cut off by a deep sob from Pinkie as she threw her forehooves over him.

Pinkie held on to him and buried her face in to the side of his neck and sobbed.

“I’m sorry!” She said between sobs and breaths. “I’m so sorry.”

Pokey was too caught in the moment to say anything. He fumbled with his hooves and eventually place them around Pinkie in an awkward way to try and make her feel better.

“Pinkie it’s okay,” Pokey said to her. “It was a long time ago.”

“But,’ Pinkie said still sobbing in to his chest now. “It was your cute-ceañera too, I should known better.”

“I no longer blame you Pinkie.” Pokey said feeling out of place with her in his arms.

“But, if I had just paid more attention, rather than showing off, we could have shared our cute-ceañera and had and even bigger party. Of course you were jealous, I would have been too! I’m so sorry, Pokey! I’m so sorry!”

“Pinkie you don’t need to apologize, this birthday alone has made up even more for what happened that day.”

Pinkie kept crying.

“Pinkie,” Pokey’s voice sounded more strained. “Please stop crying, I feel sorry for making you cry back then, I feel even worse that I’m making you cry now. I like you better when you smile. I like you when you share your smile with others. I... I... like you...” Pokey’s voice trailed off as he rubbed the crying pony in his forehooves.

Pinkie blinked away tears and looked up at him.

Pinkie felt her face rise up to meet his, her brain unable to really process what she was physically doing.

“I mean it,” Pokey said to her wiping a tear away from her cheek. “I like you.”

Pinkie felt her own body moved as if by instinct. Her face drifted forward and her lips met Pokey’s.

Pokey looked back at her in disbelief, and then felt himself pull her in closer.

The two held the kiss for a moment, Pokey felt another urge reach his hoof up to touch Pinkie’s mane but his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud noise.

Chu-Chunk

The lights on half of the bowling lanes turned off and the alley got darker.

Chu-Chunk

The rest of the lights on the lanes shut off, now the only lights on were the lights of the front foyer and the ones above the shoe counter.

“Ooops!” Pinkie said blushing. “I guess the alley is closing."

“Yeah,” Pokey said feeling his cheeks turning red as well. “I guess that ends the prefect day. Uh, thanks, Pinkie, I had a, uh great time.”

“Oh, uh good,” Pinkie said getting up quickly. “I had a good time as well.” Her words started moving faster.

“Well, um, yeah” Pokey said feeling awkward. “We’ll see each other tomorrow, maybe?”

“Yeah!” Pinkie said a bit too quickly. “Bye!”

With that the two of them parted ways.