Saturday, April 9th, 12:30 pm, Ponyville Bazaar.

“What do you mean, ‘Pinkie Sense’!? Pinkie, you nearly got your head caved in by that flower pot and just‒ just suddenly jumped out of the way!”

For all of Dusk’s mounting frustration, Pinkie was simply a world of calm, with a bright smile and swishing tail. Reaching out and gripping his hand, she squeezed tightly and gave him a little shrug. “What do you mean, Dusk? It's just my Pinkie Sense. When my tail swishes like this...” She demonstrated, her poofy tail dancing excitedly back and forth in what Dusk assumed was a very specific pattern, “That means ‘watch out for falling things’! But if my ears wiggle this way,” she again displayed, her ears wiggling excitedly, “It means somepony is going to get dirty! My Pinkie Sense has lots of warnings for stuff like that, even combos to warn me about complicated stuff!”

Dusk couldn't understand her; his eye twitched and he began to tilt his head involuntarily while he tried to understand what she meant. “Ear wiggles to warn you about getting dirty? Combos for bigger things? Pinkie, I don't understand. Is this part of your special talent? I just figured it had something to do with parties because of how good you are at celebrating things.”

Something in the growing confusion in Dusk’s voice or Pinkie’s delight caught Bronze’s attention, as she put down the cast iron pot she’d been toying with before she turned to rejoin Dusk, brushing a wing possessively over his back before leaning a little against his right side, giving Pinkie a little wave. “What’s wrong, Dusk? Pinkie, why does he look so tripped out? You didn’t lose a book he loaned you or anything, right?”

Her joke earned her a snort‒giggle from Pinkie who shook her head and hopped up to her full height while clutching her hands together behind her back, her tail back to its casual swishing. “Nope! I make sure to take care of his books; I know how protective of them he gets!”

Crashing face‒first into a wall where two and two constantly refused to add up to four, Dusk turned a dreary eye to the sky, searching for something… for some sign. “How can an ear flop explain a pony getting messy? A tail wiggle can't possibly predict things falling from the sky! Everyday at least ten thousand ponies wiggle their tails a thousand times without ever thinking about it. Even extrapolating for the full population of Equestria and the number of known falling objects that can be assumed to account for the above mentioned ponies, trying to account for any one pony’s tail and the objects her tail predicts falling in a single day is a mathematical impossibility!”

Looking from Pinkie to Dusk and back again, Bronze openly began to worry as Dusk's soft muttering got more and more complicated, leaving her behind in whatever it was he was thinking about. Putting her calloused hand on his shoulder, she squeezed firmly, her voice taking on a softer air. “Dusk? How about we head back to your library. No need to hang out at the bazaar if you're done looking at things.”

Cutting short his internal calculations as the numbers began to spiral out of his grasp, Dusk turned bleary eyes to the source of Bronze’s voice, his questioning tone obvious. “The library? My books are there. And the laboratory is in the basement...”

Hearing his distant tone and looking into his confused eyes made Pinkie wonder if he was alright. She took a few steps closer and smiled as she gripped his hand. “Sure, all your books are there, Dusk. Want me to walk you home and maybe talk for a bit? I've got a little time before my appointments this afternoon!”

Drawn fully from the mathematical conundrum presented by Pinkie's odd nature, Dusk discovered a new outlet for his confusion in Pinkie's offer. “It's so simple, of course! Yes, come down to the lab! I’m sure that this can be explained! With science and proper observation!”

Bronze and Pinkie took a moment to look at one another, Dusk’s surging enthusiasm giving both mares cause to pause and wonder about him for just a moment. Shrugging happily, Pinkie crossed an arm with Dusk on the right and tugged him close, laughing excitedly at the clear blue sky. “Sure, Dusk! Let's go see your laboratory! I haven't seen my Element of Harmony since the poor meanie‒bo‒beanie dragon was around!”

12:45pm, On approach to Cloudsdale.

Finally feeling she'd really started to stretch her wings out as she flew, Dash couldn’t help but admire the distant outline of Cloudsdale began to solidify as the cloud layer thinned out, revealing parts of the grand city one piece at a time.

The closest part to her was the training grounds where she'd discovered her cutie mark. It had originally been built for the Equestria Games when she was a foal, and moved to connect with the school back when she was probably only six or seven. She couldn’t remember how many days she had found excuses to race with other foals around that track. Nostalgia settled in and Dash slowed as she passed over the school, sweeping over the shifting clouds, taking her time to admire how the jigsaw‒like city had come together under the shifting winds.

After she passed over the school, the Magistrate’s Hall emerged from the clouds, a towering courthouse the scholarly old stallions often gathered in, usually accompanied by representatives from all four of Canterlot’s schools. Most were from the Weather University or the Military Academy, but occasionally the Storm School or somepony from the Wonderbolts came along. Even today, the great manor had numerous ponies gathered near the entrance, milling around in talk. Unable to identify anypony by name, she admired the crisp uniforms that the two Wonderbolts wore, and she even had to admit the soldiers in gleaming mail were admirable. The black robes marked several magistrates in the crowd, and she couldn’t shake the image of Dusk joining their conversation as casually as he talked with ponies around town. “He'd even fit in well enough. They stick to the richer parts of Cloudsdale, and there are plenty of walkways these days…”

Confused by how she had started thinking about Dusk again, Dash picked up a little more speed and turned towards the distant outline of the Wonderbolts barracks. Rainbow Blitz kept his home close to the great barracks that housed his old comrades, and the training clouds. She had more important things to worry about, instead of some silly unicorn joining the local magistrates to talk about budgets and laws.

Circling the towering barracks, a familiar rooftop formed as the golden, sundrenched clouds parted at her approach. The simple garden where even now a familiar colt toiled, plucking weeds and miniature stormclouds from the flowers.

“And the pink and purple‒blue flowers, the Fireflys…” Dash couldn't ignore the blooms that had been named for the mare, not when her sire still filled half his garden with them, already in brilliant bloom so early in the year.

Landing on the short cut grass behind the colt, Dash cleared her throat loudly to get his attention, barking out at the boy. “Skipping school to play in the garden? No way Blitz would ever approve of that, Rumble. You haven't been expelled already, have you?”

Jumping in shock, the colt turned to face her, shaking visibly at her sudden appearance and gruff tone. He couldn't help but stammer a little. “Dash! You‒ you're here already?! But Blitz and Sur‒Wonderbolt Surprise‒ they said not before two this afternoon! You're supposed to‒ And anyway! I'm not skipping school! The storm class is being split three ways this week. We're doing extra duties with the Weather Team all week to make sure things are perfect for the Competition. I won't even get ten minutes off on Monday to watch you perform. By Tartarus, Fleetfoot’s herd‒sister is our class valedictorian and she can't even get five minutes away to say hi! Did you know that, by the way? Major Fleetfoot is coming to represent the Wonderbolts on Monday! Something big is happening. It was supposed to be Spitfire. All the posters advertising it last month mentioned her. Now they're all gone, replaced by new posters with Fleetfoot. And she got a promotion too! Everypony is full of questions about what's happened, but the Wonderbolts won't say anything except that Spitfire and Blaze are busy on assignment and can't return for the Y.F.C.”

Throwing an arm around the colt’s shoulders and pulling him close, Dash ground her knuckles playfully into his head. “Slow down and take a breath before you pass out, Rumble! Yeesh, you'd think you were related to Pinkie, instead of Surprise, with how much you gab!”

Laughing together as Dash aggressively noogied him, Rumble scrambled, fighting the arm she had wrapped around his shoulders, and when he finally managed to slip free, he took off running, while Dash gave chase across the conservative little garden. In an effort to escape Dash's torment, Rumble leapt on top of the bay window that overlooked the flower bed and garden, perching on the slim ledge and lifting his hands defensively in the hopes of fending Dash off long enough to give him mercy. “I yield, Dash, I yield! You win, but no more, seriously!”

Wickedly grinning and straining to hold back a snort of laughter in his face, Dash backed off a little bit, peeling off her backpack while she assessed the ledge to see if they could both perch there safely. “Oh? Well sure you'd give up. Thunderlane always surrendered when we wrestled too.”

Perking up as she mentioned his brother’s name, Rumble lowered his hands a little. “Oh, yeah. That reminds me… did you bring anypony else with you? Thunderlane, or Fluttershy… maybe… Bronze?”

Trying to look casual, Dash looked off at the towering noonday sun, suddenly anxious when she thought of the guard that she’d kissed. "What? Oh, her. Nah, I asked. She talked about needing to study. Clearly the mare has spent too much time around Dusk, and Thunderlane needs to keep the weather in check while I'm away from Ponyville for most of the week.” As the colt slumped a little, looking crestfallen at her answer, Dash offered him a little hope. “Hey now, cheer up. Fluttershy promised me she'd come tonight after she got her animal friends taken care of.”

Rumble offered Dash a half‒hearted smile and laughed a little, shifting his precariously balanced position on the window frame as the gentle breeze picked up. “That's nice to hear. Fluttershy always seemed… nervous about flying though. You sure she'll make it?”

Her opening now crystal clear, Dash leapt, landing beside him on top of the window’s ledge. Tackling him around the neck again, Dash spread her wings and supported Rumble’s flailing body for a minute before he calmed down, and she noogied him again one last time, holding him tightly to prevent another escape. Done with the pressing of knuckles to skull, she leaned a little on him and looked out over the vista of clouds. “So why Bronze? Didn't know you two hung out that much.”

The colt’s dismissive snort and light blush made Dash wonder, and a wicked smirk curled her lips. “I mean, I suppose she's pretty good looking. No Applejack, but she’s got great muscles.”

Trapped, Rumble’s cheeks continued to redden as she talked, only urging her on. “I mean, she's a soldier after all. Practically a knight. I suppose she's a better flyer than Fluttershy, but she ain't no…”

“Oh my Celestia! Rainbow Dash, you made it! And you’re so early, too!!”

Just as Dash let go of Rumble and started to turn to look for the pony talking to her, Surprise surprised her with a surprise attack, launching from out of the clear blue sky, knocking Dash clear off her perch hugging her right into the short-cut grass while laughing gleefully and rubbing noses with the shell‒shocked mare. “Dashie! Ohhh! I've been waiting for hours, and now you're finally here! First we have to eat dinner, then we can start your application!”

Catching her breath and trying to see through the stars in her eyes, Dash reached up and discovered her hand was gripped by a powerful, scarred stallion’s hand. Looking up, she was shocked to realize Blitz had taken her hand, and helped her stand. Glad for the support and the help up from under the bubbly Surprise, Dash couldn’t help but stare. Something was different with the old stallion, and it bothered her that she couldn’t specifically name a single detail that was out of place.

Only as her father was brushing grass from her hair and started straightening her flightsuit did she have the time to look back over at Surprise, and instantly her eyes picked out several changes to the mare’s outfit and behavior. It wasn't just the shiny, new silver emblem with a band beneath the wings that stood out against her sleek blue uniform. It was her posture, and the uniform itself that was different, and she knew it at a glance from the poster on her bedroom wall. “Wait… Surprise… Pinkie said you'd been promoted… but just how… how far did they promote you?!”

At last self‒conscience about rolling in the grass, Surprise scrambled to stand up, a flurry of activity as she brushed cut grass from her hair and out of her uniform. The uniform was a solid blue, except for the brilliant yellow lightning bolts that ran down each side, from collar to ankle. Visibly nervous, she turned around once, moving her wings so they could see under the feathers. “Ohh, I didn't mess it up, did I? They only just finally delivered my new flight suit, and I'm on parade when Princess Celestia arrives on Monday!”

Releasing his foal to assist Surprise, Blitz visibly glowed with pride as he pushed the last of the grass from her back before starting to pick it from her tail hair. “She might finally take things seriously, Dash. Surprise made Wonderbolt First Class, and she's shipping out to join Spitfire next week.”

Turning around quickly and grabbing his hand, Surprise shocked Dash by giving the old Wonderbolt a serious look. “We're not supposed to tell anypony about deployment, Blitz!”

The stallion gently laughed and gave the mare a pat on the hand. “Easy, Suprise, easy. You're not in charge, and I know the rules better than you. Now Rumble, you never heard a word of this, right, colt?”

Alone atop the window sill, the colt had been watching them intensely, but nearly jumped as the old stallion addressed him. Looking nervous, he tried his best to act casual. “Heard any of what, sir? I just served tea when you and Brigadier General Stormy Flare were talking. I didn't hear anything.”

Giving a proper laugh at the colt’s quick adaptation to keeping secrets, Blitz nudged Dash. “He's got a brain in his head, even if he isn't great at using it yet. You picked well, Dash.”

Dash finally looked at her father, really looked at him closely. His feathers, no, his whole wings were more pronounced, puffed up and fluffed out, and he was standing taller than she'd seen in years… and on his collar, a pair of golden wings criss‒crossed by a lighting bolt. “Dad, you didn't‒”

Throwing an arm around his foal, Blitz turned Dash toward the house, full of vibrant energy as he guided her inside. “They offered me a commission, Dash. I'm going to be Spitfire’s senior advisor. I'm a Major again!”

Joy and boundless energy reverberated in his voice and eyes, he even walked taller as he gently tugged her into the house. “Now, let's start your application for the Young Fliers Competition. We can talk while filling out paperwork.”

12:50 pm, Back at Dusk’s library.

Dusk turned to look back at Bronze as she lingered on the doorstep, clearly distracted by something. Turning around and returning to her, he called out softly. “Are you coming, my faithful Vicarius? We simply must figure out a logical explanation for Pinkie's odd talent at prediction." Abuzz with excited energy, Dusk leaned in to brush a swift kiss across her cheek. Despite how light he was on his feet, he barely managed to dart out of the way of Bronze's playful retaliatory blow, grinning at the blushing mare. His eyes were burning with the vigour he got only upon discovering a new mystery or puzzle to breakdown, and he was excited to begin.

Bronze, on the other hand, was nervous. She'd nearly let herself get caught up in Dusk’s energy, and started to turn, to follow him as he gleefully rubbed his palms together, until she was again distracted by the soft but familiar whisper of chimes. The sound drawing her attention from the stallion, she focused her gaze on a silver chain link windchime. She lingered, mesmerized.

“Bronze? Are you coming along, or are you just going to watch the wind razzle the leaves?”

Dusk was waiting at the corner of the staircase into the basement, Pinkie hovering over his shoulder, his eyes aflame with the joy of discovery, and faint tinges of impatience. The next gust caused the metal chimes to dance again, and they forced her to make her mind up immediately. Fighting against her heavy heart, Bronze drew herself up to her full height. “I'm sorry, Dusk, I‒I just can't. I'm already months behind in my studies, and even with the lighter duties you give me here, it'll take weeks to catch up as it is! I have to get some progress started today, especially if I'm to cover your schedule this week, without falling further behind.”

Unable to avoid seeing the disappointment in his eyes, she pressed on before he could interrupt her. “Just… just remember to save me a copy of your notes! I'd love to read them later when you figure Pinkie out!”

Waving back at Pinkie’s excited goodbye before turning towards the library, she began to map out what she should work on for the day. “At least two chapters on etiquette, and three more on mathematics… add on at least a chapter of law, as well as economics. I've put both of those off for far too long, and it would clearly help with some of Dusk’s work.” Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew if she delayed too long, he might say ‘please’, and she'd end up busy with his experimentation on Pinkie all day.

The staircase down into the lab was dark until Dusk sent out flares of his magic to bring the waiting torches to a distinct raspberry glow, burning away the darkness. Already he could feel the incredible power of the Elements of Harmony calling to him, their unique magic leaving a taste in his mouth that changed as Pinkie joined him on the steps, on her tiptoes and leaning against his side. Wide‒eyed, she called into the darkness. “It knows I'm here, doesn't it, Dusk?”

Turning to look at Pinkie, Dusk could not help but wonder just how much she really understood about magic, most of all after she somehow managed to sneak past Silken Flight and the guards she had set up around the waterfall that night after they battled the dragon. Still high on the Black Lotus, it had taken all of his concentration to hold back the roaring tsunami of power that burned in his veins…

And then Pinkie had simply showed up and helped him through the night, her quiet conversation and gentle presence a solid foundation that he had been able to use to help fight the fire that choked his lungs, and resist the incredible power the Black Lotus had brought ‒ power that he was sure would have either burned him out or driven him mad… just like Trixie.

Dusk pushed aside those fears, and the lingering desire for another taste of the incredible power that the Black Lotus had promised. Instead he offered Pinkie his hand and a shrug. “I can feel their magic, a little bit. It must have missed you, because the second you stepped into the staircase, the power the rest of them emit suddenly changed.”

Now really excited, Pinkie squeezed his hand back and pushed past him, moving down the stairs while dragging him along as she exclaimed excitedly, “It's kinda like a pet you had to leave at home. When you finally get back, it's so excited to see you!”

Not for the first time, Dusk wondered just what was on Pinkie's mind as she so simplified a mythic artifact in such a casual way. Pinkie weaved her way through the cluttered basement, dragging Dusk along behind her, until she found the heavy oak door that led to the lab. Her momentum worked against her, however, when she found out it was locked, and Dusk was unable to stop himself before he found himself pressed against the earth mare, trapping her between himself and the door.

A mischievous smile played across her lips, and she let out a husky moan. She leaned back against him and turned her head to the side, brushing her jaw against his, and her breath tickled his cheek as she whispered, "Duskie! If you wanted to play, you should have said so!”

Still somewhat stunned by his collision with the playful pony, Dusk didn't have the strength to reply immediately. Still stinging from a jolt of pain through his back, he wasn't sure how much of what she said was a joke, but he could feel her fluffy tail trapped against his groin, the appendage tickling him as it started to wiggle. That gave him enough of a shock to straighten up and fumble for his key. “I‒ it is not like that, Pinkie‒ I mean, it's not not like that either! I just‒ let’s‒let’s get into the lab, okay?”

Pinkie's continuous maniacal giggling as he fought with the lock didn't relieve any of the stress of her teasing, and she only made things worse as she leaned back against him and nuzzled into his neck. Dusk couldn’t ignore the moist pressure of her lips on the hollow of his throat, and as he reached around her with the key in one hand, his free one found its way to her waist as he pulled her in tighter, his mind suddenly on a topic almost as fascinating as his research.

Grinding together their hips, Pinkie gave a second, happy moan, her hands sliding up and behind his head to roam into his long hair, messier due to Barb’s absence and Rarity’s busy morning. She clearly didn't mind, tucking herself into his body, grinding her hip to his groin as she kissed him fiercely, breaking it off to moan into his ear. “We could always go back upstai‒”

The grinding of gears as the lock popped open interrupted Pinkie's kinky suggestion, and they both stumbled off balance when the door swung open due to their combined weight. While Dusk tried to regain his footing, Pinkie hopped up and untangled herself from him, giving a happy cry of “Ohh!” before rushing straight across the bare stone floor, around the worktable, to the heavy chest that nearly hummed with raw magical power. Crouching down and pawing at the lock, she looked back at him where he stood in the doorway, still stunned at the abrupt change in the mare. “It's in here, right Dusk? I… I can kinda feel it calling to me. Can I… can I see it? Please?”

Dusk couldn’t resist the cute way Pinkie playfully batted at the locked chest, or how she curled her lip as he crossed the room to her side. Slipping a hand into her hair, he stroked her poofy locks, and gave a slight nod. “Of course you can, Pinkie. It’s yours after all. I doubt anypony would ever have reason to steal it, but better safe than sorry, right?”

Dusk waited until Pinkie looked up at him, her eyes dancing with exuberant excitement, and then, he overdramatically did something simple: he snapped his fingers. The act was simply a showy trigger to the flow of magic, but the knotted locking spell he had placed over the thick brass lock on the chest soon unwound as he let his magic weave into its complex tangles. The result was a sudden, loud clunk, as when the locking spell released, the symbolic lock slipped open under its own weight.

His showmanship earned him a delightful gasp from Pinkie, who simultaneously threw an arm around his knees and hugged him, while also removing the lock and opening the heavy lid effortlessly. “Dusk! You were showing off. You wouldn’t be trying to impress me or anything, would you?”

Perhaps some of Pinkie's playfulness was rubbing off on him, because Dusk was suddenly inspired to be a little silly himself. Standing up straight and taking a small step away from her, he pulled the case with his silver framed glasses from the inner pocket of his light jacket. Carefully removing them, he unfolded the spectacles and took a moment to both clean and polish the lenses. Dusk slipped them onto the tip of his nose before using his index finger to push them up until they reached the bridge of his nose, all while staring down at her with the best, and most seriously professional gaze he could muster. "Now, Pinkie Pie! Whatever has come over you? I am a researcher, a librarian, and occasionally, for the better of others, a leader of ponies. But I'd never expend extraneous energy trying to impress somepony. I'm baffled that you'd think otherwise!"

When Pinkie didn’t answer right away, Dusk became nervous, and blinked, the tiniest mote of a worried tone sneaking into his voice. “Too much?”

Unable to help herself, Pinkie threw both hands over her mouth and began to snort with laughter, falling over from her kneeling position to lie on the floor on her side. Her laughter only got louder and louder, her feet kicking as her case of the giggles quickly evolved into an outright fit, her thin leather-soled boots pounding against the front of the heavy chest. Pinkie was laughing so hard that she had started sobbing openly, and it took her several tries at answering him before she regained enough composure to finally finish her sentence. “Dear Celestia, Dusk! Do it again! Do it again!”

Dusk reached into his pocket, drawing out the hankie that, thanks to his lover Rarity, was waiting in his pocket, exactly as he expected. Walking slowly forward and kneeling down beside Pinkie’s hip, he wiped away a few of her tears of laughter with the hankie while she was still half‒laughing, half‒blubbering gently. Watching her intensely, he hesitated a moment before finally pressing it into her hand and squeezing their hands closed, mostly as an excuse to hold her hand again. At last he asked her, “Better now, Pinkie dear?”

Still wiping gently at her cheeks and laughing more mutedly into the hankie, Pinkie finally caught her breath again, coughing once before huffing into her hand. “I‒, hah‒, ha… hu‒ah…” Giving a gentle sigh, she nodded at him. “Yeah, I‒I think I’m better now, Dusk. Thanks!” Unfolding the hankie, Pinkie blew her nose sharply, then folded it back up, grinning at him. “So can I try on my Element now, or do you want to tell me another joke, Dusk?”

Folding the hankie over itself a second time when Pinkie handed it back to him, Dusk carefully slipped it into an open pocket on the inside of his light jacket, making a mental note to toss it into the laundry later. Finally, Dusk gave a small gesture to the still visibly giggling mare, “Of course, Pinkie. I can’t wait to see how it looks.”

Pinkie was more than giddy enough to draw the golden choker from the open chest on her own. The brilliant gem shaped like her cutie mark glowed in the gentle light of Dusk’s magic, while somehow the gold choker it had been mounted in still glimmered as if it had been freshly polished. Using one hand, she pushed the massive weight of her wild hair off her neck, while with impressive dexterity, she slipped the choker into place, leaning forward and gazing up at him. “Can you check to see if I got all of my hair out of the way and close the clasp, Duskie‒poo?”

Dusk didn’t need any more prompting, leaning towards her in turn, slipping his hands across her neck in broad, sweeping arcs, while leaning over, first to one side, then the other to make sure her chaotic hair wasn’t about to get pinched under the bands or in the lock. Gently pulling a few tiny strands out of the way, Dusk let both hands stroke down the back of her head until they rested on her shoulders, squeezing for just a moment before he turned his hands in and leaned in close again, so he could clearly make out the fiddly clasp. At last it clicked into place, and he leaned back, admiring her while Pinkie lowered her hair back into place. Before he could speak, she turned to face him, looking deep into the depths of his eyes, her magical energy showing in her voice. “Well, how does it look, Dusk? It’s on straight, right?"

With the positioning of the impossibly large gem, Dusk couldn’t help but admire her throat, and the way the metal and stone lay against her flesh. He felt a trickle of sweat run down his cheek, despite the cool basement air, and was momentarily flustered for an answer, at last nodding when she started getting impatient, bouncing on her knees while her free hand fidgeted a little. “You look wonderful, Pinkie. It goes with your bubbly personality and good nature perfectly. Do you...“ Dusk’s memory returned to that nightmare on the mountain, when they’d face the dragon, and an idea dawned on him. A way to get the answers he wanted, while testing just how well the Elements of Harmony let them hear one another's thoughts. A double experiment! The idea made his already quickened pulse race, and he unconsciously licked his lips in anticipation. “In short, like you, it looks wonderful, Pinkie. Now, I don’t suppose... would you mind if we attempted some experiments regarding your Pinkie Sense? The Elements of Harmony let me hear a little bit of what you’re thinking when we are wearing them and touching‒"

Bouncing forward despite still being on her knees, the energetic mare grinned like a maniac as she rubbed her nose against Dusk's, giving him a sudden surprise, before wrapping her arms around his hips. "Well sure, Dusk! Of course I'm okay with it... I mean, it won't hurt or anything, right?!"

Taken aback a little by the ernest nature of her simple question, Dusk moved to assure her, his hands cupping her cheeks as he pressed his forehead against hers gently. Taking a deep, careful breath to help measure out the importance of what he said next, Dusk looked back into the depths of her eyes and smiled. "Pinkie, I would never do anything to hurt you. Ever." Then, Dusk slowly closed his eyes as he inched his body forward even more, until their lips met.

Pinkie could not deny the way her heart quickened as Dusk’s lips held her own, a bead of sweat slowly forming on her brow as their kiss lingered, slowly running down across her temple, before crossing her hot cheek. She sighed into his mouth while her fingers slid off the curve of his hips, before squeezing the toned flesh of his ass, even as she turned two fingers on her other hand into his spine, deeply scratching with her long nails to both massage and arouse him while relieving a little of his aches and pains. When one of Dusk's hands slipped from her cheek down to her neck, it brushed against her choker, and Pinkie heard Dusk's voice in her head whisper, “Don't worry, I would never, could never, let anything happen to you, Pinkie. I love you.”

Pinkie all but jumped away from Dusk, the shock of hearing his voice whispering in her head so vividly and passionately that she knew it was sincere. “But‒ he said it let HIM hear my thoughts, didn’t he?! Oh!~ Dusk! I’m not… and you’ve already got Applejack and Rarity‒ I just wanted to have fun, and sleep together, and wake up in your arms sometimes‒ but, oh, I don’t know... a relationship?!”

Realizing he was just starting to try to stand, and that he had been staring up at her while she panted for breath, visibly shaking and lost in her own thoughts, Pinkie tried to find a quick excuse, a reason to run. Anything to get out of the suddenly blazing hot, cramped and stuffy room before she started choking. Attempting to speak, she stammered, her thoughts too chaotic to find a good excuse. “I‒ oh Du‒du‒Dusk! It’s‒ I just‒” Then a sudden solution sprang to mind, and she quickly turned to the door. "Oh no, Dusk! I left a pie in the oven and didn’t remember to tell Mr. Cake! I‒ I’d better go grab it before it burns and do my other errands. C-ya later Dusk, BYE!"

And like that, she bolted away, leaving Dusk on his knees in the middle of the floor, his back now aching with bolts of pain as he was forced to prop himself against the frame of the chest, using it for support before finally standing up, his tail drooping low between his legs in disappointment. “What was that, Pinkie… and why did I get nothing from the Elements at all…”

Meanwhile, just outside of Dusk’s Library.

Pinkie fled round to a side of Dusk’s house. Still gasping for breath, she could feel herself crying a little again, the cold tears trickling down over her burning cheeks, soothing her embarrassment, her frustration, and how torn she felt. She couldn’t stand being reminded of how conflicted she felt. When she was sure there was enough of the house and the tree in the way to prevent anypony else from seeing her, she stopped and leaned her back against the rough bark wall of the living tree, wiping her nose and cheeks with the back of her hand. “Oh, Dusk! Why’d you have to make everything…. Everything so serious!”

Author's Notes:

Just wanted to say, a huge thank you to all my readers, both old and new! We have had a lot of growth recently and it's really encouraging to see all this new energy and feedback of late! I hope i can keep you all entertained!