The day before his birthday Spike escorted Fluttershy back to her suite, his mind drifting back to that morning. When she asked him if he wanted to watch a movie with her, he thought she was just being nice. He thought she felt bad, thinking he didn’t have a date for that night. Turns out he was wrong. He was even more wrong when Fluttershy showed up at his suite that evening wearing a red low-cut blouse, a black miniskirt, and a pair of black stilettos—she didn’t just want to watch a movie with him.

Twilight was furious when she saw Fluttershy and Spike walk by her on their way to the theater. Spike was half-expecting Fluttershy’s pick to be a children’s flick with a lot of cute talking animals, or at the very least something with anthros that provided a little furry fanservice, instead it was a digitally re-mastered version of Casaflanka. Spike was pleasantly surprised. He never thought that anyone, Fluttershy included, shared his taste in cinema. It had been ages since he’d seen Casaflanka. And the best part of it was... they were completely alone!

Fluttershy loved the romantic parts; Spike liked the tough guy parts. The intimacy of the darkened theater heightened her arousal and she purred as she nestled her head against his shoulder, wondering if he liked her outfit. Eventually, she pressed her lips passionately against his and undid the first button of her blouse. His fingers followed hers as they continued to make out. He reached up her skirt and pulled down her black lacy thong—so unlike her—and she threw her arms around his neck as they made love right there in the theater. They finished just as the main characters got to the airport, and Fluttershy sobbed when the airplane took off.

When the movie ended, Spike took Fluttershy back to her room, and Rarity popped her head around the corner to ask, “Did it make you want to cry?”

“Constantly,” he replied. “And not in the way you’re probably thinking.”

“Well, I’m glad you two had fun,” she said as Spike left their suite. “Oh, and darling, I’m looking forward to your birthday party tomorrow night.”

“Great,” Spike smiled. “It should be fun.” As soon as the door shut behind him, he added, “That party is going to suck.”

Zephyr Breeze (who had been standing out in the hall) asked, “Why?”

“Well, because I’m the one who’s really paying for it: I have to spend the whole evening worrying about people spilling things and breaking and or stealing my stuff,” Spike explained.

“Your friends sound really cool,” Zeph sarcastically commented. “Why don’t you just tell them you don’t want a party?”

“Oh, well, see, Pinkie loves throwing parties. It makes her happy,” Spike continued. “And if she’s happy... that’s good for my deal with her. If I complain, she’ll get mad and that’s not good for the deal.”

“Come on, man! You can’t keep talking about ‘the deal’ without telling me what it is,” Zeph told him. “What does Pinkie do for you, exactly?”

“I wish I could tell you, I really do,” Spike said sincerely. “But I can’t. If I did, she would find out about it. And if she ever found out I told someone, the deal would be off. And then I would have to kill you.”

“I won’t tell anyone. Now that we’re working together, this is the kind of guy stuff we should be talking about,”

“Instead of worrying about my deal, why don’t you get one of your own?”

“Because I can’t, at least not now... But if I wanted a deal, I could get one,”

“Don’t even try to play with the big boys,” Spike said as he turned and headed for the elevator.

“And not only could I get a deal, I could get one that’s better than yours,” Zeph challenged him. “What’s yours?”

Spike stopped at the elevator doors, turned back around, look Zeph straight in the eyes, and said, “To say ‘nice try’ would be an insult to an insult to an insult to an insult to an insult to everyone who actually does try.”

“I’m getting a deal, Drake!” Zephyr vowed. “And every year, when I’m doing it, I’m gonna think of you!” Spike faced Zeph again, and Zeph quickly added, “I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, you did,” Spike answered as the elevator doors closed. “You just weren’t thinking when you said it, like you always do. Or should I say, don’t do?”

---

Spike’s birthday finally arrived, and a Clowns’ Convention checked into the Resort, as well as several jugglers, firebreathers, flying acrobats, a strongman and a mime. And the guests and staff all agreed that they were much better than the Orthodontist Convention that checked in the week before.

The mime placed his luggage, an old steamer trunk, on top of the front desk as Miss Pommel asked, “Room for one, sir?”

The mime unlocked his trunk, gently opened the lid, and a lady contortionist unfolded herself and popped out from inside.

“Oh! Well, room for two,” Coco corrected herself.

While Coco was getting the various performers taken care of, Starlight Glimmer served Spike, Fancy Pants, Sunburst and Zephyr Breeze brunch in the Sweet Snacks Café.

“I’ll have scrambled eggs, side of sausage, please,” Fancy Pants began.

“Western omelet,” Sunburst said.

“Beef quesadilla, four times the steak and two times the cheese,” said Spike.

Zephyr Breeze smiled and said, “Surprise me.”

“What am I, some kind of birthday party clown?” Starlight asked.

“No, those are birthday party clowns!” Pinkie Pie answered as she pointed across the Café to a table of funny-dressed men and women with red noses and multicolored wigs.

“Come on,” Zephyr told Starlight. “It’ll be fun.”

“Okay,” she replied. She started to walk away, and then she hit Zephyr on the back of the head with his menu. “Surprise!” she said sarcastically. “You’re right. That was fun.”

Spike, Sunburst and Fancy Pants proceeded to laugh at Zephyr as Rarity sat down with them.

“Who saw The Bachelor last night?” she asked.

“Best. Episode. Ever!” Zeph replied.

“Didn’t you think it was weird how it cut out in the middle?” Rarity asked.

“It would be great if that could happen to this conversation,” Spike whispered to Sunburst, who nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, but I can’t believe he let Crimson go!” Zephyr went on. “She was so cute... and sweet!”

“I know!” Rarity answered.

“I’m sorry,” Spike interrupted, “but am I at a slumber party?”

“Seriously, can we man up the verbal badminton, s’il vous plait?” Fancy Pants added.

While Spike and Fancy Pants were telling Rarity and Zephyr Breeze to cut the gossip, Applejack and Sunset Shimmer were eyeing each other warily over their drinks as they sat at opposite ends of the Café. Warily, because each woman suspected the other was her enemy; each considered herself Spike Drake’s closest gal pal... and potential girlfriend. Applejack and Sunset never had shared any great mutual affection, going back to the days when Applejack was just a security guard and Sunset was just a waitress, instead of the head of security and a hostess respectively. There had been no outright clash: Sunset had always regarded Applejack as a hard worker although never good enough to be outstanding; and Applejack thought of Sunset as an all-right person even though she could be a little mean at times. Neither questioned the other’s bravery under stress, her own certain code of honesty, her loyalty toward her friends. It was just that their motivation, their backgrounds, their senses of values were so widely disparate that each was bound to disapprove of the other as the wrong girl to have around a man. They would be the one, not the other.

Spike hadn’t really spoken to Sunset or Applejack since the night they were trapped in the elevator during the blackout together. Oh, he and AJ had subbed in for Soarin the other night behind the bar in the Midnight Lounge, but that was it. They hadn’t really talked since she apologized for the hickey she’d given him. They all knew that it would be hard to keep their hands off one another but they couldn’t allow anyone else at the resort to find out about what had happened.

When Applejack entered the Café, she tried to make polite conversation with Sunset for a while but it had languished. Now they both sat silent, moodily sipping their drinks, each contemplating their own thoughts. Sunset was wondering if there was any danger of Applejack spending too much time with Spike. Applejack was thinking about being in Spike’s arms... in his bed.

All the while, Spike stirred restlessly in the booth he was sitting at, trying to find the courage to ask Sunset out.

“Just ask her!” he told himself in thought.

Spike had never been shy around girls, but somehow he always got tongue-tied around Sunset. Ever since she took his order in X Sushi the day he checked in. He thought she was stunningly beautiful and few people knew that she had a heart of gold, which only a select few had ever witnessed.

“You can do this,” he thought as he got up.

He took a deep breath, exhaled, and walked over to her booth.

“Hey, Sunset, what are you doing tomorrow?” he asked.

“Why?” she replied.

“Well, I was wondering, that is, if you’re not too busy... Maybe you’d like to... You... Me...”

“Oh!” Sunset smiled. “You want a date?”

Spike nodded.

“Okay, you can take me to the amusement park tomorrow,”

“I did it!” he thought.

Spike chuckled and Sunset giggled as he returned to this booth and Applejack stared at them dumbfounded. She was going to ask Spike if he wanted to go out with her, but Sunset beat her to it!

“Oh, it is on!” Applejack thought.

---

Later that afternoon, Zephyr Breeze went down to Discord’s office to check up on his boss and make sure that all the weed was out of his system. It was.

“That was quite the trip you were on,” Zephyr said.

“Yeah, well you put enough pot in that cupcake to light up half the Strip. That is, if pot was an electrical energy source,” Discord told him. “Did you know they put pudding in tubes now? They do. And they’re surprisingly good.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

“What are you girls doing down here?” Discord asked them.

“Discord, we need your help,” Apple Bloom began.

His eyebrows shot up. “You need help from me?”

“Well, we need advice for some friends,” Scootaloo added.

“Don’t tell me you want me to talk about the birds and the bees,” he said.

“Don’t worry,” Sweetie Belle reassured him. “We’ve already had that talk with our sisters.”

“Oh, well, I was willing to give you a visual aid with hand puppets... but when it comes to the real thing, you’re on your own!” he replied. “So, what do these ‘friends’ of yours need help with?” he inquired, complete with air quotes.

“We--They--want to give Spike a great gift for his birthday,” Apple Bloom said. “Any ideas on what he would like?”

“Well, it’s been my experience that you can never go wrong with a bottle of cologne,” Zephyr Breeze put in.

“What would you know about personal hygiene?” Scootaloo directed at him.

“It would help if we knew what Spike’s mysterious deal with Pinkie was,” Discord said. “What is that airhead giving him?” he asked Zephyr Breeze.

“I asked Spike, but he wouldn’t tell me,” Zeph replied.

“What’s that now?” Discord asked, to make sure he heard Zephyr right the first time.

“I asked him, but he wouldn’t tell me,” Zeph repeated.

“I’m sorry I thought we were living in Equestria, not the Hooviet Union. Hasn’t Spike heard of something called the Freedom of Information Act?”

“He told me that if Pinkie found out that he told anyone, then the deal would be off,” Zephyr explained.

“Fine, then we’ll find out without anyone knowing,” Discord said. “Yes, the girls and I are in. You’re welcome. Far be it for any of us to jeopardize what our newest star dealer does to our resident party planner.”

“We have to give Spike the perfect gift!” Sweetie Belle told them. “I mean, it’s not every day a handsome man turns 23.”

“I thought you said this was ‘some friends’ who needed help,” Discord said.

“We admit it, it’s us!” Scootaloo confessed.

“But do you see our problem?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Don’t worry ladies!” Discord stated. “I will help you find the ‘perfect’ gift for Spike!”

Discord reached up to one of his buckling bookshelves and pulled out several magazines for The Exchange, which had a little bit of everything: clothing (mostly shirts and shoes), jewelry (rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches, even personalized dog tags and belts with custom buckles), clocks, snow globes, music boxes, figurines, and personalized checks.

“I guarantee there is something in here Spike will like,” he told the girls. “Unfortunately, I have no idea what that might be.”

Discord excused himself when he saw Spike walk by outside his office, and he left them to follow Spike.

“Hello,” he began.

“Hello, Discord,”

“So, we’re throwing you a birthday party,” Discord said. “That’s exciting.”

“Yeah, should be,” Spike replied indifferently.

“Pinkie’s been offering to throw you a party for weeks, and you’ve always said no,” Discord went on. “Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Well, you know how happy she gets whenever she throws a party for someone,” Spike answered. “And it’s my birthday, so I figured what the Tartarus.”

“I saw the guest list. You invited the delegates from Saddle Arabia... and not me. What the Tartarus are you trying to pull?”

Spike stopped walking and finally turned to face Discord. “I didn’t make up the guest list, and even if I did, what are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Discord stated. “That’s a game you can’t win. Whatever it is you’re planning, I want in.”

“What?”

“If you’re gonna pull a scam in my casino, the house should get a taste,” Discord told him. “And before you say no, let me remind you that you aren’t in any position to make demands,” he added darkly. “Mister Twinkle Toes.”

“Whatever,” Spike said as he shrugged and walked away.

---

Later, Spike entered the one of the hotel’s storage rooms to find Twilight, Sunset Shimmer, Soarin, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Cheese Sandwich and Party Favor helping Pinkie Pie round up things for Spike’s party.

“Soarin, I’m gonna need six glass pitchers for mojitos, a dozen glass swizzle sticks, and all of the bowls with the little palm trees on them!” Pinkie said.

“On it!” Soarin replied.

“You know what would be great at the party?” Sunset asked. “A theme drink, like a bowl of Spiked Punch... or an Appletini.”

“Could you not say ‘apple’ and ‘teeny’ in the same sentence, please?” Applejack asked her.

“You know what I think would be a good drink?” Rainbow Dash put in. “Beer. Or Cider. Hard cider.”

“What’s all this?” Spike asked (to no one in particular).

“It’s stuff for your party,” Twilight answered.

“Okay, but why do we need all this, and what’s Pinkie spending on it?”

“She doesn’t care, Spike, because, for whatever reason, she thinks you are worth all this effort,” Twilight replied. “And I would like her to throw a party that does not end with someone imprisoned behind a wall of empty beer cans.”

“It’s bad enough to have all those people--”

“Spike, please,” she spoke to him in a whisper. “You’ve seen how excited Pinkie is about doing this. Don’t ruin it for her. And don’t ruin it for me.”

Spike formed a crooked smile.

“Ruin it? I am not ruining anything. In fact, I’m going to tell Pinkie to stay excited, because I am totally onboard!”

Spike walked over to Pinkie just as she was opening a cabinet full of nothing but piñatas, which she quickly slammed shut so that Spike couldn’t see them.

“Did I just spy, with my little eye, a piñata shaped like a purple unicorn... with wings?” he asked.

Pinkie nodded slowly and Spike’s smile widened.

“Bring it,” he told her.

---

Later that afternoon, Applejack found Sunset Shimmer in the main ballroom practicing her flamenco dance, which Spike had been teaching for the past week.

“Hey!” AJ exclaimed. “What was that ‘Appletini’ crack earlier?”

“You think I don’t see what you’re trying to do?” Sunset asked. “I know how much time you’ve been spending with Spike lately. Don’t think, for one moment, that you can steal him away from me! He’s mine!”

“He was never yours to begin with!” Applejack snapped back. “He’s mine! So, why don’t you get your own boyfriend, ya thief?”

“Go take a long walk off a short cliff, you country hick!” Sunset shouted.

“You just cross the line, bitch! Choose your weapon!”

Sunset reached above the ballroom’s main fireplace and pulled two swords out of the armorial display that hung over it.

“Defend yourself!” Sunset cried, and she threw Applejack the other sword.

Sunset was the champion fencer (sword fighter) from her time at Celestia’s School, so she already had the advantage. Applejack knew this, but she was not going to give up on Spike without a fight!

Applejack immediately went on the offensive, taking wide swings at Sunset while she dodged and blocked AJ’s attacks.

“Ha, you missed me!” Sunset laughed. “Missed me again!”

But Applejack got lucky when her blade cut into one of Sunset’s boots... and then Sunset nicked Applejack’s hat.

Sunset fled the ballroom with Applejack close behind and their fight continued through the hotel lobby. Sunset knocked Applejack’s sword from her hand and Applejack jabbed Sunset in the nose, giving her a chance to retrieve her blade. Sunset cut through the newspaper of a man who was sitting and reading it before they found themselves at the base of the water fountain out front, throwing odd punches at each other as they went. Eventually, they locked blades and were nose-to-nose with each other, holding the handles of their swords with both hands.

“Spike... is... mine!” Sunset stated.

“No... he’s... not!” Applejack replied.

They finally put all their strength behind their next blows and knocked each other into the fountain. They both resurfaced, breathing hard.

“Sunset, what happened to us?” asked Applejack, a sullen expression on her face. “I thought we were friends.”

“We were... until I let a man come between us,” Sunset replied sadly. “I’m sorry, Applejack.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Applejack smiled.

They dropped their swords and hugged each other tightly.

“You really do love him,” Sunset breathed.

“Of course I do,” AJ replied.

“I want you to go for it,” Sunset told her.

“What? No! I want you to have him,” Applejack replied.

“Seriously, girl, you first,”

“You’re my friend -- you go!”

“You go!”

“No, you go!”

“AJ, I insist!”

“I insist more!”

“All right! There’s only one way to settle this,” Sunset said.

Applejack agreed. “And I know how we’re going to do it. I used to play a game with my brother and sister with our dog, Winona.”

“Let me guess, you’d put Winona in the middle of a circle to see who she came to first?” Sunset inquired.

“Exactly,” Applejack stated. “We do a triple-date: we will both be Spike’s dates at the amusement park tomorrow. We’ll both spend time with him and whoever he takes to bed first wins.”

And they shook hands on it before helping each other out of the fountain.

---

The turnout for Spike’s party was huge: no less than half the hotel, guests and staff members, showed up. It was held in the grand ballroom and the Flimflam Brothers, Firelight, Stellar Flare, Celestia, Fleur, Fancy Pants, Sunburst, Zecora, Lyra, Bon Bon, Haakim, Amira, Feather Bangs, Chrysalis, Thorax, Pharynx, Ocellus, Dear Darling, Fond Feather, Swoon Song, Sassy Saddles, Coco Pommel, Aloe, Lotus Blossom, Trapeze Star, and Shining Armor were all there. There was no formal dinner, but several plates of cocktail weenies, boneless Buffalo wings, garlic shrimp, meatballs, lamb kabobs and other Hor d’oeuvres were served. As much as Spike hated to admit it (at least out loud), it was great. Although he felt it could have been done without the life size ice sculpture of himself... and Discord announcing Spike’s arrival with a fanfare and shouting, “Hear ye! Hear ye!”

“Maybe we should throw parties like this more often,” Twilight said.

“Maybe you should,” Spike replied.

“You’re really having fun?”

“If I was having any more fun, I’d explode... killing everyone here,”

“Happy birthday, little boy!” someone said.

Spike slowly turned around and came face to face with a male clown who was helping Party Favor make balloon animals.

“I pity the fool,” Spike whispered to the clown.

“Hey, you think I want this gig? I have a Master’s Degree from Pranceton. It was either this or putting up drywall with my father-in-law,”

“Fair enough,” Spike replied.

“I’ll take a giraffe,” a small child said.

The clown pulled a small air pump (about the size of a turkey baster) out of his wig, hooked an orange balloon over the nozzle, pumped it full of air, tied off the end, and twisted the balloon into a giraffe. Then Starlight Glimmer came over and asked for an octopus.

“Cool,” she said when the clown as done. “Make me another.”

“You’re a vicious woman, you know that?” the balloon clown asked.

“So I’m told,” Starlight replied flatly. “Come on, sloppy octopus time!”

Party Favor made little cats and dogs for four little kids before Pinkie Pie roller-skated over and asked, “Can you make a little cannon?”

“I think so,” Party Favor replied.

He did and Pinkie was very impressed.

Across the ballroom, Spike saw several people coming through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. He stopped one of them, who asked him if he would like some Champagne.

“Champagne?” Spike thought.

He took one of the flute glasses and flicked his finger against the side to test and see if it was real glass—it was—and then he took a swig from it.

“Great! It’s flipping fantastic!”

Spike pushed through the doors and saw Sunset pouring more Champagne.

“Look. At. All. These. Bottles! I tried to bite my tongue, I really did, but this night must have cost a fortune,”

“That’s it!” Sunset said abruptly as she put down the bottle she was pouring from. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice!”

“Hey, what are you--?” Spike tried to ask.

Sunset grabbed one of his hands and placed the open palm on her forehead. As soon as Spike’s hand made contact, he began to see visions of what had gone on earlier that day. But they weren’t visions, they were memories. What’s more is that they weren’t his. They were Sunset’s!

Spike saw everything!

Everything from Pinkie stressing over what Spike would really like for his birthday, to how much was too much... and it ended with Pinkie crying herself to sleep before Sunset helped Pinkie back to her room.

Spike finally found the strength to free his hand from Sunset—before her mind wandered to her swordfight with Applejack that afternoon—and he fell back against one of the refrigerators, breathing hard.

“She-She did all that?” he asked.

“All for you,” Sunset replied. “So you could have the best birthday ever.”

Spike was beside himself. He never knew how hard Pinkie worked on her parties. Now he did... and he felt terrible. A part of him wanted to know what the Tartarus just happened and how Sunset had managed to do it, but then he thought of Pinkie again. Quickly, he grabbed two flutes of Champagne from the counter, returned to the ballroom, and tapped them together.

“Excuse me, everyone, can I have your attention, please?” he announced. “First of all, I want to thank you all for coming to my party, but I also want to take this moment to thank Pinkie Pie for all the time, effort, hard work and energy she put into it just to make it happen. It’s much nicer and a lot more than I deserve but, then again, so is she.”

Spike beamed across the room to her and she batted her eyes.

He raised his glass and said, “To Pinkie.”

“To Pinkie!” the whole room echoed.

They drank together and they finished every drop.

---

The “real” party came much later, after everyone had left the ballroom. Well, everyone except Spike, Discord, Zephyr Breeze, Soarin, Midnight Radiance and the girls. Spike got the newest Mistress Marvelous graphic novel from his mother, a winter scarf from Rarity, a tailored suit made by both Coco and Sassy, a black leather jacket from Soarin, a hand-quilted blanket from Applejack, a black cowboy hat from Apple Bloom, a pair of cowboy boots from Scootaloo, a collection of neck and bolo ties from Sweetie Belle, a bottle of Dragon Wolf cologne from Zephyr Breeze, a pair of sunglasses from Rainbow Dash, a silver wrist watch from Fluttershy, a black fedora from Starlight, a new wallet from Sunset, and a bottle of silver rum from Midnight Radiance.

“This is from me,” Pinkie beamed as she handed him a tiny box wrapped with a big red bow. “But you might want to open it later.”

Spike would find out later that it was a coupon book full of sexual favors that he could cash in anytime, anywhere... and they had no expiration dates!

He tucked it into his vest as Discord stepped forward.

“I must tell you,” he said as he pulled his gift from behind his back, “it cost a little more than I wanted to spend, but I decided to bite the bullet and—”

It was the whole Saddle Arabian Nights collection on DVD. Once again, Spike was beside himself.

“This is the best birthday I’ve ever had,” he told them.

The kitchen doors swung open and in walked Chef le Grand, carrying a large chocolate cake covered with burning golden candles, a genuine smile on his face, as the girls sang “Happy Birthday” to Spike.

“Make a wish,” Fluttershy cooed in Spike’s ear.

Spike wished that Fluttershy would coo into his ear more often.

Then he blew out his candles and the girls clapped. The Chef cut the cake as Pinkie helped serve, and after everyone had their fill, Celestia offered to take Spike’s gifts up to his suite while Discord and the girls volunteered to stay behind and clean up. Spike hesitantly agreed (even though it was his birthday), and he eyed Pinkie Pie fondly.

“Good old Pinkie,” he thought. “There isn’t a nicer girl in this world. Well, maybe Fluttershy, but still.”

“Tag,” Pinkie said as she tapped Spike on the shoulder. “You’re it!”

Spike smiled as he chased Pinkie (who was still wearing her roller skates) out of the ballroom and through a secluded part of the hotel, where an old bell rope hung from the ceiling. Pinkie pulled the cord and a trap door opened in the floor right under their feet. They fell through it, down a deep hole which led to a slide that ran down a dark shaft. They slid down until they landed on something soft at the bottom. Spike picked himself up and saw that he was in an enormous, cavernous room filled with strange furniture.

Pinkie clapped her hands and light bulbs lit up the underground chamber. Spike stared around, fascinated, as he saw a waterbed, a big sweeping staircase, a bubble machine, helium gas canisters, mirror balls and file cabinets.

“Wow,” Spike breathed.

“So this is where she lives,” he thought.

“Welcome to my Party Cave,” Pinkie said, smirking. “Feel free to poke around and touch anything you see.”

Looking curiously around the bedroom area, Spike picked up a framed photograph of a somber, plainly dressed group of people with Pinkie in the center.

“Is this your family?” he asked.

Pinkie nodded as Spike looked at her parents’ style of clothing.

“You’re Amish?” he ventured a guess.

“Yep,” Pinkie replied.

“So how did a young Amish girl like you end up in Las Pegasus?”

“It was part of my Rumspringa,” she said.

“Rumspringa?” he asked her.

“Rumspringa is when the young Amish men and women leave home for the very first time to experience the ways of modern life,” Pinkie explained. “Even after seeing how the rest of the world lives, ninety percent of us return home.”

“Well, clearly you are not one of them,” Spike thought as he continued to look at the photo.

“Four sisters and a brother,” he observed.

“Actually, that’s Mudbriar, Maud’s boyfriend,” Pinkie corrected him as she pointed to them in the photograph. “At first I couldn’t stand him, but I know he treats Maud right and he makes her happy, and as long as she’s happy, I’m happy. She’s got a doctorate in geology.”

“You two obviously share a very special bond,”

“My birthday is very hard for Maud,” Pinkie admitted. “It reminds her that time doesn’t stand still, even though her face does.”

“I would not want to play Poker against her,” Spike commented.

Pinkie looked at him, her eyebrows slightly raised.

“I’m sorry--” he attempted.

“Don’t be,” Pinkie replied. “In fact, if she’d heard you just now, she would have laughed.”

Spike put down the photo and saw a tiny orange shape in the trashcan right next to the table. He picked it up and saw that it was a little wind-up toy in the shape of a clownfish. Pinkie reeled back when she saw it.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m afraid of clownfish,” she said.

“Why are you so afraid of clownfish?”

“It was my seventh birthday party. This kid asked me if I wanted to meet his friend... a toy clownfish, like that one. And when I did, it squirted water all over my face,” she explained.

“That’s why you hate clownfish?” Spike asked.

“Go ahead and laugh. Just remember, I know what everybody’s afraid of... even you,” she said, which caused him to frown. “I also know what they like. For instance, I know you’re into bondage, specifically spanking.”

Spike was impressed.

“I also know you have a slight clown fetish, which most people would find creepy, especially since a lot of people are terrified of clowns,” she added.

Once again, she was correct.

Pinkie reached into her hair, pulled out a small red ball—a clown nose—and put it on her face.

“What else you got in there?” Spike asked.

“Why you cheeky little--” Pinkie said. “That just earned you a boob job!”

“Say what now?”

Pinkie fumbled with her clothing, thrashing with urgency. She took her top off first, then her skirt. Finally, she pulled her panties down, dropped to her knees, unzipped Spike’s pants, and mushed his cock between her tits.

“You’re so soft,” Spike said weakly.

“You like being wedged between my party balloons?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah...” he moaned.

Pinkie went to work immediately, making wet, gurgling sounds as she sucked his cock. Spike loved watching her cute face as she sucked; and the way she licked his balls, it was like she was licking an ice cream cone.

“You feel so good in my mouth,” she said. “I’ve been waiting all day for this... Are you ready to fuck me? You want to put that big banana deep inside me?”

He nodded frantically as she gave him one more lick before she sat atop him. Then she started bouncing up and down on him before spinning around on him.

She was still wearing her roller stakes, and when she reached down to untie their laces, he stopped her.

“I want to ride your wheels off,” he said.

Spike disconnected himself from Pinkie just long enough to take off his clothes. Then he positioned her on top of the table, grabbed one of her ankles in each of his hands, and held them high above her head so that they were almost resting on his shoulders as he stood beside the table and pounded into her so hard that they made the wheels on her skates spin.

“How did that feel?” he asked her.

“Oh, that feels so good,” she moaned. “I love riding your cock!”

Taking his hands in hers, Pinkie slid off the table and led Spike to a deep pool on the other side of the chamber. But instead of being full of water, it was filled with red, orange, yellow, pink and light blue plastic spheres.

“You have your own personal ball pit?” Spike asked.

“Yeah,” she replied, finally taking off her skates. “Why do you ask?”

“Nothing, it’s just... Aren’t you a little old to be playing in a ball pit?”

“Are you kidding? There’s nothing I love more than rolling around in a hole stuffed to the brim with balls!”

Spike held back a snicker. If anyone else had said that, it would have been dirty. But coming from Pinkie, it sounded almost cute... even innocent.

Pinkie backed up a few steps, then ran at the ball pit. Her strides were long and graceful, and then she flung herself into the air.

“Cannonball!” she cried.

She crashed down into the ball pit, scattering several of the little round spheres in multiple directions.

“Come on in,” she told him. “The water’s fine!”

Pinkie did a backstroke through the pit. Then she picked up one of the pink spheres and threw it at Spike.

“Oh, now you’re gonna get it!” he said as the ball bounced off his hair.

And he dove headfirst into the ball pit.

Pinkie laughed as she waited for Spike to surface, but he didn’t.

For the first time, Pinkie felt fear, though she did not know why. Adrenaline shot through her, generating a tingling heat that urged her to get out of the ball pit. The pit was only up to her hips, so she stood, pushed her hair away from her eyes, and instinctively covered her breasts with her arms as she looked around for Spike.

Pinkie sensed a change in the ball pit’s rhythm, a vibration. She still didn’t see Spike; she couldn’t even smell his cologne. She felt a wave of pressure that seemed to lift her up in the ball pit and ease down again. A series of tremors shook her body and she held her breath. Then she thought she felt something touch her below her waist. There was no pain, just a tiny tug on her leg.

Spike moved silently through the ball pit like a shark while the theme from Jaws played through his head. Circling close to the surface, he closed in on Pinkie Pie. The vibrations were stronger now, and Spike recognized his prey. He thrust his body forward with a speed that agitated the balls surrounding him and caused them to fly in every direction. Panic struck Pinkie and she threw her head back in a scream of terror.

Spike hurtled up under Pinkie, jaws agape. He pounced like a big, majestic tiger, knocking her onto her back. His jaws snapped around her neck, and Pinkie stopped screaming and started laughing again when she realized it was only a kiss. They played in the ball pit for twenty minutes until Pinkie fell backward onto the balls, pulling Spike down with her. She let out another piercing screech, followed by a round of giggles as she cheerfully squirmed beneath him.

“I’m sorry, Pinkie,” Spike said. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“You know, Spike, you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” Pinkie told him. “A little brooding and rough around the edges, but you’re nice... and good looking. And honest! Girls like honesty. I can see why Applejack was so attracted to you when she first saw you.”

“How--?” Spike began.

“The Pinkie Sense always knows,” she replied. “My little oven got a little extra warm when you two were around each other.”

Spike smiled down at her. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Pinkie Pie. You’re sweet, you’re funny... and you never think about yourself.”

Pinkie puckered up and closed her eyes, expecting him to kiss her.

But he didn’t.

“Pinkie, there’s something I’ve always wanted--” he began timidly.

“Go ahead,” she said, “honk and motorboat them to your heart’s content.”

Spike smiled again as he stuck his head between her breasts before deeply suckling on each nipple for what seemed like forever. He motorboated them, then when he squeezed on them, he heard them make sounds just like a bike horn. He looked at Pinkie’s face and saw that she was holding a bike horn in one of her hands. She had pulled that out of her hair, too. Spike finally decided that playtime was over, spread her legs apart, and reentered her.

“Yes, yes!” she cried. “Give me that big, beautiful cock!”

Spike still hadn’t cum yet when they got out of the ball pit and Pinkie led him to the refrigerator by her waterbed. Pinkie knew that Spike had had a long day, and she wanted to give him something really special.

“You want some ice cream?” she asked.

Pinkie knew that was one of Spike’s favorite things, so she decided to surprise him... with a Santa Fe Funnel Cake!

She opened the freezer to reveal tub upon tub of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint, Rocky Road, cherry, chocolate chip, cookies and cream, bubble gum, French vanilla, mocha, coffee, butter pecan, English toffee, walnut, peanut, buttercup, butterscotch, sherbert and Tutti-Frutti.

Pinkie had everything to make sundaes: sprinkles, gumdrops, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, cookies, whipped cream... she had it all!

“Which one would you like to savor?” she asked huskily.

“Double chocolate, with extra whipped cream,”

“You want chocolate sauce on me?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Spike moaned.

Pinkie got on her back and covered herself in ice cream. After that, Spike poured the chocolate syrup all over her breasts and she rubbed it in with her hands after he was done. Spike then took the can of whipped cream, shook it, and sprayed it over her nipples (making sure it stayed on her breasts), and then topped them off with some chocolate sprinkles, seven strawberries, three blueberries, and two cherries. And he devoured her.

Pinkie quickly washed and rinsed herself off after Spike had his fill. She didn’t want it to end yet; she wanted him to bend her over and take her from behind. Well, she got her wish. He bent her over her waterbed and thrust into her, smacking her bubble butt so hard that it bounced and jiggled like jello with every stroke. He even grabbed her hair and pulled hard on it.

“You know I love that!” she cried. “Grab it! Grab it!”

It felt like a fire hose was shooting inside of her when Spike finally released and Pinkie collapsed forward onto her bed. She held Spike in her arms as they smiled at each other once more.

“I bet you didn’t expect your birthday to end like this, did you?”

“Definitely not,” he replied. “Next year, though, how about I dip you in fondue and spread you over a bed of nachos?” he asked.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” she said.

“I love you, Pinkie,”

“I love you too, Spikey,”

They kissed and thought, “This really is the best birthday ever!”

Finally they fell asleep, cuddling and dreaming they were a couple of cartoon characters spreading a world of happiness.

Next Chapter: Carnival Craze Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 21 Minutes