//------------------------------// // Tightening Bonds // Story: The Mysteries of Love // by MysteriousStranger //------------------------------// Sunset's P.O.V. Trixie was a true enigma. It’s amazing how she went from a problematic egocentric to a likable person. She still had struggles to behave nicely, but she’s trying. She’s really doing her best to change. It took her a while to be in the same room with me without hissing, but I’m happy to have her as a friend. To this day, I can’t believe she’s still using the cheesy friendship bracelets the equestrian Pinkie Pie hid in my bag. Maybe Rarity has something to do with it. Regardless the reason, I’m glad. I still use mine, even if it’s not my style. It was also a gift for me, after all. None of my friends have asked me why I had it, which was a good thing. Ever since I took Trixie to the mall last week, she has been texting me more often. Short texts, but they were still meaningful. She has also been calling me. We spend more time together, and if we don’t see each other, we still talk to each other on the phone. I’m thinking of asking her to come to my apartment. Hopefully, she will accept. I took my phone and called her. She replied around the third ring. “Hello, Sunset. Trixie had the feeling you would call.” “Really? How so?” “Because you haven’t called me in a couple of days.” It was hard to make up if she was annoyed or not. Her tone of voice was neutral. “Well, I wanted to give you space. The least I want is to make you feel cornered.” “I… appreciate your concern. You haven’t annoyed me that much lately, to be honest.” “Okay, cool!” I haven’t annoyed her that much, huh? Seems like she’s still not comfortable with me a 100% unless she’s refusing to admit that she likes me. She’s still stubborn. “You may be wondering why I’m calling you.” “My best guess is that you’re checking if your phone works.” “Ha, ha. Very funny.” This time, her voice sounded more relaxed, like if she was starting to enjoy the conversation. “No. Are you free today?” “What’s on your mind?” “Do you want to… come over?” There was a short silence after my question. “You’re inviting me, Trixie Lulamoon, to go to your apartment?” “Yes. Unless you don’t want to! I understand if you…” “No, no. I’ll go.” “Okay, next time then… wait, did you say yes?” “Yeah. My brother and Rosemary are sharing cheesy flirts and I need to get out of here. Just tell me where you live.” “A-Alright, then! I’ll text you my address.” “Okay. See you in a bit.” “Bye.” She hanged up and I remained staring at my phone’s screen, dumbfounded. I was certain that she would reject my invitation. It was a good start. I texted her my address before realizing… what am I going to do when she comes? If I don’t think of anything, we’ll be just standing in the middle of the living room awkwardly. I don’t know how to handle Trixie! Let’s see. She sounded excited when we went to the arcade last week and she also enjoys board games. But, I don’t have any. I need advice, but I don’t want to bother Rarity. She might be busy. Who could I talk to? “Wait…” suddenly, I got an idea. “Twilight!” I grinned and ran into my bedroom, where I kept my magic diary. I took it, sat on my bed, and opened it to write. Dear Twilight, How are you? I’m doing great. My friends are doing well too, and my girlfriend is happier every day. I hope everyone over there is doing fine as well. The reason I’m writing to you today is to seek advice. I removed my pen and waited until Twilight replied. Luckily, she didn’t take long to do so. Dear Sunset, I’m happy to hear your life has been kind to you. Can you tell everyone that I say hi? How may I help you? I took a deep breath and released it before writing. Remember that new friend I told you about? I just invited her over to my place, but I don’t know what to say or do with her without triggering her bad attitude. I have been doing well so far, but the danger is still there. I’m sure she doesn’t fully like me, but she’s trying. What do I do? Again, Twilight didn’t take long to reply. Friendship is no easy matter. Especially for those who are new to it. I can tell from personal experience. You say this new friend of yours is trying hard to be nice, right? You can ask her for her limits. What makes her feel comfortable? This time, I took some moments to think. It wasn’t an easy question to answer. She seems to be comfortable in crowded places. We had drinks and talked outside just last week. As long as she doesn’t see anyone she or I know, she’s fine. I anxiously played with my pen with my fingers as I waited for Twilight’s next reply. Then go somewhere crowded again! Do some research and see if there’s something you and her might enjoy doing. I started to think as soon as I finished reading what Twilight said. Hmm. What could we do? Wait a minute. Coco Pommel invited us to a fashion event, which takes place today! Maybe we can go. I will ask her if she’s interested. I grabbed my pen again to write. I think I have something! Thank you so much, Twilight! She replied quickly. I might not be royalty anymore, but friendship is still my specialty. Have fun and good luck! I wrote to her one last time. I will! I closed the book afterward and placed it where it was before. Just as I did, I received a text message. It was Trixie, telling me that she was here. I grabbed my keys and ran towards the ground floor. When I got there I was completely winded. I took several deep breaths trying to relax. Once I felt better, I opened the door and smiled. “Hello… Trixie…” I panted. “You look terrible. Did you just run a marathon or something?” “Kind of. I ran all the way down.' “Why? I’m not going anywhere.” Trixie said as she walked in. She was smirking, but she then changed her expression to disgust. “This building looks like if it’s going to fall apart.” “It might be old, but it’s not collapsing anytime soon.” “If it crumbles while Trixie’s here, she will kill you.” My friend said as she pointed at me with a menacing look. But I could tell she was faking it. I chuckled before heading to the stairs. “Come on, I’ll guide you to my apartment.” “So…” Trixie spoke as we climbed the stairs. “I tried reaching you yesterday but your phone was off.” “Oh! Yes, sorry. My battery ran out while I was out with my friends.” “Oh… okay…” “Something’s wrong, Trixie?” I glanced at her and noticed she was a little sad. “No, of course not!” She quickly frowned at me. “Trixie just wondered why all my calls went straight to the voicemail when she was home alone.” “Aww, I’m sorry, Trixie. Maybe I should have checked on you when I got home.” “Don’t worry about me. I had a nice day of gaming. It killed my boredom.” “Alright, then.” I decided not to dwell on it anymore. “Oh! Here we are!” “It’s just one floor. How did you run out of air? You need to make more exercise.” Trixie stated bluntly. “I do exercise! I climb down the stairs every day.” “A floor does nothing. I jog, and Rarity sometimes tags along. You should try it.” “With you?” I asked, smiling at my friend. Trixie looked away before answering. “Y-Yeah, sure. Why not?” We were standing by my door. Once Trixie finished her last sentence, I opened the door and we got into my apartment. I closed the door after my friend walked in before placing my keys on the kitchen counter. “Here it is! Casa de Sunset!" “It looks better on the inside than on the outside.” “Thanks.” We remained looking at each other awkwardly for a while until Trixie spoke again. “So…” She looked around. “What do we do?” “Umm…” I suddenly started to have doubts. Was it a good idea to ask her to go to the fashion event with me? I know she’s dating Rarity, but that doesn’t mean she’s into fashion like her. “Maybe we can watch some T.V. Turn it on. I’ll bring the snacks.” “Okay, it’s a start.” I smiled and turned around. I had some chips on the counter, so I filled a bowl with them and returned to the living room. I found Trixie leaning towards the cage I keep Ray in. Her eyes completely focused on my pet. “I see you met Ray,” I said as I placed the bowl on the middle seat of my couch. “Yes, your… uhh… lizard… thingy… It’s asleep.” “He’s a gecko.” I corrected her as I approached her. “Right! Trixie had it at the tip of her tongue. She couldn’t remember it for some reason.” “Yeah, I hate when that happens.” We remained watching Ray sleep. “So… what do you do? You just keep him in there all day?” “No. I sometimes pick him up. He enjoys being in my hands, my lap or my shoulder. I sometimes even sleep with him. He’s still on my bed when I wake up.” “You’re really attached to him, aren’t you?” I nodded as I grinned. “I love him. He helps me not to feel lonely when I’m home alone without plans. I sit by the window while holding him and I just enjoy the view.” “That’s… cool.” I looked at my friend. She was smiling lightly. She meant what she said. I felt comfortable sharing things with her, just like I feel around the rest of my friends. Suddenly, Trixie gasped. She was still staring at the cage, so I followed her eyes and saw that Ray was awake. “Oh, hey little buddy!” Ray moved around and stared at me, which caused me to giggle. “Okay, okay. No need to ask me twice.” I said as I opened the cage to pick him up. I moved him towards my head to cuddle him. My pet returned the favor. “Aww, I love you too, Ray.” I looked at Trixie, who was staring at me with a raised eyebrow. “What?” I said before placing Ray on my shoulder and walking towards my couch to sit. “Nothing.” My friend said as she followed me. She sat on the other side, with the bowl of chips between us. I took the remote and gave it to Trixie. “Here, put whatever you want.” “Okay.” Trixie turned on the T.V. and started to switch channels. “Boring, boring, boring, bad movie, baseball? No, thank you. No, no, no…” “Do you have to comment on every channel?” Trixie didn’t reply. She kept switching channels until she stopped in Caricature Network. “Oh, I almost forgot! Nora Universe! There’s a new premiere episode airing today after a long hiatus!” “What?” I stared confused at her. “Nora Universe-” she said as she looked at me. She had a huge smile on her face. “-is a show about a girl who is half Gem, half Human. It has an amazing story, amazing fight scenes, and amazing relationships! The only problem is that they go into hiatuses way too often, but I still love it!” “Woah, slow down!” Suddenly, Trixie changed completely. It reminded me of when Fluttershy becomes more talkative around animals. It’s the first time I see her act like this. “You might have to explain this show better to me so I can follow what’s happening.” “I can’t. It’s starting and most episodes are around eleven minutes long, so there’s no commercial break until it ends. Now, quiet!” I didn’t follow what was going on, but Trixie was completely focused on the show. She was in complete silence, except with the occasional laughter. All I could judge was the animation style. It wasn’t bad. In fact, the animation was beyond good. By the time the show ended, I had barely eaten any chips. Trixie ate them all. “Well, that was sure something,” I said as I took the empty bowl and stood up. “It was a good episode. But why did it have to end on a cliffhanger? I’ll have to wait until next week to see what happens next.” “That’s how the show keeps you interested. They end an episode with more questions than answers.” “But that’s not a good way to start after a long hiatus!” Trixie seemed to be really angry about it. “At least you only have to wait for a week now.” My friend huffed and crossed her arms. “I suppose you’re right. As long as I don’t think much about it. So, what now?” I glanced at the clock. Now it was the time. “So, umm… remember about the event Coco Pommel invited us to?” “Yes. What about it?” Trixie replied coldly. Maybe she was still angry about her show. “Well, I was thinking that, maybe, we could… go?” “Oh… well, Trixie appreciates the offer, but she’s not that interested in fashion.” “Okay… then we might…” “Unless…” Trixie interrupted me. “We could go so I can take photos, and maybe record some of it with my phone. It would be a perfect gift for Rarity. Sunset Shimmer, you’re a genius!” “I am?” “Yes! Come on, let’s go!” Trixie practically held my arm and started to drag me out of my apartment. “Wait! I need my keys, and Ray can’t come with us!” “Okay. Be quick about it!” My friend released me and I quickly kissed Ray on his head before putting him back in his cage with food before taking my keys and waking out. “Come on, come on, come on! I hate waiting!” “I’m done, Trixie!” I said as soon as I locked the door. “Good, let’s go!” Trixie grabbed my arm again and forced me to run to keep up with her. “Careful with the stairs!” Fortunately we didn’t fall. We walked at a fast pace towards the mall. Once in the mall, we immediately headed towards where the event was being held. “Well, it’s obvious that you’re determined to take those photos, huh?” I said when we were near our destination. “Rarity comes back tomorrow. I want to give her a welcome back gift but I couldn’t think of anything. I was about to lose my mind until you reminded me of this event. Coming here and take some pictures will be perfect!” “You were really about to lose your mind about this? It’s not necessary that you give her a gift, you know?” “Yes, it is! She surely got something for me. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I don’t do the same.” “Uhh…” “Oh, good, you made it!” We suddenly stopped dead in our tracks when Coco Pommel approached to us. “I’m glad you’re here. My boss won’t be happy unless all chairs are occupied.” “Is that so?” I said before looking around. The zone is already crowded, so it’s easy to say the event is already a success. “Chemise is very exigent, huh?” “You have no idea.” Rarity’s friend replied. “Come on, I have the perfect spot for you two.” Coco Pommel led us to where I swear were the only two chairs available. Before sitting, Coco Pommel removed two signs from the chairs which said “ 'Reserved'. “I have to go to make sure everything’s ready to start. I’ll see you girls after the event is over!” “Sure! Good luck back there!” I said. “Thanks! I’ll need it.” Rarity’s friend said before rushing to the backstage. I turned to see Trixie, who was checking her phone. “It’s a good thing we came. She saved two seats on the second row for us.” “Yeah, I guess.” Trixie was focused on her phone, so I decided to let her be for now and check the surroundings instead. The stage was just a square shaped one. It had no catwalks. I could see two doors at the back of the stage from where the models will walk in. I also spotted the DJ next to the platform. The surroundings were decorated with a summer theme. There were cardboards and other materials with the form of bushes, flowers even birds. The background of the entire stage was of a pond with grass and trees around. There was also a set of chairs closer to the stage where the clothing store owners were sitting. “It’s a nice setting, don’t you think, Trixie?” “Huh?” My friend glanced at the stage. “It is. It reminds me of somewhere special to me.” “Really? What’s that?” I noticed that her expression changed completely from calm to despair. “N-Nothing! Forget I said anything!” Her reaction took me by surprise. I was about to get her attention again, but the music started. Next, a woman walked onto the stage with a microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for coming! And welcome to the annual Summer fashion display! All of the stores have interesting designs and are ready to show them to you. I know all of you want to see them so I’m keeping the introduction short. Now, please, let’s give a warm welcome to the first store. Beau Monde!” as the announcer left, the first pair of people walked into the stage to allow everyone to admire their clothing. Trixie started to take photos and record parts of the show. She did it while sitting, except when it was Chemise’s store turn. Trixie stood up to take photos. While she did that, I looked over to where all the clothing store owners were. One of them focused on the stage when Chemise’s store was announced, so I assume she’s the owner. I never met her before, but Rarity didn’t say anything nice about her. Watching her from afar I could see why. Her expression was completely serious. She looks like she doesn’t know how to smile, like if she never experienced joy. Her lips were completely pursed and her arms were crossed. The show lasted for about an hour and a half. Everyone started to leave. Trixie and I remained sitting until Coco Pommel was close enough to us. “So, did you girls enjoy the show?” “We did.” I replied as my friend and I stood up. “It was well performed.” “Well, the models do have to practice a lot. It’s not just walking on the stage and leaving. They need coordination.” Rarity’s friend said. “I thought being a model was one of the easiest jobs,” Trixie commented. “Oh, not at all. Not everyone can handle the pressure. They have to maintain the weight, they can’t be camera shy and they need to concentrate on what they’re doing. Some models don’t concentrate and fall over the stage.” Coco Pommel explained. “Aww, too bad no one tripped today.” Trixie chuckled after her comment, but she stopped when I called her attention by hitting her arm with my elbow. “What?” “Not funny.” I tried to remain serious, but a small smile escaped from me. “Then why are you smiling?” Shoot. Trixie noticed it. Coco Pommel opened her mouth to speak again, but her boss called her. “Coco Pommel, come here! I want you to take all my clothes back to my store, unstained!” “I’ll be right there, miss Chemise!” Rarity’s friend replied to her boss before turning back to us. “I’m sorry, but she’s not a patient woman. I have to go.” “Go. We’ll see you later.” I said. Coco Pommel nodded and rushed towards the back of the stage. “It wasn’t such a bad idea after all, Sunset-” My friend said before gazing at me. “I have photos and videos, which helped me to overcome the boredom. But I want to go home now.” “Sure. I’ll walk with you.” “Suit yourself.” Trixie and I walked out of the mall and I accompanied her home while we occasionally talked to each other. But I couldn’t get out of my mind what was that special place she mentioned before the show. I was exhausted and sweaty when I got home. Before anything, I took a cold shower to cool myself from the Summer heat. After I was clean, I wrapped my hair and body with towels, wore slippers and walked to my room to look for clothes. However, my attention moved to my magic diary. It was moving, which meant Twilight wrote to me. I took the book and my pen and sat on my bed before opening it. Hello, Sunset! I know you might be busy, but I have wonderful news for you! Write to me when you’re available. I smiled and wrote to my equestrian friend as soon as I read her message. Hello, Twilight. I just arrived home. My new friend and I had a good time. Your advice really helped! What's the news? Some time passed before Twilight answered. Maybe ten minutes. But I didn’t move from my bed until she did so. I’m glad to hear things are working out with your new friend! About the news, Princess Luna convinced Princess Celestia to take a week off. She came to me puzzled about what to do during her free time, and I suggested her to spend her free time with you! I dropped my pen when I read what Twilight just wrote. Me? Bonding with Princess Celestia? Again? That was… huge! I had to re-read the message over and over to make sure I read it right. When I recovered from the shock, I took my pen from the floor and wrote on the diary again. Really? And what did she say? Twilight didn’t take long to reply. She loved the idea! She can’t wait to spend time with you. She wants you to stop by her castle in three days. I think she wants to go to the beach. In three days? At least I’ll be able to see my friends again before leaving. I’ll be there. Thank you, Twilight! My friend wrote one last time. Don’t thank me. I got the idea from you when you admitted not being able to see Princess Celestia much the last time you were here. We’ll be expecting you! I closed the diary and remained still. It was too much to swallow. I’ll be spending a whole week with my former mentor? She could have chosen to do anything else, but she wishes to spend her free time with me. I squealed and skipped around my room overjoyed. I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait! However, I stopped and gasped when I remembered something. Or better said, someone. “Fluttershy…!” I promised her we would do something next week. I’ll have to cancel our date…