//------------------------------// // A first time for everything // Story: Brown Note: An Off-Color Love Story // by Starlitomega //------------------------------// Life in Ponyville seemed simple on the outside looking in, but Clockwork learned over time that even the most peaceful waters had undercurrents beneath them. A steady supply of mischief seemed to visit the quiet town on an almost-daily basis. For instance, there was the mysterious snowstorm localized only at her home that awoke her in the middle of the night with a terrible chill. It didn’t take an engineer to figure out who cooked that one up. Likewise, It wasn’t hard to pin down the culprit who ‘gifted’ her a cough syrup-filled donut. Still, Clockwork took these incidents in stride, and even planned some form of retribution upon the pranksters. Another way she started acclimating herself was by developing a few new friendships. Since the incident at the party, Clockwork had run into Lyra once more, and they became fast friends. She and Lyra started meeting for lunch now and then, occasionally with Bon Bon as well. Today it was just her and Lyra, since Bon Bon had to stay at the candy shop. Sitting outside the Toadstool Cafe, Clockwork listened intently as Lyra went through the day’s events while simultaneously downing her milkshake. “Bonnie told me that the Mayor was upset about something, but she didn’t have a chance to find out what it was. I hope there isn’t some monster or something on the way.” Clockwork cocked her eyebrows. “Is that a common occurrence here?” Lyra burst into laughter, her mane bouncing in the wind. “Kind of...” Propping up her head with a hoof on her cheek, Clockwork grumbled. “I thought that’s why Twilight and the others went galloping off across Equestria. Y’know, to make sure monsters didn’t show up here.” Lyra giggled in an infectious manner. “Oh c’mon. You’re just upset they had to leave, aren’t you?” Picking up her book, Clockwork harrumphed. “Of course I am! We missed our book club meeting! Now I’ve gotta wait five more days before I can talk about it! If they’re even back by then…” Lyra reached a hoof across the table, gently touching Clockwork’s. “Aww, cheer up, Clocky. Ooh, I have an idea! You should come over for another movie night! Last time was so much fun!” “Eh, I don’t like being a third wagon,” Clockwork grumbled. “A third wheel.” Lyra corrected her. “Besides, I promise this time Bon Bon and I will wait until after the movie before making out.” “Ehhhhhhh, maybe.” Clockwork barely had time to mope before a voice cut through the crowd. “They’re back!” Instantly, Clockwork’s head shot up. Looking around like a prairie dog hopped up on coffee, she swiveled in every direction until she saw them. Marching into Ponyville were the six famed Elements of Harmony. Each bore sleepy smiles and ragged manes as they walked into town, being lauded as heroes by the other ponies who were now forming a crowd around them. “I’ll see you later, Lyra!” Clockwork said, hopping up from her seat. “Byeee!” Without looking back, Clockwork pushed her way through the crowd, anxious to see them up close. Oh my goodness! To say they had seen better days would be an understatement. Pinkie Pie wasn’t bouncing, which was major cause for concern. Her mane looked slightly singed and her gait seemed sluggish. Fluttershy and Rarity trotted along, leaning on each other for support, both looking on the verge of collapsing. Applejack was the most fortunate one. Apart from her missing hairbands, she seemed fine. Of course, those all seemed tame compared to last of them. Twilight Sparkle trudged forward, her hooves barely carrying her weight. The dopey grin on her face didn’t subtract from the severity of her injuries. Several spots of her mane and coat were singed, and a two open cuts showed on her side and leg. All in all, she definitely came out the worst of them. Pushing through the crowd, Clockwork ran up to the group. “Sweet Celestia! What happened to you, Twilight?” The alicorn, still wearing a sleepy grin, turned. “Hey Clockwork. You know, just fighting rogue dragons and stuff.” Clockwork’s eyes bulged. ”Dragons? Are you all crazy? You’re hurt! You need to get cleaned up.” Twilight bit her lip. “I know... but we usually go to Sugarcube Corner to celebrate coming home.” The earth pony jumped in front of the group of heroes, her hooves outstretched. “Not this time. You should all go home and rest up. There’ll be time for celebrating later.” Rainbow Dash trotted ahead between Clockwork and Twilight. “I hate to be a party pooper, but I think she’s right. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat.” A muttering chorus of agreement came from the other ponies, much to Clockwork’s relief. “You’re right,” Twilight relented with a sigh. “We can celebrate tomorrow. For now, we should all go home.” Clockwork smiled as the six ponies all shared a group hug and splintered off their own ways, noting that Rainbow and Pinkie both hobbled off towards Sugarcube Corner together. “I should probably go to the hospital for this,” Twilight said, noting the painful gash on her leg and side. “Go to the castle, I’ll be right behind you,” Clockwork said, sprinting away. “Wait, what?” “You heard me, I’ll be right there!” One quick trip to the general store later, Clockwork walked into the castle with her saddlebags nearly overflowing with stuff. Opening the rooms one by one, she searched for Twilight, to no avail. Her lab, the throne room, the testing room, the library, they were all empty. There was only one room left that she hadn’t dared venture into before. Slowly pushing open the door, she realized there was a good reason for that. This was Twilight’s bedroom. At the back of the room, the alicorn sat on her bed, while Spike was busy giving her the third degree. “Twilight, you’re hurt! You need to get checked out!” “I’m fine, Spike. Don’t worry.” Knocking on the already open door, Clockwork smiled around her mask. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Instantly, the baby dragon ran to her side. “You gotta talk some sense into her. She needs to go to the hospital, like right now!” Seeing Spike so worked up over his honorary big sister brought a warmth to Clockwork’s heart. “Don’t worry, Spike. That’s why I’m here. Can you make some tea for her, please?” The baby dragon stared suspiciously, his eyes never leaving Clockwork’s. “I guess so.” “Thanks, Spike. You’re a great friend, you know that?” Spike blushed and kicked the floor. “Awww, shucks. Don’t get all mushy on me.” Clockwork smiled as the dragon took off, probably for the kitchen. Crossing the bedroom, she could finally take in the scenery. If somepony off the street walked in imagining what a princess’ bedchambers would look like, they would be sorely disappointed. However, having known Twilight for awhile now, it didn’t really surprise Clockwork at all. The bed looked “royal” enough, but everything else would feel at home in any normal pony’s room, except the high powered telescope of course. A mirror hung above a small bookcase with several pictures and notes taped to it. There was a nightstand and desk as well. Nothing fancy, just a desk one could find anywhere. No fancy makeup battlestation, no hoofmaiden to cater to her every whim, no dumbwaiter to have her food brought to her in luxury. “Are you okay?” Twilight asked. Reminding herself she wasn’t here to gawk, Clockwork trotted across the room to the bed where Twilight was resting. “Oh, I’m just fine. You though, you aren’t. Down here, sister.” Rolling her eyes, Twilight did as she was asked, groaning in the process. “If I must.” Clockwork sat down and pulled off her saddlebags. Reaching inside, she pulled out an assortment of items and laid them out like some bizarre ritual. “Is-is all of that really necessary?” Twilight asked, prodding a bottle with some clear solution. “If you don’t want an infection or scars, yes,” Clockwork stated firmly. “Now, let me get a good look at this, okay?” Biting her lip nervously, Twilight nodded. She turned to let Clockwork inspect her cut. “Looks like there’s some dirt and debris in there. I’ll have to clean it out.” Reaching into her pile of supplies, Clockwork pulled out a bottle with a clear liquid inside and uncorked it. “Oh, almost forgot.” Reaching into the pile once more, she pulled out a popsicle stick and a cloth. Wrapping the cloth around the stick, she turned and offered it to Twilight. “What’s this for?” Twilight cocked her eyebrow in confusion. “Bite it.” Apprehensively, Twilight took the stick and put it between her teeth. Moving a metal pan underneath Twilight, Clockwork picked up the bottle of liquid and generously poured it into the open wound. “Mmmph!” Twilight’s head shot forward, her eyes tightly shut in pain. “I know! I know it hurts! I’m sorry!” Clockwork said as she continued pouring the liquid, flushing all the dirt out of the wound. Once it was thoroughly cleaned, Clockwork put the bottle to the side and grabbed a small tube of ointment. Twilight spat the cloth-covered popsicle stick into her hoof. “Wha-what was that stuff, anyway?” “Just purified water. I could have used soap and water, but getting soap in a cut hurts even worse,” Clockwork explained. “Why not peroxide?” “Peroxide can damage healthy tissue in a cut. Better to just stick to water unless we’re worried the wound is infected. I don’t see any redness, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about there. If there was, I’d use iodine instead.” Turning around, Twilight pointed to the tube in her hoof. “And that is?” “Antibiotic ointment. This will help your body heal the wound and keep the bandages from sticking. Haven’t you read about first aid?” “Not so much,” Twilight admitted. Squirting the ointment into the wound, Clockwork earned another hiss of pain from Twilight. “Given you and your friends’ occupation, I think you should start learning some first aid. If this cut was any larger, I’d be doing stitches right about now. You’re pretty lucky, you know that, Twilight?” Clockwork’s ears flickered at the sudden silence. “Twilight?” Looking away from the wound, Clockwork saw dark streaks beneath Twilight’s eyes where the fur was matted with moisture. “Twilight? What’s wrong?” Lifting her head, Twilight wiped her tears. “It was different this time, it was… we could have died.” Clockwork was new to conversation, but she figured in this situation, anypony would have a hard time finding the right words. Instead, she slipped a hoof around Twilight’s neck, and pulled the alicorn in for a hug. “I barely dodged that swipe. If it had been Rarity, or Rainbow Dash, or Pinkie Pie… I don’t know what I would do.” What if... What if I had pushed my brother away? What if I had knocked the knife out of their hooves? What if I had worn my choker that day? Clockwork could have written a book of what ifs. What ifs used to turn a good day for her into a day spent under the covers in bed. What ifs made her retreat into her work. What ifs ruled a larger part of Clockwork’s life than she liked over the years. “You can’t think about that sort of thing, Twilight. If you just go through life asking what if, you’ll only drive yourself crazy. Well, crazier than you already are. Your friends are alright, aren’t they?” Twilight nodded. “And you? Aside from these little scratches?” Ruffling her feathers, Twilight puffed her cheeks out. “I wouldn’t call them little…” Pushing Twilight’s cheeks with her hooves, Clockwork smiled. “Maybe not, but you’re here, you’re safe, and all of you are going to be fine. That’s all that matters.” Twilight sighed and lowered her head. “You’re right. I just can’t help but worry.” Picking up a roll of gauze, Clockwork laughed. “Well, you have something else to worry about. Namely, these wounds. Now hold still while I wrap this one up.” Twilight’s haunches hit the floor. She sat in awkward silence while the earth pony wrapped the wound up tightly, making sure it closed properly. “Perfect! Now, don’t go moving around too much or this dressing might fall off,” Clockwork warned. “Now for your leg.” Raising her front right hoof, she placed it on the floor in front of Clockwork. “Is it clean? We don’t have to wash it out, do we?” Peering into the wound, Clockwork lifted her head slowly. “Sorry, but we do.” Twilight gave a pitiful whine and put the popsicle stick back in her mouth. “Ohay, rary wen hew har.” Picking up the bottle once more, Clockwork poured it over the wound, flushing out the dirt that had settled in. Twilight whimpered at the pain, her teeth cracking the stick. “Okay, we’re done!” Clockwork announced, putting the bottle away. “Now for the ointment, the wrap, and you’re free to go.” Twilight spat out the stick once more, this time on the floor. “Thank goodness. That hurts!” “An infection will do a lot more than just hurt, so suck it up, buttercup.” Both ponies fell into silence as Clockwork tended to the wound. She spread a fine layer of ointment into the wound, earning a sharp hiss from her patient. As she tended to Twilight’s wounds, Cadance’s words echoed in her head. I cleared the turmoil in your heart. Gone are those pesky self doubts, and questions of whether you are worthy or not. Much to Clockwork’s chagrin, the day after the princesses invaded her home, Twilight and the others had been called away. Those words rattled in her mind for five days, taking up much of her thoughts. Now that Twilight was back, those words grew even louder, practically shouting for her attention. Clockwork gathered her courage, it was now or never. “Hey, Twilight, do you want to go see a play or something?” In a flash, Twilight turned to face her. “A play?” It took all of Clockwork’s nerves not to falter. “Y-yeah. A play.” “Sure, why not? I’ll ask Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie—” “I was thinking it would just be you and me,” Clockwork interrupted, her heart beating faster. Twilight’s entire world screeched to a halt. Her pupils dilated, and her breathing seemed to stop. “Just… you and me?” Every moment that ticked by drained Clockwork of her courage. Despite this, she swallowed her fear and nodded. “Sure! We can… you know… nerd out together. We’ll analyze it too much and just be weirdos.” It took a moment, but a smile finally returned to Twilight’s lips. “Sure! When do you want to go?” “Ummm, we can hammer that out later when I’m not, you know, piecing you back together.” “Of course.” Once more, she wrapped the wound in gauze, making sure it was tight enough to stay on, but not too tight as to cut off circulation. “All done, Miss Princessy Pants!” Looking down at her freshly treated wounds, Twilight smiled. “That feels better already. I bet it’ll hurt way worse tomorrow, though.” A sudden giggle caught the alicorn’s attention. “What’s so funny?” Reaching over, Clockwork fluffed Twilight’s wings. “You are! Did you know the tips of your wings flutter a little bit when you inspect something?” “They do not!” Twilight huffed in indignation. “They totally do! Pegasi wings sometimes react autonomously. Are you telling me you didn’t know your wings do things like that on their own?” “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I wasn’t born with wings. Needless to say, once I got them, I had to learn how to control them. It hasn’t been easy. For the first week or two, they would just spring open without warning. Still happens occasionally.” Clockwork tilted her head. “Without warning? Like, just standing around?” Twilight nodded. “Yeah. One time I was at Canterlot Castle with the others, and we were getting ready to leave and as we were going home they just… sprang out. “ Cocking her eyebrows, Clockwork stared at her skeptically. “Just you and your friends? Nopony else there?” Twilight shrugged. “No. Well, there were other ponies there...” Clockwork finally pieced it together. Twilight was a unicorn, now she is an alicorn. She didn’t grow up with wings, she gained them, and recently too. A blush formed on Clockwork’s cheeks when she thought back to her recent times spent with Twilight, fraught with fully extended wingspans. “Twilight… I don’t know how to say this but uhhhh, well… you see… oh jeez. Listen, sometimes when pegasi see someone they’re attracted to, they uhhhh… well, their wings sorta open. Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, sat stone solid for a moment, her eyes and head never flinching. “What?” Clockwork nodded awkwardly. “Eeeyah. You see-” “No! That can’t be it!” Twilight objected. “They would spring open at all times! Like… like at night when I was trying to go to sleep but… oh. So when Rainbow Dash laughed at me and Fluttershy refused to talk about it, they were…” “Yup.” “Wait! I see pegasi throw open their wings all the time. Surely they can’t all be displays of infatuation!” “Throwing open their wings is one thing, but if they’re stuck open longer than saaaay a minute, then it’s probably the other thing,” Clockwork explained. Even after this, she could tell that Twilight’s head was spinning, the inner mechanisms of her mind trying to repaint past events. “So… that time when Pinkie did that dance at Rainbow Dash’s birthaversary, and then Rainbow’s wings stayed open for ten minutes… that was… wait, you don’t think they’re dating, do you?” “Uhhh, duh. Those two are stuck like glue.” “Oh dear. I’m never going to look at pegasi the same way again,” Twilight muttered, burying her head in her hooves. Leaning in, Clockwork nudged the alicorn in her side. “Just imagine how many ponies have seen you with your wings sprung.” “Not helping!” With a good-hearted chuckle, Clockwork patted Twilight’s head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s so common among pegasi that no one really judges them for it. It’s just a fact of life.” Looking back up at her companion, Twilight sighed. “Looks like I need to start reading more physiology books.” Clockwork stood up to leave. “Don’t forget, we missed our book club meeting because you had to go do your friendship nonsense,” she said, opening the bedroom door. “I know, I know. Oh, and Clockwork?” The earth pony stopped just short of closing the bedroom door. “Thanks for patching me up.” Clockwork grinned around her mask. “Just doing what I do best. Fixing things.” Twilight sighed as the door softly clicked shut. Glancing at the desk, she plucked a quill from its surface and levitated it over to where she lay on the bed. Luna sat outside on the balcony overlooking Canterlot Castle’s garden, a tranquil smile gracing her lips. She and Celestia were enjoying a short break for lunch before they had to get back to their royal duties. The peace of their break was shattered by the unexpected arrival of a letter, appearing in front of Celestia in mystical dragonflame. Flaring up her horn, she unfurled the scroll and drank in the letter, savoring every word. “A friendship lesson from your little sparkle already?” Luna asked. Celestia shook her head as a lighthearted chuckle escaped her lips. “Not exactly. See for yourself.” Taking the scroll, Luna read through it quickly and gasped as the nature of the letter dawned on her. “Sister! You didn’t tell her what an involuntary wingspan meant? Are you telling me you let your protégé throw her wings open so flagrantly without any sort of warning?” “I did! It was quite amusing. You should have seen her around the gardener. She would walk by and boing! There goes her wings.” “The gardener? You mean Lily Lilac? She is rather cute. I can see why she might cause Twilight to look twice. Anyway, how are you going to tell your student you thought it was funnier for her to walk around with popped wings, rather than explain what they meant?” Celestia sighed, a knowing smile gracing her features. “Why don’t you take a quill and scroll and I’ll show you how it’s done.” Luna wasn’t exactly thrilled about being Celestia’s note taker, but she was curious as to how she would explain this particular oversight. “Ready when you are.” Taking a quick sip of her tea, Celestia giggled and leaned back in her chair. “Dear Twilight Sparkle. I never planned to deceive you. Once you earned your wings, I assumed you did the proper research in pegasi social cues and physiology. In the same way that unicorns never touch horns unless they love one another, there are certain ways pegasi must use their wings appropriately. For instance, a pegasus only uses their wings to hug others if they share an emotional bond with that pony. If you need suggestions on books to learn more about these social cues, message me back and I’ll be happy to send you a list. Ever your teacher, Princess Celestia.” Finishing the signature with a flourish, Luna clapped her hooves. “Bravo. I wasn’t expecting you to pull the ‘It’s not my fault you didn’t do the research’ card. How brutal and effective.” With a flash of her horn and a crooked smile, Celestia sent the letter to Twilight. “I could teach a master class.” ~Three days later~ It’s probably not too late to cancel. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if I cancelled. Standing in front of the theater in Canterlot like a filly waiting for her mother, Clockwork realized why Cadance told her not to wait too long. Those “pesky self doubts” came back with a vengeance, screaming at her to run home and hide under a blanket. Am I really taking a princess out on a date? She’s one of the rulers of Equestria! Thinking back to their lunch, she remembered Twilight cramming her face with onion rings and hayburgers, her cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk and a ring of ketchup around her lips. Okay, so the princess thing is a bit overblown, but she’s still Twilight freaking Sparkle. What right do I have to date her? Wait, does she even realize this is a date? Her eyes did sort of light up when I mentioned us going out alone. “Hey! Clockwork!” The earth pony’s head flew up like she’d just been stung by a bee. Her knees started to quake when she saw Twilight walking toward the theater. I do believe she realizes this is supposed to be a date… Twilight trotted toward her wearing a purple dress with frills around the legs and collar. No sequins, no jewels, just a simple, practical dress. It was also the only time she had seen the alicorn in a dress, which also made it all the more frightening. “Hi there, uhhh, Twilight. That… that dress looks pretty good on you.” Blushing profusely, Twilight turned her head. “Oh, it’s no big deal really. Just a little something I had laying around. You don’t look half bad yourself.” Clockwork spent several hours debating on what she should wear, or if she should wear anything at all. In the final reckoning, she decided upon a red blouse with white lace and pearls. Laughing nervously, Clockwork waved her off. “This old thing? Oh, it’s nothing, really.” “Old thing? I thought Rarity made that for you when the ponies lost your luggage on the train,” Twilight teased. Fifteen and zero: advantage, Twilight. “Right! Let’s get our tickets, shall we?” Walking up to the ticket booth, both ponies stared for a moment in awkward silence. The first hurdle of the night appeared abruptly and neither pony was ready for it. The pony behind the ticket booth was blissfully unaware of the battle that was currently brewing in front of him. Thinking quickly, Clockwork reached down and pulled to the surface a burst of courage that seemed to be all but absent. Her hoof produced a pouch full of bits that threatened to jump out of Clockwork’s hoof. “Two tickets please!” Out the corner of her eye, Clockwork saw Twilight’s own bit pouch just peeking out of her dress, still engulfed in a purple aura. It slowly slid back down into the dress, out of sight. That’s right. I win this time Sparkles. “Thanks, Clockwork. I’ll cover dinner after the play is over,” Twilight announced cheerfully. The earth pony froze. Dinner?! I didn’t say anything about dinner! She’s good… The booth attendant took the bits and passed on two tickets. “Here you go ladies. Two tickets to ‘The Canterlot Bride.’ It’s starting soon, so you may want to find your seats quickly.” Passing the extra ticket to Twilight, Clockwork walked to the door, but froze in place as it glowed in a purple aura, swinging open. “After you,” Twilight said, holding it open. Clockwork couldn’t help but let a blush cross her cheeks as she walked through the open door. She’s really good. During her time in Canterlot, Clockwork had been to the theater a couple times. Only once was it of her own volition. She never really enjoyed the theater if she was honest. Something about watching a poorly acted charade simply made her want to read a book instead. In her head, the main characters could sound or look as tough or as kind as she wished. The theater took that away from the experience. Most of the time this was a bad thing as the actors simply never measured up to the performance in her head. The Canterlot Bride was a different story. Twilight leaned forward in her chair, hooves practically dancing in anxiety/anticipation. “She’s actually leaving her own wedding?” Clockwork nodded. “It looks like it.” “Bu-but, her parents went through all the trouble to set it up! How could she just run away like that?” Clockwork mulled over the question herself. The story was rather simple on its face. A pony raised in a backwoods town finds herself in a whirlwind romance that quickly leads her to a wedding chapel in Canterlot. There, on the cusp of her union, she dashes out when she realises she hasn’t seen enough of the world. The story continues on its inevitably cliche arc until she meets another stallion in a town far away. The mare discovers that by not taking a chance, she nearly missed out on the pony that was truly right for her. “There’s so much out there, Twilight. I think maybe she just wants to see some of it first.” Twilight said nothing for a moment, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Together they absorbed the play content to simply watch. “You said you met the pony playing Healing Hearts, right?” “Mmmmhmmm. That’s Ruby Rose. She’s a classically trained opera singer. I made her a custom wall clock that plays the Canterlot Chimes on the hour. Believe it or not, she took me out to a premiere one time.” Raising her eyebrows, Twilight looked at her companion. “Really? You? At a premiere? You barely survived a Pinkie Pie party!” “Hey! Premieres are easy.” Clockwork protested. “No pony pays attention to you unless you’re important. I just drank some champagne and loitered until it was time to go.” “Oh.” The silence built again as the curtains closed on the current scene. Soft music played in an attempt to drown out the sound of moving scenery and props behind the scenes. “Hey Clockwork?” “Hmm? Twilight looked uncomfortable, fidgety even. “Have you ever dreamed about getting married one day?” Clockwork looked down at her own hooves. “Used to be a nightmare of mine. It hung over my head like a guillotine. It was like some far away threat that I used to dread.” “And now?” Leaning back in her seat, Clockwork stared at the ceiling. “I’d like to one day. Geez, Ponyville must really be changing me. When I left Canterlot, the idea of marriage made me nervous. Now, I guess I’d just have to find the right pony.” “Ah, I see,” Twilight noted. “Not that I’m in a hurry to!” Clockwork added quickly. “I’m just… warming up to it.” Twilight merely nodded in response. Of course, this left one loose end. “What about you?” “Hmm?” Clockwork waved her hoof. “You know… marriage.” Pursing her lips, Twilight directed her gaze skyward. “I think about it sometimes. It’s… complicated.” “Really? in what way?” Clockwork asked, her curiosity fully piqued. “Well, I’m a princess.” Twilight said, fidgeting in her seat. “If I get married, it might end up being this giant event. Don’t get me wrong, Equestria has come a long way since the age before Luna and Celestia. Princesses and princes are no longer pawns in a chess match to divvy up land and money, but it’s still a big deal.” “Would it really be that big of a deal? I mean, it’s not like ponies are falling over themselves to bow and scrape at you.” “Marriage is different though.” Twilight’s head slowly lowered, her gaze falling to the ground. “Magazines and newspapers would practically fall over themselves for another chance at a royal wedding. What kinda pony is going to put up with that kind of fuss just to marry me?” A gentle hoof touched Twilight’s chin, raising it until her eyes met Clockwork’s. “Only a pony who deserves you.” A smile found its way across Twilight’s lips just as the curtain opened. Together they sat in rapt attention, neither acknowledging the other’s hoof holding theirs. After the play, the pair caught the train back to Ponyville where Twilight made good on her “threat” of dinner. A pony of large stature with a white coat and a gloriously well-kept mustache lumbered towards Twilight and Clockwork’s table with a piping hot pan. “Here you are, ladies. One daisy and magnolia pizza with extra cheese. Don’t let it go cold!” The jolly cook chuckled heartily and walked back to the kitchen. Clockwork loved pizza places. The smell of fresh dough and melted cheese was one that never failed to get her tastebuds raring to go. A proper pizza place is always perfectly lit. Never too dark, but just bright enough to see the pony sitting across from you. Another staple of a traditional pizza place were the booths and hardwood furniture. Ponyville’s pizza joint did not disappoint, checking all of these boxes and more. “Well, it’s not going to eat itself,” Clockwork said, snapping off the straps to her mask. Putting the device next to her, she licked her lips and bore down on the pizza. Her hooves nearly made their mark when the entire pizza lifted into the air in a magical glow. Heartbroken, Clockwork stared at her tormentor across the table with watering eyes. “Just a moment,” Twilight said. Separating the slices cleanly, she levitated two slices to Clockwork’s plate, and two slices to her own. Ohhhh. She didn’t want me touching the pizza with my bare hooves. Smart. “Sorry,” Twilight apologized with a toothy grin. “I just get nervous when the cheese stretches and gets everywhere…” Or she’s just weird… as usual. Twilight’s idiosyncrasies about cheese aside, Clockwork grabbed one of the slices off of her plate and tore into it. Gooey cheese, delicious daisies, and fluffy magnolias made quite a delicious combination. I’m so glad Ponyville has a decent pizzeria. I don’t think I could live without one. Halfway through her own slice, Clockwork looked over at her dining partner and fought hard against giggling. Twilight wrestled with her own slice, nervously eyeing the cheese, which dangled precariously off the side. A quick flick of magic sent the hanging cheese back onto the slice, letting Twilight bite into it with gusto. Mid-chew, Twilight noticed that her struggle gained Clockwork’s attention. “I don’t like it when cheese dangles,” Twilight whined, her mouth still half-full. Rolling her eyes, Clockwork returned to her own slice of heaven, mowing through the rest until she got to the crust. Here comes the moment of truth. Turning the crust sideways, she bit into it and prepared for the worst. Instantly, her eyes lit up. Soft… flaky… delicious! Stuffing the other half of the crust in her already bulging mouth, Clockwork chewed mightily. “Jeez, Clockwork. You don’t have to eat that fast, it’s not like it’s going to run away,” Twilight teased. A faint blush stained Clockwork’s cheeks as she scratched the back of her neck. “I’m just joking, really,” Twilight said. “It’s actually good to see you eat for once. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat more than a nibble when you’re around other ponies.” Flashbacks of chocolates, cupcakes and muffins being devoured mercilessly replayed in Clockwork’s mind. If you only knew… “I guess the mask also makes it difficult to eat socially,” Twilight reasoned. “I wish there was some way to let you eat while wearing the mask.” Clockwork shrugged, downplaying Twilight’s guilt. Deep inside, however, she also wished it were true. It’s a small price for being able to talk. I’ll pay it gladly. Starting on her second slice, Clockwork took a moment to sip on her soda. Fountain soda and pizza. A heavenly combo. “Oh! I’ve been studying something!” Twilight announced. “Watch!” The alicorn raised one hoof up, pointing to herself, then waved it back and forth, and then waved it backwards. “Get it? It’s sign language! I’ve been learning.” Clockwork tilted her head in confusion and waved for Twilight to do the motion again. “I farted downwind,” the alicorn obliviously signed out. “See? It means I’m glad I came along.” Clockwork shook her head vigorously, sending her magenta mane flying about wildly. “Oh. Maybe I need some more time,” Twilight said, scrunching her nose. Canterlot wasn’t built in a day. Clockwork held open the door for Twilight as they both left the pizzeria. The entrancing aroma of cheese and pizza dough lost some of its magic now that she was full. “Ugh, I’m so stuffed, I feel like a teddy bear. So worth it, though.” “Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “Cannoli makes the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. It makes sense. He’s from Manehattan.” Night had fallen during the meal, and the only light apart from a few street lamps was the full moon hanging low in the sky. “Wow. We’ve been gone all day. Sorry, Twilight. I didn’t mean to take up so much of your time,” “Don’t be. I had fun. Isn’t that the whole idea?” Clockwork nodded bashfully, but remained silent. Together they walked through the quiet Ponyville streets. Neither of them spoke, but it became clear that they were both headed for the castle. It only seemed right to make sure the princess got home safely, after all. Trotting side by side, they shared something more than words, they shared each other. Unfortunately—like all good things—this too, came to an end as they approached the castle’s doorstep. Both ponies stared straight forward, neither daring to look at the other, lest they reveal more than they should. “Clockwork,” Twilight began, “can I ask you a question and expect an honest answer?” The earth pony locked up. The tone Twilight took was different than she had ever heard. “S-sure. What’s up?” Stepping forward, Twilight turned and looked Clockwork square in the eyes. “Tonight… the play, dinner, escorting me home… is this… did you mean for this to be… a date?” Panic seized the earth pony. She stepped backwards in fear. “I-I… I just, I…” at that moment in the midst of her fear, she saw it. Twilight’s mane shimmered in the moonlight. Her glistening eyes seemed to glow with concern and care. Twilight wasn’t the kind of pony to end up on a modeling magazine. She was simply a pony like most, minus the whole having wings on top of a horn. Still, Clockwork didn’t like Twilight for her physique or fashion sense. She liked Twilight because she was smart, kind, and compassionate. Okay, yeah, Twilight was adorable as well, but Clockwork knew these emotions went further than her outward appearance. “Clockwork?” Clockwork snapped back to reality, realizing that Twilight was still waiting for an answer. Lowering her head, she closed her eyes and sighed. “I… did.” Clenching her eyes tight, the earth pony waited for whatever was coming next. “Then I guess it’d be okay for me to do this.” Two amber eyes the size of dinner plates flew open as Twilight leaned in and planted a peck on Clockwork’s cheek. Klaxons, alarm bells, horns, and trumpets sounded off in her head as she struggled to process what just happened. “I… I—uhhh, you—did you, uhhh—” Clockwork’s stuttering and rambling came to a halt as Twilight reached out and gave her a tiny shove, which in Clockwork’s state meant she fell backwards onto the grass. Stifling a giggle with her hoof, Twilight turned and walked up the stairs to her castle. “Good night, Clockwork. I can’t wait until next time.” Clockwork went limp, splaying out on the dew-soaked grass. Coherent words and thoughts escaped her mind in a mass exodus of logic. She simply couldn’t formulate a single sentence or cynical retort for this earth-shaking event. All she could do was reach a hoof to the spot on her cheek that was still damp from the—dare she even think it—kiss, Twilight had given her. In the end, she simply chose to squeal in joy, kicking her rear hooves in happiness. “Best. Night. Ever!”