//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: The Tale as Old as Time 
// by DougtheLoremaster 
//------------------------------//

"So, what can I get for you lovely ladies this evening?"
Twilight and Sunset Shimmer were sitting in a booth at the local pizzeria, talking and joking when the waitress approached them. Sunset grinned and gestured at Twilight who spoke up. "I'll take a slice of Hawaiian, and my girlfriend will have a slice of Cheese."
The waitress raised an eyebrow and spoke stiffly. "Very good ma'am."
As she turned and walked away, Sunset laughed. "Did you see her face? Five points!"
It had been three years since the two had started dating, three years since their graduation from Canterlot High. The waitress's reaction was nothing new. In fact, many folk within the town saw their relationship in a negative light, not that they cared. Long had they endured such encounters, but for the two of them it had became nothing more than a game. See who could get the worst reaction. They knew who they were and what they wanted, others opinions of them meant nothing to their love for each other.
Twilight frowned in mock annoyance. "Only five? Ugh, looks like I am losing my touch. Hey, did you hear that?"
Outside a loud thunderous boom could be heard, heralding the coming of a storm. Sunset nodded apprehensively. "It is indeed dire sounding. How could you have lost your touch?"
Twilight stared at her for a moment before Sunset began laughing. "You should see your face right now, yeah the Weatherman said there would be a storm tonight, relax I'll protect you from the scary lightning."
Twilight blushed and huffed. "Y-you be quiet! I am NOT scared of lightning...I just don't like the sudden flashes. That's all."
Sunset looked her in the eyes and spoke softly. "It's all right when we get back to the apartment you can show me what a brave storm watcher you are, while we snuggle under a blanket with some cocoa."
As Sunset burst out laughing, Twilight's voice was indignant. "You are just awful you know that?"
Reaching across the table to take her hand, Sunset grinned. "Oh you know you love me."
Twilight's voice was uncannily serious as she said. "I Think I need to rethink us now. After all you didn't mention the tiny marshmallows for the cocoa."
Looking Sunset in the eyes, Twilight grinned as they both laughed out loud at their own stupid banter. It was at that minute that a loud coughing beside them caught their attention. "Um...Miss...uh...Sunset. Miss Twilight? Can I ask you a question?"
There standing, with an embarrassed expression and a dress wet, presumably from the downpour outside, stood Sweetie Belle. Now a senior in Canterlot High, the younger sister of Rarity seemed quite distressed. Twilight shared a glance with Sunset and spoke to Sweetie Belle in a gentle voice. "Is everything alright? You look like you've been crying."
As her mascara trailed down the sides of her face, Sweetie Belle laughed in a broken way. "N-no nothing bad happened, unless you count the fact I couldn't confess my real feelings to someone truly special to me after practicing in the mirror for hours!"
Twilight looked at her girlfriend. " We've been through that before, eh Sunset?"
Sunset Shimmer's face flushed red with a blush. "I have no idea what you mean Twilight. Nonetheless, Sweetie Belle perhaps you should sit next to me and tell us what happened. Perhaps we can help."
As she patted the seat next to her with a smile, Sweetie Belle's expression turned to one of gratitude and sat down, crossing her legs as she did so. "Thank you so much...I didn't know where to turn!"
Sunset pat her on the shoulder. "It's alright, now let's start at the beginning, who's the lucky boy?"
"App-er...um you uh you don't know him."
Twilight wasn't fooled for a second. The embarrassment in her voice, the refusal to look them in the eye when answering, the answer was clear as day.  No wonder she was so worried. Still she decided to stay silent about it for the moment and instead asked Sweetie Belle. "Oh that is quite exciting, your first boyfriend. Can you tell us, what about him excites you?"
Sunset caught the shift in Twilight's voice as she said the word boyfriend.  Glad it wasn't just me that noticed it.  "Yeah tell us all about him."
Sweetie Belle missed the wink that passed between the two and began gushing, her mood suddenly changing. "Well he is amazing! So smart and we hang out all the time. We eat lunch together and he is so cute!"
Laughing, Twilight responded. "Oh my, someone seems quite smitten. He sounds pretty awesome."
Sweetie Belle's voice reached a high pitch of excitement. "Yeah! She is-"
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "She?"
Immediately Sweetie Belle covered her mouth with both hands and quickly tried to recover as the other two stared at her. "I-I mean he...uh he is amazing and-"
Sunset's voice was calm and gentle. "Sweetie Belle it isn't a boy, is it?"
The voice of the young adolescent was frantic. "No no it-I She...I...mean HE-."
She looked scared as she suddenly screamed. "I gotta go! Rarity is-"
At a nod from Twilight, Sunset placed a hand on the shoulder of Sweetie Belle as she tried to rise up from the booth. "It's alright, we understand. You came to the right people."
As Sweetie Belle remained halfway standing, Twilight began to speak to her. "Sit down. Tell us the truth, Sweetie Belle, are you a lesbian?"
Sweetie Belle slowly lowered herself back into a sitting position and placed her head in her hands, as she covered her face which was turning red. "Yes...no...I-I don't know! I'm so confused!"
The waitress came up to the booth with two piping hot slices of pizza and placed them in front of Twilight and Sunset. The look on her face expressed disdain, though she hid her attitude well. "One slice of Hawaiian and Cheese pizza ladies. If you need anything else please don't hesitate to ask."
As she turned to leave Sunset quickly grabbed her attention. "I would like to order one slice of your freshest pepperoni pizza. For our friend please."
"yes, ma'am."
Once she had gone, Sweetie Belle looked at them. "Thank you...I-"
Sunset laughed. "It's fine. Believe me when I say we know all about those feelings your having. We went through the same thing. Let me guess...she asked you out and you panicked."
Sweetie Belle shook her head and whimpered. "No I didn't even get that far. By my sister's hat, I don't even know if she feels the same way. I mean we've been friends since elementary school, I...practiced in the mirror. I spent all week convincing myself it would be fine. Tonight I went to ask her to the prom, and I took one look at her and the second she saw me I-"
Twilight nodded. "You bolted, afraid of rejection. Yeah, my boyfriend did the same thing."
Sunset laughed. "Oh, screw you love. Besides everyone knows you are my boyfriend, not the other way around. Anyway Sweetie Belle, does being with her make you happy?"
Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to respond. The look on her face as she thought about her gave all the answer needed. Her voice was like that of a joyous chorus; uplifting and full of life. "Sitting next to her in class is like the sunshine on the rainiest day, shining down upon me and letting me know-"
She stopped and blushed, Twilight smiled at her. "Then tell me, what's the problem?"
"What if she says no?"
Sunset looked at Twilight and spoke. "I got this one. Sweetie Belle, she may say no and if she does it may hurt just as sure as Rarity is making clothing right now. However, what if she says yes? If you never ask her, you'll never know and that could be far worse than getting some actual closure on this. If she truly means the world to you, then you should take that risk. Whatever may happen, isn't it better than never knowing?"
"But what if...what if...she doesn't want to be friends anymore! What if she thinks I'm some kind of freak?!"
Twilight answered this time. "Then she was never truly your friend. A friend will accept your faults, your quirks and your shortcomings. They will stand by your side and take the good and the bad of who you are, in stride. If she is truly your friend regardless of her response to you, she will accept you for who you are."
Sweetie Belle smiled happily as she thought about that. Twilight and Sunset were right. The only thing holding her back was  me. I shouldn't be afraid.  At that moment the waitress arrived carrying the slice of pepperoni pizza. "One slice of pepperoni pizza, for the young miss."
Once she had gone, the three began to eat together. As they sat there enjoying their food, the sound of heavy footsteps coming towards them accompanied by rapidly heavy breathing was picked up by Twilight. Turning she saw who it was and smiled. "Sweetie Belle, I've been trying to find you! You took off so suddenly, are you alright?"
Standing there, panting as if she had been running for quite a while stood Apple Bloom. Her clothing was soaked from the rain outside, and her face was flushed with a bright red as she stood there shivering. Sunset nudged Sweetie Belle with a smile. Standing up Sweetie Belle said. "Apple Bloom, I...I wanted to ask you a question earlier. I just lost my nerve. Though after coming here I think perhaps, I'm ready to ask you."
Apple Bloom laughed and said. "Oh come on Sweetie Belle! You can ask me anything!"
Biting her lip and taking a deep breath, Sweetie Belle practically screamed her question as if forcing the words to come out even though she was terrified. "WILL YOU GO TO THE PROM WITH ME?"
Apple Bloom looked down and whispered softly. "Sweetie Belle are...you asking me out, like a date?."
Closing her eyes and gathering all the courage she could muster, Sweetie Belle took the risk. "YES!"
As her friend stood there, quaking and looking like she was about to collapse, Apple Bloom spoke in a pleased tone. " I would love to go to the prom with you!"
Sweetie Belle slowly opened her eyes. "I..understand...Wait, did you say yes?"
Laughing Apple Bloom took her hand and looked her in the eyes. "My answer is yes Sweetiebell. I would love to go on a date with you to the prom."
Sunset smiled. "You see, Sweetie Belle? There really was nothing to fear."
Looking at the two adults, Sweetie Belle blushed. "Thank you both so much!"
Grinning, Apple Bloom spoke, a sly tone in her voice. "You know Sweetie Belle, since we are already here...how about I buy you dinner?"
Taking her hand, Sweetie Belle blushed and as a smile appeared on her face, spoke happily. "I would love that."