Twilight was inside her castle reading a book. No surprise there, but it was a surprise as to which book it was. It was little book, maybe 256 pages, on dating. Yes, dating. You see, for the last couple of months, Twilight has been getting these strange feelings when she was around Ryan, Ponyville's resident human. It's been a few years since she saved him from getting buried under an avalanche in his world and after the surprisingly easy acceptance of his situation, Ryan fit in nicely with ponykind. That is, after experiencing the Zecora Incident for himself first.
Ryan was a young man in his twenties, standing at about 6'4'' and weighed 200 pounds with a well trained physique. He had to be in shape since he was a member of search and rescue and when Twilight saved him, Ryan was actually in the middle of a rescue mission of his own when things went south. Anyway, said human had a light skin tone, short blonde hair and blue eyes and in the human world he would be considered very attractive. Apparently Twilight found him attractive as well since she was reading a book about dating. Her problem was that she didn't know how to approach the subject!
"It is customary for a pagasi to offer one of their primary flying feathers to the mare or stallion he or she is interested in. " she read the passage from the book and furrowed her brow in thought. Stretching her wings, Twilight quickly located one and gently plucked it out, continuing to read "Should the receiving pony accept the feather you may commence courting. " Twilight nodded her head in understanding but then a thought hit her. Something so obvious she berated herself for not thinking of it sooner "He's not a pony! " the young alicorn yelled in frustration and threw the book away. Twilight remembered Ryan could be pretty dense since a few mares and even stallions approached him with the intention of courting him and he always declined. Was dating different in his world? She never asked before and why would she? Twilight wasn't interested in him like that! At least, not until now.
As said, for the last few months Twilight caught herself stealing glances at him when he wasn't looking and came to like what she saw. Even when he was looking she noticed herself checking him out and then getting flustered when he mentions it. Simple things like a hug or brushing against each other while cleaning the castle were making her heart race and turn her cheeks a shade darker. Even though he got his own house he still came over every morning to wake her up and spend the day with her. He was a very close friend and she never thought of him as anything more. That is until this morning when she was thinking very hard about what was going on and tried to convince herself she only liked him as a friend. It went something like this "I like him. " and that was it. Try as she might, Twilight simply could not bring herself to finish that sentence with "only as a friend" and upon realization her whole body grew hotter and her brain short-circuited.
"What if he doesn't feel the same way? " Twilight's ears dropped and she looked worried. Sure, she caught him stealing glances at her and getting a little more touchy-feely with their hugs -nothing perverted guys- but that was about it. Ryan didn't blush on contact and didn't get flustered when she teased him back after he made some lame sex joke that got her red as a tomato. But what made her so attracted to him? He was good looking, sure, but Twilight saw past that. She saw a brave and kind soul that prevailed through everything life threw at him. He helped them fight all manner of beast and fiends that were only legends in his world with the bravery of a lion. Ryan also got along with everypony, making friends everywhere he went. He helped around the village doing odd jobs and selling his services waaaay below price, something that many took advantage off but Ryan just said something about Karmageddon and continued on his merry way. Ryan even managed to find a good friend in Princess Luna, something about heavy metals if she recalled correctly. This last thought got her thinking. If Ryan was even remotely interested in her, what did he see in her anyway?
Getting out of her comfy recliner inside her room, Twilight walked up to a large mirror and examined herself. She was about 5'5'' and her light frame wasn't as curvaceous as Luna's or some other mares that approached him. That aside, what else did she offer? She was a bookworm and nopony could find that sexy. She was always doing research and burried herself under piles of scrolls that nopony but her could make sense of. She didn't go out looking for adventure or tried new things just for the sake of it like Rainbow Dash. She certainly didn't have the grace and elegance of Rarity or Pinkie's enthusiasm and cheeriness. Twilight didn't even want to compare her physical strength to AJ or the amount of kindness Fluttershy could give off. All in all, Twilight thought she was a boring, bookworming librarian. Sighing deeply and questioning if to actually go through with her confession, Twilight was snapped out of her thought's by a knock on the door.
"Twilight darling? Are you in there? " it was Rarity. Twilight shook off her previous thoughts and replied.
"Come in Rarity! " the door slowly opened and in walked Rarity. She was a white unicorn mare with a curvaceous figure that left stallions and mares drooling. Her violet mane was always styled to perfection and being the local fashionista her outfit was a well paired white blouse and dark blue jeans that complimented her hourglass figure. The way she walked displayed elegance, grace and beauty, her every step swaying her hips in the most hypnotizing manner. Twilight glanced back at her mirror: hairs sticking out of her unkempt mane, slouched shoulders and she was wearing a wriggled yellow sweat shirt with a large neckline so you could see the bra holding her c-cup sized chest and striped pink/purple leggings. So very sexy...
"Oh you're reading. " Rarity chuckled as she saw the book on the floor next to Twilight "That would explain why you forgot about our tea date this morning. " Twilight's eyes went wide as plates.
"WHAT? Oh No! I'm so sorry Rarity! " Twilight waved her arms around in panic and apology.
"It's fine dear. I know how you get when- " then Rarity noticed a feather in Twilight's right hand. A purple primary feather. She took a closer look at the book and saw it was on dating. Twilight looked at her friend in confusion when she let out a gleeful squee "OH! MY! CELESTIA! " faster than she could perceive, Rarity had Twilight in a bone-crushing hug "I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU DARLING! " the alicorn's vision was getting fuzzy.
"R-Rarity... Air... " she croaked out and Rarity ended the hug, her hands now clasped tightly together and a giddy smile upon her lips "W-what are you talking about? " Twilight asked, breathing in every ounce of oxygen she could.
"The feather! " Rarity pointed at it and giggled "It's a primary flying feather! You're going to ask Ryan out! Oh that is most wonderful! "
"No I'm not! Wait... " Twilight looked at Rarity with a narrowed gaze "Why do you think it's Ryan? "
"Oh please. " Rarity rolled her eyes and crossed her arms under her large bust "Everypony knows you have the hots for each other. "
"Each other? " Twilight gasped in shock. Rarity shook her head, wondering just how dense the two can be.
"Why of course, darling! " Rarity sat down on Twilight's bed and Twilight took a seat in her recliner once more "And please don't try to deny it, I've seen the way you look at each other. "
"Y-you did? " Twilight asked in embarrassment.
"Mmmmhm. You two think you're soooo inconspicuous but we know. " Twilight's cheeks turned a shade of red "It makes me happy you finally realized your feelings for him so now the girls and I don't have to subtly bring you together. Not for lack of trying, mind you. "
"You were trying to bring us together? " Twilight asked in confusion "How? " to her knowledge, the girls did absolutely nothing. Rarity smiled, and once again shook her head.
"Of course you two didn't notice. " Rarity then began explaining "You never noticed how we always make the seating arrangements so that you two are next to each other? " Twilight's brow rose "How many times we come up with an excuse to leave you two alone? " then the other "And don't even get me started on that dinner a week ago! We each made some dumb excuse to not attend so it could be just the two of you! " her mouth parted slightly "An impromptu first date, as it were. " her mouth was now wide open. She remembered that day perfectly. It was supposed to be dinner with friends but the girls canceled, leaving only Ryan and her to have dinner with friends "Trust me, I may not be the princess of love, but I know love when I see it. "
"S-so you're saying... " the gears began turning in Twilight's head.
"He likes you too, Twilight. " Rarity put a comforting hand on her friends shoulder "He just hasen't realized it yet. " Twilight sat back in the recliner, her mind going a thousand miles an hour "It would seem all stallions are the same. Us mares have to make the first move apparently. "
"But that's exactly my problem! " Twilight jumped up from her recliner, startling Rarity in the process "How do I do this? Do I set up a date? Do I make a newspaper announcement? Have Rainbow write it in the sky? "
"Calm down, Twilight. " Rarity said in a comforting manner "Now, Ryan is a simple stallion and he likes things simple as well. Just, go up to him and tell him how you feel. " Twilight's eye twitched.
"Simple? This is anything but simple! " Twilight groaned in frustration which only made Rarity giggle "It's not funny! This is whole new territory for me! "
"Truly? Could it be Ryan is your first crush? " Rarity wiggled her brows and Twilight's face heated up to the tips of her ears.
"M-maybe... " this only made Rarity squeal again and envelop Twilight in another bone-crushing hug "Air! " Rarity quickly released her and did pirouettes around the room.
"Our little Twilight is all grown up! Ah to be in love! " Twilight face-palmed at her friends antics.
"This is not helping. " Rarity stopped her spinning and coughed to regain composure.
"Anyway, my point still stands. I suggest you just go up to him,tell him how you feel and present the feather to him. " Rarity said simply but Twilight was still not sure, her ears drooping once again.
"What if he rejects me? " she asked with a sad voice and Rarity put her hands on Twilight's shoulders.
"Twilight, darling. " the look she gave her was terrifying "If he rejects you, I shall make him regret the day he was born. " she then pulled back, a smile once again adorning her features "Trust me. He likes you. " Twilight thought for a moment and began pacing around the room. Now that she thought about it, her and Ryan did get a suspicious amount of time alone together. And Rarity was her friend so she wouldn't lie about these things, right? Well, there was only way to find out. She knew Ryan was at home at this time of the day and decided to approach this subject head on. Up close and personal. Otherwise she might get cold-hooves before...
"Alright, I'll do it. " she said with a determined look and held the feather tightly with both hands "I'll go to him now and whatever happens, happens. " Rarity's eyes widened in shock.
"Twilight! Wait! " before she was able to reach her, Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath and she was gone in a flash "Ohhhh! Horseapples! "
Twilight felt she reached her destination, eyes still closed and just went for it. She pushed her arms forward and presented the feather.
"Ilikeyouwillyougoonadatewithme? " she blurted out and was met with silence. An uncomfortable silence. Slightly opening her right eye, Twilight realized she was in Sugarcube Corner. A completely full Sugarcube Corner since it was lunch time. Opening her other eye she saw her outstretched hands holding the feather in front of a very confused looking Ryan who was sitting across an amused Princess Luna. Her entire body went red from hoof to ear tips.
"EEEEEEP! " and with another flash she was gone, the feather dropping from her hands right into Ryan's.
She reappeared in her room and looked at Rarity who was chuckling at her friends state.
"Why didn't you tell me? " Twilight yelled, her whole body red from the embarrassing incident.
"Well I tried to warn you but you just up and vanished. " Rarity defended herself "I saw Ryan and Princess Luna having lunch at Sugarcube- "
"Oh my Celestia! I've made a fool of myself in front of the Princess and the entire Sugarcube Corner! " Twilight dropped to the floor, hugging her knees close and rocking herself slowly "Now he's never going to go out with me. "
"It couldn't have been that bad. " Rarity sat next to her friend and rubbed her back in comfort.
"It was... " Twilight sniffled, a few tears escaping her eyes "I've made a fool of myself! " she buried her face into her knees screamed in muffled frustration. Rarity continued to comfort her friend for a couple of minutes but it was a hard thing to do right now. The fact somepony decided to knock on the door didn't help her situation.
"There's somepony at the door. " Rarity said with a knowing smile. She had a hunch.
"Don't care... " Twilight responded quietly and the knocking continued.
"I think you should get it. " Rarity nudged her lightly.
"I don't wanna'... " this whole drama was driving Rarity crazy and she was the queen of drama!
"Just get the bucking door will you? " Rarity encased Twilight with her magic and practically threw her out of her own room. Landing on her flanks Twilight scowled at Rarity and rose to her hooves. Whoever was at the door better had something important to say by the way they were knocking on it.
"Alright, alright I'm coming! " Twilight yelled in frustration and wiped her tears along the way. She swung the door open "WHAT? " she was left in shock when she saw Ryan standing there, tapping the feather lightly against his palm.
"Hey Twi. " he greeted with a smile, making Twilight wish the ground would open up "The weirdest thing happened today. " he began explaining and Twilight's face turned red, remembering the incident pretty clearly "I was having lunch with Luna and then suddenly this adorkable mare showed up and gave me a feather. " a slight smile crossed her lips when he called her adorkable. Only he did and only he could call her that "Then she vanished! Poof!" he made a hand gesture to go along with the sound effect "I asked Luna what that about and she told me the funniest thing. " her ears dropped "When a pegasi likes somepony they give the other a primary flying feather as a sign of affection. " he twiddled the feather in his hands, inspecting it very closely "Imagine my surprise when my best friend showed up and gave me one of hers. " here it comes "I suppose there's only one thing to do now... " he put the feather behind his ear like one would do a pencil "How do I look? " Twilight closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable teasing but it never came "In case you missed it, I like you too and would love to go out on a date. " her ear twitched and she slowly opened her eyes, seeing Ryan with the feather behind his ear and a warm smile. Her mouth opened in response but no words came out. Then over and over again like a fish out of water and Ryan just stood there, waiting for the genius to figure out an answer. Good thing Rarity jumped in and closed Twilight's mouth.
"Please don't do that dearie, it's so un-ladylike. " then Rarity turned to Ryan "And I believe I speak for my friend when I say she'd love that. " Twilight looked at Rarity in shock "I must be going now, no need for a third wheel. Bye! " and so she left, leaving Ryan and a very shocked Twilight behind. Twilight looked up at Ryan again who was still waiting for an answer.
"Sooooo dinner tonight? " Ryan offered and it would appear Twilight finally came to her senses. Her face flushed red and she nodded meekly "Great! Looking forward to it! " Ryan gave the still somewhat dazed Twilight a hug, which she returned and wanted to last so much longer but Ryan let go "I'll pick you up at 7. " Twilight nodded meekly and Ryan smiled "Great! See you then! " he waved goodbye and walked towards the center of town. Twilight slowly closed the door, leaned against it and slid down. She cupped her still red cheeks and smiled giddily.
"He likes me... " she said to herself and smiled widely "He likes me and we're going on a date tonight! " aaaand back to a frown "I don't know the first thing about dates! " she jumped to her hooves, a look of determination on her face "I must prepare! " she declared and flew towards the library in the castle to do some much needed research. This should be good...